N. Z. Cramer under new ownership

(11/1) Effective September 26th, N. Z. Cramer, one of the last ‘old style hardware stores’ in the county, known for its exceptional customer service and wide selection of quality hardware, came under new ownership, but local management will remain the same.

Peggy Bushy, President of Cavetown Planning, which had owned N.Z. Cramer since 1964, announced the transfer of the vaunted institution to Thurmont’s Structural Building Solutions.

According to Cramer’s long time manager Craig Clark, nothing is changing other than owners. "We’ll still be here every day to serve the need of our valued customers." Dale Troupe of Structural Building Solutions echoed Clark’s assurance that nothing was going to change, and that maintaining good customer relations was priority number one.

According to Frances Meehan Smith’s book, Woodsboro Remembers, published in 1976, N. Z. Cramer has been an integral part of Woodsboro history for more than one hundred years.

Cramer’s can trace its roots back to 1869 when it was known as the Woodsboro Warehouse. Originally the warehouse consisted of a large front room with an ample storage room in back. Initially the ‘Warehouse’ was used as a ticket office for the Pennsylvania railroad until the railroad’s station was built in 1883.

In 1907, N.Z. Cramer assumed ownership of the "warehouse’, and in 1922, when he brought his son into the business, the firm then became N.Z. Cramer and Son, which is how it is known today.

In 1930, Cramer established a delivery service in the community, which was an innovation of the time, as previously the customers picked up their own purchases.

In 1964, N.Z. Cramer was sold to the Cavetown Planing Mill Co. of Smithburg. It was through its association with Cavetown Planing Mill that N. Z. Cramer earned a reputation as having the largest, and finest selection of trim woodwork anywhere, making it the ‘go-to’ hardware store for customers trying to match old trim work for home restorations, and custom builders looking to create homes that would be rated second to none.

Peggy Bushey of Cavetown Planing Mill said the decision to sell Cramer’s was a difficult one, but stated that as she and her husband were moving towards retirement, they wanted to find new owners who would be interested in not only preserving the business, but growing it, and felt Structural Building Solutions was the perfect fit.

The purchase of Cramer’s by Structural Building Solutions comes almost 4 years to the day of Structural Building Solutions purchase of Cramer’s principal competitor, yet at the same time closest ally, Hobbs Hardware in Thurmont. If one store didn’t have what you were looking for, the employees would call to see if the other store had it, then send you on your way. The pair earned a reputation of always looking out for each other’s customers.

Following the closing of Emmitsburg’s Zurgable Brothers Hardware in 2018, its customers, who valued the customer interactions only given at a local hardware store, moved their business to Hobbs. When Hobbs closed in August of 2022, its customers, as well as those who used to frequent Zurgables, moved onto N. Z. Cramer.

Thanks to Structural Building Solutions, they, as well as all of N. Z. Cramer’s loyal customers, will continue to have a N. Z. Cramer’s to go to.