AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
Severna Park residents were astounded to learn that, after 54 years of operation on the corner of Ritchie Highway and Robinson Road, Clement Hardware owner Gordon Clement sold the family business late last month. Hundreds of messages from former clients poured in by phone, email and over social media saying how much the store and its genial owner would be missed.
Nevertheless, the hardware business reopened under new ownership on Saturday, April 1. It was an easy transition thanks to Clement who spent most of Tuesday, April 11, introducing its new owner Rick Miller to some of the store’s long-time clients.
We were honored to sit in on their final meeting of the day at Donut Shack as Clement spoke about his family’s long history with the store and to be introduced by him to Miller. One of Clement’s favorite haunts, Donut Shack was owned until 2020 by his good friend Bill Prevezanos, another longtime family business proprietor. (It’s now owned and operated by partners Ali Matthews and Ben Hilliard.)
“My father David Clement bought the store in 1969,” Clement said. My brother Jeff and I grew up working there along with our mother Edith. “We also had three siblings who worked at the store at different times but none who made it a career.”
“Sixteen years apart in age, Jeff was the oldest son and I was the youngest,” he continued. “The two of us bought the store from my parents 27 years ago in 1996. Sadly, Jeff needed to retire 17 years ago in 2007 due to early onset Alzheimer’s and I bought him out.”
Longtime residents, like Miller who grew up in Severna Park, can recall that Clement Hardware once occupied two stories of their building at 500 Ritchie Highway. Paint, wallpaper and housewares were displayed on the upper floor while hardware, electronics and tools were displayed on the bottom floor. However, in 1990, they moved the entire business downstairs.
“We actually expanded it,” Clement said. “The entire building was only 6,000 square feet and we needed more space. In the late 1980’s we’d started an expansion on our own though we didn’t own the building. Unfortunately, the savings & loan crisis hit and the banks were unable to give us a go ahead for financing. As we’d already arranged a lease for the upper story with Blockbuster, the building’s owners allowed us to go ahead anyway. Thus, we were fully involved in the new construction and doubled the space.
Thereafter, with plenty of room, the business brought in new lines of merchandise and operated smoothly.
There were occasional ups and downs like those experienced by any small business. Then came the COVID pandemic in 2020 which, unbelievably, proved quite a boon for Clement Hardware. Clement was determined to keep the store open throughout the pandemic as a service to the community.
“For the first three months, our store was so busy I didn’t see how we could sustain it,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. We generally did well through hurricanes, snowstorms, ice storms or windstorms but this seemed like a snowstorm that never ended.”
“Essentials like toilet tissue, paper towels and masks and hand sanitizers flew off the shelves but people were also coming in for tools, paint and hardware for home improvement projects. I’d hate to go through another pandemic, but it was a much-appreciated period of sustained profitability for us.”
When asked what prompted him to decide to sell the business after 54 years, Clement responded that “the stars aligned”.
He believes Rick Miller is the perfect buyer – one who will do a terrific job, will be good for the community, and be good for the Clement Hardware staff. Clement also felt the timing was right since he has a real estate business he really enjoys…and he’s turning 60 this year.
“I’ve had years and years of standing on concrete floors which are hard on the knees,” he said.
Rick Miller does seem to be a perfect fit.
“Gordon reached out to me to congratulate me in 2019 when I opened a showroom for our own family business, Zeskind’s, at Arnold Station,” Miller said. “We’d chatted before about both growing up in the hardware business.”
Zeskind’s is a fourth-generation family-owned hardware and millwork business started in Baltimore City by Miller’s great grandfather in 1925.
Miller said he is planning to change the name of the store to Park Hardware.
“I just didn’t feel right putting our family business’ name on his family business,” he said. “We came up with the concept of calling it Park Hardware because it is in Severna Park and other businesses I frequent like Park Tavern, Park Fitness and Park Home also associate their names with the community.”
Miller added that he plans to move the millwork showroom from Arnold which will be located in the back part of the store. He’ll also shift the existing decorative hardware from the front to the back along with the doors and windows and trim and cabinetry that his business has done well for decades.
“We’ll be doing a total refresh inside and out but we’re keeping everything Clement’s Hardware has offered as a service and keeping their entire staff which is very knowledgeable, Miller said. We’re keeping what they made great and hoping to make it even better, building upon that legacy.”
He noted that they’ll be reaffiliating with Do It Best – a cooperative of family hardware stores – instead of True Value and initiating some additional things like online ordering and pick-up, carrying a modest amount of lumber for finishing jobs and bringing back the lawn mower repair service once popular at Clement’s but discontinued.
Miller says there is already a Park Hardware webpage at www.parkhardware.com that will continually be updated with the latest information.
As for Gordon Clement, he’s looking forward to being able to take off for some fun at will. He’ll be heading for the beach this week and will journey to the Cayman Islands with three friends later in April. There are also some exciting travel adventures in his future. He and his wife are planning a trip to Antarctica two days after Thanksgiving. We wish him nothing but safe travels.
Clement and Miller ended the day shaking hands in the parking lot of Donut Shack across Ritchie Highway from Clement Hardware with its familiar red and white sign still in place just over their shoulders.
“It’s hard to believe,” Clement told Miller, “but when we were first open, there was no traffic light at Robinson Road and the busy section of crossroads was known throughout the area as “Malfunction Junction.”
Jing Ying Institute hosts World Tai Chi Day on April 29
The Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi will join hundreds of cities all over the world in hosting World Tai Chi Day on Saturday, April 29th. As in previous years, the event will be held outdoors at the Severna Park Community Center beneath the trees on the lawn of Boone Station Hall from 10 am till 11 am. People of all ages and fitness levels are welcome.
During the event, there will be demonstrations of Tai Chi and followed by free mini-workshops of tai chi and qigong suitable for all levels of fitness. The demonstrations are fascinating to watch.
According to Jing Ying Institute owner Nancy Greer, the mini-workshops are both fun and informative.
Greer also mentioned that, in case of rain, the event will be held inside Jing Ying’s main facility in Arnold. For more information, or to register for the event, visit Best Martial Arts Program in Annapolis, Severna Park (jingying.org).
Eco Adventures 10th Anniversary and Earth Day Celebration this Saturday
Eco Adventures 10th Anniversary and Earth Day Celebration will take place this Saturday, April 15 from 11 am till 2 pm at 216 Najoles Road in Millersville. Theday of family fun will include conservation and local organizations, vendors, performances by Priddy Music Academy, Docksiders’ Gymnastics, Animal Shows, a Pirate Magic Show and more. There will be food, snow cones, Green Screen, facepainting, pony rides, a petting zoo and more.
RSVP HERE or visit Home – Eco Adventures.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. (Jing Ying currently offers a Homeschool Kung Fu Class and again brings Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
