NICHES, SERVICE HELP KRAUS PRO HARDWARE PROSPER

Near the heart of downtown Erie, Penn., sits a community institution. Kraus Department Store PRO Hardware fills a 26,000-square-foot brick building on Parade Street that's a vision of Norman Rockwell's America.  It's been family owned since 1886, surviving two World Wars, the Great Depression and 21 U.S. Presidents, from Benjamin Harrison to Barack Obama.

Brothers Joe and Tom Nowosielski are fourth generation owners. A fifth generation is preparing to take over the store in the future. Joe's 22-year-old son, Adam, has been putting in hours in the same location his great-great-great grandfather did in the 19th century.

So how has this store survived 123 years? "Hands down it's service," said Tom Nowosielski one day after closing time. "Someone comes in, we get them what they need and get them out and on with their day."  It has also helped that they have found several quaint niches to complement the fully stocked hardware store. They still sell silk lampshades, unlike the cheap ones found at big box stores. Kraus offers more than 1,000 styles from $10 to $150.

They also carry an array of baby bonnets and Catholic communion dresses, allowing grandmothers to come in with grandchildren and enjoy the same experience they had as young girls.  "Everybody has a kid," Tom explains. "And we've gotten to know a lot of people. Some of this stuff is really hard to find anywhere else. People know it is here."

Add in a nice homewares department filled with solid cast iron pans and tools, like sauerkraut cutters and crocks to pickle the vegetables, and it can be a tourist destination. It's not uncommon to see buses of visitors coming in from neighboring states to pick up lamp shades and bonnets.

The in-store post office helps attract the locals, as does the downtown location, surrounded by about 30,000 potential customers.  Tom's mother still works the postal counter. "I have her down to part time," he said. "She's only here 40 hours per week."  Now the Nowosielskis are finding another niche in a machinery rental service. It started with a jackhammer they found at an auction for $400. In three weeks it paid for itself with $40 daily rentals. They've added to the collection since.  Yet despite all the niches and items, it all comes down to the service.

In this small Eastern Pennsylvania city one store has kept an old-time dedication to customer service, truly making everybody feel like part of the Nowosielski family.