Good Neighbor Podcast: TN-WNC-SWVA

EP# 372: From Mercantile Roots To Modern Hardware: How Leeper Hardware Serves Jefferson City With Faith, Fair Prices, And Hands-On Help

• Skip Mauney & Brian Williams • Episode 372

Share episode

What if the best place to solve your toughest home project isn’t the biggest store in town, but the one that knows your name? We sit down with Brian Williams, third-generation owner of Leeper Hardware in Jefferson City, to trace a 1949 mercantile’s journey into a modern hardware, paint, rental, and outdoor power hub that still puts people first. From parts and service for Gravely and Husqvarna to hands-on guidance in every aisle, Brian explains how a local shop can match big box prices and outperform them on expertise and care.

The conversation moves from family legacy to real-world tactics: price shopping competitors to keep parity, diversifying into rental equipment and repair services, and building a team that can diagnose problems at the counter. Brian shares the hard truth about the post‑COVID landscape—volatile prices, supply chain whiplash, and the daily discipline it takes to offer fair pricing without losing the mission. His story blends strategy and heart: a return from overseas mission work, a calling to serve the community through business, and a store culture where listening, problem-solving, and even praying with a neighbor are part of the job.

You’ll hear how Leeper Hardware supports Jefferson City with practical solutions and a clear purpose. We dig into misconceptions about small hardware stores, why service depth matters more than aisle width, and how a strong local network becomes the best SEO any business can ask for. If you care about small business resilience, community-driven customer service, and the craft of getting things fixed right the first time, this conversation will resonate—and likely inspire your next visit to a local shop that still shows up for you.

If this story moves you, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a quick review so more people can find local businesses worth supporting.

SPEAKER_02:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Money.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, hello, everyone, and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. So today I'm very excited to have a very special guest in the studio with us and excited to learn all about them and their business. And I'm sure you will be as well, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Mr. Brian Williams, who is the owner-operator of Leaper Hardware. Brian, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_00:

Thanks for having me, Skip.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, like I said, we're thrilled to have you and uh excited to learn all about you and your business. So why don't you kick us off by telling us all about Leaper Hardware?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I appreciate that. Um, Leaper Hardware was started back in 1949 with uh my grandfather RJ Leaper. He returned from the war. And right as soon as he returned, he had to make a decision to stay in the family mercantile business over in Dandridge or branch out far from Dandridge, a few miles away, to Jefferson City. And that he did. He started downtown Jefferson City with another general mercantile store selling tires, TVs, appliances, hardware. Back then it looked much different than it does today, uh, even toys, uh, bikes, things like that. And uh so that that's a little bit about the background of when we started, and then bring you forward to today. Uh, we're now up on the main highway in Jefferson City, and we have advanced or grown and changed our approach to the community. And General Mercantile doesn't really exist anymore. Now we are hardware, paint, um, rental equipment, outdoor power equipment, gravely, huskavarna, and parts, and then we service everything that we sell and and beyond that. So that kind of gives you a good portfolio of what we do uh with the community.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow, very cool. So 1949, uh you you just celebrated 75 years.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. This year uh in May, uh we'll be celebrating year 77. Uh, so it went from my grandfather uh passed to my mom, uh Lisa Williams, and then uh now myself uh taking over.

SPEAKER_01:

Very cool. All in the family.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, all in the family, all in the family.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, absolutely. Love it, love it. So uh uh how did how did your personal story, how did you uh I mean, I you kind of it it it's you inherited through the your family, but how did you get started in the hardware business?

SPEAKER_00:

So originally I did not want to be in the hardware business or the family business. I graduated college from Carson Steven College and went and did some mission work overseas for quite quite a while. And uh came back and uh took some time to pray and ask God, hey, where do you want me? And uh um I I grew up sweeping the floors, grew up helping customers, bagging stuff, checking people out, and uh it was clear that God wanted me back in the family business. And then I started coming back and doing sales and doing uh just different work around the store, eventually leading to uh running running the family business.

SPEAKER_01:

So very cool, very cool.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

The hand of God can have pushed you into it.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, 100%. Yeah, he wanted me here. I wanted to follow what he wanted, and here here we are, God's provided uh every day.

SPEAKER_01:

So awesome, awesome. Well, I'm sure there are some myths or misconceptions in in what you do. So can you think of any that you would yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, a lot of people think we're just a small mom and pop and our reach is small. Um, we have uh some big distributors behind us that can get us the full breadth of what you would see in a big box store. Uh, and so our our ability to take care of people is far beyond what we may look like in the front. I think my operation manager, uh Frank, says that to even people that interview. We look small in the front, but when you come inside and see all that we do, it's it's far deeper than that. I think the biggest misconception is that um people think that we're overpriced. Uh, people think that um there's not a lot of value here. Uh what we do all the time is um price shop our competitors. Uh and nine times out of ten, we are uh right there next to them, uh, sometimes cheaper than them, sometimes a little bit more, but for the most part, we're we're the same. Uh what you receive when you come into our store that's much different than the big box store. Uh that's the value add, is we're gonna greet you and then we're gonna see it through. Whatever project, whatever um uh thing that you're working on trying to repair, fix, work through from mowers to hardware. We're gonna make sure we figure that out with you alongside you.

SPEAKER_01:

Very cool. Service means everything.

SPEAKER_00:

It does, it does, it matters. The community needs individuals to help them work through pieces or puzzles within their home, oftentimes. And uh God has provided uh extremely good individuals in our team here to help them solve those puzzles. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, I know you obviously work a lot of hours, but when you do have some downtime, what do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, so I have uh my wife Ashley and a family of five kids. And so if there's downtime, we're probably on the floor playing dolls or building Legos or um spending time together. Uh my son is in the band, uh my daughter dances. So we're we're in some activity uh between all five kids uh at home doing doing that. That is that's number one.

SPEAKER_01:

I'm sure. Well, time with family, absolutely the right answer. Now, what is your you said your son's in band, what does he play?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, he plays the tenor drums at uh Lakeway Christian uh Academy here in White Pine and loves doing that. Uh been at for quite some time. So he he he is an incredible uh drummer.

SPEAKER_01:

So awesome, awesome. I'm a I'm a band nerd myself.

SPEAKER_00:

Are you okay? Yeah, yeah. He's he gets to play at church some too uh on the local drum set there and in at church and so enjoys enjoys that as well. So awesome, awesome. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, so uh was gonna ask if if you could think of a uh hardship or a life challenge that you've been through that uh you came out the other side stronger for it. Does anything come to mind?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's a great question. Um, I would say uh family business, third generation, that is a challenge. Um uh developing or advancing the business from second generation to third is and has been challenging. Um post-COVID. Um COVID was great, but post-COVID has been nearly unbearable with all that's happened with us trying to continue offering goods and services at fair prices while the market's going nuts in behind there and us not trying to get squeezed out of our position um to help the community has been uh so so difficult. Uh it's everyday battle trying to trying to do that. So um I would say the the biggest thing is um how we as a third generation business provide well for our community um with those outside uh challenges that come that that I don't have control over, but that impact us. Very good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So if um and and it's a challenge for everybody. Hopefully, hopefully we're gonna see that get better.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, yeah. We're you see some relief uh coming, but it just doesn't seem like it's coming quick quick enough.

SPEAKER_01:

Fast enough. Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right. We'll we'll we're praying for it, right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, us too. Us too.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, amen. So uh if you could think of one thing that you would like our listeners and viewers to remember about Leaper hardware, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Um, I would say above all else, if there was one thing we'd want you to know about us, is what we do from renting you a piece of equipment to a mower cell to helping in the hardware uh or on at the service side of things, uh, is all to do it for the glory of God. So in what we do and through what we do, we we want to stop and maybe pray with somebody. We want to stop and hear what's going on in life. Uh we're we are your community members, we're a part of those things. And so all that we do as a leadership inside our store is to make sure that we try to provide not just excellent service, that that's the beginning, uh, but but really that we're a part of the community and that what you see or feel from here is uh Christ-like love that that comes from our team.

SPEAKER_01:

So awesome, wonderful thing to remember. Amen, brother.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01:

So if uh any of our listeners are are interested and would like to come check you guys out, how can how can they learn more?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's a great question. Um, you can find us online at LeaperHardware, L-E-E-P-E-R Hardware.com. Uh we are in Jefferson City, right in the middle, Caddy Corner McDonald's in town, right next to to Domino's. And uh we would love to come see uh or would love to see each each each listener out there. Awesome, awesome, very good.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, you you guys heard it there. Third generation, uh great customer service. Uh definitely got to check that out. So um I love I love hardware stores, man. Um especially ones that are you know have a history like yours.

SPEAKER_00:

So yeah, yeah, God's been good.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. So thank you so much, uh Brian. Appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule schedule to uh hang out with us and tell us all about you and your hardware store. Thanks. Uh we wish you and your family and Leaper Hardware all the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_00:

I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely, and maybe we can we can have you back again soon.

SPEAKER_00:

Love to come back, love to talk about spring, uh grass, lawn cutting, all that kind of stuff or uh gardening. Those are all uh uh things that we focus on uh coming up soon.

SPEAKER_01:

Awesome. Sounds great. I appreciate it. All right, you have a blessed rest of the day. Same to you.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNP Try Dash Cities dot com. That's GNP Try Dash Tities.com. Or call four two three seven one nine five eight seven three.