The Shadow
UNION, W.Va. (WVDN) – Scrub as they might, the owners of Kittle’s Hardware can’t quite wash away the grease stains on the shop floor—and they wouldn’t want to. Those marks are remnants of a time when Model T cars and tractors were assembled in the very same building that now serves as the heart of downtown Union.
“You can still see the grease,” says current owner Chris Wszolek. “We’ve cleaned and cleaned, but it’s still there.”
That stubborn grease is just one layer of a century-old story. Around 1920, Arthur Boone and his brother purchased the lot on Main Street to expand their Ford business. They built a massive structure around an existing wooden house, eventually demolishing the home to create the cavernous showroom and service floor that still stands today.
The building’s life as a hardware staple began in 1955, born from a simple commission. Russell Kittle, a local farmer, was given the opportunity to sell Purina pet food. He started small, renting a building on Pump Street, but within two years, his success allowed him to purchase the former Ford building.
In 1957, the car elevators and ramps gave way to sturdy wooden shelving built to hold 100-pound bags of feed. For decades, the Kittle family fueled the farms of Monroe County. Wszolek himself remembers visiting as a 12-year-old boy, helping his mother haul heavy bags of feed to their car.
That history remains alive on the store’s Facebook page, where Wszolek occasionally posts photos of original sales tickets from the 1950s. “Current customers will often see a name and say, ‘Oh, there’s my great-grandpa,’ or ‘There’s my uncle’s name,'” Wszolek said.
The store’s future became uncertain after the Kittle family’s son passed away and his children chose not to take over the business. In 2019, Chris Wszolek and his wife stepped in—not just to buy a business, but to save a landmark.
“We bought the store because we didn’t want the town to die; we want it to thrive,” Wszolek explained. “When a town has a hardware store, it’s thriving. So many towns in West Virginia are not alive anymore because there are no businesses. We thought it was important.”
Since the purchase, the Wszoleks have made extensive repairs and joined the Ace Hardware network as an independent dealer, ensuring that Union residents have access to modern inventory without losing the old-fashioned atmosphere.
Today, manager Bobby Pitzer ensures the store maintains its reputation for “making it happen” for the community. Whether a customer needs a specific saw blade, a unique antique, or a specialized wood sealer, the staff prides itself on a hands-on approach.
“We’re always saying, ‘show me your sizes and measurements, and we’ll help you build it right here on the floor,’” Pitzer said.
For Pitzer and the Wszoleks, the nuts and bolts are secondary to the relationships built across the counter. While the store boasts an impressive inventory of glues, sealers, and antiques, Pitzer insists the secret to their success isn’t on the shelves.
“Union is the greatest place there is,” Pitzer said. “It’s not us—it’s the people.”
