[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 46 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING FIVE GENERATIONS AND 125 YEARS OF VARNS AND HOOVER HARDWARE

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                          HON. JACKIE WALORSKI

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 15, 2018

  Mrs. WALORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Varns and 
Hoover Hardware, a family-owned business that has been a fixture in the 
Middlebury community for more than 125 years and that will soon be 
passed down to the fifth generation.
  In the late 1800s, Ellwsorth Varns moved his hardware store to the 
heart ofMiddlebury, Indiana, from Michigan. The store started out 
serving farmers and families in this sinall town, but over time it grew 
and adapted to the changing economic times. The success and longevity 
of Varns and Hoover Hardware lies in the family's dedication to serving 
their neighbors and providing high-quality products at a friendly and 
convenient location.
  The store always addressed the specific needs of the town with 
products that served family farmers, small businesses, the large Amish 
community, and the growing manufacturing industry. Now more than a 
century later, it remains a central stop for the small town's residents 
to get the products they need as well as catch up with their neighbors. 
Its charm and character come from its welcoming and personal feel and 
the friendly smiles that greet you when you walk in.
  Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and it is 
a privilege to represent a family so devoted to the prosperity of their 
community for so many years. To honor Varns and Hoover Hardware is to 
honor what it means to achieve the American Dream. With ownership now 
being passed down to fifth-generation family member Nathan Miller, I am 
grateful to be able to recognize such a pivotal moment in the history 
of this Hoosier family, their small business, and the community they 
serve.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Varns 
and Hoover Hardware and in wishing them the best in all the years to 
come.

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