The oldest surviving business in Falls Church, Brown’s Hardware, is selling off the last of its wares as it prepares to close for good after 142 years.
The past few weeks have been busy but somber as patrons shuffle in to say goodbye, owner John Taylor told ARLnow. With about a fifth of all inventory remaining and an across-the-board 50% off sale, the store is on track to close at 100 W. Broad Street by the third week of March.
“They’re very upset about it, and well, you know, there’s not much we can do really at this point,” Taylor said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s going to happen, but everything changes. Nothing you can do about it.”
Taylor said that someone has purchased the property, but he was unable to comment on the buyer’s identity or plans. More information on the sale is not currently available at the Falls Church Assessment Office.
All the way back in 1883, James W. Brown founded the store as J.W. Groceries & Hardware, according to a tourism website for the city of Falls Church. Over the years it passed through three generations of Brown family men.
The key to consistent success was the family’s legacy of customer service and “taking care of the customer individually,” Taylor said.
Taylor began working at Brown’s in 1997 and took over the store for the late Hugh Rose Brown, who died in 2018. While Taylor carried the torch for the small business, the property remained under Brown family ownership.
Taylor has anticipated the store’s sale for many years as property values have risen. Increasing supply chain issues, inflation and competition with vendors like Amazon have also introduced new difficulties for him since the pandemic.
“Mr. Brown told me 20 years ago, he says, ‘you know, at some point the property will be worth more than the business,'” Taylor said.
The entire strip of property at N. Washington Street and W. Broad Street, which includes a total of seven shops, is valued at $1,332,400 this year, a representative at the Falls Church Assessment Office told ARLnow. The land alone is valued at $1,034,700.
Elsewhere on that strip, the storefront of another legacy business, Dominion Camera, remains vacant. The 56-year-old camera shop closed at 112 W. Broad Street in September.
Photo 4 via City of Falls Church
