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  • Last modified 12 days ago (Oct. 24, 2024)

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From fan belts to banana bread, store has it all

Staff writer

Dappled light shone across the floor of Burns Hardware Co.

Wood planks, screws, cleaning supplies, power tools, and baked goods lined the shelves, but no one was behind the counter.

After a few minutes, Nolan Smith emerged from the back. A soft-spoken man with a gray chin goatee, Smith has run the hardware store with his wife since 1997.

“It started here in the mid-’40s as an International truck and tractor implement dealership,” Smith said. “I had a brother-in-law who was running it. He ran it for about four years before I took over.”

Smith runs the store slowly and thoughtfully. While answering a phone call, he meanders the aisles while listening to the caller on the other end.

He worked at a diesel mechanic shop before taking over Burns Hardware.

When asked what drew him to the shop, Smith remained aloof.

“I don’t know. It just kind of interested me,” he said.

Asked whether he has become tired of the job after almost 30 years at the helm, Smith paused.

“Some days you kind of wonder, you know. But most days I like it,” he said.

As Burns has zero grocery stores and one small restaurant (Pizza Rehea’s), its hardware shop has boldly attempted to fill the food desert.

Smith’s shop began selling snacks, like chips, cookies, and ice cream sandwiches, roughly five years ago, “to help the community out,” he said.

During the pandemic, the store began to sell hand-made pies, cinnamon rolls, and sandwiches as well.

“A lady here in town was doing some catering, and she lost a lot of her job, so I told her she could sell some stuff here,” Smith said.

That seems to be Smith in a nutshell — kind to his community, in his own reserved way.

Though Smith has lived just outside of Burns his whole life, he still refers to townsfolk as a separate entity.

“They’re just your basic rural people,” Smith said. “They seem like nice people.”

The nice people of Burns certainly appreciate the store. Jody and Darryl Sledd popped in to buy a few loaves of chocolate-chip banana bread at 11:30 and spoke about what Burns Hardware means to them.

“This is where we met our neighbors,” Jody said. “If you come in at 9 o’clock in the morning, you get to meet people.

“At lunchtime, the cowboys and cowgirls come in here with their spurs on, and buy sandwiches and pop. I don’t know. When we have people visit, we bring ’em in here.”

The Sledds moved from Kansas City to a ranch outside of Burns in 2021.

“Less taxes, friendlier people, less humans,” were Darryl’s given reasons.

“It’s a great store,” Darryl said of Burns Hardware. “Couldn’t live without it. Man, we’ve got to have it. We’re kind of rural out here. … You want to learn about farming, ranching, come here and hang out a little bit.”

As one of few remaining businesses in Burns, the hardware store is a focal point for the community. Ranchers come by to grab lunch and talk shop. Customers call in just to catch up with Smith.

Daryll highlighted the importance of having local business in a small town. He spoke about another town where his sons attended university.

“Wal-Mart took over, and all these little shops like this started going under. Wal-Mart hammered them guys,” Daryll said.

He gestured to the store.

“I’d rather have this than Wal-Mart, myself.”

Last modified Oct. 24, 2024

 

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