For my first installment of my holiday shopping journal I decided to tackle some places that may have lost some of their historical significance surrounding the holiday season.
When Johnny's Toys opened in the late 1930's it was a novelty to see toys in a store all year long. Normally, department stores and the local hardware store would put out special displays of toys around the holidays, and that is where people did their Christmas shopping.
While those days were long gone by the time of my childhood, (when Children's Palace was still in business, King Arthur's Court in Oakley was still in Markets International, and Johnny's (now only in Covington) was still in Greenhills) I did make a commitment to buy as much of my holiday purchases this year, as possible, at locally owned businesses. So after squirrels chewed through the wires of one half of my out-door Christmas lights last spring, and I cut through the wires of the other half while trimming the bushes in August, I set out to look for new lights.
I decided to go to Burke Hardware at the Brentwood Plaza in Finneytown. Burke does have a nice selection of lights, however, I was looking for LED lights which they did not have. But, while I was there I decided to make the most of my trip and get some other things that I knew that I would need for my holiday decorating. So I picked up some cup-hooks to hang things like lights and garlands, an outdoor extension cord to attach my lights, some wire for hanging ribbon, and a new mop for making my house Christmas clean.
Burke also has a nice selection of holiday collectibles, including miniature ceramic houses and figurines. Of course if tools are on your list, or the list of someone you love, you can find those there as well.
So, while you might not be flocking this Christmas to your local hardware store to buy gifts like your grandparents did. You can still support them by buying all of your trimmings there, as well as the nails, hooks, wire and other materials that you need to deck your halls.
If you are not near Burke Hardware, check out some of these other great locally owned hardware stores. They are sure to have the materials you need, and many may even have gifts for you to buy (The gifts at Ace Hardware in Northside may still be there from when your grandparents were young).
Burke Hardware
8501 Winton Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45231
Cramer True Value Hardware
8428 Vine St
Cincinnati, OH 45216
and
11925 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati OH 45231
Rohs True Value
1403 Vine St
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Silverton True Value
7144 Montgomery Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45236
Ace Hardware
4171 Hamilton Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45223
Small's DO it Best
109 S Wayne Ave
Cincinnati, OH 45215
Beck's Paint and Hardware
718 E Mcmillan St
Cincinnati, OH 45206
and
1798 State RT 28
Goshen, OH 45122
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