Glen 'Mac' McAbee opened Mac's Hardware in 1956

Mac's Hardware tag-line from newspaper ads was "If you can't find it at Mac's, forget about it" (York Daily Record, 3/18/1975)

Posted by Stephen H. SmithNovember 12, 2025November 12, 2025 All Posts, Buildings, Businesses, Pennsylvania, Roads, Springettsbury Township, Talks, York County

Glen ‘Mac’ McAbee opened Mac’s Hardware in 1956

When Glen ‘Mac’ McAbee opened Mac’s Hardware in 1956, he was at the forefront of hardware and home improvement businesses in Springettsbury Township. Mac was proud of his advertising tag-line, “If you can’t find it at Mac’s, forget about it.” For even though his primary business was paints and plumbing supplies, the store was also packed with a wide variety of craft, do-it-yourself, and hard-to-find hardware.

Steve Knaub struck up a conversation with me at Eastern Market on Friday. He watched the YouTube video of ‘The 1940s and 1950s in Springettsbury’ and wondered why Mac’s Hardware was not included. I replied there was not enough time to include every business, for example none of the initial businesses at the York County Shopping Center were included; however that shopping center will be a future History Night talk. We started reminiscing about all the hardware and home improvement businesses that were, or are, in Springettsbury Township. With a little research into the dates and addresses, this post resulted.

Mac’s Hardware was located near the northwest corner of Arsenal Road and North Sherman Street, with the address 713 Arsenal Road. Glen McAbee and his wife Charlotte lived a short distance to the north at 1406 North Sherman Street. The following timeline chart shows the hardware / home improvement businesses that followed in Springettsbury Township.

Timeline chart of hardware / home improvement stores in Springettsbury Township. (Chart by S.H. Smith, 2025)

Following Mac’s Hardware, by more than a decade, Grossman’s opened in 1968 at 1793 Whiteford Road. 84 Lumber opened in 1970 at 1410 Eden Road. Lowes opened in 1975 at 2425 Industrial Highway, then they moved to a bigger store in 1993 within the York Marketplace at 2449 East Market Street. Hannibal Hardware opened in 1977 at 3601 East Market Street. Hechinger’s opened in 1978 at 380 Northern Way. Home Depot opened in 2000 at 2955 East Market Street.

Before founding Mac’s Hardware, Glen McAbee worked as a truck driver for P.A. & S. Small Company. From 1934 until 1954, he delivered plumbing & heating supplies to customers from the P.A. & S. Small warehouse at 320 North George Street.

Glen McAbee retired in 1978, at the age of 71. The business was sold to Edward J. Wolfe, who continued operating the hardware store until 1983. Thereafter, for a short time Yorktown Pet Food Outlet operated at that location. However since 1985, Buchmyer’s Pools has operated their business in the former Mac’s Hardware building at 713 Arsenal Road.