[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 199 (Wednesday, December 21, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S9776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     
     
                         RECOGNIZING COTTINGHAM HARDWARE
     
        Mr. PAUL. Madam President, as ranking member of the Senate 
     Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
     an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American 
     entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize 
     Cottingham Hardware of Alexandria, KY, as the Senate Small Business of 
     the Week.
       All across the Nation are American small towns whose Main Street 
     businesses bring color and vibrancy to their community. These 
     businesses might be stores that occupy a specific niche or may be the 
     product of one entrepreneur's dreams turned reality. Many of these 
     businesses however, are simply shops that the community has come to 
     rely on, with a top-quality product or service that keeps their 
     customers coming back. Such is the case for Alexandria's Cottingham 
     Hardware, also referred to as Cottingham Ace, that was founded in 1957. 
     This hardware store has been faithfully serving its' customers for 65 
     years, easily cementing the business as community institution.
       Sixty-five years ago, Tom and Betty Cottingham opened Cottingham 
     Hardware, a hardware store right in the heart of the little town of 
     Alexandria, KY. Since its' inception over six decades ago, the store 
     has been dutifully serving its customers, offering them whatever 
     hardware goods they might need, including but not limited to, specialty 
     chrome, electrical lighting, as well as lawn and garden tools. The 
     store also carries a large selection of firearms and ammunition, making 
     the shop especially popular during northern Kentucky's busy hunting 
     season. In addition to the wide array of products available for 
     purchase at Cottingham, the store has two mechanics who are always 
     available to meet the needs of customers, with both mechanics having 
     received the proper training and certification to handle practically 
     any job. They boast a selection that is appropriate for all types of 
     customers, whether they be a first-time homeowner or the owner of 
     multi-acre properties; they have the products and services to help with 
     any project.
       Started by a married couple, Cottingham Hardware continues to be a 
     family business. Tom and Betty's three sons practically grew up in the 
     store, so it would only make sense that the three men choose to 
     perpetuate their parents' dream and run the store with the same 
     dedication and customer-friendly atmosphere that Tom and Betty created. 
     The three sons, Tom, Mike, and Joe, took over the business in the mid 
     90s, roughly a decade after Cottingham Hardware moved from their 
     original location right in Alexandria out to U.S. Highway 27. The three 
     brothers led the business through a vast array of modernizations, 
     opting for computerized systems in place of the original manual 
     inventory and registry systems. Today, Cottingham Hardware can easily 
     locate a necessary piece of machinery as it travels along the supply 
     chain before arriving at their store. The Cottingham men understood 
     that to lead their parents' business into the modern era requires these 
     types of technological advancements, and they make sure Cottingham 
     Hardware stays on the cutting edge of modern computer equipment.
       In addition to their eye for key modernizations to the hardware 
     store, the Cottingham brothers understand that their parents' success 
     was due in large part to their dedication to family values. Tom, Mike, 
     and Joe maintain a strict policy that at least one of the Cottingham 
     brothers is in store at any given time during business hours, all 7 
     days a week. Friends and neighbors are constantly coming through their 
     doors to purchase tools or equipment and to visit with the familiar 
     faces of the Cottingham store. These days, even the brothers' children 
     occasionally work with them in store, entering in to a new generation 
     of Cottingham family leadership. Moreover, Cottingham Hardware 
     maintains their dedication to the Alexandria community, as they often 
     participate in donations for local schools and churches. Additionally, 
     Joe Cottingham is a member of the Northern Kentucky Area Development 
     District--NKADD--representing Campbell County. NKADD strives to achieve 
     sustainable economic growth and improve the overall quality of life for 
     the citizens of Kentucky. Clearly the Cottingham family is dedicated 
     not only to running a successful family business, but to championing 
     and supporting small businesses around the State as well. For that 
     reason, it gives me great pleasure to honor this multi-generation 
     family business as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
       Congratulations to the Cottingham brothers and the entire team at 
     Cottingham Hardware. I look forward to seeing your continued growth and 
     success in Kentucky.
     
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