DISPATCHES ENCORE: Locally Owned Hardware Store Carves Out a Niche in Waukee
The story of small businesses being ousted by big retailers is a tale all too common, but Waukee Hardware, now in its 122nd year of business, is bucking that trend.
When Geoff Warmouth heard that a Sears Hometown Store was moving into Waukee last fall, he was decidedly nervous. After 122 years in Waukee and nearly 17 of those under Warmouth's ownership, the Waukee Hardware Store had, along with the good, also seen its fair share of bad times. Home foreclosures, the recession, even a nearby Menards store had had an affect on business. Warmouth was concerned the new Sears store would harm his business. This story is reprised today because it has been selected for national publication by The Huffington Post. "I honestly didn't know what to expect," Warmouth said. "I wasn't sure what the impact would be on business, I didn't even know what kind of Sears store it would be, so I couldn't really say what …
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