Daniel, a team member at Shoppers True Value Hardware, sleeps on the job, leaves food lying around and lets his co-workers clean up after him. But the hardware store’s father-daughter owners, Thomas Simpson and Jessica Simpson, let him slide. That’s because many customers come into their South Portland, Maine, store specifically to see Daniel, and while they’re there, they buy something. Daniel has become such a draw that the store introduced Daniel-branded merchandise, including stickers that say, “I enjoy romantic walks to the hardware store to see Daniel.” Not bad for a cat. Like the Simpsons, many hardware-store owners have…

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