Historic Hardware Store Keeps Loyal Customers, Attracts Tourists

When the owner of Garber Hardware says “We’ve always been here,” he means his family business has been part of New York City’s history for more than a century.

“When people come back to the city to visit, things have changed, but we’re still here,” fifth-generation owner Nathaniel Garber Schoen says. His family has owned and operated the store since 1884.

The store opened after the Garbers moved to the U.S. from Russia in the late 1800s to escape pogroms Russian Jews faced at the time, according to an article from Charles & Hudson.

“In the 1800s, Garber Hardware was at first a ‘push cart retailer’ founded by my great-great-grandfather, Joseph Garber, and his son (my great-grandfather and namesake) Nathan Garber, before opening the store on Eighth Avenue and Horatio Street in 1884. Ever since then, a Garber from every following generation has been at the helm,” Schoen says in the Charles & Hudson article.

The store moved away from its original location in 2003, but the business is a piece of history and the new building still has an old-time hardware store feel. Many tourists are attracted to Garber Hardware just to experience the historic business.

“They’ll stop by the store because they like it or they need something,” Schoen tells Hardware Retailing. “And people tell me they haven’t been in a hardware store that smells like a hardware store until they’ve been here.”

Thanks to its long history, the store has gotten public accolades and attention, but the business wouldn’t still be operating if Garber Hardware wasn’t providing customers what they need, he says.

“I think our reputation is excellent,” Schoen says. “We’re real here. You get an unvarnished picture of us. If I’m not a professional source, I’ll refer a customer to someone in the city who has experience.”

Not just a tourist spot, the store has a loyal DIY and commercial customer base.

“We serve an even mixture of homeowners or homeowner related projects,” Schoen says. “We have commercial clients and contractors in the neighborhood, as well as building managers, plumbers, electricians, even entertainment employees for the stage, film or TV that send ‘gofers’ to pick up products. They all come here.”

The ability to listen to customers and give honest opinions are key to standout customer service, he says.

“In retail, you focus a lot on customer service, but it doesn’t mean your customer is always right,” Garber says. “People just want you to listen to them. They need a second opinion and want to make sure they’re making the right decision. We’ve been serving people for so long they know to come to us.”