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Otto's Hardware Being 'Squeezed Out'

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By LOIS KINDLE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

Updated: 11/26/2007 08:13 pm

RIVERVIEW - After 26 years, Otto's Hardware is closing.

"I don't like it," said Jim Searles, a customer for two decades. "It's convenient, the people are friendly and they're all very helpful whenever you have questions. I hate the idea of the big places taking over. I'd rather give my business to the local guys."

Owner Kim Otto said he's not shutting down for a lack of customers.

"The community has been so supportive over all these years," he said. "We really appreciate their loyalty."

Otto attributes increased competition, a slowing economy and a large rent increase as the reasons he's quitting the business.

"As you can imagine, I'm very distraught," he said. "We saw it coming for a long time. What did us in was the super Wal-Mart on Gibsonton Drive, the Lowe's and a triple increase in the rent."

The Brandon resident has been trying to find jobs for his three employees - Jean Campion, who has been with him for 20 years; Thomas Robinson, nine years; and Chris Beall, five.

"I applied to both Lowe's and Home Depot and was told I'm over-qualified," Campion, 57, said. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll just take things one day at a time."

"They're hiring kids who never had to plumb a toilet," Beall said of the big-box stores. "They don't really have a clue about what they're selling."

He and Robinson are going to work for Otto's dad, Guy, 85, who operates a propane gas company called Allgas farther north in Riverview.
Kim Otto will keep his propane pumping station open on the same site as the hardware store, which will close March 1.

"It hurts my heart," Campion said. "This was not just a hardware store. Over the 20 years I've been here, I've seen the ups and downs of the community. It's all very sad."

"The small guys are getting squeezed out," Otto said. "They can only survive in small, rural areas that don't have the big stores."

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553 or lkindle@tampatrib.com.

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