Farewell to Nala, the dog at The Hardware Store

SPARTA — The Hardware Store in Sparta has lost a unique member of the staff that was one of their longest employees — Nala, the yellow labrador.
13 years ago, there was a new face greeting you at The Hardware Store. She had four legs, blonde fur and a heart as good as gold. Nala, a puppy then, quickly became the face people would look for when they came in for a propane exchange or softener salt refills.
One time a woman came in with her two children and quickly told the worker. "Oh, I don't need any help, my kids just wanted to come visit Nala."
When the order came in to be stocked, Nala could frequently be seen on the bottom shelf of the cart, napping while the shelves were being restocked. She came to work nearly every day and loved the interactions with the customers. When it was slow, the workers would toss the tennis ball down the aisles and watch her scamper to retrieve it. Nala would spend her days meandering the store or napping but would come from any corner of the store when she heard the clink of the pretzel jar at the counter. She was always hoping she would get a customer to share their pretzel.
As she got older, you would often see her curled up on the rug right in front of the register. Customers would take a moment and reach down to give her a pat. The FedEx driver often had a dog treat in his pocket when he stopped by. She enjoyed the attention, and loved the constant flow of new friends coming through the door.
Although we are saddened by this big loss, her memories and stories will always bring such joy. Nala did not just belong to The Hardware Store, she found her way into the hearts of many of the customers.
Rest easy sweet girl.