The familiar face behind the counter at Westenhofer Hardware may have changed since beloved owner Mike Westenhofer died in 2024, but the store’s welcoming, family-owned spirit remains strong.
Now run by the third generation, the shop continues to carry its long-standing motto: “If we don’t have it, we can find it.”
At just 23, Gavin Malott has stepped into the role of owner. He spent much of his childhood helping at his grandfather’s store, washing windows, sweeping floors and hauling concrete. Today, he proudly carries on the family legacy.
Mike Westenhofer spent more than five decades serving customers in the Schnitzelburg and Audubon neighborhoods. Malott said taking over the business has allowed him to stay connected to his grandparents and their memory.
“It really connects me with my grandpa and my grandma,” Malott told The Courier Journal. “Every day that I come in here, it just feels like they’re with me, and it’s powerful.”
Westenhofer originally opened the mom-and-pop hardware store in 1973 on Belmar Drive before moving it to its current location at 2402 S. Preston St. in 1989.
Small reminders of Malott’s grandparents still fill the shop. An old desk with a crack his grandfather never fixed remains in the back office. Boxes around the store still feature handwritten labels from his grandfather.
“There’s stuff written everywhere, and I just kind of look at it and I smile,” Malott said.
Beyond those physical reminders, the store carries decades of memories from loyal customers. Over the years, Westenhofer Hardware built a reputation for stocking hard-to-find parts, especially items needed for mid-20th-century homes common in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Many longtime customers know the store layout almost as well as Malott does. As he continues working there, they often share stories about his grandparents.
His grandmother, Judy Westenhofer, was known for her friendly personality and loved chatting with customers. She remained a regular presence in the store until she died in 2015.
One longtime customer recently shared how Judy once called out to him as he walked past the shop without stopping.
“Where do you think you’re going walking past here without telling me hi?” he remembered her saying.
Malott said that kind of warmth defined his grandmother. She enjoyed helping customers find what they needed and loved talking with them even when they weren’t buying anything.
Regular customer David Kennedy recently stopped by the shop looking for wire straps and shared his appreciation for the family.
“I loved your grandmother,” Kennedy told Malott. “She was a hoot, boy, she was a hoot.”
Kennedy joked about visiting another hardware store down the street before placing his items on the counter. In reality, he and even his father have always remained loyal customers.
“I like (Gavin) so much, I gave him that old desk right there,” Kennedy said, pointing to an oak desk behind the register.
Malott explained that his grandfather used to keep a worn oak folding table behind the counter. A few months ago, Kennedy surprised him by bringing in a similar desk from his home and helping set it up in the store.
“One day he just showed up out of nowhere and just hauled the desk in,” Malott said. “It’s a really nice oak desk, and we appreciate him a lot.”
The sense of family at Westenhofer Hardware extends far beyond the owners. Loyal customers like Kennedy are part of the store’s community.
Despite growing up around the business, Malott didn’t originally plan to take it over. After graduating from Trinity High School, he played football at the University of Akron in Ohio and later at Georgetown College in Kentucky. An injury eventually brought him back to Louisville.
He began studying to become an electrician before helping at the store following his grandfather’s death in spring 2025. That’s when he realized how much he enjoyed the work.
Today, he takes pride in tracking down hard-to-find items for customers just like his grandfather did and chatting with regulars the way his grandmother once did.
Running the family hardware store soon began to feel like the right path.
Malott said his grandfather had always been his best friend. They spoke nearly every day and attended Mass together weekly. Now, when he works in the shop, he often feels their presence.
Looking ahead, Malott hopes to grow the store’s customer base and product selection while preserving its old-school charm.
Customers appreciate the shop’s classic look, smell and feel, he said, and he has no plans to change that.
One day, Malott hopes to expand the family legacy by opening a second location. For now, though, he’s focused on continuing the work and community his grandparents built.
“I think he’d be pretty happy,” Malott said of his grandfather. “I can only imagine. He’s probably looking down, really happy. I’ve boosted the business in ways … and kind of (kept) it his way and kind of building it back up to where it used to be.”
Westenhofer Hardware, located at 2402 S. Preston St., is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays.
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