BUFFALO, N.Y. — After 127 years in business, the owner of a Buffalo furniture store has said it is time for retirement.
F. Scherer and Sons Furniture on Genesee Street is closing but not before a final sale, as they attempt to sell out all 24,000 square feet.
Over the past 46 years, owner Jim Scherer.
"I've only missed six Saturdays since 1977," he said.
Has been the man, handling all the ups and downs, at his family's fifth-generation business.
"We've always been famous for using real wood," Scherer said while touring one of their three floors.
The Scherer name has existed in downtown Buffalo since 1897 when Jim's great-grandfather opened up shop across the street, right where the Catholic Health building now sits.
They moved to 104 Genesee in the 1930s.
"The building was built back in 1883 for a company called Hartmeyer Furniture, then it was J.G. Seegar Furniture... the building has been nothing but a furniture store, " Scherer said.
Closing he said is bittersweet.
"Business has been pretty good but my kids aren't real interested in carrying on the future of it. They all have their own career fields, so it just made sense to retire," said Scherer.
Their iconic neon and porcelain sign isn't alone anymore as customers new and old come in to reminisce and purchase.
Paul Walkowski and his wife from Hamburg came Monday to look at a new rug.
"My parents came here in 1941 to buy a refrigerator because World War II started and Pearl Harbor," Walkowski said.
That was back when Scherer's still sold appliances.
Furniture has been their focus since Jim Scherer took over and they still have a lot of it to get rid of from beds and bars to coaches and chairs.
Scherer told 2 On Your Side that while the building built in the 1880s is a beautiful piece of history it is another factor in closing.
"Yeah some people say it's haunted," Scherer said.
"We've maintained it pretty well but it needs a lot of TLC now and furniture isn't quite lucrative enough to get the building back to the shape that it's gotta be."
Scherer said the building has a buyer but he couldn't say exactly what will come next.
His focus has been on the love and letters that he and his family have received in recent weeks.
"I've had to get off the sales floor because I got so emotional because I just couldn't cope. We've made a lot of good friends over the years it's been awesome," he said.
Memories that can't be sold and appreciation that's lasted five lifetimes.