Through the Years with Santee Hardware
As the end of the year approaches, it has us at Santee Hardware reflecting on all the past years we've spent helping you with your hardware needs.
Here's a look back on where we started, where we've been and where we are going.
We bought the store Sept. 20, 1999. At that point it was part of the Ace Hardware franchise.
These pictures are all from around 2002, back when we were still an Ace Hardware. Those children in the pics are my own kids. Also featured, our first store dog, Cola. You can see from this last photo how much our inventory has grown as we've listened to our customers and adjusted our inventory to fit your needs.
We switched from Ace Hardware to Do It Best in 2004. These are old pics from when we were Do it Best Hardware. They show our expansion in the backyard with the addition of lumber racks and metal storage buildings. Prior to that, we sold no lumber and very little concrete bagged goods. We listened to our customers and realized there was a real demand for quality lumber in Santee.
You may recognize Terry and Dave talking shop in this picture from 2010. Both of them still work here.
Animals have always been a big part of our lives here. My black Maine Coon cat, Mr. Otis, lived here temporarily when I was moving back in 2013. He loved to climb and was usually found in the highest place he could get. That picture in the middle is of my Dad with Bugsy, the kitten that we found in the lumber yard. The dog is our 2nd “store dog,” Pappy. Pappy is here whenever my dad is here.
This is me standing out in front of the store when we actually got snow!
Santee Hardware has always supported relief efforts. The first photo is of us helping the Williams brothers of Lone Star BBQ load up to help with Hurricane Katrina relief. The 2nd photos is of my son & his friend James as they left to help with Irma relief. I could not be more proud of them.
I wish I could dig up all the people who have posted pictures of them in their Santee Hardware shirts. The first is of my dad in Germany with ultrarunner & friend Tim Scott. The 2nd is John Price during his North/South transcontinental journey run. The third if of the Aussec’s stopping by after finishing Hell Hole 100 (and I had finished Devils Doorknob 211.9). That photo also shows our upgraded paint counter.
Then there’s this guy & his wife, Sandra, in their Santee Hardware shirts. After all this man has put me through over the years, I still let him have a shirt.
In 2017 we went independent as just plain ole Santee Hardware. It's an exciting transition for us and we're grateful to all of you have continued to support us over the years. We’ve made changes , but we’re still the same locally owned and run hardware store we were almost 20 years ago.
