Firenzi was raised in the home her parents, Gennie and Vincent Zolezzi, once owned at 691 W. San Carlos St. in San Jose. Across the street, Firenzi recalled, there was a baseball park where Orchard Supply Hardware stands today.

As the Los Gatos resident looked around the present-day OSH home and garden center, she noticed a new building going up on Bird Avenue, more streets and homes--progress and change at work in her childhood neighborhood.

But over the years, the one constant in the community has been the home and garden center. OSH celebrated its 75th anniversary on March 1 with a private party for dignitaries, elected officials, friends and community members associated with OSH.

As balloons floated in the breeze from an outdoor tent in OSH's parking lot, "OSH" the beaver welcomed guests. Rob Lynch, OSH's CEO, and Pat Dando, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, arrived in a restored 1931 Model A Ford truck for the festivities and commendations.

The event also marked OSH's announcement of an initiative to build or enhance gardens at elementary schools throughout California. Lynch said OSH's 86 stores will partner with nearby schools, donating materials and expertise to create gardens that will provide valuable learning experiences for children.

The company will supply a master gardener to nominated schools, along with gardening beds of soil and organic seeds, tool sheds filled with shovels, rakes, hand trowels and much more.

OSH customers, community members and parents will be rallied to support the program.

OSH's 1931 roots come from droughts, crop failures and the Great Depression. Lynch said 30 farmers from what was once called "The Valley of Heart's Delight" decided to form a purchasing cooperative to buy their farm supplies. Each farmer put in $30, and the company began. The relatives of some of those founding growers were present at the birthday celebration, including Bill Lester of Saratoga.

Lester's grandfather was one of the original founders and investors in the company, and his father was also a director with OSH for many years.

Moving from a rented warehouse on Bassett Street to a larger location on Vine Street, the business grew, offering farm supplies, hardware, gardening materials and housewares.

The store at 720 W. San Carlos St. was built in 1946 and included nearly 2,000 cooperative members. It was considered a leading hardware store in San Jose and a pillar in the community.

As orchards turned into residential and commercial areas and farmers retired, OSH no longer qualified as a cooperative, but it remained in the retail business. Brothers Steve and Stuart Spafford, whose late grandfather Stanley B. Smith helped to start OSH, were present at the 75th anniversary. Stan Smith was the first OSH manager in 1931.

The brothers are also the nephews of the late Albert B. Smith, a longtime Los Gatos resident and mayor, who became OSH's president in 1962.

Al Smith's ties to the community range from teaching agriculture at Campbell High School to his dedication in helping to bring the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad to Vasona Park in Los Gatos.

Steve Spafford remembered going with his brother to visit their uncle, and helping with inventory in the OSH store--in an era when there was no such thing as an alarm system.

"It was a big deal for us to get to stay overnight in the store with Al," Spafford recalled. He added that OSH's mission has remained the same for the past 75 years.

"If you look at the origins of the store, they put customers first, had the right inventory and had it in stock. That's continued to be what OSH is about," he said.