A lot of businesses in Crawford County come and go. However, for the people of Townville, there's always been Hanna's Hardware.

As I walk into the store on Main Street, I can see all the normal things a hardware establishment usually offers...keys, paint, nails, and screws.  I'm learning that Hanna's Hardware offers so much more. That has been the case since the business was founded in 1919 by Arch Hanna.  Arch was the grandfather of Bob Hanna, who currently owns the store with his son Jared. Bob can recite all the different items his grandfather had for sale.

"First gas station in town,” declares Bob. Went on to sell Indian motorcycles, Overland cars, water pumps, sporting goods, hardware."

When Grandfather Arch opened the store, it was located across the street. In the late 1940s, the business moved to the site where the Townville Post Office currently stands. That's when Bob's parents took over. Hanna's Hardware moved to its current location in 1972. That's when Bob and his brother became partners in the business. In 2019, the fourth generation of Hanna's became involved in the ownership when Jared became partners with Bob.

"It's a life I wouldn't trade for anything,” says Bob. “It's passed down through each generation very smoothly."

This family business has always been a valued asset to the people of the Townville area. You need something, you come here. Pipes, coils, and tubing can be found in the basement of the building. That's important to those who make maple syrup. This is rural Crawford County, so water pumps for home wells are sold here. The store sells about two or three a week. We go outside to the garage. There's lumber for sale. There's also some very large pipes. Municipalities buy those for sewer repairs.

"I do whatever I can to make sure I have what they need when they need it and I hope to be able to continue to do that,” says Jared.

Inside the main building is a huge guns and ammo department. It's here where Hanna's Hardware becomes the morning gathering place in Townville. 15 to 20 people congregate here to drink coffee and shoot the breeze. Today, Jared's toddler son Arch is making his way to the meeting place. Could he be the fifth generation of Hanna's to own the store?

"I'm sure hoping so,” says Jared. “I have another son on the way so if Arch doesn't want it, maybe my next one will. So we'll see what happens here."

Hanna’s Hardware sells many products that are locally made. There’s pipe manufactured in Titusville, knives manufactured in Bradford, wood pellets from Youngsville, and bags of shelled corn from Townville.