[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 51 (Friday, March 23, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING RICKLIN'S HARDWARE STORE

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                           HON. DWIGHT EVANS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 23, 2018

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an iconic small 
business, Ricklin's Hardware, an institution in Narberth that is 
closing after over a century of dedication to the community.
  Ricklin's Hardware began before it even had its now familiar 
storefront to its name in 1913. Founder and namesake Hyman Ricklin 
started the business going through Narberth, door-to-door, with a 
pushcart full of tools before settling on the business' iconic location 
on Haverford Avenue. Ricklin, his wife, ``Ma'' Ricklin, and children 
operated the store for several years. The store endured two fires and 
the loss of its original building before it was sold to Ed Riddell and 
brothers Mario and Kelly Barone in 1960.
  Though once amassing five separate hardware stores, Ed Riddell 
settled on a flock of two fixtures, including Ricklin's Hardware and 
Suburban Hardware in Byrn Mawr, which closed last year after nine 
decades of service. Since 1973, Ed's son, Jed, has worked in the store 
alongside his father. Jed worked at Ricklin's throughout high school, 
as did his friend and classmate Charlie Waters, and the pair became co-
owners of Ricklin's in 1990.
  As Ricklin's Hardware has passed hands from one generation to the 
next, so too have its customers. Riddell and Waters and other longtime 
employees have personally seen more than three generations pass through 
its doors. This is a true testament to the loyalty of its customers, 
the community, and the remarkable care Ricklin's has provided.
  After 105 years of service, Ricklin's Hardware has proven that the 
individual and specialized support characteristics our small businesses 
provide as an irreplaceable investment to our neighborhoods. As Riddell 
and Waters plan to close the doors of Ricklin's Hardware on April 28, 
they should do so with the recognition that through the generations 
Ricklin's has established ties to the Narberth community that will last 
long past its closure.
  The 2nd Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends gratitude to 
Ricklin's Hardware for its dedicated service to Narberth and the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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