Early Hardware Stores (Alsdorf / Burt / Thompson / Hilliker)

Hardware stores have served an important role in all small communities by providing those items that could not easily be crafted by individuals on their homesteads.  Spartansburg has had many merchants who met the needs for various types of hardware.

Blacksmiths were among the first to provide help with production and repair of metal tools and they would work with the merchants selling metal goods.

One of the first hardware stores recorded in Spartansburg was the store built by Abram Alsdorf (Alsdurf) in 1874.  This store was among those lost to the 1878 fire that destroyed all of the business district.

An article in 1882 reported that Mr. Alsdorf was still in business, with a partner, Mr. Hilliker.  It describes the types of items sold in the hardware.

In that same article, a hardware owned by Thompson and Burt is mentioned.  Mr. Burt had also been a partner with Mr. Alsdorf in 1880.