Pastime: Back door of Hankins & Son off Cypress Street

By now Warren’s three large buildings and the two smaller one-story buildings across from the Bradley County Courthouse on Cedar Street are probably down in piles of rubble that will be hauled away.

I remember well entering the Cypress Street entrance to F. M Hankins & Son Hardware for years and years and years. 

The back of the building was always buzzing with hardware activity, that is where most of the uncrated furniture for sale was along with some of the large hardware and implements of the day.

Toward the front of the building, off the Cedar Street front-door, if you will, was one of the glass display cases that held my interest as a young lad – the CASE knife display.

A CASE knife, you see, was/is a great-named brand pocket knife that I guess every young boy (at least those I knew) in Bradley County, wanted and needed around the farm.

Every one of those well-made knives had the signature CASE crest on the handle of the knife.  I fancied a two-fold blade style, called the “pocket” knife by the locals, because it fit nicely into one’s front pants pocket.

And a CASE knife was the best of the best.  No cheap imitations would do for sure.  A nice sharp blade on the long-pointed blade and an equally sharp edge to the blunt ended blade. 

The bunt-ended blade would be used to cut twine, string, and even rope if needed around the farm.

The long-taped blade would help in skinning a squirrel, dressing out a raccoon or possum and if pressed into service I could and have skinned a deer with one.

The knives, laid out on one of the many glass topped counters in the western side of the store, held all the knives, blades opened under glass.  I could stand at that counter and dream about which knife I would someday buy for myself and how I would keep a fine edge on that blade from one of the many Hot Springs area whetstones also for sale in a glass case in the same area.

In the hardware store, there was of course, all kinds of nails, rope, hinges, and hardware galore for sale.  There were also chairs, couches, and other furniture items along with some appliances.

But Hankins & Son was more of a hardware store. 

On the east side of the store was the central business office, a high walled raised platform where the business transactions, charge accounts and the like were processed.

And as photos seen on FACEBOOK these last couple of weeks, there was a giant steel free standing safe. I hope someone will fetch that safe and I am sure it needs some TLC and a nice place to be displayed.

If not, I am sure it will be cut into metal scrap.  

And that would be a shame.

I did at least once, ride the freight elevator, a flat plywood platform, pulled by at least one, if not two operators to the second floor of the store.  It was indeed a ride as a young kid, I won’t soon, if ever forget.

I’ve also visited the two smaller buildings, once where the late Buddy Rotton had his State Farm Insurance Agency.  I was a teenaged driver who needed insurance, he took me on, quite scary to me today, but I never had a claim.

The other office was of Bob Garner, who later was the Municipal Judge of Warren for years. Bob and his late wife Rosemary, were certainly two of my best adult friends for years in Bradley County.  I visited Bob in his office when back in town and always enjoyed those visits.  

Good memories.

Excellent memories.

I did one day after I started working downtown and really needed that two-blade pocket knife, went in and put a knife on the lay-away and about a month later and three easy payments – I think of $4.50 – I got my knife.

It, like these buildings, has served me well, just like these landmarks served Warren well.  I do not carry my pocket knife anymore, there is just almost no need for a shape blade anymore.

I’ll miss these buildings and their presence on a critical part of downtown Warren.  I am sure on my next visit, I’ll quietly shed a tear, but the memories will last longer…. a Pastime, I shall not forget.