Farr's 'Retirement' Announcement Sparking Memories In Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — From fishing tackle to bicycles to camping gear and beyond, the saying in Manchester for decades has been "Farr's has to have it." Therefore, the news this week that the Farr family will be heading into retirement and closing its namesake store has been sparking memories for several days.

Co-owner Patty Farr delivered the news Wednesday. She and sisters Lisa, Deb and Jamie have run the store founded by their dad, James, for several years.

"It's headed that way," Patty said about about retirement.

And it has been quite a ride. Farr's roots roots go back to 1955, when Jim Farr opened Manchester Surplus, a general merchandise store store squeezed in between a TV repair shop and package store.

In 1971, amid a renewal project to spruce up the north part of town, Farr expanded his business and opened Farr's Sporting Goods at 2 Main St. in the north end.

The family business quickly established itself as part of the community while offering a wide variety of products and services like:

• Skateboards and Bicycles
• Fishing tackle and Live Bait
• Disc Golf and Yard Game Accesories
• Darts
• Camping gear
• Bicycle repair
• Ice Skate Sharpening
• Propane and CO2 Refills
• Key Cutting
• Recreational Sports Equipment

In the warmer months, hard-core campers knew that Farr's would likely have hard-to-find accessories needed in a pinch. In the winter, when the big box stores had no sleds, it was usually off to Farr's to get one.

There is no definitive closing date, Patty said. The plan is to sell as much inventory as possible and then decide on the future, she said.

She did acknowledge "a lot of memories" come with the decision.

And the memories have been pouring in for days on social media. Here are some of the posts:

• "Always liked that store, bought a sled from there couldn't find a good one anywhere else!! Great store, they will be missed!!"
• "I bought my first bike there in the '70s."
• "Oh wow ... I remember as a child going there all the time when we lived in Manchester. It is like a historical building."
• "Manchester is losing a piece of its history."
• "I remember going there as a child in the 1960s."
• "Dad bought his moped there in '84. He loved riding that thing around the neighborhood!"
• "I still have the Penn surf fishing real (704) from Farr's in 1975."
• "Have enjoyed that store since the days of Manchester Surplus! Best wishes to the family!"
• Grew up in Manchester ... Farr's was "the place" to go for bikes and all kinds of cool stuff! I remember buying all my bikes and both my kids' bikes there. Brings back some great memories! Males me happy remembering them but sad to think Farr's won't be a part of Manchester anymore! Thanks for all the great years and good luck on your coming retirement!"
• "I've bought quite a few bikes from them over the years. They have had quality goods and provided excellent service. Once they close, they will be missed."
• "Bought a ten speed bike there when I was 12 ... used my paper route and birthday money ... bike was 100 dollars which was a lot of money back then...has disc brakes on it...rode that thing all over the place."
• "Wow, a fixture in the north end for decades."
• "Every bike I ever owned came from there."
• "I always enjoyed shopping there. Bought our camping tent there in the '90s."
• "My first fishing pole ... my BB gun ... my 22 came from there."
• "It was a staple in Manchester."
• "This has been my go-to place for sporting goods for about 30 years."
• "Got my bike there when I was 8."
• "I still have a bag of fish hooks with the Farr's sticker on it from the '70s."
• "My parents bought items there starting in the 50s. I bought a Camel tent in 1970 and still have it! I did finally have to buy a rain tarp for the top just to be 100% sure I was going to stay dry. That tent, the small propane stove and other equipment have been all over the US & Canada over the past 54 years!"
• "I can remember when Farr's was on N. Main St. before the urban renewal that destroyed the North End/Depot Square. When I was a kid I'd go into that old store looking for WW2 surplus stuff. I always left with something neat — a belt or a pouch. The store back then was pretty much an Army/Navy surplus store exclusively. I'm 70 years old now. The times were better then. Army/Navy surplus stores really don't exist anymore. Thanks for the memories, Farr's."
• "This store saved me many times as a kid and my kids … I don’t live in Manchester anymore but I still tell people “Farr’s will have it” and still go there. Manchester will being missing a huge piece of what made it great to live there."