Retail Absurdities: Lost in Time at Shaker (Ace) Hardware of Latham, New York

It would be hard to believe that not only the fixtures and/or décor were outdated, but how about the merchandise? While this isn't the first hardware store I encountered outdated merchandise on the shelves, this store takes it to a whole new level!

Pictures were taken at several different times in 2020. Photographed on 5th and 8th of August and 28th of December.

Exterior. This building consists of three units; this store being the tenant in the left-most unit.

In the back right corner of the store is a beige colored toilet, bathtub standing on end, and a two-piece pedestal sink.

This Artesian-branded toilet, as well as the bathroom fixtures behind it do not appear to have ever been installed. Most likely something that had never been purchased within the past 35 or so years. It is not clear if the insulation inside the tank is meant to be removed upon installation.

Older Rehrig shopping carts bearing the Shaker name, most likely from the 1970s or 1980s. These definitely predate their Ace affiliation.

Older ceiling fans on the display. From top to bottom: Encon Monarch, Westinghouse Swirl,  Encon Casanova Supreme, and an Encon Crusader. UPDATE: As of 2022, the Westinghouse Swirl has been removed from the display.

Baskets. The Rehrig in the top picture is paired with the shopping carts; not sure about the ones seen in the bottom picture.

Back of the store, with a sloped ceiling.

Various boxes of older ceiling fans at the top shelves. A few of the boxes are empty as they are ceiling fans that hang on the display. While the staff said they don't sell ceiling fans anymore, I still managed to buy a few with a some assistance. Wonderful staff!

All in all, it was a rather fun experience with this store despite the absurd outdated merchandise that had not sold in decades. It does make for a unique experience.

-Retail Regents