The Making of 'Mom & Pop Hardware'

You’re invited into a world where a little girl’s loyalties are split between her parents’ side-by-side hardware stores on Main Street.

Set in McPherson, Kansas, the narrative centers around Bethy’s father, a gregarious man who could talk the hide off a cow, and her mother, a woman whose quiet strength belies a tragic past.

Funny, tender, and fiercely original—this is not your typical coming-of-age tale

A revolving cast includes Bethy’s prankster brother, an eccentric Aunt Tootsie, and her self-declared wingman Arthur. But beneath the humor and hijinks lies a deeper story. As both stores struggle to survive changing times, Bethy confronts the hard truth that not all stories have tidy endings.

This memoir is a loving tribute to a bygone era of small-town America—and to the grit, grace, and stubborn charm of the people who keep Main Street alive.

I first told my story in a Wall Street Journal article [gift link] that ran on the cover of the Small Business section. The piece generated hundreds of comments and emails from readers, many of whom grew up working at family businesses like mine. Other readers said it made them feel nostalgic for simpler times and small-town charms.

The response compelled me to write a memoir, “Mom & Pop Hardware: A Kansas Girl’s Quirky Childhood at My Folks’ Competing Hardware Stores.” Published in 2025, the book was the No. 1 new release in Midwestern biographies on Amazon for two weeks. Since then, it has garnered strong ratings on both Amazon (4.9) and Goodreads (4.6).

While the book is about me and my family, it also champions the future of the country’s independent hardware stores, which every day are succumbing to the forces of online shopping and big-box retailers. That’s why I started this Mom & Pop Hardware Substack—to encourage you to support local hardware retailers for all your projects and repairs.

One final bit of self promotion. I love, love, love meeting folks at community groups, libraries, book stores and senior centers. If you’re interested in scheduling a discussion, book-signing or speaking engagement, please contact me at heybeth@CopyTK.com. Finally, thank you for reading my Substack. Being a first-time author, I have learned so much. But the main lesson is how the love and support of family, friends and even strangers can fuel seemingly hopeless endeavors.

On Amazon

On Barnes & Noble

On Bookshop.org