Family-Owned MI Hardware Store Closing After 87 Years

VERNON, MI — A family-owned hardware store in a small Michigan town is closing down for good after 87 years.

Vernon Hardware and Auto Supply, located at 7200 M-71 in Vernon, announced they will be permanently closing down at the end of the month.

The business’s owners, Andy Fults and Betsy Ethington, said in a letter that closing down is one of the hardest things they've ever done, saying they had a multi-generational bond with customers.

"From your grandparents who first trusted us, to your parents, to you, and now your children and grandchildren — you have been the heart of our story," they said. "As we turn the page on this chapter, please know that we will carry warm and sometimes humorous memories of your families with us always."

The owners told MLive they are "just tired of the fight," and noted that nobody from their family’s next generation is interested in taking over the business.

The hardware store will remain open through July 31, with discounts reaching up to 90 percent.

The building has been listed for $460,000 on Century 21 Commercial.

Vernon is a village in Shiawassee County with a population of only roughly 738 people, according to U.S. Census data.