There’s nothing that hits you like the smell of a hardware store as you open the door. The antique metals, the strong wood and that overlying scent of fertilizer blend into a pool of wonder. It’s safe to say everyone has been to at least one hardware store, and most people remember that distinct smell. We checked out five hardware stores in and around Milwaukee to find the ones that had the most unique scent. We ranked them off of vibes – and smells – here.
5. Home Depot
11071 W. NATIONAL AVE.
A classic in the hardware scene, Home Depot provides a good first insight into the smells of hardware stores. Home Depot is a massive warehouse which should give way to a plethora of distinct smells; however, that’s not the case. The scents are uniform with the simple air freshener found throughout the store. The most variety that’ll be found is in the lumber section as notes of different woods pierce the air, but the nostalgia factor is important here. The simple smell reminisces childhood trips with dad. Home Depot’s consistency in its smell provides an interesting experience to everyone.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
4. Ace Hardware
2170 N. PROSPECT AVE.
Ace Hardware is another staple hardware store, however what distinguishes it is the personality found within. Ace Hardware thrives off its simplicity. Upon entering, an overlying metallic and earthy scent covers the store. Instead of being a massive warehouse, Ace Hardware is a simpler store that still serves everyone. The smell is concise – it doesn’t try to be anything more than a hardware store, which makes it such a classic.
3. Downer True Value Hardware
2629 N. DOWNER AVE.
Opened in 1937, Downer True Value Hardware has served the Upper East Side for decades. Even after becoming a True Value brand, the store isn’t regarded as a corporate hardware store, but remains as a family owned and operated store servicing its community. Before entering the store, enticing aromas of peppers and flowers act as an invitation to explore. Once inside a customer will find themselves enthralled by the earthy undertones that percolate around the store. This natural smell is its staple – the bags of fertilizer, mulch and plants dominate every scent. Every piece of wood has hints of fresh earth that tone down its naturally strong odor, while heightening the sharp metallic smells of the store’s many tools. Downer True Value Hardware is a must visit for all hardware store smell aficionados.
2. Bliffert Hardware and Lumber
1014 E. CHAMBERS ST.
With stores located all over Milwaukee County, Bliffert Hardware and Lumber is an integral part of the Milwaukee area. Founded in 1904 and now in its fifth generation of Bliffert ownership, this family owned and operated store is home to a dynamic array of smells. The store itself is on the bigger side in terms of an independently owned store, with a vibrantly smelling greenhouse in the lumber yard. “I like the greenhouse, the fresh herbs and vegetables out there,” says Ken Converse manager at Bliffert Hardware and Lumber.
And inside, every corner of the store has an individual, but refined smell. The wood has a strong, but velvety aroma and the fertilizer near the front is distinct with its acidic scent. Bliffert Hardware and Lumber represent the new modern hardware store, a place that has everything for anyone, but still retains its personality.
1. Crown Hardware
2016 N. DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DR.
Serving Milwaukee since 1957, Crown Hardware & Plumbing Supply is the most unique smelling hardware store in Milwaukee. The store is not only home to over 70,000 different parts but also a lot of character. Upon entering the store there is a strong wood essence that blends with the various metal pieces scattered about the storefront, making for a distinctly rustic and nostalgic aroma. “The old wood reminds me of my grandpa,” says Doug Makovec, who’s worked at Crown Hardware & Plumbing Supply for over 30 years.
A row of ready-to-buy toilets, a wall filled with locks and thousands of individual metal parts all around the store, blend with the old wood creating a smellable ebb and flow between modernity and history. Framed perfectly by the exposed cream city brick found in the store’s warehouse. Crown Hardware & Plumbing Supply is a place with so much history, while still being adaptable to the present.
