80-year-old Home Depot rival permanently closes location | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Finding a local, independent hardware store where you can conveniently grab a paint brush, box of nails or screws, hammer, screwdriver, or other hardware product is becoming more difficult to find every day.

The small, local hardware store where you can find what you need in seconds, or maybe a couple of minutes, is a dying breed.

Home Depot, Lowe’s dominate hardware sector

True Value and Ace Hardware Stores cooperative members are scattered around the country and can offer a similar convenience, but the hardware and home-improvement sectors are dominated by big-box retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Even the co-op stores are finding it difficult to compete with Home Depot and Lowe’s, as several of them have closed down this year.

Longtime hardware businesses shut down

Some iconic hardware stores sold their last paint brushes this year, as 159-year-old Kreuger’s True Value hardware store in Neenah, Wis., revealed in July 2025 that it would permanently shut down its business in 12 to 16 months after a liquidation sale.

Another iconic True Value hardware store, 117-year-old Ritter’s True Value Hardware, in Mechanicsburg, Pa., shut down permanently on Sept. 30.

Ace Hardware stores have not escaped the store closure trend, as 56-year-old Carnation Ace Hardware, in Carnation, Wash., closed its business forever on Oct. 25.

Unaffiliated local hardware stores have shut their doors as well, as 65-year-old Yakima, Wash., hardware store C&H Hardware closed down its business on Nov. 26, facing rising prices and difficulty competing against online sales, according to KIMA-TV 29.

Jerry’s Hardware closes stores

Small hardware chains are having as much difficulty as the one-off hardware stores, as Minnesota-based hardware chain Jerry’s Hardware & Rental, which is a part of the Do It Best retail cooperative, revealed that it will close two of its Twin Cities-area locations in Maple Grove and St. Louis Park, Minn., on Dec. 31, 2025.

Jerry’s will continue to operate stores in Eden Prairie, Bloomington, and Edina, Minn.

An iconic hardware store shuts down due to the owner’s health issues.

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Howells Hardware Store closes business

And now, 80-year-old Pennsylvania-based Howells Hardware Store is permanently closing its business due to its longtime owner’s health issues, Central Penn Business Journal reported.

The Lancaster, Pa., hardware store’s owner, Robert Howells, experienced health challenges that prompted him to shut down the business after serving the area for over 80 years.

Howells Hardware did not indicate it was having any financial difficulties, though it faces fierce competition from one Home Depot store and two Lowe’s locations in Lancaster.

Howells Hardware Lancaster competition

Home Depot, 1700-D Fruitville Pike
Lowe’s, 1845 Hempstead Road
Lowe’s, 25 Rohrerstown Road

Howells Hardware Store has not indicated its final day in business. The store is not affiliated with Howell Hardware of Howell, Mich., which continues to operate.

At 101 years old, Howells Glass in Lancaster, which Robert Howells sold to Garrety Glass in 2024, remains open as usual for new and replacement windows and glass repair and replacement, as well as glass and glazing for home projects and major commercial work, Howells Glass President Brandon Dietz said, the Business Journal reported.

More closings:

“We are deeply grateful for the loyalty, support, and friendships that have grown through generations of customers,” Dietz said.

Howells Glass was founded in 1924 as Howells Lancaster Auto Glass & Paint Company by Robert Howells’ grandfather, George W. Howells, LancasterOnline reported.

Howells Glass services

Storefront glass installation, repair, and replacement
Window installation, repair, and replacement
Door installation, repair, and replacement
Glass railings installation, repair, and replacement
Interior partition installation, repair, and replacement