15 September, 2010
Since 1961 Hitchings Hardware has been a constant presence in downtown Hopkinton, providing its customers with basic hardware items with a focus on personalized customer service. The store has been a continuously operating hardware store since the early to mid 1800’s. All of that will come to an end on Wednesday, September 15 when its doors close for good.
According to Cheryl Hitchings, daughter of the current owner, Donald Hitchings, the original store, dating back to the 1800’s, is believed to have been a tin shop. It was also a general store, selling feed and grain when owned by W.B. Claflin and a hardware store when run by Preston “PG” Adams. Donald Hitchings bought the store from Adams in 1961 and is the current owner of Hitchings Hardware.
When asked how she felt about the end of her family’s business, Cheryl Hitchings said she had mixed emotions. She and her sister Susan both worked in the store as high school students, making it a true family business.
“While it’s difficult to see the family business go, the building is getting older and my father is getting older,” said Hitchings. “No one in the family wants to take the business on, especially in a time when small businesses are finding it hard to survive in this economy.”
The building is in the process of being sold. Hitchings said she expects that due to the age of the building, it will be razed, and a new building built in its place.
“The deal is not sealed in stone,” said Hitchings, “but it looks like things are going forward.”
Store manager Andre “Ray” Murphy has been with Hitchings for 22 years.
“It’s been a good run,” said Murphy in an interview at the store.
Murphy says the thing he liked best about working at Hitchings was the people; interesting people and helping them solve their problems. He had a lot of regular customers who continued to come back over the years; families and mothers with children who came into the store. Murphy says he enjoyed watching the kids grow up and going through school. He said he helped out on more than one occasion with a science project along the way.
“We had a lot of regular customers,” said Murphy. “They came back because we offered personalized service.”
Originally from Watertown, Murphy has lived in Hopkinton for the last 30 years. Although he has had a long career with Hitchings, he says he does not plan to retire and will look around, hoping to stay in the same field if he can find another job with suitable hours.
As we talked to Cheryl and Ray about the final days of Hitchings Hardware, the customers continued to come into the store. One woman was looking for eye screws to hang a picture and another needed a special kind of bolt. Both found what they were looking for and at 50 percent off.
“I hate to see you go,” said the second woman, as she left Hitchings Hardware for the last time.
