By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
After nearly two years, Pacific Palisades once again has its own hardware store: Anawalt’s Palisades Hardware had its official soft opening on Friday, May 29.
Anawalt moved into a portion of the Sunset Boulevard space formerly occupied by Norris Hardware, which has sat empty since the store closed in July 2018. Throughout the time that the space sat unoccupied, Palisadians shared their wishes for what would fill it, and a replacement hardware store was always at the top of the list.
“The first weekend was a huge success,” President and CEO of Anawalt Lumber Co. Rolando Robles shared with the Palisadian-Post. “Better than we anticipated.”
Anawalt is a family-owned and operated company that was founded in 1923. The Palisades location marks Anawalt’s fifth across Los Angeles, joining the Malibu, Pico Boulevard, West Hollywood and Hollywood spots.
Robles said the team received many compliments on how great the store looked and the array of merchandise they are stocking, which covers everything from plumbing to electrical and items to maintain a nursery—though the store does not have live plants.
“We just wish we had more room to carry lumber and live plants,” Robles explained, adding that those were the two departments that were most requested.
Kari Weaver, an Alphabet Streets resident of about five years who used to shop at Norris for both personal and professional reasons, shared her experience as the first customer at Anawalt’s Palisades Hardware.
“It was great, it really was,” Weaver said. She explained that the manager, who saw her looking inside, welcomed her in and helped her find the items she was looking for on Thursday, including a new broom.
She said the care and attention she received from the store’s employees was much different from what someone would expect from a larger chain.
“It felt like it was going to be a hometown hardware store again,” Weaver said, adding how friendly and nice everyone she spoke with was.
Though hardware stores have always been on the list of essential businesses that could remain open through Safer at Home orders, the state of retail has dramatically shifted since Robles first revealed Anawalt’s plans to the community on Monday, February 17.
The store faced hiccups before first opening due to COVID-19, General Manager Rosie Maravilla explained, which delayed the wait for certain supplies.
The store also closed early on Monday, June 1, at the suggestion of the Los Angeles Police Department, to board up and protect it from potential looting that hit neighboring cities.
But the Palisades store reopened for business on Tuesday morning, Robles reported, and continued to welcome customers.
“It felt great to be welcomed to the community,” Robles said, “to hear customers tell us how happy they are that there is a hardware store back in the Palisades.”
Anawalt’s Palisades Hardware is located at 15130 Sunset Blvd. and open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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