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When Kelly Wright left her small hometown in South Carolina bound for New York City, her father gave her a toolbox. “It was a rite of passage,” she remembers. Growing up, local hardware stores were central to her community, and elders and mentors instilled in her an appreciation of tools. After moving away, Wright immediately noticed a knowledge and skills gap amongst people her age when it came to a basic understanding of hardware and DIY.
In response, she set off to reimagine the hardware store experience, and provide a space for folks interested in learning more about tools, as well as those passionate about creating a home that reflects their taste and style. In May, she launched Yuns, a digital, curated hardware store for beginners. “It’s really built on this mission of spreading the power of self-reliance,” Wright says.
While traditional hardware stores can be intimidating and overwhelming for newcomers, Yuns works to create a welcoming, accessible space through thoughtfully chosen tools and objects. It’s Wright’s hope that this shop can encourage excitement as well as confidence in its shoppers. Read on to learn what makes a modern hardware store, and toolbox, different.
Redefine what you know as a “tool”
For Wright, a tool is simply something that offers utility. At Yuns you’ll find tools you’d expect, like the hammer, but also new twists on classics, like a neon toilet plunger or an odor-absorbing crystal. Above all else, Wright prioritizes quality and function when sourcing her products, though she also emphasizes makers and their stories. One of her favorites includes Chapman Manufacturing, a rare female-owned tool manufacturer in America, who also happens to be a leader in green manufacturing. While not always easy due to the limitations of the industry, Wright is determined to showcase as many diverse makers, manufacturers, and creators as she can.
Make space for new voices
As an adopted Korean woman, Wright hasn’t always seen stories like her own reflected in the tool space. At Yuns, items like the Korean dish scrubbies are a nod to her heritage. For these cute yet highly practical sponge alternatives, Wright worked with a small Asian maker in Virginia, a stay-at-home mother who started her own business. A forthcoming set of scrubbies is an exclusive collaboration inspired by the junk food she ate as a child. Wright hopes others can find objects and makers whose stories resonate with them too.
Do it yourself is not always for yourself
At Yuns, the belief is that knowledge, skills, and the right tools can make people better neighbors, better friends, and even better strangers. “The more people know how to do things themselves, the more impact they can have on the world around them,” Wright says. During the past year, she put her own skills to the test on small DIY projects for her business, as well as larger scale community projects, like when she offered to repair the rotting wooden trash can cover for her landlord. These examples underscore Wright’s belief in the power knowledge and tools can yield. As she likes to remind those who are nervous or hesitant to try it themselves, “You’re capable of more than you think you are.”
Start with the essentials
Just like the toolbox her father gifted Wright, Yuns began with the basic tools she believes no home should be without. Here’s what she thinks your first toolbox should contain:
- A hammer (or two). If you only have one hammer, Wright suggests a 16-ounce, like this Estwing hammer, which she likes to refer to as a work of art, that’s also perfect for thrashing around.
- A solid Phillips head and a flathead screwdriver. “Anyone can use those, especially in New York in apartments,” Wright says.
- A spirit level is essential, and while she knows you can download an app for it on your phone, “it’s just not the same.”
- You’ll see dozens of wrenches falling out of a mechanic’s toolbox, but Wright suggests starting with an adjustable wrench for a multitude of projects. She also loves this Allen wrench set because “it’s so versatile in ways that you wouldn’t even think about.” From building furniture, to installing TVs, or fixing a skateboard, there’s so much that you can do with it.
- A tape measure is critical. Most people living in an apartment can get away with a six-foot one.
- Wright makes a compelling argument for oft-forgotten slip-joint pliers. “They’re so overlooked, and so unappreciated,” she says. A “generalist,” not a specialist, they’re beloved in the tool industry for their variety of use-cases—from canning in the kitchen to picking up dirty diapers in the nursery.