When I posted this photo in December 2011, showing Sarasota Hardware and commenting that it had been a mainstay in downtown for 77 years, who knew it would be out of business within the year?! Yep, the owners closed up shop this past fall. Most people suspected "the big box stores" did the family business in. Au contraire, said the owner. In a newspaper article he stated it was a lack of development downtown which led to the closing. Storefronts on Main Street are rarely empty for long. Sure enough, within a couple of months, another business moved in. Any guesses? It's something that's been featured on SDP before....
A Tube Dube showroom is now there. When I visited the place during a recent Saturday, it was busy with lots of people checking out Tube Dude golfers, sailors, photographers, mailboxes and pretty much anything you can dream up. Business must be going well for the Tube Dude to open a showroom on Main Street.
9 comments:
Sorry about the hardware, but I wouldn't mind having a Tube Dude (or doggie, or dinosaur!) on our front lawn myself. Fun!
Too bad about the hardware shop. I love those shops!
I love browsing in hardware stores. This must have been a fun one.
Sad for the hardware store. Small shops such as those are becoming a rarity.
The Tube Dude guy came up with an innovative idea SRQ, lets hope the momentum keeps rolling along for a good while. Meanwhile it would be pretty groovy to have one of these guys around the house or garden somewhere..
I've always loved hardware stores, it's a shame about this one. Though I admit, the Tube Dude is pretty charming! Who knew there was such a market for things made of tubes?
Hardware stores are among my favorites. Hate to see one go, even if it's replaced by some fun art.
Some of my fondest memories as a kid was when Dad took me to the hardware store. Recently I've been taking him to the hardware warehouse stores. Not the same.
I think it is sad that an old-line hardware store can't survive. I recently needed to find a higher quality lock than the big box stores carry, and it was very difficult to find a store that carried them, even in an upscale community like Naples.
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