Renfrow Hardware

Tomatoes; "Cut-and-come-again" Fall Crops - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/tomatoes-cut-and-come-again-fall-crops

Autumn Lawn Care - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/autumn-lawn-care

Growing Lettuce in the Heat - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/growing-lettuce-in-the-heat

A Full Greenhouse; Fall Gardening/Lawncare Reminders - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/a-full-greenhouse-fall-gardeninglawncare-reminders

If you drove through downtown Matthews today, you probably noticed some large equipment working next to the hardware store. Demolition of the Renfrow Hardware Annex began this morning. It is sad to see a building with such a long and interesting history removed from the downtown landscape, but we wanted to take a moment to remember the important role it played in the story of Matthews.

The building we have long called the “Renfrow Annex” dates back to the late 1800s, when its original front portion stood on the other side of the hardware store, where our greenhouse is today. It first housed the Matthews Drug Company before being moved to its present location in the early 1900s. There, it became the Matthews Post Office, with the postmaster eventually adding living quarters for his family to the back of the building.

Over the next century, the building changed with the needs of the community. It housed a restaurant during World War II, a furniture repair business, and several other businesses throughout the years. Until today, it was also part of the collection of historic buildings associated with Renfrow Hardware and the Renfrow family's long history in Matthews—a history that began when Captain Thomas Jefferson Renfrow opened his general merchandise store around 1900.

We are sad to lose this piece of Matthews history. We have cared for the building and appreciated its place in our community and memories, making significant efforts to preserve it over the past few decades. However, safety concerns ultimately made demolishing the structure the best course of action. While the building itself will soon be gone, its history—and the memories of the people and businesses that occupied it—will remain part of the story of downtown Matthews.

So, what comes next for the space between Renfrow's and the Matthews Community Farmers' Market? For now, it will continue to serve a practical purpose - housing plants, carts, and other equipment for the hardware store.

Saying Bye to 'Annex' Building; Lettuce Plants! - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/saying-bye-to-annex-building-lettuce-plants

Greenhouse Restocked; Peony Fertilization - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/fall-transplants-here-grow-lettuce-4765940

Fall Transplants Here; Grow Lettuce 🥬 - https://mailchi.mp/renfrowfarms/fall-transplants-here-grow-lettuce