HISTORY
Hedlund’s Hardware began in 1935 not as a hardware store, but a general store. Starting with founder Claude Hedlund, he began his move from New York to Indianapolis in the early 1930’s to start the business. He and his Wife Mary opened up the shop on the corner of 62nd and keystone, serving the surrounding community, selling food, gas, and hardware. They lived and raised their two sons Paul and Ronald in the back area of the shop.
During the developing years of the 1940’s and 50’s and the need of building goods, Hedlund’s transitioned from a small general store to a full-fledged independent hardware store. President Paul Hedlund states "After World War II, the supermarkets started opening and the small grocery business couldn't compete." Paul and Ronald began selling gasoline at a 2 cent discount rate and in that era when the oil companies' unwritten law was that everybody sold at the same price. How much was gas back then? 24 cents. Before long, the two brothers were pumping over 5,000,000 gallons a year out of two pumps keeping the business profitable as the grocery business started to decline.
The growth of Hedlund's and the change in merchandising are parts that reveals no secret corporate strategy, but, rather a survival adaptation. As the business grew, the faculty grew. Expansion came as inventories overwhelmed the existing space, not as future planning dictated. This included the demolishment of the old building to the historical building you see today. Hedlund’s is still family owned by sons Anthony, Michael, and Douglas along with its fifth generation of family members; and many to come.
