RANDLEMAN, N.C. -- A store that has been a fixture in the community for more than five decades celebrated a milestone on Saturday.
Melvin Variety & Hardware Store marked its 53rd anniversary and the addition of a near 3,000-sq. foot hardware section with a celebration billed as a “grand re-opening.”
Butch Hardee, the store’s owner, said the expansion came at the request of customers.
“We know what they're asking for and you’ve got to respond to what your customers ask for. And we've been blessed to have the customers and the loyalty we've received,” he said.
The celebration featured sales, prize giveaways, and a cake-cutting ceremony that included the town’s mayor, Bucky Jernigan.
"It is our anchor store for downtown Randleman. Without Melvin's and the jewelry store and a few other stores, we wouldn't have a downtown,” Jernigan said.
Still, the moment was bittersweet for Hardee since his father, Buck Hardee, passed away in February and did not see the completed renovations. Buck Hardee purchased the store from its previous owners in the 1970s.
"The number one thing that has kept us here is the influence my dad had,” Hardee said.
Dozens of customers turned out for the celebration and said the store is a central part of the community.
“When you've got a place that's been here as long as this place has, it makes a difference,” said Vickie Teague, a customer who has been shopping at Melvin’s for about 20 years.