HOME HARDWARE In August 1983, Home Hardware first opened its doors for business. The place of business is located in the O'Leary Public Hall Co . building located on . Partners in this business were and still are Arthur and Frances Lewis, and Wayne and Norma MacNeill . In 1988, the store size was doubled adding greatly to the shop¬ ping convenience for O'Leary and area residents. With the closing of Wayne's T.V . in the autumn of 1992, the Radio Shack business was moved to the O'Leary Home Hardware store. The store presently employs six employees; namely Bruce Smallman, Wayne MacNeill, Darlene McCormick, Eddie Gallant , Allan Crozier , and Colleen Stewart. Management prides itself in hav¬ ing a friendly, knowledgeable staff, well versed in the hardware busi¬ ness. KENNEDY'S STORE Marne Kennedy, son of William and Florence (Pate) Kennedy, was born on May 27, 1915. His father, a general merchant in O'Leary , died when Marne was two and a half years old. Marne and his moth¬ er then moved into the home of his grandfather, P.N. Pate . Mrs. Kennedy operated an ice cream parlour in the space formerly her father's courtroom. After P.N. Pate died, Florence carried on the busi¬ ness until ill health forced her to pass the management of the store to Marne , who was then twenty-eight. Marne ran the business alone until 1964 when he formed a company with . He continued as manager until he sold the store to Stanley MacDonald in 1968. In 1937, Marne bought a store from the estate of Alfred Adams (presently Quik Mart). He operated a grocery store in this building from 1937 to 1974 and then sold to John Wedlock . In 1990, Wedlock's store was sold to Donald and Beverley Murphy and renamed Murphy's Quik Mart. Marne and his wife, Helen (nee Jelley), presently live in Woodstock , MACHINERY SALES & SERVICE There have been many farm machinery sales and service outlets in O'Leary . A number of department stores sold and/or took in trade machinery, others were connected to a garage or independent dealers 277