Tuesdays in my Town - Placerville Hardware

I did a little photo shoot on Main Street with Emily and Ryann the other day and I realized how lucky we are to have the oldest operating hardware store west of the mississippi in our town!
Placerville Hardware goes back to the rolicking days of the California Gold Rush and has been in operation since 1856 when it was a tinsmith shop and hardware store.
It has a very cool history that you can read about here and has now been owned by the Fausel family since the 1950s (I went to school with the Fausel kids cause we're quaint like that).
In fact, the store still carries all kinds of frontier life necessities, like gold panning equipment!
Busy storefront, country goods, seeds, wagons, swimming pools....
Oilcloth is timeless and always photogenic.
I wish I knew the age of the gorgeous wood floors! I like the way it smells inside, like dust and penny candy and oil and tin; and the friendliest folks work there. You'll find windchimes, copper kettles, birdhouses, wax candles, kites, brooms, nails, clothespins. Everything a country girl could ask for!
If you're lucky you'll even find some tomatoes and fresh baked bread at the Wednesday Night Market, and now your midweek Main Street trek is complete!

Comments

Milla said…
Hahaa! This could be a way to get Charlie out to your neck of the woods. There's an old Hardware store in Seattle I've thought of doing a post about, that's just magical. We can both spend hours there, but this looks even better. Amazing!
August 24, 2010 at 8:46 AM
the Citizen Rosebud said…
Makes me want to learn to build something. Great little old timey place. Here's to them sticking around a while longer (and hoping no Home Despot comes to your neck of the woods.)
August 24, 2010 at 8:54 AM
Tina Dawn said…
Love the tractor seat stool in the last photo! I wouldn't mind settling my butt down in it. I remember going to Pville Hardware with my Dad when he was buying whatever he was buying and I was always fascinated by the nail bins. They had so many sizes, some were as big as railroad spikes it seemed. I also love the smells and the hardwood floors. It would be fun to spend the night in there, listening to the creaks and groans of an old building. It is a great place to buy a gift for just about anyone!
August 24, 2010 at 8:54 AM
anne said…
i love hardware stores! and this one seems to be quite fantastic! i think i could spend a good deal of time in there.
hope you're doing well :D
August 24, 2010 at 9:16 AM
Amy Beatty said…
That store is by far the best. I love to go there and just look at everything forever. Its crazy how much cute things they have. I always like to look at the cookie cutters. They have way more than any other store in Placerville.
August 24, 2010 at 10:13 AM
Heidi Ann said…
Oh, Heather - this is SUCH a neat post!! I have memories of going there with my Daddy when I was little, and I always loved the smell of the place. I even remember the old guys who used to run it.
I loved this.
August 24, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Unknown said…
This was a great blog. The old store reminds me of The Oleson's Mercantile where I fantasized as a child I lived in the house with the Oleson family cuz they were the first ones' in Walnut Grove to have a boudaire. Great Pics!
August 24, 2010 at 9:17 PM
flaming hag folkwear said…
i love [locally owned] hardware stores, so full of possibilities.

and i love your outfits, too!
August 24, 2010 at 9:30 PM
Missa said…
Ok, screw Home Depot, this is my kinda hardware store! What an awesome claim to fame that it's the oldest west of the mississippi too and that's so cool that they carry gold panning equipment :D

And of course the girls look adorable standing in front of it in their perfect outfits!
August 25, 2010 at 11:15 AM
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