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If you know your nuts and bolts, there is
a business opportunity available in downtown Safety Harbor.
Bob and Grace Steele, owners of Safety
Harbor Hardware, announced in October that they are ready to sell
the store to prepare for retirement.
"We have invested a lot of time, money and
effort into making our business what it is today," Bob said. "We
feel the hardware store is a real asset to Safety Harbor, and we
would very much like to see a new owner who shares our desire to
have it be an important part of our beautiful downtown."
The store is known as a friendly,
neighborhood alternative to the "big box" stores that have come to
dominate the business. It is a throwback to the days when you could
not only purchase a single nut or bolt, but receive knowledgable
help in determining whether it was the right one.
The inventory is hardly limited to nuts
and bolts, however. The store sells everything from paint to pool
supplies and with internet access, can locate and order virtually
anything that might be requested.
The Steeles, who have been residents of
Safety Harbor for 20 years, purchased the store eight years ago. At
the time, the store's inventory was limited and sales were
minimal. Today it is a thriving institution on Main Street,
frequently mentioned whenever discussion turns to the "quaint
character" of the city's downtown.
Many local businesses and industries rely
on the store for their everyday needs and "that is an important
part of our business," Bob said.
"Grace and I are entering a new phase of
our lives, which we are very excited about, but we still feel a
strong affection for the hardware store, not to mention all the
wonderful new friends it has allowed us to make. We will miss them
all very much."
The couple has purchased property on the
Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, where they plan to be part of a
development called "Armonia Nature Preserve," a new community being
developed by another longtime Safety Harbor resident, Mike
Humphrey. The preserve lies partly within the Gandoca Manzanillo
National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses much of the southern
Caribbean region of Costa Rica.
The Steeles said they do not have a firm
timetable and are willing to stay on for a period of time following
the sale to help train the new owner in the daily operation of the
business.
Safety Harbor Hardware is located at 670
Main Street. Call 727-669-6176.
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