Fasteners and Gravel, Wisdom and Joy Lassiter’s Hardware Store

by Gary Burton, The Pintlala Ledger

On the southern fringe of the Pintlala Community, just south of Pettus Road, on the east side of U.S. Highway 31, is Lassiter’s Hardware Store. The store exceeds expectations. When you walk in with a list – say, wood screws or a crowbar, or something to eradicate fire ants – more than likely, you will find what’s on it. But you will leave with much more.

You will leave with a soul-deep connection to the core of who you are. It’s not just the massive inventory that gets to you. It’s conversation, authentic friendliness and guidance that is truly helpful. Frank Lassiter, the owner and proprietor, gets it honestly.

He is the grandson of Frank Grant Lassiter and son of John Brady Lassiter. Small community stores once dotted the landscape up and down the countryside. Frank’s grandfather built and operated the first family store in 1915, which was located at the intersection of Highway 31 and Pettus Road, in the southeastern corner.

Interestingly, it was located in front of the family home on the highway, but when the State of Alabama planned to straighten out the highway and prepare it for paving in 1930, a second store was rebuilt across the highway, where the Liberty Church of Christ parking lot now stands, on the north sid of the church.

In the second location, the store was operated by the Lassiter family followed by several others, including Fox and Amanda Hardin, the Hornady family and Tom Ganey.

Frank’s father retired from the United States Marshals Service in 1968, and by 1971 had invested in one of the first Vermeer brand round hay balers. That introduced a major transition for the family business.

John Brady Lassiter became a farm equipment dealer and worked on the equipment behind his house until

1977-78, when the current store was built. It became the office, parts department and workshop. The Lassiter business continued to evolve into cutters, rakes and bush hogs, and in 1984, they assumed a dealership for Case Tractors.

It then became necessary to construct a large building, capable of accommodating sizable equipment and a host of other things that required protection from the elements. Today the store, which has road frontage, is adjoined to that large equipment building

In 1991, Frank Lassiter began selling recycling equipment and did so for the next 10 years. He traveled the Southeast, operating a wood grinder. His interest in wood grinding, however, began to fade as his interest in hardware started to intensify.

So, he bought the Pintlala operation from his father. The date was Sept. 9, 2002. Pintlala’s magical, magnetic hardware store was born.

It was no accident that the proprietor of a small hardware store near Muscle Shoals encouraged a representative from the world’s largest independently owned hardware supplier to contact Frank Lassiter. He offered good advice, and a strong friendship formed. Armed with trustworthy advice on how and what to order, Lassiter’s Hardware Store sprouted wings and began to soar.

Frank is a feed dealer. He also sells gravel, sand, compost and topsoil, and especially enjoys using his dump truck. Frank’s wife, Debbie, has brought joy to the work. Last year found the store blossoming with flowers she provided with the inventory. The flowers were so popular, they had to be resupplied several times.

Employee Hollie Otts, in possession of an effervescent personality, lends a major plus to the business. An engaging conversationalist, she can find any item in the store. Her children join her in the work, but only after their studies have been completed from an upstairs space. It turns out there are other successful operations like Lassiter’s around rural Alabama.

Frank has learned from his suppliers’ reps that such remotely located stores are thriving. He theorizes that the coronavirus pandemic has given people unstructured time, which they are using to visit out-of-the-way places.

Asked how the pandemic has impacted his business, Frank replied, “Only in positive ways.” Asked about big-box competitors, Lassiter wisdom continued to spill out. “Some of them operate with tons and pallets,” he said. “I operate with boards and bags.” And there is no loss in quality. There is more.

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Every morning, as the Lassiters begin their day, Frank prays for God to send customers who know what they want and “who want what I have, so that I can bring them joy.”

The store’s marketing strategy builds on word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied customers. Frank’s aim is to “get in the heads of those who drive north on Pettus Road” and continue north on Highway 31.

“They never have visual contact with Lassiter’s Hardware Store, even though we are only a few yards to the south as they make the turn north from Pettus,” he said.

Part of the draw, for customers both new and established, is Frank Lassiter’s sense of humor. He has stocked up on shooting houses for hunting season. He calls them “social isolation stations.”

Lassiter’s Hardware Store is located at 15271 U.S. Highway 31, Hope Hull, AL 36043.

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