Akerman's Hardware, Seaton, Devon

This is one of those amazingly old fashioned ironmonger shops that are rarely seen today, and should be treasured before they disappear altogether. A lovely, old mosaic doorstep, wooden floors and shelves heaving with everything needed for household repairs and maintenance. And in the best traditions of genuine hardware shops, it's the kind of place where you can buy screws, nails and other bits and bobs separately in any amount, instead of those little plastic moulded packets containing 6 when you only need 3 or 5.

I haven't been able to glean much history about the shop, but there is reference to the Akermans' eldest son being killed in action during the first World War, so the shop itself may have been started by Mr Akerman senior sometime in the late Victorian or Edwardian era...which would correspond with the style of the building.

EDIT: Since writing this post I've recently (in 2022) read a local newspaper article about the shop. It was opened in 1811, 211 years ago, so a lot older than I'd thought. Sadly, the news was also that the shop was about to close down due to the proprietor retiring. A bit more about that later.

Something I vaguely remember was a framed list in the Old George pub in Seaton. This was in 1977, before the pub was altered and refurbished (not to how it is today, as it has since been refurbished again and has been renamed The Malthouse). Anyway, I'm pretty sure that it was an old list from Akerman's Hardware shop. I honestly don't recall what it was for, but it did show amounts of various materials and prices, so it may have been a stock taking list or an order for goods.

  
It was a busy Saturday morning when I took the photos, but I managed to take one that shows the many cardboard boxes behind the counter containing the fixings that can be bought in any amount. I love this shop as it's not only somewhere to buy the the things that you can't find anywhere else, but the higgledy-piggledy displays are a real delight.

My photos were a bit hit and miss on this visit, so I've only added a few with some of the displays below.
 

The proprietor, David Rogers, had taken it over from his parents in the 1980s, who'd managed it since 1962. He'd tried to sell it on as a going concern. Unfortunately, there weren't any takers so the business is being closed down, which is a shame as so many people will miss it. I'd like to wish David and his wife Shirley all the very best in their retirement. :)