The Hechinger name was once synonymous with home improvement in the Washington region. Long before the arrival of Home Depot and Lowe’s, Hechinger was the destination for homeowners, builders, and do-it-yourselfers across the Mid-Atlantic, including several well-known Montgomery County locations that locals still remember today.
The story began in 1919, when Sidney Hechinger opened a small hardware store in Washington, D.C. His goal was simple: provide quality materials and knowledgeable service for the growing number of homeowners in the region. The business quickly gained a reputation for its customer care and dependable products, laying the foundation for what would become one of the area’s most trusted retail brands.
By 1953, Hechinger’s operation had expanded to five stores, and Sidney brought in the next generation, his son John Hechinger and son-in-law Richard England, as partners. The company continued to thrive in the postwar building boom, serving a suburban customer base that was rapidly expanding into Maryland and Virginia…