The owners of Heartland Stationers are hanging up their hats after 37 years, as employee Jule Hymers takes over the Main Street business.
Jim Skow and Yung Jin Lee, who transferred the business to Hymers effective Dec. 1, said the store is in good hands.
“We appreciated the support from the community, all the years we’ve been in business,” said Skow. “We hope that our customers will support Jule, the same as they did us.”
Hymers has worked on the store’s sales staff for close to 25 years and said she decided to take the opportunity when Skow and Lee announced their plans to sell the business. Her husband Frank will co-own the business with her, serving as a silent partner.
Skow had worked for the store’s previous owner, Ed DeLoray, who operated it as East Central Business Machines. He took over the business from DeLoray on Dec. 1, 1977.
Lee joined the business shortly afterward, arriving with his family from Seoul, South Korea in January of 1978.
He plans to retire entirely, while Skow said he’ll still be around with a reduced workload, handling offers for business furniture, for the foreseeable future.
The two also own Rainbow Photo Lab, located next door to Heartland Stationers, and are looking for someone to take over that business as well.
Skow said he has appreciated the support of the community in running the business over the years, and is thankful for the friendships they have formed.
In addition to Hymers, the store currently employs Meghan Davies on its full-time staff, as well as part-time bookkeeper Wanda Webster.