'My goal was to come in here and help people:' Swissvale hardware store closing down after 36 years in business
SWISSVALE, Pa. (KDKA) - A Swissvale hardware store is closing its doors for good after remaining a pillar in the community for decades. Now, longtime customers are saying their goodbyes and showing their appreciation.
Outside Master's Hardware off Roslyn Street, you'll find a sign that says 'going out of business,' but inside is a shop filled with 36 years of memories.
From the moment Stan Master opened his doors Saturday morning, customers came pouring in.
"What do you need? A key made or something?" Master asked customer Rodney Cuspard. "I need three," Cuspard said.
They were chit-chatting like they were best friends, and no time had passed, and Cuspard thanked Master for all he's done for the community.
"Oh, my goodness, man, I'm going to miss you," Cuspard told Master.
January would have marked 37 years since Master bought the hardware store in Swissvale in 1987. Though, the business has been around for nearly 130 years. However, next weekend, Master and the shop will take their final bow.
"I said, 'Well, you know, while, we're still young enough to do stuff, you know,' my wife and I," Master said. "We decided, you know, let's do it, do it now."
The 76-year-old had already been thinking about retiring but said his landlord decided to do something different with the building, speeding up the process.
"Working six days a week, 10, 11 hours a day, you don't get much done," Master said.
He's looking forward to spending more time with his grandkids and doing work around the house. Until then, he's not slowing down.
His first job of the day was making keys for Cuspard.
"That's my buddy," Cuspard said.
Cuspard loves to drop in just to say, 'hi.'
"Even if I don't come in here and I go past, I look to see if I see him in the window, to say, 'Hey, what's up, man?' and keep on going," Cuspard said.
It's that connection, between employee and customer, which draws him in, and is why Master has continued working all these years.
"Some of these people I've known as long as I've been here. I mean, even some of them have grown up. They were kids when they came in here, and now they've got kids," Master said.
Master has loved helping folks solve their problems.
"When I go home at night, you know, I feel good about what I've done, you know, every day," Master said.
Now he's leaving his post, knowing he's accomplished what he set out to do.
"My goal was to come in here and help people. That's what this store is all about, is helping the community," Master said.
The store will be open for regular business hours until it closes its doors for the last time at 5 p.m. next Saturday, Dec. 16.
