HAZLE TOWNSHIP -- It was a sign many folks thought they would never see. Nathan's Furniture is going out of business, after proudly serving the Hazleton area for 92 years.
"I'm here for bargains! I was here the other day," Mary Martnick said.Martnick lives in West Hazleton and has been shopping at Nathan's for decades. She was back Wednesday for the second time this week to take advantage of the sale prices.
Martnick lives in West Hazleton and has been shopping at Nathan's for decades. She was back Wednesday for the second time this week to take advantage of the sale prices.
Nathan's Furniture, on Susquehanna Boulevard in Hazle Township, has been in the Lipton family since the 1920s. Ian Lipton took over the business from his father 50 years ago, but now, Mr. Lipton's kids do not want the furniture store in Luzerne County.
"You always want to take care of your customers, and after five generations I still feel that it's going to be hard to leave those customers," Lipton said.
People who have lived here their whole lives say Nathan's has always been a staple in the community. In fact, they say they can remember a time when it was really the only thing here, and they can't imagine the building being anything else but the furniture store.
Mr. Lipton says his grandfather would travel from coal mine town to coal mine town in a wagon to sell his furniture.
"People would say, 'Mr. Nathan, do you have a sofa for me?' And he would say, 'Do you want a blue one or a red one?' And she'd say, 'Give me a blue one.' And that's how we started," Lipton said, as he looked at his 65,000 square foot store.
Martnick says her husband has lived in Hazleton forever and was shocked to see the going out of business sign go up.
"This has been here since he was small. It's a long time. It's sad to see the old stores closing," Martnick said.
After 50 years, 14 hours a day and seven days a week of work, Newswatch 16 asked Mr. Lipton what is next for him.
"Things that I'd like to do on my bucket list that hopefully, God will grant me 10 good years to do," Lipton said.
Everything must go before the new owners take over the building at the end of July.