MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Circle Hardware and Lumber has served Waco since 1945. Now, after 81 years, the owners are closing up shop and heading into retirement..
- Circle Hardware and Lumber, a Waco neighborhood hardware store since 1945, is closing after 81 years in business.
- Owners Larry and Norma Dagley are liquidating their assets and heading into retirement, with the store expected to close by July.
- The store built a loyal following by stocking hard-to-find products like wooden siding and specialty molding, and by offering knowledgeable customer service that set it apart from big-box retailers.
- The Dagleys are encouraging customers to support other local, independent hardware stores as they prepare to spend retirement sightseeing and visiting family.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Circle Hardware and Lumber, a Waco neighborhood hardware store that has served local contractors, DIY enthusiasts, and Baylor University students since 1945, is closing after 81 years in business.
Owners Larry and Norma Dagley are liquidating their assets and heading into retirement. The store is expected to close by July.
"It is rare that someone walks in the front door and says they just want to look around," Larry Dagley said.
The Dagleys purchased the store in 2011, remodeling and re-merchandising everything with a focus on setting themselves apart from big box retailers.
"I think for a lot of the big box stores is that they just sell you a new one, but we've always been about repair and, and, uh, as I said, integrity," Norma Dagley said.
The store built a loyal following by stocking hard-to-find products, including wooden siding and specialty molding profiles that appeal to owners of older homes in the surrounding neighborhood.
"We always have carried wooden siding. And uh in this neighborhood, especially there are a lot of older homes that have older styles of siding, wooden siding, and so we've had that and we've been a go-to for that and hard-to-find molding profiles," Norma said.
Knowledgeable customer service also kept people coming back.
"If someone asked me a question and I can't answer it, my answer is let me go find somebody that can answer that question for you. And that's, um, you know, that's, uh, if you surround yourself with smart, capable people and empower them to do their job, you have great success," Larry said.
As the closing date approaches, the Dagleys say customers keep asking the same question: Where am I going to go now? The couple encouraged locals to support smaller, independent hardware stores.
As for their retirement, the Dagleys plan to spend their time sightseeing and visiting family.
"It's like our baby and we didn't want to really trust it to anybody else, so we, we'd rather let it go," Norma said.
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