Susan Barr
Kern Valley Sun

Jill Sloan-Thurman, owner of Archie’s Hardware in Kernville, likes to think of her store as being the epitome of what a small town business should be. A place you can go where the friendly staff know the regulars by name and are never too busy to ask how you’re doing. They are knowledgeable and take time to give advice on how to fix whatever needs fixing.

One day in 2003, as she strolled by Archie’s, she saw a for sale sign in the window. “It was time for a change, so I put in an offer and they took it,” said the Kernville merchant. And as the saying goes, the rest is history. Having worked in the contracting field for many years, she took to the hardware business like a duck to water. “For me it was all about the customer and giving them the kind of service they deserved,” she said.

Jill Sloan-Thurman, owner of Archie’s Hardware poses with her dog Marvin in front of the store located at 11317 Kernville Road in Kernville.

Sloan-Thurman has become an integral part of the Kernville community. She is the president of the Kernville Chamber of Commerce, regularly sponsors local children’s sports teams and is currently working diligently to make a BMX track and remote control park behind the rodeo grounds a reality.

Sloan-Thurman and her employees take pride in offering great customer service to the many regulars. She added, “If we don’t have something in stock that our customers want, we can order it and have it here the following Monday.” When asked what makes her store unique, Sloan-Thurman replied, “We don’t specialize in contractor building materials, nor do we carry a lot of the bigger items like appliances or a lot of gardening items. We’re more of a specialty store. We offer our customers a quick in and a quick out. And we consistently carry the same things, so they know what to expect.” Jokingly, she added, “We stock one of everything.“

One area in which the store definitely excels in is the pet care and supplies department. “Kernville is huge on pets and they know they can get what they’re looking for here,” Sloan-Thurman said. Testifying to her love of animals, 10-month-old Marvin, her new dog, has become a welcome addition to the store team. The gentle giant of a dog seems to take his role as “canine ambassador” and store mascot very seriously; he dutifully welcomes customers with a gentle nudge of the nose and a friendly wag of the tail.

Archie’s enjoys a loyal customer base, many of whom are happy to sing her praises. Lynne Siodmak, a part-timer who splits her time between Ventura and her home in Riverkern, is a huge Archie’s fan. “It’s small. It has everything you could ever want. And they have the best customer service.”

In addition to the hardware store, Sloan-Thurman has another business, Pringle’s Framing, in Kernville’s Circle Park. Siodmak added, “Jill is an absolutely wonderful framer. It’s a real art and she has framed all of my grandmother’s paintings.”

Kitt Heilbron a resident of Kernville and the San Fernando Valley stated enthusiastically, “Let’s face it, a hardware store is a hardware store. But here it’s all about Jill and her excellent customer service. I’ve been coming into the store for several years and I trust her implicitly. She has work done on my house when I can’t be there. I trust her completely. You can’t say anything better than that.”

John Howells of Kernville Mini Storage is another regular customer. He comes to Archie’s because, “It’s the friendly staff, the great location and the fact that Jill really helps the community.”

Dallas Houle, one of the store’s younger employees said, “I’ve learned a lot working here about a lot of different things. It’s interesting helping people to figure what they need to take care of a problem.” Gina Meeller, the store manager who has worked at Archie’s for the past 13 years stated, “I love the hometown atmosphere of this store, the one-on-one interaction with the customers. That’s what keeps me here.”

When asked what she enjoys most about living and owning a business in the Kern River Valley, Sloan-Thurman stated, “I get to do what I enjoy most. I love being a part of this community and helping people. It’s not really about money. It’s about being part of something bigger.” As an afterthought, she added, “People know when they come to Kernville and our store in particular, it’s like coming home.”

Archie’s is currently offering a 15 per cent discount to all local full-time valley residents on a majority of items sold in the store. Sloan-Thurman’s rational is simple - times are tough and local shoppers could use a break. The discount will run through the end of November.

For all of your hardware needs, give the friendly folks at Archie’s Hardware in Kernville a call at (760) 376-2426. Or drop by and see them at 11317 Kernville Road. Their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.