THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
Weekend Special Building Westville for 80 years
ABOVE: Co-owner Dee Latoz, 82, rings up customer David Harden.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is eighth in our 12-story road-trip series looking at the people and places along Illinois 1 — from Watseka to Paris.
Drop in a question of your very own BY CLICKING HERE or by emailing 26-year Vermilion County reporter Jennifer Bailey at jbailey@news-gazette.com.
WESTVILLE — Latoz Hardware will be celebrating its 80th year in operation in 2026, and visiting the old-fashioned, retro store is like taking a step back in time.
“It’s a good store,” said customer David Harden of Fairmount, who was looking for a drain-out that co-owner Dee Latoz had suggested.
Harden said the store has items others don’t, and you can get lots of items right away.
Latoz, 82, who owns the business with her brother, Vic, said that’s why they’ve been successful — having good customer service and meeting the customers’ needs.
“We try to treat people like we would like to be treated. So, that’s pretty much our model,” Dee said. “We stock things that normally you wouldn’t find somewhere else. So, we’ve kind of found our niche.”
At the business at 147 N. State St., right along Illinois 1, you can find pizzelle cookie irons; all kinds of nuts, bolts and screws; some electrical parts, such as for an adapter for a vintage lamp; a well-stocked plumbing department and faucet stems; and pressure-cooker parts and unique kitchen gadgets, which Dee loves having on hand.
FOR MORE FROM THIS STORY PLEASE GO TO https://www.news-gazette.com/business/retail/having-fun-on-illinois-1-westvilles-latoz-hardware-stands-test-of-time/article_5a44d945-91e2-44c7-a32e-ddbe2a58510c.html
