Brooklyn store to close
What's lost when a hardware store shuts down for good?
In the case of Crest Hardware, a staple of Williamsburg in Brooklyn since 1962, its imminent closure (Aug. 30) will eliminate much more than inventory and expertise. A whole community filled with camaraderie, creativity and genuine, neighborly connections will be gone, too. Even the resident pig will have to find new digs, per the New York Post.
For a quick recap, Crest Hardware's owner, Joseph Franquinha, recently announced that the store would close at the end of August after 62 years in business.
Franquinha's statement offers insights into Crest's demise. Not least of which: "Sadly, our property partners did not grant us an opportunity to renew our lease and have chosen to sell the property in which Crest sits," he writes. However, he makes other points that contributed to the decision to close the store, which was founded by his father and uncle.
He references the obstacles small businesses face in general, and in New York City in particular. He also hints at challenging macro-economic obstacles. "The decision to not relocate reflects broader trends of increasing commercial rents and the challenges of maintaining a small business in a rapidly changing urban landscape." He adds that trying to recreate Crest's "magic" in another space would prove too elusive.
Learning from Crest's legacy
With the store's closing, there are some takeaways to consider.
First, perhaps, is that hardware stores can thrive as community-oriented sources of genuine connection—though it takes intentionality and personality. Crest seemingly brought together folks from all walks of life through its events (including weddings), outreach to artists, DIYers and other creative types of all stripes. Friendly, helpful service, along with an eclectic mix of products geared toward their specific customer base, underpinned the entire operation, by all accounts. As the Post writes: "Crest’s inventory evolved from there to include cookware, home goods, art supplies, and even popular Crest-brand apparel created by Franquinha’s wife, Liza."
Second, Crest's legacy shows a fearlessness in terms of trying new things. A good example of which is when Franquinha rolled the dice on building a new garden section. As we shared back in 2018:
That’s where the garden came into play. In 2007, he was trying to convince his father that it was a good idea, but he wasn’t sold on the concept. When his father took his first long vacation in 25 years, he began to build the garden center anyway — putting up beams, a pergola and an overhang.
“I thought I was going to get a pat on the back or a pink slip, and I got neither,” he said. “He just said, ‘You better make this work.’”
Now, Franquinha said, the garden comprises roughly one-third of the store’s revenue.
