Archive: Business & Technology

Bishops Pro-Home Center, a fixture on West State Street for many years, closed its doors on Monday November 23. Jerry Dietz of CSP Management, which manages the building, says that the owner of the hardware store, J. Forrest Putney II, told the owners of the building that he was disappointed to close the store, that he and his staff had “gone to the wall” to save it, but falling sales led to its demise.

The business next door to the Pro-Home Center, Bishops Carpet One, has been under separate ownership since 2003 and remains open. Its owner, Dave Pirko, says his store, which sells all types of flooring and window coverings, is “doing well”.

Even before a ‘For Rent’ sign was hung in the window, Dietz says he had received several inquiries about the space. “I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the number of potential renters that have expressed interest”, he said. The store includes approximately 5000 square feet of retail space and a 2000 sq. ft shipping and receiving area, and has entrances and parking on both State/MLK St and Seneca St.

The space will be available for rent after the contents of the store are sold and removed. A liquidation sale conducted by Reynolds Auction Company of Palmyra is scheduled on site for December 17 and 18 from 12 noon to 8PM. Any remaining contents will be auctioned off on December 19 starting at 10AM.

In recent years the West End area surrounding Bishops has become re-energized. Among the businesses that have opened: Mama Goose, Tuff Soul, Fine Line Bistro, Quilters Corner, Silk Oak and Diane’s Automotive. The Kitchen Theatre is currently renovating its new home down the street at 417 West State/MLK.

“It is sad to see the closing of Ithaca’s last independently-owned general hardware stores,” says Mama Goose owner, Kelly Moreland. “Many of our customers were Bishops customers also, so being next to each other worked out very nicely. On the bright side, I look forward to meeting our new neighbors, whoever they turn out to be.”

Bishops Hardware opened in 1924.  Until 2003, Bishops was owned by Stan Goldberg. In August of that year, the business was divided into two parts. The flooring and window covering portion, Bishops Carpet One, was sold to Dave Pirko. In April 2004, the hardware portion, Bishops Pro-Home Center, was sold to J. Forrest Putney II. Both Putney and Pirko had been employees of Goldberg.

Until late 2007, the Pro-Home Center occupied 12,000 square feet on the first floor of the building, but with sales falling, Putney agreed to consolidate his business into 7000 square feet, and turn over the west end of the building to the children’s clothing and gear shop, Mama Goose. Mama Goose, which had outgrown its 850 sq. ft. store on Seneca Street, renovated the southwest façade of the State Street building and opened there in June 2008.

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