Akard TrueValue celebrates 59 years
By Sophie Pappas
It’s your local hardware store, and so much more. Akard TrueValue Hardware, located in Zionsville’s Boone Village, is at the heart of community service and small town business.
Started in 1955 by Jacob “JJ” Akard, the hardware store was first a spinoff of JJ’s travelling salesman days. When he decided to stay off the road and open a shop, it was Zionsville’s Main Street where he found a home for his hardware. He occupied an entire city block where Plum’s Upper Room and Darrin’s Coffee Shop are now located.
“My grandpa used to have an apartment where Plum’s is,” said Leigh Ann Akard, granddaughter of JJ, and present-day co-owner.
In the early 1970s, the Akard family, including Leigh Ann’s parents, Steve and Marsha Akard, moved to its present location. In the 1990s, the shop expanded into the whole corner of Boone Village.
Both Leigh Ann and her sister, Amanda, worked in the store during high school. Leigh Ann’s three boys have also all worked in the store during their high school years. Even now, Leigh Ann admits she never thought she would go into the hardware business herself.
“But it’s very much been a family business,” she said. “And I love it.”
Investing in the community
If there is one thing that Akard TrueValue is known for, it is the philanthropy of its owners.
Founder JJ was a permanent fixture in Zionsville events and fundraisers, with present-day shoppers still remembering all that he did.
Leigh Ann, a Lions Club member and someone who is involved in just about every activity in town, said that it’s all about staying local and loving where you are.
“A lot of people don’t realize that even though we are a TrueValue, we are 100 percent locally owned,” she said. “We live here and we work here. This is everything to us.”
For Leigh Ann, not having to go through corporate procedures has made it easier for her to use the store as a place to help others.
“We care about the community and we’re very involved in the community,” Leigh Ann said. “Even shoppers today remember my grandpa and his philanthropic heart. And now, I don’t have to think twice about doing a coat collection for kids, I can just hear about a project and put the box out front.”
What big box can’t do
Leigh Ann said that the family businesses in Zionsville offer more than just a “mom and pop” environment.
Employees at Akard TrueValue are an intricate part of how Leigh Ann runs the family business. She makes sure that opportunities to work are available to people who want something stable, local and safe.
“Nobody wants to see their grandma or grandpa have to drive 30 minutes to go to a part time job,” she said. “When we hire, we are looking for someone who will be here for a while. We have a lot of longevity, and we train everyone as if they were staying forever. That’s something big retailers don’t do.”
Another aspect of the business it making sure items are readily available for what Zionsville residents need at the moment.
Leigh Ann recalled one year when every large retailer around Zionsville sold out of white Christmas tree lights.
“The large stores get a number of lights and that’s it for the season, but we were able to order more after realizing that people couldn’t find them anywhere else,” she said. “We have more depth.”
Akard TrueValue also carries items made around Indiana. One of their most popular products is Rickle’s Pickles, which are made in Fremont, Ind.
John Stehr, a television broadcaster for WTHR Channel 13 in Indianapolis, is a frequent patron of Akard, often buying the Rickle’s Pickles.
“He came in here the other day and said ‘I never thought I’d be running to the hardware store when I ran out of pickles,’’ Leigh Ann said.
But that’s the kind of thing that keeps this small town hardware store a special place for 59 years.
Anniversary Specials
Visit Akard TrueValue Hardware the week of May 9 to celebrate the store’s 59th anniversary. There will be 59-cent specials on items, along with other anniversary deals.
Did you know?
The best selling item in Akard TrueValue Hardware is WORMS.
