At Weeks Hardware in downtown Brooksville, Otella Weeks, 87, born in Tennessee and one of twelve siblings, has continued the daily operations of the store following the passing of her husband Joseph Weeks two years ago. Joe Weeks ran the store for 65 years.
The bell rings as a customer walks in “I need some filters,” the gentleman requested. As Otella helps her customer they proceed to the back of the store to check what filters the hardware store has on supply. The gentleman was happy to have found a couple of filters he needed and both walked to the front.
“Nancy said to tell you, 'Hello,'” he said as Otella rang up his purchase. “You have a good day. Thanks for coming in,” Otella replied.
Otella Weeks then explained how the store got started one century ago. She stated that it began with Rosie and Mammie, the wives of the Weeks brothers.
When the women ran the store, it was called Miro Hardware and opened in 1913. Joe 's grandfather built the building.
“The women wanted to have something to do, so their husbands opened the store as a hardware store, but they got tired of it. In 1916, John Morgan Weeks, Joe’s grandfather, opened it up as a full-fledged hardware store,” Otella said.
Then Joe's father John and Uncle James Weeks ran the store. (John traded an orange grove for his brother's share of the store in the early 1930's).
Joseph Weeks took over the hardware store back in the 1950’s, and during that time, Joe was building up the family business as well building and securing customer relationships in the Brooksville area.
Meanwhile, Otella and her younger sister, Suzanne, packed up and left Tennessee for Brooksville, Florida to fulfill a dream. See, Otella’s sister wanted to become a mermaid. Otella helped make her little sister's dream come true. However, Otella didn’t know this would also be a great future for her as well.
Suzanne and Otella used to walk to the drug store, passing the Weeks Hardware store along the way. And there was Joe, always standing in the front of the hardware store. Sure enough, Joe and Otella's eyes met and the rest is history.
“We live up the street and used to walk to here and he (Joe) used to always hang out in front,” She giggled.
Married for 57 years, and with four kids, life grew around them and the hardware store. In 1983, Otella opened her boutique upstairs called the Olive Leaf, an upscale women’s shop.
For twenty three years she ran the store, but with the health of her husband in decline, she closed the boutique to help maintain and run the hardware store. Memories still remain upstairs along with the beautiful front door designed in 1983 and its art nouveau glass window etching.
After 100 years, this building still stands strong, once you walk inside your first impression is like stepping back into the early 1900’s. You can’t estimate how many customers walked on those concrete floors since it first opened in 1913. However you can just imagine customers standing around and sharing home improvement stories, laughing and talking about weekend events that will be happening downtown. The beautiful exposed red brick walls and the tin embossed ceiling hold all those memories.
“He was sick for two years, he couldn’t drive and he always wanted to come here. So I would bring him up here every day. But he enjoyed being here, and people used to come and talk to him and spend hours,” Otella said.
So much of the store holds dear memories of Joe. Just to the left behind the front window there is an empty leather bar stool, worn and taped to hold all the tears and rips; a chair Otella bought for her husband. “I bought that for Joe, and he loved it, he wore it out,” Otella laughed.
To commemorate Joe and the long history of Weeks Hardware, the family decided to make the 100th year anniversary a big occasion.
Erica Livengood, granddaughter of Joe and Otella Weeks stated, “This is happening this year and let’s us do something special," referring to the 100th anniversary.
She continued, "We decided to celebrate it on my grandfather’s birthday. We couldn’t track down the exact date that our family took over the hardware store, so we just figured why not do it that day,” said Erica Livengood.
Erica's memories are just as cherished as her grandmother's.
“I feel like when I walk in there even as a kid you kind of you go back in time, because it’s like history has stood still in this building and in my grandmother's clothing store she had; it’s so old. It just takes me back,” Erica expressed.
“It’s really an emotional place to go to. I wish I would have cherished more. I wish I would have taken it in more and really appreciated it when it was in its full running before the big storm came into town and kind of slowed his business down. I wish I was more appreciative of what I really had in my life. And now as an adult; It’s just an awesome thing to have in our family, to (have had the opportunity) watch my grandfather work there.”
“Coming up on Saturday morning with my dad, Sitting up front behind the counter with my grandpa, thinking I was something special because I was behind the counter, watching him make keys, talking with his friends… now I wish I can go back and see my grandpa in that chair again,” Erica said.
Otella and Joe's grandsons Joseph, Nick and David Petrantoni and Connie, daughter of Joe and Otella Weeks shared why establishments like Weeks Hardware are so important to the fabric of our nation,
“As we grew up, having Weeks Hardware as a part of our lives made a significant impact on us. Watching our grandfather’s dedication to the store taught us about the value of a good work ethic. Witnessing the warm exchange he and my grandmother would have with customers every day helped us realize how precious it is to be a part of close knit community. And looking back at all of the memories we have from those days, it makes us understand how much this country needs places like Weeks Hardware in its future, businesses that hold tradition and family values in such high esteem and truly become a piece of a town's shared identity.”
More Family Memories
“He means a lot to me and our family! He always told me how it was with no bs! I have a horrible memory considering (having) been knocked in the head a few times by horses and what not but here is a memory I can remember. On the weekends when I was younger we would come up there and I always wanted to make fishing poles and I would take the small skinny round poles and get the string from in the back and find the plastic key covers as my bait and I would "go fishing" around in the store. I would do that every time I was in there I would make a fake fishing (pole) and pretend I was fishing . We also would always get Coney Island on almost every Saturday. He loved chili dogs!” Alexandra Grace Livengood, Erica's sister and Joseph Weeks granddaughter
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“The hardware store was the first job I ever had. I started working there when I was 12 or 13. I stocked the shelves, waited on customers and swept the floors everyday after school. I remember one day I was sweeping the floors and a man entered the store. He was looking for a certain kind of spring. He said he had been to every store all over the county looking for this spring. I remember him having a nasty attitude when he came into the store. Pop brought him to the drawer of springs on display. Pop did in fact have the spring the man was looking for, which happened regularly. Everyone used to say if you can’t find a piece of hardware anywhere, Mr. Weeks will have it. So my grandpa pulled the spring out for the man. The price for this uniquely designed spring was 3 dollars or so. The man scornfully looked at my grandpa and said, “This is ridiculous! I can get this spring in New York for a nickel!” Pop calmly slid the door closed and said, “Well then you can go to New York and buy it for a nickel.” The man still ornery speaking said he would purchase the spring. My grandpa then proceeded to tell the man that the spring was no longer for sale. The man was so beside himself that he left the store cursing. That was the way it was at the hardware store. If you came in polite you would be waited on hand and foot. As soon as a customer walked in the door they were greeted and after every sale Pop would tell the customers, “Much obliged.”
Another thing I would like to add: The cash register in the store had a program in it like all the registers do today where you ring up a sale, then enter on the keypad the amount of money the customer handed you. Automatically the register told you how much money to give back to the customer. Pop never turned that feature on to the register. He said it was lazy. He wanted you to think and do the math in your head. Then, verbally count back the change as you put it in the customer's hand to the penny, the old school way.”
Thank you for letting me share these stories with you. Sincerely, David Eppley (Grandson of Joe and Otella Weeks).
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My memory of Weeks Hardware is of Otella Irons Weeks, a hardworking, steadfast, feisty, opinionated (unusual for her generation) woman, who raised a family, served her community, and was an integral part in building a successful, hometown business.
My mom is a role model and a successful career woman. She balanced her family, career, community involvement and her superior athletic prowess harmoniously throughout her life. No matter what she attempted she rose to the top and became a leader, not an easy task in a male dominated, small town, society.
She still gets up every week Monday through Saturday to open the hardware store. Mom is an amazing women still thriving to keep a 100 year old business alive!
--Patricia Eppley, Daughter of Joe and Otella Weeks
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There is so much to say it was hard to narrow it down !
Weeks Hardware was more than a hardware store, it was a place for Social gatherings , it was a place where young and old worked and learned the importance of Communications, helping customers solve their problems or projects. Taking the time to listen and form relationships that often lasted for years. That relationship with customers often spurred the social gatherings , they would come for a shovel or a broom and ending staying for over an talking about anything from their aching medical condition to politics which often became very interesting. Even first time shoppers felt comfortable as Joe and Otella would greet them at the door and before you knew it they were telling them their life story whether they wanted to or not , Ha! How could have written a book with all of the stories he heard , he was a patient kind man and that attributed to the success of his family and the store and forever locked it's place in the Community .
The three words that describe the 100 year anniversary;
Joy-Joyful that my Mom made is celebrating the 100 year anniversary and is still working.
Sorrow-sorry that my dad did not make it to see this historic accomplishment.
Proud-This is such a monumental feat,our entire family is so proud. There aren't many businesses that have reached the 100 year mark.
-Cile and Jeff Livengood, Cile; Daughter of Joe and Otella Weeks
On August 8 from 12pm to 2pm anyone that wants to come share memories and celebrate this milestone for Hernando County, Brooksville and Weeks Hardware is more than welcome.
Weeks Hardware | 115 N Main St, Brooksville, FL 34601 | Photo provided by Mrs. Weeks