Ossian Hardware Receives May Recognition
The Wells County Chamber of Commerce staff and Ambassadors surprised Eventt Norris, owner of Ossian Hardware, and staff as the May Member of the Month. Ossian Hardware is located at 105 Heyerly Drive in Ossian and has been owned by Norris since 2006. Norris also owns Bluffton Rentco located at 975 North Main Street in Bluffton.
Norris was raised in the hardware business with his parents in Berne. Norris’s parents owned the hardware store in downtown Berne and space was becoming an issue as services and products started to expand. “The Ossian hardware store became available and we decided to liquidate the store in Berne and open in Ossian in 2006,” explained Norris. “It was a big move for us to leave Berne because my grandfather started the business and I am now running a third-generation hardware business.”
Norris said that Ossian welcomed them with open arms and he and his wife, Kristy, and their family decided to make Ossian their home.
Norris continued to expand their business services and opened Bluffton Rentco in 2016. “I saw a need in Wells County for rental equipment and we opened a store in Bluffton.”
Ossian Hardware offers a variety of services including; glass screen repair, equipment rental, lawn and garden, key cutting, pipe threading, sharpening services, paint supplies, plumbing and electrical, hardware, and so much more.
“Over the past two years we have been focusing on our mission statement which is, identifying our customers, their needs and provide them with exceptional pricing, products and service,” stated Norris. “We know there are a lot of choices with internet competition, but we encourage people to choose local. We know we need to be on top of our game and we will focus on our mission statement and do the best we can to serve.”
“Shopping local is so important and even more important during this time because some businesses can’t be open at full capacity,” Norris said. “Before ordering on-line or going out of town, we encourage people to look at your local businesses. The small business owner provides so much support behind the scenes to our local schools, little leagues, and nonprofits. Price isn’t everything and at some point, you need to focus on your community.”
Norris gives credit to the success of the business to his staff. “I am one person and our team are a huge piece of the success. I could not ask for better people to work for the business. Nothing is possible without the support of my wife Kristy and we are excited that our oldest daughter is going to work here during the summer.”
“We want to continue to grow and Wells County is a great place to be and this doesn’t happen without everyone choosing to stay in our community or coming back to call it home,” concluded Norris.
Pictured in the photo left to right:
Alyssa Sponseller, Archbold & Lewis, Chamber Ambassador
Mike Fox, Ossian Hardware
Erica Lehman, Coldwell Banker-Holloway, Chamber Ambassador
Kevin Pritchard, RUOFF Mortgage, Chamber Ambassador
Jacob Sherrer, Ossian Hardware
Kody Kumfer, First Bank of Berne, Chamber Ambassador
Tad Hunter, Ossian Hardware, Chamber Ambassador
Eventt Norris, Ossian Hardware
Erin Prible, Wells County Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director