Let’s go to Japan, where a buyer has ordered an antique cabinet accessory. The authentic antique has now arrived. From where do you suppose it was shipped? Yes, it came from halfway around the world, from a remarkable business in rural Kansas.
Margaret and Gary Kraisinger are owners of The Old Hardware Store which provided this antique item for the Japanese buyer. Margaret was born in Garden City and grew up at Great Bend. “I grew up liking antiques and collecting antiques,” she said. Margaret went on to Fort Hays State where she got her education degree. She also met and married Gary Kraisinger.
She and Gary were teachers for a time in western Kansas where they developed a strong interest in history. Then Gary chose to go into a business career and joined a construction company. His business career ultimately took them to Wichita. When they had children, they looked for a small town school system. In 1979, they moved to Halstead where they raised three children. After 51 years of marriage, they now have eight grandchildren also.
Continue reading “Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Margaret Kraisinger – The Old Hardware Store”
