Towles add new property between two businesses in Dixfield, allowing room for growth.
DIXFIELD – Towle’s Hardware has set the stage for another expansion by acquiring an adjacent lot and building.
The venerable, family-owned hardware store, now 92 years old, has expanded several times in recent years to include almost everything.
Butch Towle and his wife, Donna, have expanded the number of products, buildings and services over the years.
They’ve even expanded the lands around their Weld Street business, including ownership of the former Irving gas station, which is now The Corner Store and managed by Donna.
Their most recent acquisition is a 60-by-120-foot lot and building next to both the hardware store and convenience store.
For at least 25 years, it housed an antiques business owned by Joe Norris. The building, once a blacksmith shop and later a garage, was razed this week by William Skidgell of Carthage.
Norris built a new building across Main Street, also known as Route 2, and set up shop there.
For now, the property will serve as additional parking and provide easier access for the hardware store and convenience store.
It will be particularly helpful for the big rigs that often try to gas up or stop for lunch at the convenience store, said Butch.
“We’ll leave it as is for the winter, then we may expand in the spring,” he said.
Expansion has been the name of the game for the Towle family over the years.
Butch’s grandfather, Charles Towle, started the business in 1911 as a combination gun shop and small hardware store. Over the years, his son, John, doubled the hardware business, and since Butch has owned it in 1976, the business has again doubled.
Besides the main part of the hardware building, there are several other buildings housing hay, boards, fencing and other building supplies.
The hardware store employs six full-time people, up two over the past couple of years.
Just over two years ago, when Irving divested itself of several gas stations, Towle bought the Dixfield station abutting his property as well as the downtown Mexico Irvings.
Between the Dixfield and Mexico gas stations, the Towles employ about 14 full- and part-time people.
Buying the Norris building and lot just seemed to fall into place. Now, the Towles own a huge corner in downtown Dixfield.
With the purchase of the Norris lot, Butch said, “It’s always possible to expand one business or the other in the future.”
eadams@sunjournal.com
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