 |
Edition:
September 02, 2010
|
|
NEWS
|
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Frazee furniture store to close its doors
 | | Gary’s Furniture and Carpeting store in Frazee begins its going out of business liquidation sale Thursday, May 14. Photo by Barbie Porter |  |  | | Barb and Gary Ware, owners of Gary’s Furniture store in Frazee, met at the store and eventually married.
Photo by Barbie Porter |
• by Barbie Porter
Gary's Furniture in Frazee will be closing its doors.
Today (Thursday, May 14) the furniture store will begin liquidating its entire inventory and placing the building up for sale.
Owners, Gary and Barb Ware, had heavy hearts when discussing the end of a family era, but after much thought decided it was time to begin a new chapter in their lives.
"About six months ago, I went to bed at age 55 and woke up the next morning at age 63," Gary said. "On that rude awakening I decided it was time to slow down and spend more time with my family, picking morel mushrooms, hunting, fishing and spending more time in Mexico."
Barb added there were many factors that went into the family's decision, but added it was too soon to go into further detail.
"This has really been our life," Barb said. "It's hard. It's hard on everyone."
The business has included many family members through the years, and a few longtime employees.
Both Gary and Barb thanked Kim Zieman, who was a store salesman for nine years, and Jerry Jader, who was the warehouse manager for eight years, for their dedicated service.
"We also want to thank the people and businesses of Frazee and the surrounding area that supported the store the past 43 years," Gary said.
His journey to becoming a business owner began at the age of 18 when he opened Gary's Furniture and Carpeting in Park Rapids in 1964.
Two years later, in October 1966, the young entrepreneur opened Gary's Furniture in Frazee.
He continued to build a solid reputation in the furniture business and opened another store in Pelican Rapids in 1969.
In 1977 he sold his first store in Park Rapids and decided to expand the showroom in Frazee.
"I expanded the floor space by purchasing the old M&M Diner and old Frazee Liquor Store," he explained.
Right around that time, Gary met the love of his life, Barb.
She began working at the store as a saleswoman and a bookkeeper in April of 1979.
The two eventually became smitten with one another and married in 1982.
Gary and Barb have four children, Heather, Brikker, Ashley and Cody.
Gary divulged Heather and Brikker are selling Aflac Insurance, while Ashley is a registered nurse in Fargo and Cody is attending college in Moorhead.
|
Article Comment Form
|
|
|
|
Print this Article
Email this Article