My name is Michael Ellis and I am the 5th generation in my family’s locally owned and operated hardware store.  Our store has a rich history being founded in 1872 in the small town of Seneca Illinois.  Just an hour southwest of the city of Chicago our store is nestled between cornfields on the historic I&M Canal and the Illinois River.  We have a very large store for our small community with nearly 16,000 square feet of store filled with anything and everything you can imagine.  We recently received the Illinois Historical Society’s Centennial Award and are Illinois’ Oldest Family Owned Hardware Store.  Throughout this blog I will be sharing the great tips and tricks I have learned through growing up in this store.  I will also share with you all the new and exciting merchandise I come across in trade shows and conventions.  It’s amazing the number of products that are available and I am always on the lookout for the next best thing.