By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Some say you can’t go home again. Terry Moses not only came home, he bought a business and then found that business a new home.
Moses purchased the Bucyrus Hometown Sears store and the first order of business was to move it across the road into the East Pointe Shopping Center.
“I thought we have to create a new image of we’re going to do it,” Moses said, pointing around the store at the display of new appliances and tools. “In here, it looks like a real corporate store.”
Moses, who graduated from Colonel Crawford in 1975 and retired from a career in the US Army where he handled government contracts, is actually making his second investment in a Bucyrus retail business. The first is Doc’s, a vapes shop in the Whetstone Plaza which opened in May.
The purchase of the Sears retail business came about purely by chance when Moses returned to the area because of the death of his father. Driving through Bucyrus, he noticed the Hometown Sears store had a “For Sale” sign.
“The price was so low, I thought I can’t really turn it down,” Moses said. “What I’ve learned about this is it is a true sales job.”
To that end, Moses brought in Brandi Penix to manage the store. Penix has previous retail experience in Marion.
“She (Penix) has a good handle on everything,” Moses said.
The Bucyrus Hometown Sears store in West Pointe actually opened Sept. 22, although its grand opening at that location is today. As part of today’s grand opening, visitors can register to win a $1,500 built-in Kenmore stove.
Moses wants people to recall images of the Sears catalogue store in Bucyrus that he remembers as a kid.
“We’re still that old store, we’re just a lot more,” Moses said. “Once you walk in the door you don’t have to leave.”
As before, the Bucyrus Sears Hometown store will carry all the major appliances, tools, home and garden equipment.
“Most people in town probably don’t even know we have bedding,” Moses said.
Items like roofing, siding, flooring, windows, cabinetry, even furniture, can be ordered at the store. It’s better than ordering things online because shipping and home delivery are free on items ordered or purchased at the store.
“Whatever can be done at a full-sized (Sears) store we’re going to try to do,” Moses said. “We also price match on anything we can verify.”
Moses anticipates that new services will be important to his customers.
“We’re going to do small engine repair. We’re also going to do vacuum (cleaner) services.”
The store also has a leasing program.
“It’s usually a short lease, five to six months,” Moses explained. “It’s a lease-to-own program.”
The store has four employees, three full-time and one part-time.