Broadway Hardware Co.
Broadway Hardware Co.
Twenty-four-year-old Thomas Dyche and his wife Martha opened their business in 1918 at 311 Westport Road, one of only three businesses east of Broadway at the time.
Able to add numbers in his head, and always dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt, no matter the temperature, Thomas was as much a fixture in his store as the giant rolling ladder and the hand-cranked cash register. In 1973 at age 79, Thomas passed away after having worked six days a week for 55 years with no days off.
The Dyche legacy continued with Thomas’ son Joseph G. Dyche and daughter Betty Jones. Joseph worked at the store 48 years from 1946 to 1994. A third Dyche generation, starting in the 60s, remained until the store closed in 1994. None were afraid of hard work.
As with many family businesses, big-box retailers and E-commerce helped shutter Broadway Hardware. But long after closing, its 1937 neon sign remained one of the oldest neon signs still on display in America. Built by the Kansas City Brilliant Company, LUMI is thrilled to acquire and display this 16-foot, black porcelain beauty.
Twenty-four-year-old Thomas Dyche and his wife Martha opened their business in 1918 at 311 Westport Road, one of only three businesses east of Broadway at the time.
Able to add numbers in his head, and always dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt, no matter the temperature, Thomas was as much a fixture in his store as the giant rolling ladder and the hand-cranked cash register. In 1973 at age 79, Thomas passed away after having worked six days a week for 55 years with no days off.
The Dyche legacy continued with Thomas’ son Joseph G. Dyche and daughter Betty Jones. Joseph worked at the store 48 years from 1946 to 1994. A third Dyche generation, starting in the 60s, remained until the store closed in 1994. None were afraid of hard work.
As with many family businesses, big-box retailers and E-commerce helped shutter Broadway Hardware. But long after closing, its 1937 neon sign remained one of the oldest neon signs still on display in America. Built by the Kansas City Brilliant Company, LUMI is thrilled to acquire and display this 16-foot, black porcelain beauty.