Goodbye True Value, Goodbye

After almost 26 years my Aunt and Uncle decided to sell the True Value store. This is the original newspaper photo from the Grand Opening announcement in the Green Sheet of Daddy and Uncle Gaylen in 1981.

We had a Surprise Retirement party for them on Saturday night. It was a BIG Surprise!! They had no idea at all and thought they were stopping in at a reception after dining out with their friends. It was so fun to see the look on their faces when they saw that Gary & Jen had flown in from Indiana, and Steve and Lorell had come from Texas just for them.

I'm so glad that Roo & Sarah along with Mike & Di, decided not to just let it close with a fizzle but went all out with a BANG!!

They invited all the current employees from both stores and all the past employees that had worked there longer than a year along with the family. All in all I think Sarah said she sent out more than 150 invitations. So many people showed up it was great to catch up and reminense with some simple refreshments.

I've spent almost 13 years of my life working at that store. The first four years it ws open and then most of the 90's. It has changed alot over the years but one thing always remained the same...... "Help WAS just Around the Corner". You can't get that at the big stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. You have to walk miles and then buy whole packages when you only need 2 nuts and 2 bolts, if you still had trouble you just called and someone would stop by on the way home from work.

All the paint for all 4 of our homes came from "the Store" and so did the help in getting them painted.

All the assorted nuts, bolts, light bulbs, screws, joint compound, sandpaper, wood filler, stain, nails, electrical tape, extension cords, Christmas tree lights, glue, vacumn belts, craft paint, brushes, hammers, saws and screwdrivers we own came from True Value. So did the fabric for most of the curtains and the sofa we sit on, the rods that hold them up, the garage door opener, the sprinkler system and numerous other things.

Goodbye Dutch Oven Day

Goodbye Lawn Tractor Races

Goodbye Craft the Nite Away

Goodbye Hello My Friend what are you here for? How've you been? Back Up on the Til

Farewell Drippy Ceiling, too Hot, too Cold, key machine buzz, Speed sweeping races and as Matt reminded me the other night "Monkey Butt up there and toss me some paint"

There's a Hardware store on the corner but it will never be the same.