By Dana Roberts • The Current Contributing Writer
In my household, there is a lot of talk about hardware stores; more than I imagine takes place in other homes. Any time a business leaves a space in our town, or a “Coming Soon” sign appears in the window of a vacant storefront, my husband says an audible prayer that a hardware store might arrive in its place. Hardware stores are his mecca, a soothing space to browse aimlessly or find specific things he needs to fix up the many spots that need repairing in our 1858-built home. When I told him about this piece that I was writing on Marzen Hardware, a family-owned business in Jim Thorpe, his eyes lit up. “Yes!” he said. “That is exactly what every town needs.”
There is definite truth to that statement, because Marzen’s is the only hardware store in the Borough of Jim Thorpe, and is well known (and loved) within the community for the many roles a small-town hardware store plays: providing patrons with needed products and advice, as well as the non-hardware-store related things such a space fills: giving residents a place to connect, chat, and even escape to when they just need to get out of the house and a run to Marzen’s provides a good excuse to do so.
Marzen Hardware has filled this role for 72 years now, since its founding in 1951, when it was bought by Robert, “Bob,” Marzen, Sr. Though the store took on the Marzen name at that time, its roots as a hardware store date back even further. The hardware store itself dates back to 1896, when it originated as Genshart’s Hardware. (Fun fact: there is a functioning lightbulb in the building still today that the Marzens were told was a part of the building’s original structure!) When Genshart’s went up for sale in 1951, Bob Marzen capitalized on the opportunity and bought the store, and he, his wife Connie, and their three children at the time moved into the home right next door, which was attached to the store and original to the building.
Bob had never worked in the store, but his hunch that it was a good investment to jump into was correct. Known as an easygoing, caring, gentle guy, Bob taught himself the tricks of the trade and was a reputable source for the community. He built many of the cabinets and shelves in the store himself, and more importantly built a store that could live on to support his family.
Bob and Connie went on to have three more children once they became the owners of Marzen’s, for a total of 6 children. Bob’s oldest son and namesake, Bob, Jr., and Bob, Sr.’s middle son Joe began helping in the store as young kids. Joe began working there full-time in 1972, after graduating from Marian Catholic High School in 1971. Joe and Bob, Jr. took over the store officially when their father retired in 1990, and fostered the next generation of Marzens entering the line of work.
Marzen Hardware now includes a third generation of relatives on its staff: Eric Marzen, Joe’s son, who began working in the store full-time about nine years ago, though like his dad and uncle, he’d been helping out there since he was a little kid. There are five people on the staff total, four of them being Marzens. Joe and Eric serve in primarily customer-facing roles, while Bob takes on the office work. However, Eric notes that they all do a little bit of everything.
This seems to be Marzen’s overall MO: to offer a little bit of everything. The store itself sells what Eric describes as “small-town houseware stuff,” as well as paint, electrical supplies, and plumbing needs. As one patron describes, it is the kind of place where you can ask for a specific, impossible-to-find bolt, and they have it. Marzen’s is there to serve the community, which is what Eric appreciates about the job. He likes the people he works with and being able to help, learning from both his co-workers and customers, and then being able to share that knowledge with customers.
Joe, when asked about his favorite part of working in the family business, said: “It’s interesting. You meet a lot of interesting people. I’m here to help the people. You have to be dedicated to own a small business because it can be demanding at times; but it’s interesting. It’s an education in itself. You learn about fixing things and doing things. People come in with a problem and you try to fix it. Plus, you learn the psychology of people.”
The younger generations are doing a great job carrying out the vision Bob, Sr. had for Marzen’s. Though Bob, Sr. passed away in 2013, and the home that was attached to the store has been turned into apartments, the essence of Marzen’s remains: it is a neighborhood business, rooted in history and family, and a desire to meet the community’s needs. The next time you find yourself in need of a screw, some paint, or more importantly a great human connection, head to Marzen Hardware.
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