Hardware House to remain a fixture on State Street
Newtown Borough resident steps forward to purchase business, will keep it open as a hardware store.
NEWTOWN BOROUGH – In a 12th hour reprieve, a buyer has stepped forward to purchase the Newtown Hardware House and keep it open.
Dave Callahan, owner of the Newtown Hardware House, made the big news public last week just days after he posted going out of business signs on the doors to the 143-yearold store.
Callahan said shortly after announcing plans to close, he received a phone call from a gentleman who wanted to talk about buying the business.
The two men met on Sunday, MonGDy DnG TuHsGDy RI ODsW wHHN finDOizing a deal that will transfer ownership of the store sometime around WhH fiUsW wHHN Ln 2FWREHU.
Callahan did not reveal the identity of the buyer, but he did say he is from Newtown Borough.
“He is going to buy the hardware store and it will remain a hardware store,” said Callahan. “There will be some changes. You can still buy nuts and bolts and things you could buy in a hardware store and other things.”
Callahan said he’s “very happy that the hardware store will continue to be in this location doing the same kind of business it has for 143 years. I feel great they will add some new things that people will like.”
Following the change in ownership, Callahan said he’ll be staying on for a while working on a part-time basis
Callahan had been struggling in reFHnW yHDUs WR NHHS WhH EusLnHss DflRDW while searching for a buyer.
“I decided several weeks ago to hire a liquidation company and to go out of business,” he said.
Last year, to bring attention to the store’s plight and an economy which has hit the building trades and the hardware business particularly hard, he had bumper stickers printed with the words, “Save Newtown Hardware House.” The stickers were an instant hit, bringing attention to the store, but more importantly, bringing customers back.
And this past spring, a “cash mob” of supporters descended on the store, spurred on by a Facebook posting by customer Andy Smith, who encouraged people to show up, “en masse,” to give the business “a bit of an economic boost.”
“Mobbers” literally swamped the store as employees rang up sale after sale, from grass seed, tools and paint to light bulbs and nails during a busy morning at the store.
“It makes me feel good,” said Callahan at the time of the public outpouring, as he reached for the words to describe the incredible morning. “It’s unbelievable. It truly is.”
Callahan said he’s now looking forward to retirement and “having a good time.”
He also hopes to do some traveling and to continue his volunteer work with the Newtown Historic Association and the Newtown Fire Association.
He also plans to remain active with the State Street business community even though he will no longer own a business on the street.
He told one storeowner, “Just because I don’t have a business here I hope you would let me continue helping.
“I’d like to see the merchants on the street get along better than they do and pull together and attract more business to State Street,” he said.
Callahan said he will continue living in the borough, but he’ll miss walking from his home a block away to the Newtown Hardware House.
“I will probably walk there automatically,” he joked.