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Wednesday, October 26,2022
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 5A
Dawsonville Hardware celebrates 75 years in business
Erica Jones Dawson County News
Dawsonville Hardware owner Dwight Gilleland, left, stands
with one of his employees behind the counter at his hard
ware store in downtown Dawsonville.
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
In 1947, local man Carlton
Gilleland had the idea to start a
hardware business just off the
square in downtown
Dawsonville. He and Andrew
Bearden partnered to open the
store in the building that is now
J-Brooke hair salon on Raymond
Parks Street, and a year later he
bought out Bearden’s portion of
the business, expanded the store
and named it Dawsonville
Hardware.
Now, 75 years later, the busi
ness is still going strong and is
the oldest family-owned business
in the county.
Dwight Gilleland, who took
the business over from his father
Carlton in 1977, said that
Dawsonville Hardware has been
a big part of his family’s story
and his own.
“I was two years old when they
opened, so I was very involved
with dusting and taking care of
customers,” Gilleland said. “’77
is when I took over officially; my
dad found out that he had heart
concerns at that time so he turned
it over to me. But before that I
was in here every day, doing
things and making decisions.”
Over the years, the business
has been an ACE Hardware store
and a True Value Hardware store,
but since 2010 it has operated as
an independent hardware store
buying from Orgill, the oldest
hardware distributor in the coun
try. In addition to hardware, the
store also offers small engine
repair services and sales.
Since the store began,
Gilleland said that he’s seen the
county expand and grow rapidly
as new people move into the area.
“Watching it grow I think is my
favorite part; I’m not one to not
want us to grow,” Gilleland said.
“It’s very interesting to see how
we’ve evolved as a community
and I’m pretty pleased with our
political structure here and the
outlook that people have for
Dawsonville and Dawson
County. A lot of new people are
moving into the area and they are
realizing that it’s a lot less trouble
to come here than it is to drive all
the way down to 400 just because
they think it’s gonna be cheaper
or easier to get; it’s not necessari
ly cheaper and not necessarily
easier.”
Gilleland, whose father and
uncle have both served as the
mayor of Dawsonville in past
years, said that his father would
be proud to see how his business
and the county have evolved and
grown.
“My dad was the mayor back
in the early 50s — all the projects
that city hall has made over the
past several years with the city
park out here and the things that
they’ve accomplished as a city
would have made my dad really
proud,” Gilleland said. “This
county means everything to me
as far as the future.”
Gilleland said that he’s incredi
bly grateful for the 75 years
Dawsonville Hardware has been
in operation and for the
Dawsonville community.
“Thank you for all the years
that we’ve been allowed to be a
part of this community,”
Gilleland said. “Thank you for
your business, thank you for your
love of Dawson County and
thank you for your interest.”
Dawsonville Hardware is locat
ed at 18 Raymond Parks Street
South in downtown Dawsonville.
For more information about the
store, go to https ://www.dawson-
villehardware.com/.
Where to Trunk or Treat
in Dawson this Halloween
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
This Halloween, all the little ghosts and
goblins are invited to Rock Creek Park in
Dawson County to celebrate with the coun
ty’s annual Trunk or Treat event.
The event will take place on Monday,
Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. and feature candy,
treats, toys, promotional items, carnival
games, a bounce house, hay rides and
more.
The Trunk or Treat event is aimed at pro
viding children with a safe place to trick or
treat, so the park will be well lit, have a spe
cific area sectioned off to provide a traffic-
free area for children and have plenty of
parking and restroom access.
Admission and most of the activities are
free, and the event will be held rain or shine
within reason. For more information, go to
https://www.dawsoncountyga.gov/park-
srec/page/trunk-or-treat.
Outlet Mall "Boo Bash"
Also in Dawson County, the North
Photo courtesy Unsplash
Georgia Premium Outlet Mall will host
its annual Halloween “Boo Bash”.
The event will take place at the outlet
mall on Monday Oct. 31 from 5 to 7
p.m. Children 12 years old and younger
are invited to dress up and come out to
the mall for free candy and fun.
Select retailers throughout the mall
will be handing out candy, and there
will also be a bounce house and other
kid-friendly activities. For more infor
mation, go to https ://www.premiumout-
lets.com/outlet/north-georgia/stream/
boo-bash-6207878.
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