If you thought the family-owned hardware store on the corner had gone the way of the dinosaur, then you haven’t met the Smith family.

Soon to celebrate their first anniversary as the new owners of Bernardsville Hardware, Paint & Equipment Rental, located on Route 202 near the Finley Avenue intersection, David and Mary Smith, along with David’s brother, Richard, have transformed the business into a real family affair. “We owned the building when Jim Clark had his hardware store here,” Dave Smith says. “When Jim retired last year, we had an opportunity to re-open the space and run it ourselves. We decided to keep the hardware business because it’s an important anchor for the community.”

Bernardsville Hardware is a lot more convenient than trekking to the closest orange super-box-store when you’re low on nails or you need a new hammer.  Plus, with more than $500,000 in inventory, a variety of hardware, tools, household, electrical and plumbing equipment, lawn and garden supplies and a newly-renovated and expanded paint department featuring Valspar and Dutch Boy paint and wood stains, Bernardsville Hardware is much larger than it looks. 
Add in a wide range of services including screen repair, knife and blade sharpening, glass and plexiglass repair, and a tool and equipment rental business (think backhoes, aerators, overseeders, wood chippers, log splitters, chain saws and the like) that’s becoming more popular every day, Bernardsville Hardware is fast-becoming the go-to place for professionals and do-it-yourself-ers alike.   

But it’s the “customer-first” attitude that sets Bernardsville Hardware apart. From the revamped layout of the store that makes it easier to find what you’re looking for to the knowledgeable, friendly staff, it’s clear that service excellence is a top priority. The Smiths are residents of the Somerset Hills, too. Their customers are not merely customers, they are neighbors. And their goal is to provide a much-needed resource to local homeowners, businesses and contractors.

But there’s another service the Smiths are striving to deliver to the community, one that’s very close to home for their family. They believe that Bernardsville Hardware can offer opportunities for young people with special needs, young people like their own son, Tyler, who has autism.
Tyler is as much a fixture at Bernardsville Hardware as his mother, his father, his sister, his uncle, his cousin. He makes certain that the stock on the shelves is where it is supposed to be. He is successful there. He has a future there. “For the first time,” the Smiths say, “we saw a real place for our son, when he is finished with school.” And that makes Bernardsville Hardware much more than just the nuts and bolts they sell.  Their long-term plan is to work with local schools and organizations to assist with job placement for kids in the area who have special needs.  In the meantime, they continue to work to expand their business to serve the community. 

Bernardsville Hardware, Paint & Equipment Rental is open from 7:30 to 6:30 Monday through Friday, 7:30 to 5 PM on Saturday and Sundays from 9 to 4.  For more information, stop by the store, located at 139 Morristown Road in Bernardsville, or call 766-6900.