But won’t go far.
The Hamilton natives renovated a 19th-century three-story building at 220 South Third St., a few blocks from South Monument, into the practice’s soon-to-be new law headquarters. And this investment in their hometown was important, they said. A final inspection is still to be scheduled, but they anticipate moving later this month.
“It’s just a great city to live in, it’s a great city to raise your family, especially recently with the renaissance,” said Kruger. “We have so many great restaurants coming in, activities for families and the people. The people are just great. Everyone’s hardworking, everyone gets along, everybody wants to help each other, and that’s what we love about it.”
Hamilton is a special place for Kruger and Hodges, they said, and have been happy to see its reinvention over the past 15 years. And it’s becoming more vibrant every year, he said.
“When I was a kid, Hamilton wasn’t really booming. I remember before it was cool to be in Hamilton, I was here,” Hodges said. “It is nice to see things on the way up and be a little part of that.”
The building, which had been an event space and tea shop in recent years, has been around since the 1860s. For more of its life, it had been Ringel’s Furniture Store. Hodges said it has been reinvented, not unlike the city of Hamilton.
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
But investing in their home isn’t about renovating a building for their business. It’s also about the people who lift up the city, whether it’s one of the nonprofits around town or small retail businesses. For the past few years, Kruger and Hodges have promoted these organizations through their Around Town Minute on social media, and over the past few months, they’ve expanded that effort by leveraging their billboard space.
In November, the law firm promoted the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton on a billboard, and for December, they are supporting Serve City.
“We have to live up to that,” Hodges said, referencing their Hometown Lawyers moniker.
While they support businesses and nonprofits in the other communities where they have an office, Hamilton is special. It’s home.
“We’re from Hamilton, but we’re in some other towns too, so we try to give back as much as we can,” Hodges said. “Sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s time, but some of it is helping other people through social media. A shoutout of businesses and causes on social media has become a way that we give back.”
That’s also why they wanted to remain in Hamilton as they sought a larger space to accommodate their growing practice, Kruger said. They started in Hamilton because they wanted to make sure their neighbors had the same legal opportunities as those available at a larger firm or in a bigger town.
“Josh and I were born and raised here, our parents were born and raised here,” he said, “and we just wanted to provide excellent legal services to people who didn’t have to leave to find help.”
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