MACON, Ga. — A Macon hardware store over a century old could get a new owner soon — or, the owner says, close for good.
From screws and lightbulbs to dog food and birdhouses, it seems like Karsten and Denson Hardware store has everything.
The store has been around for 105 years, and many people call it a staple of Ingleside Village.
When Karsten and Denson Hardware opened in 1917, it was originally a store for farmers.
As the times changed, they started selling more to homeowners.
After that, it became a hardware store that's said to have something for everyone.
Johnny Davis has been the owner of Karsten and Denson for the past 24 years.
"I just really like helping people," Davis said. "I just feel better at the end of the day."
When it comes to the customers, Davis says he does his best to help serve them.
"We have a pretty wide assortment of things," Davis said. "A lot of people come here for things that you wouldn't necessarily think about in a hardware store. It's still a place where people bump into each other that they know and that's a good thing. I think it builds those bonds of a community large or small."
Glenn Joanis works the floor, helping customers and stocking products.
"I've seen people come through here that I've known from years past, get reacquainted with them, and catch up with them which is always nice," Joanis said.
Joanis says Davis knows where everything is in the store, and he's turned it into a reliable resource for the community.
"People come in here because it's local and because it's a small business," Joanis said. "It's not a national chain where the money goes somewhere else. It stays here and people like that."
Davis's next step is putting the store up for sale. He hopes the buyer will keep it open as a hardware store.
"I would definitely like to see somebody take it and run with it," Davis said. "Somebody with some more years left that can carry on for a while because it's a viable business."
Davis told us he'll wait for a good buyer. He's not in a rush to close, and he says that's strictly a last resort option.
In retirement, he plans to visit family and play with his grandkids.