Durfee Hardware was built in 1929 by Clarence Lester Durfee (the "C. L." Durfee for those of you who have seen the original sign on the store!) and his wife Gertrude Durfee. Clarence had a love for woodworking and building projects and started the store on land in Cranston that at the time was populated only with apple trees. He had just left a gasoline and oil distribution business (Gulf Oil) on Cranston Street in Providence and had decided a hardware store would be a better career move than his second choice........the ice delivery business!!! (Good choice, Clarence!)

The original store was the one-story section of the building that exists today. Rolfe Street is now the center of Cranston, situated down the street from the City Hall, but when the store was initially built, it was still an unpaved road where the trolley brought people out of the big city of Providence and into the "country". In fact, Clarence was instrumental in the creation of the first local volunteer fire department. Soon the area began to grow into the densely populated community it is today, and Durfee's was there to provide the needed hardware for the new construction.The store prospered with the development of the community, and Durfee's reputation as "the place to go when you can't find it anywhere else" began.

Our hours of operation have varied over the years. From the beginning, the store was never open on Sundays, but was open till 9:00 PM. I understand that they would only lock the door when no more customers came so some nights they would stay open until 11:00 PM. And the store was closed on Wednesdays for a great many years, because Clarence wanted to make his Rotary Club meetings and couldn't leave the store unattended! Wednesday closings became a tradition that lasted well into the 1980's! Another example of how times change - for many years the store closed down for a week annually so that our family could take a vacation. Imagine a retial store doing that today!

From the time the hardware store was built until the late 1930's, there was an old two story house right next door. That house was moved in the 1930's to a location farther away from the store to allow for more customer parking directly adjacent to the store. It actually was home for the Ray and Betty Durfee for a few years in the 1950's and in subsequent years was converted into rental property. (That house was recently torn down to make way for the new home of the Cranston Post Office.)

With business on the upswing, the two-story addition was added onto the side of the building in 1933. In the early days, the store was an old time department store.......over the years we have sold washers, dryers, refrigerators, TV sets, toys, guns (both real and BB), boats, and even shoes!! But we always made sure our core business remained our hardware business. Clarence's son, Ray, grew up around the store and returned to help his parents after graduating from Brown University and spending two tours of duty in the Navy. Ray took over the reins of the business as President after World War II, and the Company was incorporated in 1960. Ray made the decision to join the True Value buying cooperative in 1972, as he could see that combining the purchasing power of many stores would be the best way for the store to compete with larger building supply houses. (This choice allows us to compete with the "big boxes" of today.)

Finally, a third generation joined in as one of Ray's three sons, Paul, came to work at the store after he graduated from Boston University. Around that time, a two-story section of the store, on the south side of the store, was built and became the final addition to the complex. We also have a two-story warehouse behind the main store that's filled with pallets of fertilizer, limestone, pipes, nails, etc. The building that connects the store to the warehouse contains the glass room, where we cut glass and repair windows and screens. These days, you may see members of the fourth generation of the Durfee family working at the store, as Clarence's great-grandchildren learn how to repair windows and screens, "stock up" inventory, and provide customers with our well known "Durfee Hardware Service".

Durfee Hardware was built in 1929 by Clarence Lester Durfee (the "C. L." Durfee for those of you who have seen the original sign on the store!) and his wife Gertrude Durfee. Clarence had a love for woodworking and building projects and started the store on land in Cranston that at the time was populated only with apple trees. He had just left a gasoline and oil distribution business (Gulf Oil) on Cranston Street in Providence and had decided a hardware store would be a better career move than his second choice........the ice delivery business!!! (Good choice, Clarence!)

The original store was the one-story section of the building that exists today. Rolfe Street is now the center of Cranston, situated down the street from the City Hall, but when the store was initially built, it was still an unpaved road where the trolley brought people out of the big city of Providence and into the "country". In fact, Clarence was instrumental in the creation of the first local volunteer fire department. Soon the area began to grow into the densely populated community it is today, and Durfee's was there to provide the needed hardware for the new construction.The store prospered with the development of the community, and Durfee's reputation as "the place to go when you can't find it anywhere else" began.

Our hours of operation have varied over the years. From the beginning, the store was never open on Sundays, but was open till 9:00 PM. I understand that they would only lock the door when no more customers came so some nights they would stay open until 11:00 PM. And the store was closed on Wednesdays for a great many years, because Clarence wanted to make his Rotary Club meetings and couldn't leave the store unattended! Wednesday closings became a tradition that lasted well into the 1980's! Another example of how times change - for many years the store closed down for a week annually so that our family could take a vacation. Imagine a retial store doing that today!

From the time the hardware store was built until the late 1930's, there was an old two story house right next door. That house was moved in the 1930's to a location farther away from the store to allow for more customer parking directly adjacent to the store. It actually was home for the Ray and Betty Durfee for a few years in the 1950's and in subsequent years was converted into rental property. (That house was recently torn down to make way for the new home of the Cranston Post Office.)

With business on the upswing, the two-story addition was added onto the side of the building in 1933. In the early days, the store was an old time department store.......over the years we have sold washers, dryers, refrigerators, TV sets, toys, guns (both real and BB), boats, and even shoes!! But we always made sure our core business remained our hardware business. Clarence's son, Ray, grew up around the store and returned to help his parents after graduating from Brown University and spending two tours of duty in the Navy. Ray took over the reins of the business as President after World War II, and the Company was incorporated in 1960. Ray made the decision to join the True Value buying cooperative in 1972, as he could see that combining the purchasing power of many stores would be the best way for the store to compete with larger building supply houses. (This choice allows us to compete with the "big boxes" of today.)

Finally, a third generation joined in as one of Ray's three sons, Paul, came to work at the store after he graduated from Boston University. Around that time, a two-story section of the store, on the south side of the store, was built and became the final addition to the complex. We also have a two-story warehouse behind the main store that's filled with pallets of fertilizer, limestone, pipes, nails, etc. The building that connects the store to the warehouse contains the glass room, where we cut glass and repair windows and screens. These days, you may see members of the fourth generation of the Durfee family working at the store, as Clarence's great-grandchildren learn how to repair windows and screens, "stock up" inventory, and provide customers with our well known "Durfee Hardware Service".

The Durfee's Commercial Supply Network Program

The Durfee's Commercial Supply Network Program (our Corporate Sales Department) makes it easy for YOU to do business with Durfee's. You never have to leave your business! You can either talk to our in-store sales people who will take your order over the telephone, or have Ryan Durfee take to the road to visit your place of business. That's right. We will come TO YOU!!

Either way, you or your employees don't have to take time to make a trip to the store to get the items you need when you need them. Here are the A B C's of the program:

A) Apply for a Durfee's In-House Charge Account. You can either print out the online application, complete it and return it to us. The application can be faxed or e-mailed to you or Ryan Durfee will bring an application to you personally. Remember, all our In-House accounts qualify for discounts based on purchase volume (see the application for details).

B) We will also be happy to take your orders personally at your place of business based upon any frequency schedule YOU choose. Remember, we have the $4.5 billion purchasing power of the Commercial Supply Network of True Value Hardware Stores behind us. We will use that power to quote on special orders and provide special pricing on quantity purchases - just talk to us about your special needs.

C) You can order (1) through our Ryan at your location, or (2) by telephoning our in-house sales people, (3) by FAXing in your order, or (4) by e-mailing us. No matter how you get us the order, we will deliver your products to you ASAP.

You'll get great service provided by Durfee's Commercial Division. CALL DURFEE'S at 401-461-0800 to get started "On the Road" to convenience and savings. We give preferred pricing for volume purchases both on a per item basis and on your entire account.

We would like to comment on what we feel are a few misconceptions about neighborhood hardware stores like DURFEE's and the "big box" building supply stores.: Myth #1) It doesn't make a difference where I shop.....Well, you "vote" for what kind of stores you want with your purchases. Stores you buy from will stay in business and those you don't buy from may not. The state has just started a "Shop Local RI" initiative. This is because they recognize that more of the money you spend stays in Rhode Island when you spend it at a locally owned store instead of a national chain.

Myth #2) A larger store doesn't necessarily mean a larger selection of merchandise.....who cares that they have thousands of 1/4" drills stockpiled on the floor when you only need one! We think it is more important to have a quality products (as opposed to quantity) and a large selection of items. We actually have someone available to explain the benefits and uses of that product to ensure that you get exactly what you need the first time!

Myth #3) A larger store doesn't necessarily mean convenience.....try buying a hammer on your lunch hour at one of those cookie cutter "big boxes". By the time you park, walk to the entrance, find somebody to ask where they are, then walk miles away in the back, check out and return to the car, the hammer has cost you $20 of you time! At DURFEE's, you can find what you want more quickly and easily just because we are smaller and have more employees who will help you.

Myth #4) A larger store doesn't necessarily mean lower prices.....True Value is a hardgoods buying co-operative combining the $3 billion purchasing power of over 10,500 hardware stores nationwide. That's a LOT of purchasing power, rivaling any "big box" chain store! The Durfee family owns this one store but we buy with the power of thousands.

Myth #5) Larger stores do have free parking, but you are so far away you have to hail a cab to get to the front door. So I hope it isn't raining the day you need something!! We have the convenience of free parking CLOSE to the store, as you can see in this photo!

Myth #6) The guaranteed low price claim made by the "big boxes" does not mean that the posted prices people pay every day are the lowest that they are going to find anywhere. Not At All!!! It simply means that if you take the time to shop around and have proof of a lower price advertised somewhere else and complain about it to "big box" management, they will match the price for you in that particular case. Funny that people actually believe that they will change the price of the product on the shelf so it would actually sold at the "lowest price" to anyone! Not so. The everyday prices charged certainly are not always the lowest. You'd be interested to know just how many people tell us, in a surprised voice, that we are "even lower than (insert name of "big box" store here) on this item!!! How can THAT be?". Our answer is simple --- our purchasing power is just as great, see Myth #4 above!

Tool Department

"The First Surprise! It's EASY to find! Just go to the back of the store and take the wide stairs to the second floor." "Durfee's is very proud of our exceptional TOOL DEPARTMENT. It's unique, starting with its second floor location, where we can devote the WHOLE FLOOR to a full selection of hand and power tools. We feature Porter Cable and Milwaukee power tools as well as our own line of Master Mechanic hand and power tools. In addition to the tools themselves, we take particular pride in the vast selection of accessories we stock for those tools. We also carry numerous woodworking magazines (including Taunton Press publications) and "how-to" books to help you plan and complete all of your projects."

"Second Surprise! We specialize in fine woodworking tools. We carry lots of specialty, imported, and hard to find hand tools, including these product lines": Precision Tools by General, Record/Marples Carving Tools, Stanley planes and other hand tools, Master Mechanic, Hirsch Carving Tools, Starret Tools

"And, finally, it's no surprise that you will find more information and attention from a family member, Paul Durfee, than you will anywhere else. He will be happy to answer all of your questions. Remember, we can special order many tools and accessories, and we offer competitive prices made possible by True Value's vast buying power. So come on in and take a look. You've got to see our Tool Department to believe it! You will be pleasantly surprised! Oh! All you Business Owners, remember that Durfee's has a Commercial Sales Division. You can save valuable time by ordering over the phone, fax, e-mail or through a personal visit from one of our employees and we will deliver your order to your place of business or directly to a job site.

Hardware/Paint

"Here we are in the Hardware Department. It's the oldest part of the store.......the one-story part. My father made the shelves along the wall (where the brass hardware is kept) and the circular nail bins in the back, so we know you won't find these anywhere else! We carry a full selection of lock sets, cabinet & decorative hardware, fasteners, builders' hardware, and more. The hardware department continues into the back of the store where you will find all types of lawn care products, seasonal items such as snow shovels, and nuts, bolts and hardware of every description." "We have a large hardware inventory, including much that is stored in our basement and "out back" in our warehouse. So if you don't see what you need, don't leave without asking one of our salespeople.....we probably have it! There is a saying in Rhode Island, 'If you can't find it at Durfee's, you won't find it anywhere!'

We also have a few "flea market" tables that we put out in front of the store...some odds and ends that we sell for dirt cheap. This merchandise changes every day, so drop by and check it out." "If you're wondering whether we provide any old-fashioned hardware store services, I can tell you that I don't think there is anyplace left where you can get a screen or window repaired as quickly as you can at Durfee's. OK, stop here for a second....because right next to Hardware is the Paint Deptartment."

"In our Paint Department we stock True Value paints, including the top-rated E-Z Kare line of interior paints. We also stock Cabot Exterior Stains and Minwax Interior Stains. In addition, you can complete your painting projects with our wide selection of brushes, paint removers and solvents, aerosol paints, wood preservatives & sealers. And I don't want to forget - all sorts of glues and adhesives. Oh, and did I mention we have a color-matching computer? Hmm. I should have. Can't be without that these days."

Plumbing/Electrical

"Occasionally, all of us have plumbing projects that demand attention (sad, but true...). Most plumbing stores require you to know exactly what you need because you must talk to someone behind a counter (when they get to you). Our Plumbing Department has one of the few truly "do-it-yourself" displays, offering a large variety of plumbing supplies that you can see and touch, so that you can get just what you need". "We stock a full line of faucets, fittings and repair parts, tubing, pipe, PVC parts and more. We don't care whether you call what you need a whoseewhatsit, a thingamajig or its official name - we'll help you get what you need! We like it when you bring in the old one and we can match it."

"Our Electrical Department is also user friendly for the 'do-it-yourselfer'. We have a complete inventory of electrical items, including wiring devices, wire & cable, lamp & light fixtures, light bulbs, smoke alarms, batteries, and fans & heaters. We are an AT&T Telephone Center and carry a good selection of telephone accessories. Our automotive supplies are also located here. OK, I can't resist....take a look at the Key Department. Go to the middle of the store, then straight back, by the light bulbs through the Electrical Department."

" We have over 5,000 key blanks, from house keys to import/domestic car keys to skeleton keys (a few people still use them!). I cut an awful lot of keys, but we have five cutting machines, so keep bringing them in! We also re-key locks. Our selection of key blanks is so impressive that a certain home building supply superstore has been known to send its customers to us when it cannot match a key. So save yourself a trip and stop by DURFEE'S first!

Housewares

"In our Housewares Department, you will find all sorts of cleaning & maintenance supplies, cookware, kitchen gadgets (that you won't even know you need until you see them), and storage products from Rubbermaid and others. We have contact paper and we sell and cut window shades." Lastly, I don't want to forget to remind all Business Owners that Durfee's also has a Commercial Sales Division. Although we like to see you and your employees here at the store, you can save valuable time by ordering over the phone, fax, e-mail or through a personal visit from one of our employees and we will deliver your order to you. " Thanks for taking the tour. Feel free to look around the rest of the website. We welcome your feedback about the store or the site, and don't forget to see the Bargains of the Month page. "But my best suggestion is to ACTUALLY COME IN THE STORE and experience our service first hand. Help IS, as True Value says, "Just around the Corner".