Today
Our home is the 1916 Brick Garage building which originally housed a Buick and Chevrolet dealer. The high tin ceiling, natural wood floor, old time stock shelves, antique displays, historic photos, and the heat from the old wood stove are a contrast with our up to date modern inventory. Name changes over the years have been from Levy's Mercantile to Eherenman's Mercantile, L & L Hardware and Plumbing, and finally Dunsmuir Hardware. The present storefront design was created by local artist Tom O'Hara in 1976 and reflects the town's railroad heritage, the Sacramento River canyon and its wildlife, and over 100 years of continuous operation. The 50ft wide mural has become a landmark in the town. |
In the far north of California - near the base of Mount Shasta - in the Upper Sacramento River canyon - is the small town of Dunsmuir; home of our hardware store that dates back to 1894. Preserving the old time ways of doing business but presenting modern merchandise is our specialty. Visitors stepping into our store for the first time often comment, "This is what hardware stores used to be like."
Founded by the town's first mayor, our store began as a mercantile or general store across from the busy railroad yard. The business survived the terrible fires of 1903 and 1924 that nearly destroyed the town. It weathered the storm of the great depression of the 1930s and was a cornerstone of the town's business district in the boom economy after World War Two. As the town grew, the business moved to the main business district which was then Highway 99. Only three families have owned the hardware store since its 1894 beginning; Alexander Levy's family, Jacob Eherenman's family - including his nephew, Jim Lockhart, and Ron and Pat McCloud's family - the current owners.
