I have fond memories like that too. As soon as it started getting cold I would take my Bauer Black Panther skates to the hardware store to get sharpened.
That’s weird that you mentioned taking your skates to a hardware store...that’ exactly what you had to do back then (60’s - early 70’s). In fact, I bought my first hockey stick (a Sher-wood) for $4.95 at the local hardware store.