Swezey's Stores Close in Long Island, New York after 110 years

[undergroundrailroad]

Swezey's Stores Close in Long Island after 110 years


By Jamie Herzlich
Staff Writer

September 4, 2003, 7:25 PM EDT

Swezey's Department Stores survived the Great Depression of the 1930's. It survived two fires in the 1940s, the rise of malls in the 1960s and the retail recession of the 1980s. In the process, it became a downtown fixture in five Long Island communities and a icon of personalized service.

But now almost 110 years after it was founded, Swezey's cannot withstand the onslaught of national chains, outlet centers and giant discounters on its home turf. So Thursday, the family that has run Swezey's for four generations told its 600 employees the chain will close its doors in November.

"I think the small, family-owned, middle-market department store -- like we are -- is a business model whose time has passed," President William Knapp told Newsday.

The decision came Thursday afternoon during a short and tearful meeting of Swezey's board of directors in the basement of the company's headquarters on Main Street in Patchogue, next to the unoccupied building where the orginal store once stood. Some of the dozen people present, including directors and family members, were visibly upset. "This is the saddest day of my life, and for all of us," said Priscilla Knapp, a granddaughter of founder Arthur M. Swezey and William's mother. "I can't describe how bad it is."

[Jivenwail]

1. What a shame, really

Something similar happened here late last year. There was a family run hardware store in my community that had been there for over 50 years. Old place and absolutely the nicest, sweetest people. While my husband was deployed, I could count on them to help me out with anything around the house. Both my husband and I, as well as most of our neighbors, would go there to buy whatever we needed. But they had to close because they could not compete with Home Depot and Lowe's. It's was so sad to watch them auction off all their inventory and shut their doors. The era of "mom and pop" anything is virtually non existant as the conglomerates take over.

[lanlady]

4. are you referring to Pipkin's store in Virginia?

A local hardware store that disappeared from these parts last year, also due to Home Depotization. Along with Frank's, a family-owned local nursery that was literally bulldozed over by a brand new Super Lowe's.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Porteous, Mitchell and Braun...

...which had been a fixture in small and medium-sized cities in Maine for generations, is closing its last store, in Presque Isle.

Same story, different region.

[DulceDecorum]

3. Ceer up folks

The shareholders are closing down the big chains as we speak.
This too shall pass.
Mom and Pop will be back, just you wait a bit.