A neighborhood fixture in the Heights is celebrating a major milestone. Family-run business C&D Hardware will mark its 75th anniversary on April 25 with a day of sales, giveaways and community events.
For owner Duane Myers, the anniversary is as much about the people as it is about the store.
“We’re in the nation’s fourth largest city, but we know the majority of our clientele by facial recognition and by name,” Myers said. “We’ve watched kids grow up. Some of them have been coming to work for us part time. It’s almost like a home you feel right inside the huge city.”
During its 75th anniversary celebration on April 25, 2026, C&D Hardware will offer special deals on Stihl equipment along with other promotions. (Submitted photo)
From fan store to hardware staple
C&D Hardware opened in 1951 as a fan store before transitioning into a hardware business.
“C&D stands for Dailey and Cobb,” Myers said. “They sold fans and installed fans. After World War II, with the advent of air conditioning, fans were kind of out… so they decided to become a hardware store.”
This is the third location of C&D Hardware, Myers said. The first (the former fan store) was closer to 19th Street; the second location was on West 11th.
C&D Hardware located at 314 E 11th St., Houston, has been a neighborhood fixture since 1951. (Submitted photo)
The business has been operating at its current location on East 11th Street since the mid-1970s, though the site itself has an even longer history. Before becoming a hardware store, back in the 1940s and 50s, the building housed a record shop.
“And we’ve had confirmed information that Hank Williams Sr. did a live broadcast from the store and signed autographs.” Myers said.
Myers became involved in the business in 1999, when his uncle and aunt, Jim and Kathy Stratton, purchased the store.
“At the time, I was working in Austin running a restaurant,” he said. “They decided they could get me on board, I could run the store, and we’d move forward.”
Stories from the 1970s described a neighborhood in decline, Myers said. But by the late 1990s and early 2000s, the area was experiencing rejuvenation, with residents restoring historic homes and moving back toward the urban core.
“We were really in the right place at the right time,” Myers said. “When we took over, the Heights was pretty much exploding in a rebuilding way.”
Today, he describes the neighborhood as a place that blends urban living with a small-town feel.
“The Heights is truly trying to capture a small town feel in a big city,” he said. “If you go out on a Saturday morning, you can barely drive up and down the street because there are so many people walking their kids, their dogs… it’s a good, warm, homey feel. That’s very unique for being in a big city.”
Before becoming a hardware store, back in the 1940s and 50s, the building housed a record shop. “And we’ve had confirmed information that Hank Williams Sr. did a live broadcast from the store and signed autographs.” Myers said. (Submitted photo)
Weathering storms and change
Over its 75-year history, the store has endured hurricanes, economic shifts and a pandemic—often staying open when others closed.
“We are open 360 days a year, and we do our best not to close,” Myers said. “We were some of the only stores open after hurricanes and freezes.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the store remained open after being designated an essential business.
C&D Hardware saw a surge in demand while operating with reduced staff.
“We were running three times the volume with half the employees,” he said. “After the initial scare got over, people started getting back out. I remember looking at my co-manager going, oh my god, this is just nuts.”
Standing out in a big-box world
Despite competition from national chains, C&D Hardware has carved its niche through service and community connection.
“You can get anything we sell somewhere else,” Myers said. “But we really strive to provide service and convenience. If you want to know a little bit about what you’re working on, we can usually help with that. We have a pretty good knowledge base we’ll walk you through the items, show you how to use them.”
The store employs between eight and 10 staff members and maintains a hands-on approach that Myers says sets it apart.
“There’s no wandering around looking for employees,” he said.
C&D has also expanded beyond traditional hardware, offering Texas-themed goods, barbecue items and locally made products, including jellies and jams from Texas producers.
The rise of online shopping has reshaped the retail landscape.
“In a day of Amazon… there’s still a lot of folks who want to hold the product in their hand or ask questions,” Myers said. “That’s the void we’re filling.”
To keep up, the store has added services like online ordering and in-store pickup, with plans to expand further.
Looking ahead
While Myers acknowledges that it is becoming harder for independent retailers to compete, he remains optimistic.
“You have to listen to your customers,” he said. “If they’re asking for something and you don’t have it, they’ll go somewhere else.”
During its 75th anniversary celebration on April 25, 2026, C&D Hardware will offer special deals on Stihl equipment along with other promotions. (Submitted photo)
For now, the focus remains on staying relevant and serving the community that has supported the store for decades.
“We’re going to keep trucking as long as we can,” Myers said. “We’re going to try to stay current as long as we have the doors open and people coming and supporting a small town, local shop, we will be open to serve you, and just keep us in mind during the holidays, and we have a great selection of holiday gifts.”
Anniversary celebration
C&D Hardware will celebrate its 75th anniversary on April 25 with a daylong event featuring discounts, giveaways, games and food.
“We’re inviting all the ex-employees who are still around, and anyone who has fond memories of the store to come in,” Myers said.
Plans include two $500 merchandise giveaways, multiple $75 gift card prizes and activities such as guessing contests (how many bolts and nuts in this jar?) and a possible children’s coloring contest.
“We want to celebrate us as well as our community,” Myers said. “Without them, we would never have made it to 75.”
Myers grew up in Willis and attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He currently lives in Seabrook with his wife and 17-year-old son.