Hammer Time

I'm one who will sing the accolades of city life - easy access to public transportation, no need for a car, living in close proximity to bars, restaurants, jobs and all the normal hustle and bustle - yet, there are times when I ache for the easiness of life outside the city. This is perhaps most notably evidenced when you blow a fuse and need to find a hardware store within the city limits and close to public transportation. There aren't many times when I long for a car - but this, along with grocery shopping, is one of the few times I wish I could just hop into my Escape and ride into the sunset.

Perhaps what is most frustrating is when you discover a city gem - a full-service hardware store crammed into a narrow store front - only to find out their doors will be closing in a matter of months. That's what happened when my roommate found me Candey's Hardware close to Farragut North and right on my commute home from work.

When I wandered into Candey's, someone was there and willing to help me find the fuse I needed to replace my blown one (it was pretty obvious I was clueless). And while I was there, I got some spare keys made in a matter of seconds for a pretty low fee. Quick service and cheap costs - I thought I was in love (well, as much in love as a girl could be with a hardware store). It's safe to say that I was more than saddened when I read that their doors would be closing at the end of the summer.

Why is it that little stores like this - ones that focus on the family-owned and -operated feel, providing great customer service and have existed forever - can no longer make it in today's market? My economically-minded roommate would complain that it's the rise in minimum wage that harms these businesses, but I think there has to be more to it than that. There's obviously a need for stores like this by consumers like me who rely on businesses within the city because I don't have access to a car. Unfortunately, things like this happen all too often.

So, until I find another option to replace Candey's, I'll be praying that nothing else breaks in our Capitol Hill apartment.