SOUTH LYON, Mich. (WXYZ) — Peter's True Value Hardware store in South Lyon will close its doors for good in September after serving the community for more than 40 years.
For loyal customers, it's more than just losing a hardware store – it's the end of a neighborhood tradition built on friendly service and staff who know them by name.
"This is really bad. He's been here for years," said Jeffrey Emerson, a customer.
"It's very sad. I hate to see it go," said Cindy Groene, another customer.
Shawn Shull, the store's general manager, said multiple factors contributed to the decision to close.
"Help nowadays is hard to get, hard to keep, hard to train. The right ones come and go too much, and online purchases have a lot to do with it," said Shull.
Peter's True Value Hardware is just the latest brick-and-mortar mom-and-pop shop to close in the metro Detroit area. Shull, who has been at this location for 33 years, says it's a sign of the times.
"There's going to be a big hole and a lot of disappointed customers because they come here for answers, and we're not going to be here to serve the community," said Shull.
Linda Stevens, who has been shopping at Peter's for decades, is sad to hear one of her hometown favorites is going away.
"It's been kind of a landmark in South Lyon," said Stevens. "They always specialize in things for our needs. I guess that's going to be gone. It's going to be a loss."
From dedicated customer service to helping customers repair lawn equipment and purchase the right tools, customers like Emerson say the knowledge of employees on products will be missed.
"You can come in here and ask questions; they'll help you. They've got people that understand. They'll say, 'No, don't get this one, get this one because it's better.' You know, that's huge," said Emerson.
Groene and her husband have been coming to Peter's True Value for 25 years. On Wednesday, they were picking up some items before the store closes in September.
"They have all kinds of little things that you might need when you're working on a project that big box doesn't carry," said Groene.
These loyal customers say it just won't be the same without their beloved hardware store.
"I'll enjoy the time they're here until the end," said George Birchmeier, a customer.
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