H&S Hardwarecloses on Preston - University of...
1
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 | The Courier-Journal NEIGHBORHOODS | courier-journal.com/southwest SOUTHWEST | PAGE 3 H&S Ace Hardware, a Louisville fixture for more than 80 years, closed its doors last month. Store manager Dave Phelps said the company’s secured creditors ordered that they close the 135,000 square-foot store, 5416 Preston Highway. Phelps declined to comment further. Commercial real estate company NAI Walter Wagner Jr. has the property listed for sale for $2.2 million. Harry Sosowsky started the business in 1929 at 25th and Market streets. He named it H&S for him- self and Stanley, his son who started working for him full time after returning from World War II. In 1954, Stanley Sosowsky opened a 5,000-square-foot store on Preston Highway. After numerous additions, the building grew to 135,000 square feet on the 7.5-acre site, making it comparable in size and selection to modern home- improvement chain stores. “It was a place where you could always get the hard-to- find items and good customer service,” said Jerry Giancola, a Valley Station resident who worked at the store from the mid-1990s until 2004. Giancola’s former job at H&S involved buying electri- cal parts, tools and hardware. He said H&S was one of the first area hardware stores to begin carrying ACE hardware and continued to stock hun- dreds of other vendors’ prod- uct lines as well. “If we didn’t have it, we’d get it for you,” he said. “You just don’t get that kind of ser- vice at a big-box chain.” Giancola said Stanley So- sowsky was a generous man who gave jobs to immigrants he met through his volunteer work at the Jewish Community Center, as well as people with disabilities. “Other employers might not take a chance on them, but he would always find something for them to do,” Giancola said. Over the years, H&S diver- sified its inventory by selling above-ground pools, starting in 1975, and displaying more patio furniture beginning in the mid-1990s. Just a decade ago, H&S had about 150 employees at its three area locations — Pres- ton, Taylorsville Road in Jef- fersontown and Dixie High- way in Valley Station. The J’town location later was converted into a flea mar- ket, and the Dixie Highway store was converted into other retail space. In recent years, Sosowsky handed over the reins of the business to his son-in-law, Da- vid Snow, who was married to Sosowsky’s daughter Wendy. Snow died of cancer last year. Sosowsky, who died at age 84 in November, told The Cou- rier-Journal in 2002 that he still enjoyed working in the Pres- ton store with his wife, Rose. “I like to have a happy cus- tomer walk out that door,” he said. Reporter Charlie White can be reached at (502) 582-4653. H&S Hardware closes on Preston Store had been open nearly six decades H&S Ace Hardware closed Feb. 10. Harry Sosowsky started the business in 1929 at 25th and Market streets. CHARLIE WHITE/THE COURIER-JOURNAL By Charlie White [email protected] The Courier-Journal “It was a place where you could always get the hard-to-find items and good customer service." JERRY GIANCOLA, Valley Station resident who worked at the store from the mid-1990s until 2004
Transcript of H&S Hardwarecloses on Preston - University of...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 | The Courier-Journal NEIGHBORHOODS | courier-journal.com/southwest SOUTHWEST | PAGE 3
H&S Ace Hardware, aLouisville fixture for morethan 80 years, closed its doorslast month.
Store manager Dave Phelpssaid the company’s securedcreditors ordered that theyclose the 135,000 square-footstore, 5416 Preston Highway.
Phelps declined to commentfurther.
Commercial real estatecompany NAI Walter WagnerJr. has the property listed forsale for $2.2 million.
Harry Sosowsky started thebusiness in 1929 at 25th andMarket streets.
He named it H&S for him-self and Stanley, his son whostarted working for him fulltime after returning fromWorld War II.
In 1954, Stanley Sosowskyopened a 5,000-square-footstore on Preston Highway.
After numerous additions,the building grew to 135,000square feet on the 7.5-acre site,making it comparable in sizeand selection to modern home-improvement chain stores.
“It was a place where youcould always get the hard-to-find items and good customerservice,” said Jerry Giancola,a Valley Station resident whoworked at the store from themid-1990s until 2004.
Giancola’s former job atH&S involved buying electri-cal parts, tools and hardware.
He said H&S was one of thefirst area hardware stores tobegin carrying ACE hardwareand continued to stock hun-dreds of other vendors’ prod-uct lines as well.
“If we didn’t have it, we’dget it for you,” he said. “Youjust don’t get that kind of ser-vice at a big-box chain.”
Giancola said Stanley So-
sowsky was a generous manwho gave jobs to immigrantshe met through his volunteerwork at the Jewish CommunityCenter, as well as people withdisabilities.
“Other employers might not
take a chance on them, but hewould always find somethingfor them to do,” Giancola said.
Over the years, H&S diver-sified its inventory by sellingabove-ground pools, startingin 1975, and displaying more
patio furniture beginning inthe mid-1990s.
Just a decade ago, H&S hadabout 150 employees at itsthree area locations — Pres-ton, Taylorsville Road in Jef-fersontown and Dixie High-way in Valley Station.
The J’town location laterwas converted into a flea mar-ket, and the Dixie Highwaystore was converted into otherretail space.
In recent years, Sosowskyhanded over the reins of the
business to his son-in-law, Da-vid Snow, who was married toSosowsky’s daughter Wendy.Snow died of cancer last year.
Sosowsky, who died at age84 in November, told The Cou-rier-Journal in 2002 that he stillenjoyed working in the Pres-ton store with his wife, Rose.
“I like to have a happy cus-tomer walk out that door,” hesaid.
Reporter Charlie White can bereached at (502) 582-4653.
H&S Hardware closes on PrestonStore had beenopen nearlysix decades
H&S Ace Hardware closed Feb. 10. Harry Sosowsky started the business in 1929 at 25th and Market streets. CHARLIE WHITE/THE COURIER-JOURNAL
By Charlie [email protected] Courier-Journal
“It was a place where you could alwaysget the hard-to-find items and goodcustomer service."JERRY GIANCOLA, Valley Station resident who worked at the storefrom the mid-1990s until 2004
