Toss aside any notions of failing mom-and-pop businesses before entering 4215 Bay-to-Bay Blvd. The independent Bay to Bay Hardware store has, through six decades, survived economic downturns and increased competition, including the invasion of big-box home improvement centers.
Under the same ownership for 38 years, the business dates to the early baby boomer era. And while billing itself as an "olde time hardware store," the business has evolved to survive.
"There's a big difference between a hardware store and a home improvement center," manager Mike Pisarski is quick to point out. The Home Depot and Lowe's, "They're geared more toward replacement of large items," such as cabinets, Pisarski said.
"The contractor is their bread and butter. My average customer is a homeowner or service professional," be it a plumber or an electrician, said Pisarski.
Inventory of the store includes items not easily found elsewhere, such as porcelain lamp sockets and cages that capture nuisance animals.
Realtor Steve Beachy stopped at Bay to Bay one recent afternoon for a hard-to-find electrical switch for a 1950s-era multifamily dwelling. In short order he held one in his hand and was ready to check out.
"It's a great place, and I figured if anybody would have it, they would," the South Tampa resident said.
The business, founded in 1947 as Thomas Hardware, was bought by the current owner, South Tampa native Eric Jacobson, in 1972.
George Wilkens
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