Waters Hardware Information

Our Mission: To provide the best possible value in home improvement. Waters Hardware Company was founded in 1894 by GE Waters in a small town north of Abilene – Manchester, Kansas. Offering a “little bit of everything” to a small town, it was aptly named GE Waters General Merchandise. With school aged children and their further education on his mind, G.E. decided to move his business in 1905 to Junction City, where his children had the opportunity to attend high school. At this time, he renamed the business to Waters Hardware. The generations that followed expanded the business to include furniture and appliances and an additional hardware store in Manhattan, KS (1932). Bob and Jim Waters, grandson and great-grandson of G.E. Waters, oversaw the largest expansion of the company and it’s association with the True Value Company. True Value is one of the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperatives, representing independent retailer locations in over 60 countries. Current President of Waters True Value, Jim Waters, joined the family business at a young age, learning the business from the ground up. He was elected President in 1987. Jim’s son Scott was elected Vice President in 2010, and together, they continue the tradition of providing quality products and service to the communities they serve.