Please Join Us Saturday, July 6, 9 a.m., to Dedicate a Plaque Honoring Ernst & Son's Long Heritage in Lawrence

ue Dedi

Please join Lawrence Preservation Alliance for the dedication of a historical plaque on the landmark former Ernst & Son hardware store at 826 Massachusetts St. Local dignitaries and historians will be on hand to talk about the legacy of this important Lawrence structure, which was built in 1880.

Philip Ernst Sr. and Thomas H. Kennedy established Kennedy & Ernst Hardware at the location in 1905, and it became Ernst & Son Hardware in 1925. The Ernst family operated the hardware store for almost another century until it closed in 2018 after the death of Rod Ernst.

Generations of Lawrencians knew the hardware store as a treasure trove of household goods, tools, hardware supplies, doodads and knick-knacks, stacked almost to the ceiling—and in its legendary basement. Ernst family members were always on hand to lead customers to the most obscure items and to provide project advice to do-it-yourselfers.

In recognition of this legacy, Lawrence Preservation Alliance has commissioned a bronze plaque for the exterior of the building, so it can be remembered by passers-by long after it has moved on to new uses. We hope you can join us for the dedication ceremony on Saturday, July 6, at 9 a.m.