Ben Franklin store will close

WOODLAND PARK • Residents in this mountain town west of Colorado Springs are mourning the impending loss of what has been a treasured place to find the cool and the kitschy, the staples and the sundries, for a quarter of a century.

The state's sole surviving Ben Franklin variety and crafts store will begin liquidating its merchandise today and close in four to six weeks, owner George Drake said Tuesday.

"I hate to see it happen. We're going to miss it. This is an institution," said shopper Dean Tinder, a retired schoolteacher who lives in Green Mountain Falls.

Known for its old-fashioned fiveand-dime atmosphere with employees who are neighbors and friends of customers, Ben Franklin has been a favored destination for fabric and sewing supplies, arts and crafts projects, holiday decorations, toys, greeting cards, candy, books and magazines, household items and a host of other goods.

"It's served us well for many years. I like the convenience and the variety, and I can't believe it won't be here anymore," said Janice Hamlet, a Woodland Park native who's been patronizing Ben Franklin since it opened Aug. 17, 1983.

To build customer loyalty, Drake has responded to what shoppers have said they wanted, such as quilting and sewing classes, which have become popular enough to sustain a monthly club.

"We never really looked at money. We looked at it like if we took care of customers, the money would come," Drake said. "We've tried to be the solution to customers' problems."

But sales have slipped, despite Drake's attempts to develop a strong market niche amid competition that includes a new Wal-Mart. And the sour economy curbed this summer's tourism season, he said.

"It's getting harder and harder to do a good job," Drake said. "Certain segments continue to grow - fabric, stationery, candy, back-to-school items - but not enough to support the size of the store."

Drake said he and his wife, Judy, tried to sell instead of shut down, but their efforts didn't pan out. And the couple's two adult children, who worked at the store while growing up, have other careers.

A year ago, Drake sold the pharmacy portion of his store to the City Market, which is located next-door, and has since worked there as head pharmacist while continuing to oversee Ben Franklin.

There's no word on what might replace the 11,000-square-foot Ben Franklin, which was brand new when the Drakes opened it 25 years ago as independent owners.

Other retailers in the Gold Hill South Shopping Center, which are primarily mom-and-pop stores, hope the space doesn't remain empty.

"They're one of the anchors, and we already have too many holes in the market," said Mark Duvall, owner of the Whole in the Wall Herb Shop. "It'll be a huge letdown - some of the things they carry you can't find anywhere else."

Steve Low, owner of the nearby Aspen Grove Jewelry, said his 17-yearold shop also has seen a drop in business but has decreased inventory and changed some procedures to adapt to a big box competitor.

"I think it's sad in the name of progress other businesses have come into town that have crowded them out and diminished their share of the market to the extent that they can't operate anymore," he said of Ben Franklin. "The Drakes have provided a great convenience with helpful staff, and now that the town's grown up, it's like their services aren't needed anymore."

To Drake, 59, it's an end to something he loved: being a small-business owner.

"I never got up in the morning and said, ‘Aw, Jeez" - not even once - and not many people can say that."

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Contact the writer: 636-0235 or debbie.kelley@gazette.com

STORE HISTORY

Ben Franklin Stores were founded in 1877 and evolved into what is thought to be the nation's first retail franchise chain. Stores were named after Benjamin Franklin, taking a cue in their discount merchandise from Franklin's saying, "A penny saved is a penny earned."

Stores primarily have been owned by independent proprietors, including Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, who got his start in retailing as a Ben Franklin franchisee.

The Ben Franklin corporation went bankrupt in 1997, but Promotions Unlimited stepped in as a supplier and bought the name.

Several hundred Ben Franklin craft and variety stores are still in operation throughout the U.S.