A lifetime in small business in southern Ohio

By Charles M. Spaeth Jr.
Guest columnist

For many small businesses, it is challenge to be in business today. At the age of 90, I still operate a small hardware store in the Rocky Fork Lake area.

I started in the printing business after serving two years for our country in the U.S. Army. Upon being released from the service, I joined my father in his printing business, which he operated from the time I was a little boy. 

He had a letterpress, which was printing from type. I bought an offset press and equipment to make the plates for that part of the business. After getting married, I moved the offset printing to my house, which had room for the printing shop. I operated the printing business for eight years.

When I was a young boy, I always thought I would like to own a grocery store. A small grocery came up for sale in Marathon, Ohio. I bought the store. After two years, a grocery store in Lynchburg was for sale. The owner's daughter called me and said her dad wanted to talk to me about buying the store. I met with him, talked with the banker, and purchased the store. I had worked in this store when I was in high school. It was a Kroger store then.

I operated this small store for eight years, increasing sales from $3,500 to $23,000 weekly. Then, we built a 10,000-square-foot store, which we operated for over 10 years. After selling the inventory and equipment, I still owned the building. The hardware store was going to close, so I bought the store and operated it for over 26 years in Lynchburg. I thought, "We can't have a town without a hardware store."

The grocery store had a fire, and that ended the grocery for Lynchburg. The hardware business declined, so I bought the "Big Red Barn" on North Shore Drive at Rocky Fork Lake. We have been here almost 11 years. In the time that I operated the grocery store, I still had the printing equipment and did printing, too. I stopped doing printing when I moved the hardware business to the lake. But I still have all the printing equipment.

One of the biggest challenges for small, independent retail business is the amount of theft. As prices of merchandise increase, there's more theft. Thieves have no respect for anyone or any business that they can steal from.

My father told me when I was a young boy that if you don't do anything good for society, society doesn't need you. I feel I have used these many years and a few words as a positive influence while serving the community.

I also enjoy having the largest, highest-flying American flag at Rocky Fork Lake, above the Red Barn.

Life is to enjoy – and today is the day to enjoy it. Happy Thanksgiving.