Cecil County residents know that American Home and Hardware is the place to turn for a wide variety of quality products and services. Step inside the 30,000-square-foot store on West Main Street in Elkton and it’s obvious that the business is a one-stop-shop for homeowners, do-it-yourselfers or building contractors. The aisles are filled with everything from hardware and hand tools to gardening equipment and paint supplies. The store is well known for its lumber and building supplies, propane refills and equipment rentals. It’s also the place to go for advice and things you need done right the first time—like key cutting and duplicating services.

“We’re trying to have whatever the customer needs for their home or for a project they are working on,” explained Joshua Brown, the chief executive officer of American Home and Hardware. “People trust us to offer knowledgeable advice and reliable service. We have a strong connection to the community.”

That connection has been built over many years—101 of them, in fact.

The business traces its roots to 1924, when an ice and coal business started operating under the name Diamond Ice and Coal Company. Ice was still frequently used for refrigeration at that time, and it was very much in demand. Over time, the products and services offered by the business changed—and so did the name. When the store was named the Elkton Supply Company, it supplied coal, oil, and ice to residents in Elkton and the surrounding areas. Then, at other times, the business sold feed, lumber, construction materials, and even furniture.

When Joshua Brown’s father, Harry Brown, took over the Elkton Supply Company in 1979 with his business partner Harry Hammond, the focus of the store shifted a bit and the core offerings became hardware and general goods and supplies for the home.

Joshua Brown joined American Home and Hardware more than 30 years ago, and he has seen firsthand how the business has needed to evolve—to continually change to meet the needs of customers in the community. He wants the business to continue to evolve now that he is the CEO following his father’s retirement in July of this year.

“My father and his former partner, Harry Hammond, grew this business on a foundation of community support. It’s our intention to carry that legacy forward,” Brown said.

Also leading the business now are two longtime employees who are taking on new, larger roles with the company—Dominick Lane is now the president of the business and Corey Hauser is the vice president. Lane and Hauser both started working at American Home and Hardware when they were still in high school, and they have spent years learning the business and building relationships with customers.

“I have two great partners. Both of those guys have been here for decades,” Brown explained. “Currently, the three of us are dividing up the workload. We’re taking on different tasks and roles and keeping things running as efficiently as possible.”

With a new leadership team now in place, the business is reinvesting and retooling, but it is stopping well short of a rebrand because that isn’t needed. When a business has served the same community for more than 100 years, the staff is obviously doing a lot of things right. Brown said that they are going to find ways to build on the unmatched selection and quality customer service.

“We’re like an old-time hardware store,” he said. “Over the years, we’ve adapted to whatever the customers had a need for.”

As longtime employees at American Home and Hardware, Brown, Lane, and Hauser have all heard from homeowners and contractors about how they knew the store would have exactly what they need for the project they are working on. 

“I love that we’ve been in the community this long,” Hauser said. “It’s nice dealing with hometown people and we have good relationships with a lot of people.”

Hauser started working in the paint department 14 years ago, and then took on an important role in the lumber department.

Lane and Hauser both work closely with contractors and customers who are working on large projects. If someone is building a house, for example, American Home can go to a job site and develop a list of all the products, tools, and equipment that will be needed. Contractors can turn to American Home and Hardware to quickly and easily get everything they need for a project.

“It can save them a lot of time,” Lane said, explaining that they also try not to “sell” to customers, rather they help people buy exactly what they need to get the job done right the first time.

Lane started at the business when he was just 16, and he now has 22 years of experience. He pointed out that some of the store’s longtime customers have watched him grow up.

Brown echoed Lane’s remarks, saying that the experienced staff can help people make sure they are getting exactly what they need for their home or project. It’s important for customers to know that they can trust the staff to help them get the job done correctly. This includes suggesting, for instance, renting a tool or a piece of equipment rather than buying it, if that is a better option for the customer. Brown said that they will continue to emphasize training the staff to provide excellent customer service.

Affordability is also very important to American Home and Hardware’s longevity and success. The store has a large lumber and building materials business, and they work closely with vendors in the lumber industry to get the best prices possible for customers. This can be tricky because the lumber markets fluctuate based on a variety of factors.

Brown also said that they make every effort to buy American and they also try to buy local as much as possible. They do this while also keeping affordability in mind for customers.

They also take very seriously the loyalty of customers, who are considered to be a part of the extended American Home and Hardware family.

“Family is important to us, and I think that shows in our business,” Brown said. “We’re local and we know our customers. Moving forward, we’ll be looking for new opportunities to serve more customers and better serve the existing ones.”

American Home and Hardware is located at 202 West Main Street in Elkton. For more information about American Home and Hardware, visit the website at elktonsupply.com or call 410-398-1900.