Birthdays tend to make one nostalgic...and apparently I am no exception.
As I walked by the True Value on Downer Avenue Sunday afternoon, I was reminded how similar it was to Poch's Hardware in the Village (Potomac, MD). Like the True Value, Poch's was nestled between a grocery store, restaurant and specialty shops.
Poch's was your quintessential neighborhood store. I remember going to Poch's with my dad back in the day (prior to the big-box home store explosion) if he needed potting soil, nuts & bolts, lumber, etc. Mr. Poch was behind the counter and he always had time to chat with the customers (and give a lollipop to the kids - it was a time this behavior was not considered "creepy"). I'm sure this "Village friendliness" has affected me - today I seem to small talk with cashiers at the store.
In my high school years, I worked at a Hallmark store (which I blame for my like of funky pens) - one of those shops nestled in the Village, like Poch's. And more than once, my dad would call and ask me to pick up something at Poch's, "because I was right there". I should probably thank them for teaching me about drill bits, saw blades and other assorted tools.
Sadly, Poch's closed near the turn of the century. The Village reinvented itself and began catering to more "upscale" clientele, and I'm sure insurgence of Home Depot & Lowe's didn't help either.
Thank you for the memory. My five siblings and I worked at Dads store every summer starting in the fourth grade. We were saving for college, which we all attended and graduated. The lessons learned from the little store have proven to be valuable and remembered fondly. - Jim Poch
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