PAOLI — After 72 years, longtime local community mainstay and business anchor — The Hardware Center — is closing.
What some refer to as Paoli Hardware, first opened in October of 1951. The father of current owners and brothers Steve and Greg Scartozzi opened the original hardware store about a half mile to the west of the current location at 16 Paoli Shopping Center. Cordine Scartozzi ran it there for about five years before moving to Paoli Shopping Center.
Steve Scartozzi, 72, and about seven longtime employees will be retiring after the store’s last day on June 3. Several other employees are searching for jobs.
Scartozzi said that the closing of the 15,000-square-foot, three-story store will be both bittersweet and a mixed blessing. He will visit more with his 10 grandkids and watch them play sports.
During a recent interview in his office, Scartozzi talked about the joys of working with the public. He noted that he has served four generations of one builder’s family.
Scartozzi discussed his strong ties to the community where he has lived his entire life except for four years spent earning an accounting degree from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.
“People in this area kind of stick around,” he said.
Scartozzi found his calling young.
“I always wanted to do this,” he said. “This is the community where I grew up.
“I like relationships and helping people. I have no problem talking to the public and taking care of people.
“We’ve created so many relationships — we are one big family. After it’s over I should be able to relax.”
Scartozzi smiled when talking about carving his initials into wood at the store when he was just 13-years-old.
Service is key; a staffer will walk a customer with a question to the desired item on the shelf.
Scartozzi compared his store to what he referred to as box stores.
“We don’t just say go to aisle five,” he said. Scartozzi also said that he’s happy to only sell just a 40-cent nut or bolt.
The store owned by the Scartozzis is three stories tall. The top floor hosts toys and a children’s section, the ground floor is reserved for hardware and the basement houses the garden department.
Until recently, a cashier would gift wrap toys at no cost.
“We always try to have quality toys that could be passed down to generations,” he said. “We try to stay away from junk.”
Bebe Feimster works the counter at the toy department and said that customers and employees are one big family.
She said the kids often get excited and many don’t want to leave when it’s time to go.
“It’s a fun place to be,” she said. “It’s the fun floor.”
Starting in the fall, Scartozzi said that the basement was known as the best Christmas place around. Some natural-looking Christmas trees with built-in lights even sell for $3,000 to $4,000.
Several potential buyers showed interest in running the hardware store over the past 3½ years, but there was no sale.
Phil Ghaner has worked part-time at The Hardware Center for 54 years.
He especially enjoys assisting widows and seniors.
“I like pampering them,” he said. “You get a feeling of satisfaction when helping someone.”
Mike DiAndrea has worked for 10 years each on all three floors during a 30-year career.
“It’s a staple of the community,” he said about the store. “They come to us because we will go out of our way to help them with the little stuff.
“There is a wealth of knowledge here. I learn something three times a week from these guys.”
