Twelve-year-old William Schlemmer, born in Westphalia, Germany, comes to America where he finds sanctuary and employment at the store that will later carry his name. Making a handsome wage of $2 a week, and sending a dollar of that home to his family, Schlemmer learned considerably more than the nuts and bolts of the hardware business. Under Tollner's tutelage, Schlemmer learned what it took to run a store successfully: carry the best quality available, offer only hard-to-find or one-of-a-kind merchandise, embrace innovation and always give customers exceptional service.
