Mike Blagg, president of Weakley-Watson Inc., announced that the Weakley-Watson True Value Hardware on Austin Ave. will be closing soon. The last day of business is anticipated to be around the end of February.
“All of us our in our 60s now and it is just time to put it to bed,” Blagg said. “It has been an honor to serve a community that has been so good to us.”
Blagg reflected on the history of the company. “Over the past 140 years, our company has been in many different businesses and has had locations in ten different Texas cities. We are profoundly grateful for the support of our customers from Brown County and West Texas. We will always treasure the hundreds of loyal employees who have made our business successful”
The customer base has been a recurring topic of conversation. “My employees have been talking about that the most,” Blagg said. “They are going to miss the customers. We have known many of them for several years and even develop personal relationships with some.”
Blagg emphasized that the history of Weakley-Watson will continue, but under different ownership through Weakley-Watson Sporting Goods in Early.
Immediate retirement may not be in the cards for Blagg. “I might take a little bit to breathe, but I am going to have to find something to do for at least the next few years. After that, I am just not sure yet.”