Texas hardware closes after 86 years
<p>Valley Hardware, an 86-year-old hardware dealer in San Juan, Texas, closed its doors on Dec. 30, according to an <strong><a href="http://www.themonitor.com/articles/juan-45979-san-valley.html">article in The Monitor newspaper</a></strong>.</p>
<p>Mike Hempel, who owned Valley Hardware for 17 years, said business has been declining for the past six years, even since street repairs forced the store to close for six months. The opening of a nearby Lowe’ also eroded sales. </p>
Valley Hardware, an 86-year-old hardware dealer in San Juan, Texas, closed its doors on Dec. 30, according to an article in The Monitor newspaper.
Mike Hempel, who owned Valley Hardware for 17 years, said business has been declining for the past six years, even since street repairs forced the store to close for six months. The opening of a nearby Lowe’ also eroded sales.
After auctioning off remaining inventory and fixtures, Hempel told the newspaper he hopes to pay off some debts and then find a job in the hardware industry.
"I was gonna try Lowe's or someplace like that," he said.
