Howard Supply

New York hardware stores hold their own cachet in the city—old-family shops with bulk bins of fasteners alongside tools that can fix anything from a dripping faucet to a wobbly banister. Howard Supply, the 9th Avenue fixture for three generations, keeps that role alive with an inventory deep enough to outfit a basement workshop or a weekend loft project. Locks, hinges, power-tool accessories, paint sundries, and standard fittings share shelf space that rarely feels crowded; call it a hardware version of sidewalk ballet—small parts racing past big boxes. Walk past the residential stretch of 344 9th Avenue and you’ll find a storefront that never looks closed for lunch. Inside, the counters and pegboards map common needs—caulking guns, wire nuts, drop cloths—yet the drawers run the gamut from brass washers to specialty router bits. Plumbers drop in for 3/4-inch nipples; weekend woodworkers swear by the rare lumber grading; modest renovations hover in the same aisle ecosystem. Efficiency comes from organization that skips the gimmicks. Ready to measure twice (or call once)? Ring Howard Supply at (212) 971-3127 or pull up the directions before your next trip north of 30th.