About three years ago, Matt Kollar started looking at the holes in his business, Left Wing Scenic, a scene shop for theatres. He realized that he spent a lot of time online shopping or driving from store to store to find some of the theatre hardware and paint that are, at times, difficult to find in Chicago.
So he started stockpiling those needed supplies, and then looked into what it would take to open a small hardware store. He even talked with executives at Ace Hardware about options, but nothing materialized.
Kollar, 31, who lives in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, spotted all of the empty car lots along Western Avenue on the north side, including the Z-Frank property, and considered those as options to open a hardware store.
Then he flashed back a few years to the Ace Hardware in Lincoln Square—which has been closed and vacant for about three years.
That was the case until this past November, when Kollar opened Matty K's Hardware Store, 4874 N. Lincoln Ave., a diverse—and diversity-accepting—facility that has a 7,500-square-foot showroom and another 1,000-square-foot storage area.
The store has 10 full-time employees and the store is open during the week at 6 a.m., 8 a.m. on the weekend.
Matty K's carries paint, electrical items, plumbing supplies, housewares, pet supplies and much more.
"My sisters live in the area and they were constantly complaining that there wasn't a hardware store in the area," Kollar said. "It just made sense to bring a full neighborhood hardware store back.
"I'm very, very excited and extremely happy to have opened. I think the store came out great. The store is constantly changing, constantly growing, constantly adapting to the neighborhood.
"We did our best guess [before opening] as to what the neighborhood needs. Sure, we have a wide selection, but now we're listening to the neighbors, to carry what they want, what they need.
"It's a great, wonderful, but exhausting, experience."
One of the most popular areas of the store is its large section of nuts, bolts and screws, Kollar said. One of the biggest surprises so far has been the requests for different types of street-salts to melt ice. "I had normal salt when we opened, but the requests [for different types of salt] came quickly, such as, pet-safe, eco-safe, etc., etc., etc."
He now carries three different types of salt, and is planning to add a fourth.
"The store has been better than I expected," Kollar said. "The store truly has been embraced by the neighborhood."
However, the store also embraces the neighborhood. It has a loyalty-reward program that benefits area nonprofits.
Kollar, a Chicago-area native, is married (wife Laura) with a 15-month old daughter, Darlene. However, he said he's very supportive of the LGBT community.
"I'm hugely supportive of the gay community, and this store is very gay-friendly," said Kollar, who noted that he comes from a theatre background and has numerous gay friends. "I want this store to always be a welcoming store, and if anyone ever feels un-welcome, please, please let me know ASAP."
Kollar has attended past Gay Pride Parades and even helped float-builders with their supplies and needs.
"I made sure that I hired a tolerant crew," he said.
In addition, Matty K's has an extensive theater section, in keeping with the owner's past.
The store is located near the Brown Line stop, plus Western and Lawrence bus stops. Kollar wants to have bicycle racks installed in the spring.
"It's really important to me that everyone has a pleasant shopping experience," he said.
