Thompson Township’s history as a farming community — and home to one the state’s oldest dragstrips — is well represented among its businesses.
Thompson Township’s history as a farming community — and home to one the state’s oldest dragstrips — is well represented among its businesses.
Robison Equipment celebrated 80 years of selling tractors and farming equipment this year, and Hemly Tool Supply Inc. has called Thompson home since 2019.
Both businesses offer unique services while maintaining a connection to customers and the community.
In a different vein, Memaws Corner Inc. opened on the south end of the square in May and provides unique hand-painted gifts for any occasion.
All three businesses embody the township’s spirit of simple rural living and hometown friendliness, making them a worthwhile stop as you make your way around the square.
Hemly Tool Supply Inc. & Hemly Hardware
Hemly Tool Supply Inc. moved its headquarters to Thompson Township from Montville Township in 2019 and opened Hemly Hardware — a brick-and-mortar hardware and retail store — in 2020.
Since then, the Thompson locations have attracted customers from near and far with their unique offerings.
Hemly President Chris Hyatt, a Thompson native, feels fortunate the company could make a home in Thompson following Ledgemont Schools’ closing.
“After we lost the school, I’d like to say that we’re a big part of getting the town cleaned up, getting stuff moving again,” Hyatt said. “It was kind of stagnant for a while here. This place (Hemly’s current location) was just a dump, a junkyard, so it’s just nice to see some life brought back into it. People thought I was kind of crazy when I bought this because it was an absolute mess. But, I’m a visionary, I can see stuff done and I knew we could make it work (because) it’s concrete and steel.”
The company currently owns four buildings on Thompson Road, including its headquarters, the hardware store, the building across the street where they keep their trucks, and the former Ledgemont school — unofficially called the “Hemly School” — which houses spaces for local handymen and fabrication.
Hyatt and 35 employees operate from the company’s headquarters, which contains a storefront, office cubicles, inventory storage, staging areas for shipping, a finished dining room, conference spaces and even a weight room and showers.
“This is our main business, we are an industrial tool supply house,” explained Hyatt, who started working for Hemly at age 16 and became the company’s owner 10 years ago. “We supply cutting tools for industry, machine shops and manufacturing. A lot of our customers are doing work for steelmills, making car parts, just for everything. We sell metal working tools and metal working fluids, we ship all over the country and we have four sales trucks on the road that actually take our products, like a Snap-on, like a tool truck, so our inventory is on the truck and it goes right to the customer.”
Hyatt’s vision for the space included carpeting, comfortable chairs and a custom dining room table made from locally-sourced black walnut, all aimed at ensuring the comfort of dedicated employees.
“A lot of our people have a lot of tenure, over 30, 35 years. We call it the ‘Hotel California,’ you can check out, but you can never leave,” Hyatt said. “I love the culture, just for everybody to get together and talk about how the week went.”
“We spend more time here than we do at home, so we like to make it nice for people,” he added.
That sense of community and care extends beyond the headquarters’ walls.
“We’re really active in the community,” Hyatt said. “We have our huge Fourth of July car show here, we just had our best Trunk-or-Treat and the turnout was just off the charts.”
Hyatt believes Hemly represents just one part of what makes Thompson unique.
“We have one of the oldest operating dragstrips in town. Thompson Drag Raceway opened in 1958,” said Hyatt, a passionate drag racer. “The Thompson Ledges are a hidden gem and people have no idea (they’re there). We work really well with Robison (Equipment Inc.). Hemly coming to town has been nice for the whole town.”
Hyatt said he feels fortunate to call Thompson home and will continue working to make it a place to be proud of.
“Next door is a brick-and-mortar hardware store, but we consider it a destination store because it’s super unique,” Hyatt said of Hemly Hardware. “We have nuts and bolts by the pound, steel by the pound, we have tons of workwear, footwear, even cold beer.”
Store manager Robyn Gillett echoed Hyatt’s sentiments about the company’s role in the community.
“It’s about keeping the community together, buying local, shopping local,” she said. “It’s just a cool place and a good feeling. You can come here, find quality products, we know people’s names when they come in the door, there’s people to help you. They can come buy quality products and not have to leave their own town.”
With the holidays approaching, Gillett said Hemly is an ideal location to do most of your shopping in one place.
The store has outdoor and work clothing, footwear, home care items, house paint, hardware and tools, sheet metal, pet toys and treats, local foods and specialty items and more, she said.
With a wide array of items, holiday shoppers may find something for nearly anyone at Hemly Hardware.
“We have what we call the ‘fluffy room,’ that little house inside the store, with all kinds of yard decor, home decor,” Gillett said. “We have everything, especially for that guy that’s not going to go to the mall and shop for his wife.”
With a 20% off Thanksgiving sale approaching Nov. 24-30, now may be the perfect time to stock up on everything you need for the holidays, home projects — or surviving a zombie apocalypse.
Robison Equipment Inc.
Robison Equipment Inc. is the oldest business on the square and celebrated its 80th anniversary this year.
Third generation owner PJ Robison continues to operate the store with his wife and co-owner, Rachel. The family has seen their clientele change with the times, but continues to showcase their pride in Thompson.
“In 1945, (when Robison opened), they had big farmers, that’s all those guys did, is farm,” Rachel said. “Currently, we have a lot of hobby farmers, or they would call them ‘gentlemen farmers.’ A lot of people have three to ten acres and they have their garden, or their horse or a couple cows. We still have a couple guys who farm full time, but that number is drastically lower.”
Robison sells and services tractors and equipment for lawns and gardens, and typically draws customers from Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties.
“We try to stick to that area so we can offer and provide service,” Rachel said, adding the company can provide a level of customer service beyond what big box stores offer.
“When you go to the box store, you’re dealing with whoever is going to sell it to you,” Rachel said. “When you come here, you’re going to talk to PJ and me, who are the name and the face of the business. PJ and I live what we do. We farm also, we’re raising our kids here, it’s a lifestyle for us.”
That lifestyle is unique to Thompson and their location on the square.
“We have one of the best spots in the area, we have traffic from every direction and you have to go by, so you can’t miss us,” she said. “It’s peaceful. It’s busy enough, but it’s quiet enough as well.”
Rachel and her husband both graduated from Ledgemont, and even though the school is gone, its spirit persists.
“I think the Ledgemont culture in this area is still so powerful, especially with Hemly’s in town, and everything, it’s been nice to see so many people have an interest in bringing business back to the area,” she said.
Although new businesses have opened, Robison’s three-generation connection to the old Thompson remains vital — a tradition Rachel hopes will continue.
“With the 80th anniversary, it’s been really cool to meet people (stopping in) whose father and grandfather did business with (company founder) Paul and Danny and now, PJ and me,” she said. “I have seen such a difference in my own kids, living on a farm. I just feel like it’s going to raise a more well-rounded child and I hope they’ll become the fourth generation to take on the family business.”
Rachel also spearheads Thompson’s Christmas window decorating contest, now in its third year, she said, adding square businesses will decorate their front windows to coincide with the town’s tree lighting ceremony Dec.7 and attendees will be able to vote on their favorite.
Memaws Corner Inc.
Kathy Tepley has been painting and making crafts for years, and now has a place to share her art with the world from her shop at the south end of Thompson Square.
“I’ve always wanted a shop. I’m a decorative painter and I’ve been painting for about 38 years, give or take,” Tepley said. “I’ve always done crafts since I was young with my grandma and my aunt. They were my inspiration and taught me so many things when I would stay with them when I was younger.”
Tepley showcases a lifetime of creativity at Memaws Corner Inc., where she sells decorative painted ornaments and wall hangings, as well as cards and other gift items — all with a personalized flair for any season or reason.
Tepley goes by “memaw” to her grandchildren, but has been known as “the paint lady” for longer, sharing artworks and teaching groups in the tole style — a folk-art method of painting objects.
“It’s an old art,” explained Tepley. “You do step by step with layers. You trace on your pattern and you start with the back and work your way to the front.”
Tepley applies her art to all kinds of objects.
“We try to offer something for everyone,” she said. “Not everything in the store is painted, we have a number of things from glassware, to quilts to seasonal items and furniture. I like to do signs and ornaments are my favorite to paint, so I am gearing up for Christmas.”
Tepley’s husband, Gary, grew up in Thompson and purchased the house on the square — a former township administrative building — unbeknownst to her, she said.
She was surprised but grateful to have the space, where she can showcase her passion after retiring from more than 30 years heading national services for Madison Schools.
“To me, this isn’t a job, this is just what I do,” she said, seated behind her counter next to a cart of paints and brushes. “I love coming here every morning and opening up the shop. I love working here every day.
“My main product is wooden houses,” she added. “I created the design. They can personalize it with a wedding date, a move-in date or a purchase date. Customers like to give them for wedding presents or when people buy a new house. I love houses because they’re important in people’s lives and that’s where the heart is, in people’s homes.”
Tepley makes unique creations to fit her customers’ needs, she said.
“I am made-to-order items. If they see something but they want a different color, I can make it for them,” she said. “Just about any item you’d like to get, I can personalize them. I like to do a lot for every holiday, as well as personal, everyday items.”
Tepley accepts orders through the shop’s Facebook page, but prefers customers come in so she can get a full picture of what they want.
“I like to discuss so many details,” she said. “Their colors, where are they going to put it and who are they going to give it to.”
Tepley is grateful to be a part of the Thompson community and see the square come alive.
“I think Thompson needed this and it fits in wonderfully with the square,” she said. “People can come in here and find a gift for a loved one, or a friend, or a relative, a coworker and they can also get a card. I love that people are coming up and spending so much time up here, visiting all the shops and restaurants and experiencing all that Thompson has to offer.”
Tepley’s daughter, Melanie, and granddaughter, Carly, are also involved with the shop, helping with sales. Tepley still sometimes has to put down her paints and close up for 15 minutes so she can zip home and get a grandchild off the bus, she said.
“I’m still ‘memaw,’ doing my job,” she added.
Tepley will host a painting workshop Dec. 4. Participants will learn how to paint designs on recycled cans that can be used as holiday planters or gift containers. To sign up, visit Memaws Corner Facebook page or email at paintladyk@yahoo.com.
