Mahler enjoys serving customers at Hillsboro Hardware
Staff writer
When customers go into the Hillsboro Hardware True Value store, they most likely are greeted by a peaceful looking, laid-back, and all-round nice guy named Kevin Marler.
Marler was born Feb. 28, 1976, in Hillsboro, the only child of Doug and Janet who lived in Marion. Marler grew up in Marion and graduated from Marion High School in 1994.
After graduation, he moved to Salina and attended K-State of Salina for one year studying civil engineering.
In 1995, he moved back to Marion. From May through December of that year, he worked for the State of Kansas on the highway survey crew.
"My K-State instructor actually directed me to the job," Marler said. "Even though it was temporary, I enjoyed working on the crew."
Marler was responsible for taking preliminary readings and the basic measurements for the elevations of the roads.
"The projects you're now seeing going on, such as the Highway 150 project and the Highway 77/56 project near Lincolnville, were ones I worked on surveying almost six or seven years ago," Marler said.
In 1996, Marler went to work as a sales clerk at Nick's Building in Marion.
Then from 1997 to 1999 he worked for a general contractor out of Marion, building homes, doing various remodeling jobs, and working on several projects in the Marion schools.
In 1999 he was hired as a full-time sales clerk at Hillsboro Hardware in Hillsboro.
His duties at the store include ringing up sales, assisting customers, restocking shelves, and doing some maintenance work. Marler also does small repairs on bicycles, vacuum sweepers, and simple machines, along with assembling small items and bicycles. He said he does anything that needs to be done.
"I just repair the small easy stuff," he said, "stuff that I can handle."
"I enjoy my job because there is a variety of things to do," Marler said. "It's not the same thing every day — I like that."
"It's been neat to get know some of the Hillsboro people and the staff here have been real good to me," Marler said.
On April 18, 1998, he married Karen Smallwood. They reside in Marion. The couple have two daughters, Tori, nine, and Kaitlyn, two. They are members of St. Mark's Catholic Church in Marion.
Marler said he likes sports. He likes to play baseball and basketball. He also enjoys playing golf, but doesn't have much time to play.
"I help coach my daughter's softball team, and I enjoy that. When you have kids, they take up most of your time, so you don't have a lot time for hobbies," Marler said.
