Opened by Owner James Ward in 2008, Jim’s Hardware has carried a wide array of general hardware supplies, such as plumbing, electrical, and lawn and garden supplies needed by homeowners throughout Montgomery County.

Ward said catering to the needs of a rural area is challenging, but he draws upon 37 years of experience to help customers from as far away as Navasota, Plantersville and Richards who frequent the Montgomery store. To that end, the store offers items such as copper flare fittings for older plumbing, interior and exterior paint and lumber as well as insecticides, fertilizers, rv and boating supplies and specialty lighting.

“We want customers to be able to buy what they want and what they need at the time they need it,” Ward said. “It makes it a challenge unless you have been around for the last 30 or 40 years working on the older homes. Newer construction is simplified.”

Ward started his career shortly after graduating from high school in 1979 at a hardware store on FM 1960 in Houston, where he worked for 22 years. Ward later operated a tool sharpening company before opening the Montgomery hardware store.

“Over the years, people asked me where I thought a good location [for a store] would be, and Montgomery would always be on the list,” Ward said. “I came by and looked at the city in the mid-1990s. It was lacking hardware facilities, and the needs just weren’t being met.”

Ward said Hurricane Ike in September 2008 tested the store and its ability to meet demand from the community only seven months after opening.

“The hurricane altered things a little bit,” Ward said. “I knew what we were going to need and we were able to get a truck in just before the storm hit, so we were in pretty good shape on everything.”

Ward said he likes to add new inventory regularly and is looking to expand because the store is reaching its storage capacity. He is in the process of purchasing a 2.5-acre tract of land to build a 6,000-square-foot storage facility and commercial addition behind his store. If possible, he said he would also like to add another 5,000-square-foot shopping center for small businesses on the tract as well.

“Our biggest problem right now is we have run out of room,” Ward said. “There are different products that I think would do well here, but we physically don’t have enough space.”

14460 Liberty St., Montgomery
936-597-8922
www.jimsdoitbest.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.