Smiths Tack Shop, Inc
388 Thorntown Road
Middletown, DE 19709-9442
(302)838-0222
Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
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History
John and Hilda Smith originally purchased the property at 388 Thorntown Road in 1946.
John, affectionally referred to as "Smitty", opened the tack shop in the early 50's.
Many of our longtime customers remember the original building with its uneven floors and old
woodstove. On winter evenings it was necessary to make an occasional pass by the stove to rewarm
before continuing to search the nooks and crannies for hidden treasures. Smitty enjoyed bantering
with his customers, although the conversation often strayed to subjects other than horses.
Our current building was erected in 1998.
John suffered a debilitating stroke in 1999 that left him confined to a wheelchair. He and
Hilda struggled valiantly to keep the shop running. However the demands of his illness meant that
they were open more and more sporadically. John "Smitty" Smith died in 2005, just a few weeks before
his 91st birthday. His ashes were sprinkled around the shop in a fitting tribute.
Hilda now lives with her son and daughter on Maryland's Eastern Shore. To give her age
would be to risk a severe beating. Her grandson and his wife now live on the property and after giving
the shop some sprucing up re-established regular business hours in 2007. They are very proud to carry
on the legacy and to be the third generation at the same location.