End of an era Moss hardware store says goodbye
After 60 years serving the Taylor community, Moss True Value Hardware is closing its doors.
Brad and Belinda Moss, who took over the store from Brad’s parents S.R. and Carolyn Moss, say it is time to retire. Married for four decades, they have worked together every day in the hardware store for the last 25 years.
“We’ve had a good run in the community…We’ll miss the people, but you can’t feel too bad about leaving because that’s what you work for your whole life, to be able to do something at the end of the rainbow, and I guess that’s where we’re at,” Brad Moss said.
The store at 200 Commercial Drive, where it has been the last 30 years, will shutter once its current inventory is emptied, the couple said. No fixed date for closure is set.
“We’ll remain open until it’s gone,” Moss said.
The store got its start as a White’s Home & Auto small-business chain in 1966. During the decades, the Moss family sold auto parts, appliances and hardware.
“We’ve survived a long time. We’ve had our ups and downs and a lot of hard times,” Brad Moss said.
Selling the business instead of closing was not feasible, he added.
“It didn’t work out with the economy. I think part of it is that the real-estate value is so high in Taylor on commercial (properties) that to have a hardware store, buy the facility and pay for it is too much,” Moss said.
The business owner noted Taylor used to have several locally owned hardware stores, but “there are less and less small businesses here,” he said. Taylor resident Mary Stelly said the loss of the store will hit her at Christmastime.
“I pick up some fun gifts here,” Stelly said.
When the Moss family opened the store under their own name, Carolyn Moss continued a home-goods section and bridal registry in the back.
“It was more baking and kitchen items and some home décor,” Brad Moss said.
When his wife, Belinda, became involved with the store, the home-goods section became “more gifty,” Moss said.
When online gift registries and online shopping entered the scene, the Mosses upped their game and added antiques.
“We’ve furnished our own house with antiques, buying them at auctions, and we decided we could probably sell this stuff at the store,” Moss said.
Dan Mohel said the loss of Moss Hardware will create a void.
“They’ve always been very helpful,” Mohel said.
Unlike a lot of big-box stores, Moss Hardware has a hometown vibe, Mohel said.
“They (big box) just hire somebody off the street to run a department. These guys (at Moss), they know what they’re talking about. They know about plumbing. They know about this, about that,” the Taylor resident said.
Moss gave credit to the employees his family hired over the years and said they were “excellent.”
“We couldn’t have done this without them,” he said.
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“We’ve had a good run in the community.”
— Brad Moss, co-owner
