Among the casualties of the recent flood is Naylor’s Hardware and Garden Center at 14441 Old Hammond Hwy, a local institution that will not be reopening after 63 years in business.
The store—which, at one time, was one of three Naylor’s locations and in more recent years has been its sole outlet—got about five feet of water last week. Owner Johnny Naylor, who spent his entire career running the business that was founded by his father, John Naylor, didn’t have flood insurance on the property and says without it he cannot afford to reopen.
“At my age, even with an SBA loan, I couldn’t do it,” says Naylor, who is 63. “I don’t want to be paying off loans when I’m 90.”
Naylor isn’t entirely bowing out of the business, however. He has entered into a partnership agreement with Clegg’s Nursery, which has acquired his True Value license and will begin carrying many of the hardware products Naylor’s carried.
Clegg’s has also hired Naylor, as well as Naylor’s longtime manager, Butch Drewes, and another employee.
“This helps them out, and we can now buy from True Value,” says Chris Herrmann, manager of Clegg’s Nursery. “So we’ll be able to sell more hardware material than we were in the past.”
Clegg’s was also a victim of the recent flood. The nursery got more than a foot of water in its locations at 10645 Greenwell Springs Road and at 31275 La. 16 in Denham Springs. But already both stores have cleaned up, reopened for business and begun selling True Value cleanup and construction supplies.
Johnny Naylor will be based at Clegg’s 5696 Siegen Lane location beginning later this week, and will be working with seeds and other products in which he has a particular expertise.
“Once I get that up and running, I’ll go wherever they tell me,” he says.
Naylor says about 15% of his inventory is salvageable and will be sold by Clegg’s and another local hardware store that has come to Naylor’s aid—Our Hardware at 2929 Perkins Road.
Our Hardware owner Henry Bingham got his start at the original Naylor’s Hardware on Government Street, which later became Government Street Hardware. After it closed last year, Bingham acquired some of its inventory and opened his own store.
“We’re just happy to help out,” says Bingham, who will share proceeds with Naylor from any sales of its merchandise.
Naylor says he is appreciative of the support he has received, especially at such a challenging time.
“Overnight, a local institution drowned,” he says. “It’s hard to go out here and see my retirement in a heap on the curb.”
—Stephanie Riegel
