Virgil Hoke, the 84 year old owner of Waynedale Plumbing Supply, sits at the desk behind the counter of the store. He uses an ancient manual typewriter, and says that he has never used a computer. The cat bed on the shelf behind him belonged to his old cat, Lucky, who died eight months before I made this photograph.

Virgil and his older brother, Homer, bought the store in 1950 and they ran it together until Homer's death in 2011. Virgil told me that he wants to retire soon, because he has been having health problems. He was proud of the fact that until this year, he had not needed to go to a doctor in twenty years!

The store is located on the corner of Lower Huntington Road and Bradbury Avenue in the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

8-6-18

Update: In December, 2022 Virgil sold the store after 72 years of ownership. He was 89 years old when he retired.

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by Christopher Crawford

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