including books.
Owner of Black Mountain’s Town Hardware
& General Store
Experience the charm of an old-fashioned hardware and general store featuring hand-woodworking tools, toys, gardening supplies, gifts and practical house wares.
Rapid River Magazine: Tell us a little about Town Hardware & General Store.
Peter Ballhaussen: Not too many stores like us exist anymore. We are a full-service hardware store and have a great selection of all the items do-it-yourselfers need for that weekend project or repair. Town also has all the items you might expect to find in a general store, such as jams, jellies, candy, cookware, and gadgets. We sell gifts and souvenirs for the tourists, but also have all the items that local residents need.
In our hardware section, we have recently upgraded our paint department and now are the only western NC dealer for Pratt & Lambert paint. P &L is an historic brand that is known throughout the industry for their high quality paints. We have also recently added two lines of grills. Wilmington Grills are a great stainless steel gas grill product line, manufactured in Wilmington, NC. They have a long history in the eastern part of the state and we are introducing them in the mountains. We also are selling a wonderful kamodo style grill made by Vision grills.
In the general store area, we have opened our new Book Nook. It has been a very popular addition. We have books for all ages and interests. From children’s books to gardening books, from history to cook books, from nationally known authors to local authors, we have something for everyone. Also, in response to customer requests, we have improved our craft and art supply section. We have begun carrying Faber-Castell products for both adults and children.
RRM: What are some of your most popular as well as unique items?
PB: Oh, that is a hard one to answer, because so much of what we sell isn’t typically found in other stores.Our most popular item over the summer months has to be our unique selection of craft soda.We stock over 50 varieties at any given time. We have also seen a lot of interest in our Boker knives this summer. Also, our selection of old-fashioned wooden and tin toys continue to be very popular.
RRM: How long has the Town Hardware & General Store been around, and what has led to its longevity?
PB: There has been a hardware store at this same location for over 85 years! The store was originally known as Black Mountain Hardware, but during an ownership change back in the 1960’s, I believe, it became Town Hardware & General Store. The store has grown over the years and our footprint now includes what was formerly a 5&10¢ store on one side and a drug store on the other.
I attribute our longevity to outstanding customer service and a great selection of hard-to-find products. We have a fantastic staff that takes pride in helping customers to find the solution for their household problems. We are known for having products you can’t find anywhere else. Our new slogan is “This is your town” and we try to make every customer feel like this is truly their store. They don’t need to go anywhere else!
Town Hardware & General Store
103 W. State St., Black Mountain, NC 28711
(828) 669-7723
www.townhardware.com