Andy Clark is justifiably proud of what he does. He's the sixth generation of CLARK to supply Howard County with what we need for our homes and gardens. Of course, things have changed a bit from the days when customers came in horse and buggy to pick up their coal, but the integrity that was John Clark's pride in the early 1800's can still be felt in Andy Clark's store today.

At Clark Do It Center, today's technology combines with old-fashioned service to create a place where you can shop with confidence. When you walk in, you know you're among friends, from the complimentary coffee near the front entrance to the advice that's free for the asking. (The big chains even refer people here for advice!)

The original Clark's Hardware Store opened on Main Street in Ellicott City in 1845 and later moved across from the B & O railroad station. Hurricane Agnes washed out that store in 1972, just after Andy had out-processed from the Army Corps of Engineers to take over the family business. The store became affiliated with the "Do It" co-operative chain in 1985 and in 1991, Andy relocated from St. John's Plaza to the present location on Route 40.

"Technology changes from the plastics that have made plumbing so much easier to the new tools that do things we never imagined a tool to do," says Andy. "We just keep learning all the time." Every new employee is trained to work in each department, from mixing paint to cutting glass. The result? Knowledgeable service that's just top-notch!

Although Clark carries everything a homeowner might need and then some! there are some things that Andy is particularly proud of, such as the extensive selection of garden tools, seeds and plants. The ground temperature is too cold to plant much before April, although Andy has a fair number of recreational tomato growers who start in March and steadfastly move their pots outside each morning and inside at night.

"'When I started working in my dad's store," says Andy, "we used to walk across the street with handcarts to the B&O railroad station to offload tomatoes, field-pulled from the powdery Georgia soil and wrapped in paper in bundles of 100. We'd call our customers to come pick them up. When people stopped wanting bundles of 100 they could only plant ten but couldn’t bear to throw the excess plants away we started selling plants in individual pots, although it was much more expensive. One plant currently costs what an entire bundle of 100 used to.

Clark carries thousands of plumbing parts in its inventory. "It's important to us to be able to supply your needs, even though such an extensive selection isn't really profitable," says Andy. The same philosophy applies when it comes to servicing what they sell. If they sell it, they service it. "I don't want to sell it to you if I wouldn't want it in my own home," states Andy. So, Clark's stocks Benjamin Moore paints and Stihl power tools, high quality generators for Y2K concerns and catalytic-combustion kerosene stoves. They carry product lines that are time-tested and successful, along with the cream of the innovative new technology.

Clark's is committed to being part of the community. After all, they've been actively involved in Howard County life for almost two centuries. Good people, good products, good service--the place to go for all your hardware needs.

( Beginning next month, Andy Clark will be writing for the Village News; if you have any questions or suggestion for future columns, give him a call at 410-465-9633 or stop by the store at 10325 Baltimore National Pike in Ellicott City.)