It’s been months in the making, but Arrow Hardware’s 40-year presence in downtown St. Peter officially came to a close Saturday. That Minnesota Avenue storefront had served the community as a hardware business for over 80 years.
Since the surprising announcement in November that owner Dave Neiman opted to close his store rather than reload with a new supplier, customers have paid tributes and hopes for someone else taking over. True Value’s October bankruptcy announcement forced the decision, according to Neiman.
“That was the main trigger that forced my decision to close,” Neiman said Saturday, as he and numerous Arrow Hardware employees greeted and helped the store’s final customers.
True Value’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy was followed by a sale to rival hardware supplier Do It Best. At the time, True Value supplied some 4,500 independently operated locations, including Arrow Hardware.
Neiman once owned and operated as many as 12 hardware stores, including four in Rochester. His other Arrow locations included Northfield, Owatonna, St. Cloud and Shakopee. At one time, opening in 2008, Neiman also owned and operated an Arrow Ace Hardware store in the Belle Mar Mall, Mankato.
But Neiman, now 69, also lists the draw toward retirement as a deciding factor in his decision to close.
“It’s just time for me to move on and let go,” he said, firming up his mind despite his love for the St. Peter community and his employees.. “That switch just flipped in me.”
One of those longtime employees, manager Rose Rustman, grew in stature and knowledge herself during a 32-year career with Neiman and the hardware store. She started there in 1992, eventually earning Neiman’s trust and the community’s praise.
“She just has instant credibility,” says St. Peter Chamber executive director Ed Lee. “People just feel comfortable around her. She is a walking, talking perfect package of customer service.”
What’s next for Rustman?
“I have no idea,” she says. “We’ve been so busy (since the November closure announcement). It’s such a whirlwind.”
Several parents and grandparents stopped in to thank Rustman for her mentorship and the store’s dedication to staff, particularly young, part-time students who often assisted Neiman through the years.
Kurt Winkelmann of St. Peter stopped into the store on its final day. His son, Tate, was among those students who learned about customer service at Arrow Hardware.
“It was a great part-time job for Tate,” Winkelmann noted.
For grandmother Jo-Ellen Melendez, the store closure prompted a Friday visit to see Rustman and purchase one of those bright red staff vests, one her granddaughter Raina Roemhildt wore. Melendez praised the mentorship Rustman and Neiman provided.
“See the legacy you’re leaving,” Melendez told Rustman.
Lee also praised Neiman’s presence in the local business community. Back in 1998, in the immediate hours and days after the tornado which ravaged St. Peter, Lee said Neiman’s store provided endless service to fellow businesses and residents.
And in 2009, as U.S. Hwy. 169 reconstruction work closed down traffic for months through the downtown St. Peter business district, Neiman’s “St. Peter Stimulus Plan” dedicated 10% of a month’s sales to others hit by the reduction in traffic. Twenty-seven fellow businesses received checks from Neiman.
Despite Neiman’s decision to close, the store was profitable, grossing over $1 million annually. So although the doors officially close out Arrow Hardware’s history, Neiman sounded hopeful that another hardware business will resume at its corner spot.
“It’s a big decision. It’s a big investment,” Neiman said of any possible new hardware store venture. “But there’s several looking into it.”
Rustman confirmed that three different groups have been looking into purchasing the 201 S. Minnesota Ave. building. And while Rustman, 60, “has no idea” what’s next for her, “I’m employable.” So she’s hopeful that maybe she’ll stay put and continue to mix with customers she’s so enjoyed.
“I have always said I’m the bartender of the hardware store.”