Wednesdays as I’ve said in the past is David’s day off and the day we have breakfast or lunch together then we head out to do errands. More times than not those errands are for my business but this Wednesday was different David needed to pick up some things for his work for a project he is working on.
The Lord this week lead me to a new company that has been around for years but I’ve never been into. I think David has in the past but you would need to ask him to be sure if he has or not. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit Van Marke Plumbing Supply once you do you will discover a local business that makes you feel right at home.
David went over what he needed for work and let me know he expected the supplies to cost less than $20, and, as we always do when we’re discussing our businesses, he checked with me to make sure it was okay to spend the money. Then we headed to Ace Hardware/
That’s how we handle things in our household. David knows that when we spend money on our businesses, it comes out of the household budget, so we talk about it together. We’re partners in business and in life, and I appreciate that we take the time to discuss those decisions. Of course, I told him it was fine. He needed the supplies for work, so we headed out to find what he needed.
Our first stop was Ace Hardware, the little hardware store we think of as our hometown go-to. We enjoy supporting local businesses whenever we can. Although Ace is a chain, our neighborhood store is part of the community, and we like giving our business to people who are right here serving local customers.
When we walked in, the gentleman there was so kind. He listened to what David needed and genuinely wanted to help us. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the items David was looking for, and I could tell he was disappointed that he couldn’t help us. As we were getting ready to leave, I said, “I guess I’ll have to go to Home Depot.” “Yeah, I’m so sorry, ma’am,” he told me.
“And I’m sorry, too, because I really like supporting y’all,” I replied. I meant that. When you find a local business where people treat you well, you want to keep going back. You don’t want to walk out the door and head somewhere else if you can help it. But sometimes a store simply doesn’t carry the particular part you need, and you have to keep looking.
We climbed back into Little Red, David’s truck, and started heading toward Home Depot. I figured that was where we were going, and I was already thinking about the rest of our errands. Then David said, “Hold on, I want to go one more place. Do you have time?”
I told him yes. We were already out, and I knew he needed the supplies for work. “Where are we going?” I asked. “Right over here to this plumbing supply store.” That was how we ended up at Van Marcke Supply in North Richland Hills. I’m glad David decided to make that extra stop, because it turned out to be the highlight of our errand run.
When we walked through the door, the store manager, David Collins, greeted us and immediately asked my David what he was looking for. Instead of leaving him to wander through the store hoping to find the right parts, Mr. Collins took him directly to the shelves and helped him locate what he needed. He listened while David explained what he was trying to make and did his best to understand the project.
Now, y’all, I’m going to be honest. I don’t think either one of us could have explained that project very well to somebody else! David had an idea of what he wanted to build, and he was trying to explain the pieces he needed to make it happen. Mr. Collins took the time to listen and help him work through it. He didn’t simply point in the direction of an aisle and leave David to figure everything out. He stayed involved and went above and beyond trying to find the right supplies.
That kind of attention makes a difference, especially when you’re working on something and need particular parts to get the job done. While the two Davids discussed the project, I found a spot at the counter where there were bar stools. I decided to sit down and let them take care of the plumbing details. And that’s when I discovered another reason to enjoy being there.
Y’all know I can find something to enjoy just about anywhere, and this visit was no exception. Classic ’80s rock was playing on the radio. The songs kept changing, and I was perfectly happy sitting there listening to the music while the two Davids discussed plumbing supplies.
There was something comfortable about the atmosphere. I wasn’t standing around watching the clock or wondering how much longer we’d be there. I was enjoying the music and letting the men work through the project. And then I noticed one of the pieces David was working with.
It looked like the periscope that sticks up out of a submarine. So, naturally, I told Mr. Collins that I thought David was building the Yellow Submarine! You know how it is with dad jokes. You have to have one every once in a while, even if it’s not a dad telling it. Mr. Collins and I just kind of snickered about it.
It was a small moment, but it made me smile. David was busy explaining his project, Mr. Collins was helping him find what he needed, and I was sitting there turning plumbing parts into a Beatles joke. Sometimes you don’t need a big production or an elaborate conversation to connect with someone. A little humor can be enough to break the ice and make an unfamiliar place feel more welcoming.
That Yellow Submarine joke was one of those moments that made the visit memorable for me. It was natural, it was silly, and it was exactly the sort of thing I would say when something reminds me of a song or a memory. Meanwhile, the two Davids kept working on the plumbing project. I was happy to let them do what they needed to do while I enjoyed my little seat at the counter.
Eventually, David finished gathering the supplies he needed and brought everything up to the counter. Mr. Collins started ringing up the items, and then he told us the total. “$11.00.” I said, “Thank God for that!” We had walked in expecting to spend $20, so seeing a total of $4.11 was certainly a relief. We had found what David needed without spending nearly as much as we had anticipated.
But by that point, the visit had become about more than the price of plumbing supplies. We had been welcomed into the store, David had received help with his project, I had enjoyed some great music, and Mr. Collins and I had shared a laugh over the Yellow Submarine.
Then we got to talking. And that conversation was what made me want to tell this story. As I talked with David Collins and listened to him explain his philosophy, I found myself thinking about my dad. There was something old-fashioned and homey about the store.
The classic rock playing in the background added to the feeling, and the way Mr. Collins talked made me feel comfortable with him. It reminded me of sitting down and having a conversation with my dad. While he would be tackling honey-do’s in my home and this is the type of store my dad would have wanted to shop at.
If you’ve ever met someone who unexpectedly reminds you of a person you love, you know that feeling can be difficult to explain. It isn’t necessarily one particular thing the person says or does. Sometimes it’s the way they carry themselves, the way they approach life, or simply the feeling you get while talking with them. That’s what happened to me at Van Marcke Supply.
I went along with David because he needed plumbing supplies for work. I wasn’t looking for a special experience, and I certainly wasn’t expecting to leave with a story about someone who reminded me of my dad. Yet here I was, sitting at a counter, listening to classic rock, laughing about a Yellow Submarine, and talking with a man who brought back memories of someone I love more than the world itself.
Those are the moments I appreciate most. They remind me that life isn’t always about the errands we need to finish or the things we need to buy. Sometimes the unexpected conversations are the ones that stay with us. They are the Godwinks of our lives and its how it helps me remain grateful, thankful and blessed for what I do.
We live in a world where it can be tempting to run into the biggest store, grab what we need, pay, and hurry back out the door. Sometimes that’s exactly what we have to do. But there is something special about walking into a business where someone takes the time to listen to you, understand what you’re trying to accomplish, and help you find what you need.
Our experience at Ace Hardware was positive, too. The gentleman there was kind and genuinely sorry he couldn’t help us. That’s worth recognizing, and I wouldn’t want anyone to think otherwise. The difference was simply that Van Marcke Supply had the particular products David needed, and Mr. Collins was able to help him find them.
For people working on plumbing projects, having access to a wide selection of parts and someone willing to help you locate the right items can make the shopping experience easier. For me, though, the visit also showed how a business can make someone feel welcome even when that person isn’t the one doing the shopping.
I wasn’t the customer asking about plumbing parts. I was the wife sitting on a bar stool, listening to music, making a silly joke, and eventually getting to know the person behind the counter. And I left with a good feeling about the place. If I owned my own home and needed plumbing supplies, you can bet your bottom dollar I would go to Van Marcke Supply before heading to Home Depot or Ace Hardware. That doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with those other stores. It means I know where I felt at home and where I would want to start looking for help. I know my dad would have as well because what people might not know about my dad is he did plunbing work.
Van Marcke Supply provides plumbing products and supplies for a variety of jobs. Its product selection includes faucets, faucet repair parts, toilet parts and accessories, pumps, sewage ejectors, valves, pipe fittings, water-treatment products, garbage disposals, tools, fixtures, and water-heating parts and accessories. Whether you’re looking for a specific replacement part or gathering supplies for a larger project, the store is worth contacting to see if it carries what you need.
The company also promotes online ordering through PlumbersOnly.com, with same-day pickup advertised before 2 p.m. at its locations. Check with the store for current availability and pickup details. The business card includes a QR code to make accessing shopping information easier.
Van Marcke Supply — North Richland Hills
Store Manager: David Collins
Address: 7519 Boulevard 26, North Richland Hills, TX 76180
Phone: 817-514-3853
Website: VMTS.com
Online ordering: PlumbersOnly.com
If you’re in the area and need plumbing supplies, consider giving the team a call or stopping by to ask about your project. And if you happen to see David Collins, you might tell him Glenda from Greatful Moments sent you. You can also ask him whether anyone else has accused their husband of building the Yellow Submarine in the middle of a plumbing project!
David and I started our day with a simple plan: pick up a few things he needed for work and continue with our errands. We stopped at Ace Hardware, were treated kindly, and kept looking when the store didn’t have what we needed. David suggested one more stop before Home Depot, and that decision led us to Van Marcke Supply which was the LORD leading us to a new company to share with our friends and family.
David found his plumbing supplies. I found some classic ’80s rock to enjoy, shared a laugh over a Yellow Submarine joke, and met a man whose conversation reminded me of my dad. That’s a pretty good day in my book and as I’ve said before it why I’m grateful, thankful and blessed to support the small businesses in my neighborhood.
We don’t always know what we’ll find when we leave home. Sometimes it’s the product we came to buy. Sometimes it’s a new place we want to return to. And sometimes it’s an unexpected connection that reminds us of someone we love. This time, it was all of those things.
I’m grateful David suggested that extra stop, and I’m glad I had the chance to meet David Collins at Van Marcke Supply. Because the LORD has plans for us which we don’t know about until we walk into a business and sometimes you head out looking for plumbing parts and discover a business that feels a little like home.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
