Douglas Aircraft may no longer be building DC3’s in Santa Monica but at least one remarkable resource from that era remains – Busy Bee Hardware. Opened in 1922, Busy Bee offers state-of-the-art products combined with personalized service. Enter the exquisitely cluttered store with its wonderfully worn wooden floors, take a number and a sales expert will serve you. We’re talking folks who really know hardware and if they can’t find what you are looking for, they will gladly refer you to another local area supplier who can meet your needs. Wow! And unlike the “big box” home improvement centers, at Busy Bee you can buy single 5 cent washer – no jumbo packs with more than you need. Selection is great (“…did you want your 10/24 two-inch bolt in steel, brass or stainless steel?”) and prices are fair. I am not sure that the store itself is a historical monument – but Busy Bee should be declared a living museum of retail service – a celebration of an earlier America when retailers actually volunteered to help customers. For a certain segment (myself included), there are few greater joys than a genuine hardware store and may Busy Bee thrive in Santa Monica for another 86 years!
Busy Bee Hardware is located at 1521 Santa Monica Boulevard.
