About Us
About Us
When you walk into our store, we want to help you. We want to direct you to what you’re looking for, then we’re going to thank you when you leave.
“We know most of our customers by name. We try to do business and treat people the way we would want to be treated,” he said.
Hammock was born and raised in the area. He is one of seven children who are all still in Phenix City. He started working when he was 14 years old at a bait shop.
“I was dipping minnows and counting worms,” he recalled. He then went to work for Piggly Wiggly and spent 15 years in the grocery business at various locations. He spent a decade in the drug store business.
Dan Opens a Hardware Store
On Dec. 8, 1998, it became a reality.
“This is rewarding,” he said. “In the hardware business in particular, you get to help a lot of people. If I can keep a customer from having to call a plumber, they’re happy. It’s one-on-one service. It’s not like the grocery store where you tell someone the sugar is on aisle five or the milk is over in the corner. Here, you gotta take them down the aisle, show them what it is, and explain to them how to use it. It’s a big difference in customer service.”
Rather than going into the grocery business like he knew growing up, he chose hardware for a few simple reasons. First, he doesn’t have to worry about alcohol and tobacco sales and second, he can close on Sunday so he can go to church and worship.
“I will have to say all of this comes from the Lord. He owns it all. I’m just a steward. The Lord has given me the privilege of using it,” he said.
Where Dan's Started and Where We Are Today
When Dan started out, he had a 4,000 square-foot building down the road from his current location. In 2005, he moved into a new building. Today, with the recently finished warehouse in the back, he has 35,000 square-feet of inventory.
How can we help?
We specialize in small engine repair from lawn mowers, chainsaws and go carts to servicing all the equipment they sell.
We also match paint, cuts glass, makes keys and chip keys, handles UPS shipping, UHAUL rentals, and pumps propane. He also sells wheat straw, pine straw, and hay. In the store, Dan makes sure he has inventory for anything someone might need.
“That’s the grocery in me. We had a motto back then ‘Stack it high and watch it fly,’” he laughed. “That carried over with me. I carry more inventory than is probably necessary, but we’ve had record sales for 22 years in a row. We pride ourselves on having what you want.”
Can credits the community for their continued support of his business.
“They’ve been so good to us,” he said.
The Family
Dan has been married to Robin for 40 years. They have two children, Dustin, who works in the store full time, and Lauren, who lives in Virginia. He and Robin have two grandchildren.
Dustin has been working with Dan since before he was a teenager learning the store. Robin, he said, handles all the accounting and still helps customers.
Dan’s Hardware is truly a down home, family business – just the way Dan intends to keep it.