Art
On January 20, 2001, President George W. Bush visited Frager's Hardware in Washington, DC—a family-owned store that had served local customers since 1920. The photograph captures an ordinary moment: a sitting president among employees in work aprons, hardware and tools visible on shelves behind them. It reflects how hardware stores remained central gathering places in American neighborhoods, even as the 21st century began.
Art · Full story
The fluorescent lights hum overhead as the president, in his dark suit, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with store employees in their green aprons. Boxes of nails, cans of paint, and tools line the shelves—the everyday stock of American homeownership. Handshakes are exchanged; someone smiles at the camera. For a moment, the store is both itself and something more: proof that a president still visits the places ordinary people shop.
Reflect
When was the last time you visited a locally-owned hardware or home improvement store? What did it feel like compared to a big-box alternative?