finding three more for them. These days, Nathan is the one helming the front desk at Varns & Hoover, magically identifying the exact bolt you need for your project. As the fifth-generation family owner of Varns & Hoover, he takes deep interest in its 130-plus years of history.
FAMILY BUSINESS – Pictured are Nathan and Caitlyn Miller with their dogs Ivy (left) and Stella (right). Stella would be employee of the month if not for her extra energy. by Chris Wheeler photos by Linnea Wheeler As a kid, Nathan Miller would visit his grandfather at the family hardware store and marvel at the “hardware magic” on display. A customer would approach the register with a random bolt or screw, and within seconds his grandfather had identified it to the 1/8th of an inch and was on his way to
Celebrating
Varns & Hoover started out in 1886 as Wise & Varns Hardware in Mancelona, Mich. Half-brothers W. W. Wise and Ellsworth Varns moved the business to Middlebury in 1887 after an unfortunate fire in Mancelona. They set up shop across the street from the current location at 101 S. Main St., where they would eventually move 25 years later. This fortunate move placed them only blocks away from the Pumpkinvine Railway, which was their source for products from across the country for years. Wise died in 1912, and in 1916 Varns was joined in the business by his son Clarence and brother-in-law Clarence Hoover, officially changing the name to Varns & Hoover. The business was eventually bought by Clarence Varn’s son-in-law, Dean Warstler, who was Nathan’s grandfather. Dean’s own son-in-law, Carl Eash, managed the store until his retirement in 2017. The family has deep roots in other parts of Middlebury’s history as well. Clarence Hoover grew up in the Varns Guest House, just down the street from the store. His brother Charles brought Middlebury’s First State Bank through the Great Depression as its first president. And Nathan’s grandfather and uncle, along with many other employees throughout the years,
CELEBRATING
110 YEARS of caring for your Firsts.
8 inMiddlebury Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2020
YEARS 1910-2020
www.YourFirstMatters.com
