Published: June 19, 2009 02:33 pm      

Shean's Hardware is closing shop

After 63 years of being in business, Shean’s Hardware will close its doors the end of July, according to owner Carol Shean.

“There’s just nobody to run it,” Carol said as to why the store would no longer be open.

Owners Paul Shean died in 1997, followed by Ken Shean in 2007, then by Oralee Shean in 2008, she said.

“My son, Kurt, teaches school in Australia, and my son, Kyle is an electrician in San Diego, Calif., and my son, Karl, is in Rochester, N.Y., right now,” Carol said of the Shean family, noting that no one wants to return to Woodward to keep the business open.

According to Karl, Shean’s has been in around since 1946.

“O.A. Black started the business in Arnett,” Carol said. “Then Oralee and Paul Shean took it over from him. In 1956, they moved the hardware store to Seventh and Main in Woodward.

“In 1964, Adams Grocery sold their business at Shean’s current location,” she said, noting, “Shean’s has been at 812 Texas Ave. ever since.”

Ken Shean, Carol’s husband, became the store’s manager in 1974, while Paul and Oralee focused on plumbing and electrical contracting.

Now, after all the history, Shean’s is selling out its inventory.

“I’ve been trying to sell (the store) as a business since August 2008 but haven’t found a buyer,” Carol said.

She encouraged shoppers to visit the store.

A customer, who was purchasing items at the business Wednesday, said Shean’s was the place to go for hardware items.

“When you couldn’t find anything, Ma Shean (Oralee) would go to the back of the store and she’d have it,” the customer said.

Carol said she planned to move to California after closing the business.

“It’s been a staple in the community, Karl said.