by Megan Mizak and Barbra Duerk
Melrose Hardware located in the 2300 block of Melrose is celebrating its 100th Anniversary. The Moses family immigrated to America from Lebanon in the 1890s. In the 1920s Joseph and Mary Moses (Joe Mose’s grandparents) opened the Moses Grocery Store on the corner of N. Jefferson and Gilmer Ave. The grocery store largely served the Black community of Gainsboro.
This is a timeline of the history of Melrose Hardware, as well as biographic information about the Moses family:
1920: Hanna “H.A.” Moses opens the Sanitary Grocery & Meat Market on Second Avenue Northwest.
1934: In May, son Joseph Moses is born upstairs at the store to Hanna and Mary Murray Moses.
1937: Hanna Moses constructs a commercial building on Melrose Avenue and rents it out to several small businesses.
1949: The Moseses renovate a portion of the Melrose Avenue building to prepare for moving the grocery store from Second Avenue. Family members, including children John, Joe, Mary Frances and Rose Theresa, move into a house directly across the street.
1950: In August, Hanna Moses opens the grocery store at 2302 Melrose Ave.
1953: Hanna Moses opens Melrose Hardware in the space adjacent to the grocery store. Joe Moses leaves for college.
1959: Joe Moses joins the U.S. Army, serves active duty for seven years and then joins the civil service.
1973: Hanna Moses leaves the grocery business and rents the store but continues to run the hardware store next door.
1993: Hanna Moses dies in September at age 91. Hardware store closes for a few months.
1994: John Moses, Joe’s brother, returns to Roanoke to run the hardware store.
1995: Joe Moses retires from government service and returns to Roanoke with his wife, Amanda, a native of Arizona, to help John run the store.
1997: The brothers move the hardware store into the space that had housed the grocery.
1998: In June, Mary Moses dies.
2005: Joe Moses buys John Moses’ share and mans the hardware store most days without help.
Joseph “Joe” Moses
Born: 1934 in Roanoke to Hanna “H.A.” Moses and Mary Murray Moses.
Their occupations: Grocery and hardware store merchants
Siblings: John, Mary Frances, Rose Theresa
Education: College, bachelor of arts
Military/government service: 1959-95
Children: Gina, Joseph, Charles, Eva Marie
Wife: Amanda “Mandy” Tolano
