Despite economic struggles today and decades ago, one Quad City business has stayed open for 125 years.
125 years is a long time especially for a local business. With so many small businesses having a hard time staying open, Trevor’s True Value Hardware has had no problem.
"It's been good to be able to say that we've been at this in the family for 125 years,” says Butch Trevor, owner of Trevor’s True Value Hardware store.
Butch’s family started the business back in 1917 and in 1967 Butch’s dad took over the business. Today there’s six generations that work there. But how does a business that has been through the great depression and the economic crisis we face now, stay alive?
Butch says it’s because of his family’s morals, “It's only here because the family instilled the same set of values of treating your employees well, treating your customers fairly."
Customers like Dee Hill couldn’t agree more with Butch, "I've always had a good experience; they've always been very helpful when I came here."
Hill has been shopping at the store for more than 50 years.
"I wouldn't know what to do if they left, I would have to find someplace else."
Butch says with today’s people being so technology advanced, businesses have to embrace changes.
"Today with business you not only have to be solving the customer’s problems today but anticipating what's going to be tomorrow,” says Butch.
Butch says he doesn’t plan on closing his doors anytime soon.
"I still enjoy what I’m doing so let’s keep going for 5, 10, 15, 20, who knows how many years."
Besides celebrating today the store held a fundraiser which will go towards the Children’s Therapy Center of the Quad Cities.