Chandler Hardware celebrates 22 years of service

A Chandler business that occupies a historical part of town has stood firm in the face of adversity, and is preparing to celebrate its 22nd anniversary this year.
Chandler Hardware, owned and operated by Joann Shafer, first opened its doors in December of 1986. Shafer and her husband, the late Bill Shafer, opened the store in the building once occupied by Lawrence Hardware.
“Homer Lawrence talked us into putting in a hardware store, so that’s what we did,” Shafer said. “We were living in Tulsa when he contacted us.”
The Shafers are graduates of Chandler High School. They married in 1950 and relocated to Tulsa for Bill’s job, which he retired from in 1998.
Lawrence contacted the Shafers in 1986 about the possibility of them taking over his store. At first, Shafer said they were unsure.
“He said, ‘Well, think about it,’” she said. “That was in June, and by December we had a hardware store.”
Shafer said she and her husband debated on whether to keep Lawrence’s name on the sign, but they eventually opted for “Chandler Hardware.” The couple would make repeated trips to Chandler from Tulsa to work in the store, and when Bill retired in 1998 they bought his parents’ house so they could move back to their home town.
The business is located across the street from the Lincoln County Courthouse, at 822 S. Manvel. The building was originally built in 1901, and received an unplanned face lift 100 years later. A fire in 2000 ripped through the structure, totally destroying it.
“It burned completely down. It was a big hole in the ground,” Shafer said.
Many suggested the couple take their insurance money and move on, Shafer said, but her husband’s love for his home town would not allow that option. The couple decided to rebuild and restock the store, and their grand re-opening was held in December 2001 ­— 15 years after their first grand opening.
“I think he built a nice looking building,” Shafer said of her husband’s work. Bill passed away in August 2005.
“He knew everybody in town since he was a kid,” Shafer said. She keeps the store open with the help of employees Kevin Crass, Calvin Jones and Conrad Forrest.
“They are good help,” she said.
In the rebuilding process, Shafer said Bill noticed a corner post that had previously been framed in and out of sight. The post, 100 years old, was still standing in the southwest corner of the building.
Bill’s love of history and love of his home town prompted him to make sure the post remained in its place, Shafer said, only now it is out in the open for all to see. A plaque next to the post commemorates the rebuilt structure, which is known as the Shafer Building.
The store sells all types of home hardware goods, including paint, plumbing necessities, electrical supplies and gardening tools. In the basement, employees cut plumbing pipe to size.
“We try to be a service to people, because it’s hard to get things to fit together anymore,” Shafer said. “Our main service is to help people.”
Originally the store was not intended to be open on Sundays, but Shafer said you can’t always count on problems in the home to take that day off. The store’s hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
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Jason Smith may be reached at 214-3932 or william.smith@news-star.com.