About Sands the Ironmongers
We are the leading independent retailers of Hardware and Housewares in the Kinross Area with a long and reputable tradition of service to the Town.
Earliest records indicate that the Sands family founded the business by Joseph Hardie at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He was a prominent local businessman and founder of the Kinross Free Church. The business was passed to his nephew David Sands in 1846 who had trained as a grocer and associated trades. The business prospered and upon his death in 1881, three of his sons took over David, John and Joseph Hardie.
The brothers found it difficult to work together and at the beginning of the twentieth century they split up, with David Sands taking over the Grocery part of the business and John & Joseph Hardie taking over the General Merchants and Ironmongery side.
The firm of David Sands, Grocers is still managed by descendants of the original Sands family. John & J.H. Sands continued in the management of Hardie Sands until 1974 when he retired severing the link with the Sands family, the firm of John & J.H. Sands Ltd. was then formed following a management buy out.
In 1989 a period of modernisation was started which saw the store enlarged and transformed into a modern customer friendly layout. Recent improvements have seen enhanced disabled access, increased in store lighting and EPOS computerised stock control, which has increased the percentage of available stocked items and enabled a comprehensive special order system and accounts.
Our Stock Departments include Adhesives, Electrical, Kitchenware, Batteries, Fasteners, Crown Paint and Brushes, Calor Gas, Curtain Rails, Fireworks, Gardening, Housewares, Gifts, Nails, Lightbulbs, Plumbing, Tools, Fuels, Toys, Games, Decorating, Locks. Etc. Etc.
We also run the following services Fax Bureau, Photocopying, Hire service, Key Cutting, Delivery Service, Etc.