SPRINGFIELD — After 45 years, a Springfield community staple is closing its doors.
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As previously reported on News Center 7 at 5:30 p.m., Mr. Handy Appliance Parts in Springfield is closing later this month.
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Bonnie Proper, the owner of the appliance store Mr. Handy, says this has not been an easy decision.
“Once we get through all these health issues, it’s time to relax and enjoy, and not have to answer phones,” Proper said.
Mr. Handy Appliance Parts Center is closing its doors for good after serving the area for 45 years. Proper says she started as a worker at the store, and eventually bought the shop.
Now, dealing with health issues, Proper says it’s time to close.
“You don’t realize what you mean to a community until something like this happens,” Proper said.
Forty years ago, Proper says she didn’t understand any of the store lingo or inner workings. But now, people look to her expertise when they need something fixed.
“They were very patient, so I picked it up,” Proper said. “God gave me a brain to hold it, I guess.”
News of the store’s closure is spreading throughout the community, and customers are taking the time to stop by, say goodbye and show support for Proper’s health.
“She’s very knowledgeable,” Rick Smith, a customer, said. “I don’t care what it is, it can be a furnace, washer, dryer.”
Proper says she has already sold the building, and the store’s last day is Feb. 22.
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