Adding Local Flavors

Great food, artistic creativity, and lots of fun are highlights of New Orleans, La.-so a dealer there does its best to encourage all three.

Mary's Hardware has been a fixture in the city's historic French Quarter since 1982. In 2011, the store relocated several streets away and changed its affiliation from True Value to Ace Hardware. The new location, built in the 1840s as a family home, has two stories and about 8900 sq. ft.-double the old store. To fiil the space, owner John Wood and store manager David Blaszak listened to customer requests and brought in merchandise not usually found in hardware stores.

"We brought in items local customers want to buy," says Blaszak. "We like to be known as the friendly neighborhood store that really listens to customers."

For example, Mary's fills its second story with a wide variety of high-quality cookware and knivesperfect for local chefs and serious cooks. Also upstairs are cooking supplies such as gourmet condiments, olive oils, jams and jellies, and other nonperishable delicacies. A once-a-month knife-sharpening event helps keep those knifes-and other tools-in top shape.

Another section of the second floor is devoted to the well-known New Orleans passion for Mardi Gras parades-specifically, the Barkus Parade for dogs and their owners, both in festive costumes. Now in its 35th year, the parade always kicks off across the street from the store.

"Our Barkus Room was created as a meeting place for the group that plans each year's event," Blaszak says. "It's also available as a meeting room for other community groups." The room also has a big collection of parade memorabilia, so it's open to all store visitors.

Downstairs, in addition to the usual hardware merchandise, local artists can stock up on art supplies from various manufacturers. Another section carries shutters, latches, and other hardware needed for restoration of the French Quarter's many historic homes. Although the most popular items are in-stock, customers can also special-order items from catalogs.

Since many French Quarter residents don't own cars, the store has phone numbers for another area specialty: pedicabs. Once customers and purchases are loaded inside, both get a ride home in real New Orleans style.

Henry [www.henry.com/mm'1114].'...'.'.'."....'."'.'....""'.'.............11

Huff Lumber Co .....,........30

Humboldt Redwood [www.getredwood.com] "',.'."'.".'..'......'.....39

J.H. Baxter [wwwjhbaxter.com]'.'....'.'.'.'...

Jones Wholesale Lumber [wwwjoneswholesale'com]....Cover lV

Keller Lumber Go.....................'. ...'..'...'.'.".'.."""..28

Kop-Coat [www.kop-coat.com] .'..'........'. .'....'.....15

Koppers [www.koppersperformancechemicals.coml "."'..Gover I

Norman Distribution Inc, [www.normandist.com]......'.'..'.'..'.'..'.45

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. [www.nawla,orgl ..'..,|3

NyloBoard [www.nyloboard.com],.'.........' .....'.".'37

Pacifi c States Treating ..'.'.'.'. .....53

PrimeSource Building Products [www.primesourcebp.com] ..'.53

Quali$ Borate Co, [www.qualityborate,com] ...'.'.'.,'.'.'.'.........'..'42

Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com]'.."..."'...'..'.,Cover lll

Royal Pacific Industries... ............46

Screw Products [www.screw-products.com] .........."...'..."'.'.'.'.'49

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]..""..'..."" ".."'19, 21, 23

Siskiyou Forest Products [www'siskiyouforestproducts'com]'41

Snavely Forest Products [www.snavelyforest.com]'...".........'.....5

Superior Wood Treating [www.superiorwoodtreating.com]'..'...38

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www'swansongroupinc.com].'.".'.'35

Taiga Building Products [www.building'com]..,'..'.'.',.,."'.'.'.27, 32

Thunderbolt Wood Treating [thunderboltwoodtreating.com] ..'.49

TruWood-Collins [www.truwoodsiding.com] ."'.....'..'...""....'.8A-B

Universal Forest Products [www'prowoodlumber.com]."..'...'."31

Utah Wood Preserving Co.,.....,.'.."....'. ........"'..'.55

Western Forest Products [www.westernforest'com] ...'.'..'........'36

Western Woods lnc. [www.westernwoodsinc'com]....'...'......'....17

Weyerhaeuser [www.weyerhaeuser'com]..'.,"'....."""...'.............29