By David Fleet
Editor
Ortonville- It was center of most American villages.
From shotguns to nails to paint the hardware store kept the community supplied while providing, at times, a gathering destination for neighbors to chat.
Starting about 1900 when G.N. Hart store opened for business on the west side of South Street in the downtown—the village hardware has continued through a fire, several owners and tons of penny candy.
Earlier this month, Thompson’s Hardware, 30 South St. closed it’s doors after 26 years, ending more than a century of business.
Owner Arlene Thompson said the property was sold to an undisclosed local business.
In 1992 Ed and Arlene Thompson purchased the former Featherston Hardware renaming it Thompson’s Hardware. Ed passed away in 2015.
“It was far more rural when we started,” said Arlene. “It was just a different world—it was more home-like than today. We sold a lot more canning supplies, hand rakes, customers used more home cleaning items. Back than we sold riding mowers and delivered them too. People painted their own homes and a truck load of paint would only last us about a month.”
“The store was a place where customers loved to chat,” she said. “A lot of people wanted a pickle barrel, checkerboard and a stove to sit around. I would have done it except the fire chief said no. People would sometimes just hang out and visit.”
Ed Thompson was in his glory in the hardware store, Arlene recalls.
“Ed loved to read catalogs,” she said. “He learned and knew every odd ball tool too. I learned the business from him. Ed groomed himself for this job for years and loved to work at the hardware.”

The Thompsons provided many youth their first jobs.
“I’ve had four of five kids from one family work for me,” she said. “I’d get to be friends with their families too. I’d go to their weddings, funerals and graduations over the years.”
The key to the hardware business was being available as much as possible, said Arlene.
“When there’s a bad storm we take care of people who needed whatever,” she said. “They needed chainsaw chains we’d have them. A sump pump failed we’d have them ready to go. It’s never been a nine to five job. One night during a bad barn fire we supplied rakes to the fire department to move hay.”
While many products have changed—penny candy was always popular.
“School kids still come in and get a bag,” she said. “Customers would still bring in their grandchildren for penny candy. I’m going to miss people. It was very difficult closing— we have made so many friends over the years.”
The South Street village hardware store history began in the early 1900s.
In the late 1920s Myron and Mary DeLano purchased the hardware from the Harts. After Myron died Mary continued to run the store with the assistance of several employees.
The Featherston family owned the store for more than 45 years.
“Marv (Featherston) started working for Mary (DeLano) when he was in high school,” recalls Marilyn who married Marv in 1948. “Before school he would go down the basement of the store and build a coal fire in the furnace, then sweep the floors before customers arrived.. He did that for three years and worked at the store during the days in the summer.”
The hardware building was destroyed by fire in 1942 and a new building was erected in 1944.
“The boys from the high school were let out to help with the fire,” recalled Marilyn. “We did not have a large fire department back then so I guess they needed the help.”
Marv graduated from Ortonville High School in 1943, served in World War II and returned home in 1946. In 1947 Marv and his father, Harry Featherston purchased the store renaming it Featherston Hardware.
Together they ran the store until Harry sold his share in 1967. Then in 1969 Marv bought the DeLauder and Borst Grocery next door doubling the size of the business.
“They were going out of business so they sold it to us,” said Marilyn. “They wanted to retire. Early on there was no place in downtown Ortonville to buy milk, butter and cigarettes. So for awhile that’s what we sold. And the penny candy was always a big deal.”
Marilyn remembers school children lining up to come in the store.
One little boy, recalls Marilyn that was so short his chin barely topped the counter perused the candy selection for several minutes. Not finding what he wanted told Marilyn, “you might as well go out of business.”
“I had to limit the number of kids in the building at one time,” laughed Marilyn. “We made a lot of friends there. I even knew the ages of the kids that came in and I would not sell them cigarettes even if they were old enough—I was not going to be responsible.”
At one time, Featherson Hardware needed ten employees due the business. The store carried guns, hunting equipment, farming needs and toys at Christmas too.
“We gifted wrapped for free for many years,” she said. “It was a great business and we made so many friends through the years.”