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E.R. Porter Hardware Co. — Built in 1889. Rebuilt for Today.

In 1889, a young tinner named Edwin Russell Porter stepped off the Alabama Midland Railroad and into a town still being cleared by fire and axe. Dothan, Alabama was just beginning, and so was his vision — a hardware store built to serve the needs of a growing frontier town.

The shop started as Murphree & Porter, but after a short partnership, Mr. Porter took full ownership and planted roots at 112 East Main Street, where the store would stand for over a century. The shelves were stocked with the tools of the time — axes, syrup kettles, powder, mule collars, cast iron spiders, and tinware — everything needed to carve out a life in the Wiregrass.

As the town grew, so did the store. E.R. Porter Hardware expanded into wholesale and became a cornerstone of the community. It weathered the Great Depression, thanks to firm leadership and even firmer principles: pay your debts, stock only what’s needed, and serve every customer with honesty.

The store continued to operate under family ownership for generations, earning a reputation not just for tools, but for trust. Longtime employees stayed for decades. Customers passed through the same doors their grandparents once did. It wasn’t just a place to shop — it was a piece of local history.

Today, we carry that legacy forward with a new kind of storefront. E.R. Porter Hardware Co. lives on through a collection of heritage-inspired goods — T-shirts, hats, candles, and practical keepsakes that honor the spirit of the original store.

We’re not rebuilding the building. We’re rebuilding the brand — for anyone who believes in hard work, lasting quality, and the value of a good name.