GREENFIELD — Wilson’s Department Store will close its doors for good at the end of the day Friday.
Kevin O’Neil, president of the 137-year-old retail store that was once anchor to Greenfield’s downtown, said Thursday that almost all of the store’s merchandise is gone.
After announcing the closing, due to his retirement, in late November, O’Neil began running sales — first 20 percent off all merchandise, and then over the last week, 85 percent off.
There are still store fixtures he wants to sell, but O’Neil and his wife, Elizabeth, will do so during limited hours and by appointment.
“We’ll let people know when we’re available and how to reach us,” he said.
O’Neil said he is “very grateful” for such a wonderful run.
“We appreciate all the customer support we received over the years, and we appreciate our employees,” he said.
O’Neil and his wife plan to travel and spend time with their grandchildren.
“I always had to worry about how I was going to get to my grandchildren’s events,” he said. “I don’t have to do that any longer.”
O’Neil decided to retire so that he didn’t suffer the same fate as his father, who died at the age of 63.
“I started thinking about this when I was in my 30s,” he explained. “I wanted to retire by the time I was 65, and that’s what I’m doing.”
O’Neil first made the announcement about the store closing on Facebook, and shortly after posting, interviewed with the Greenfield Recorder.
He said none of his children wanted to take the reins, so closing felt like the only option.
“It’s difficult to be in retail in the world today,” he said after he made the announcement. “There are a lot of challenges.”
Wilson’s was one of the last independent, family-owned department stores in the country, O’Neil said.
“It was a difficult decision to make,” he reiterated.
At the time he announced the closing, he employed 35 people, a mix of full- and part-time employees. A few were set to retire, but others are looking for different work.
O’Neil, who starting working at Wilson’s in 1981 and rose to the top position in 1990, when his father-in-law retired, said his other concern has been Wilson’s many loyal customers who will have to find somewhere else to shop for high-quality, reasonably priced items.
More than 150 people gathered this week to discuss the expansion of Franklin Community Co-op’s Green Fields Market, which needs more room. One of the options it is currently considering is the basement and first floor of Wilson’s. The co-op is currently in discussions with O’Neil about a potential partnership.
O’Neil confirmed that he is in discussions, but said he’d prefer to let the co-op talk about what it would like at this point in time.
George Toulumtzis, president of the Franklin Community Co-op’s board of directors, which oversees Green Fields Market in Greenfield and McCusker’s Market in Shelburne Falls, said the co-op has been exploring different options for a few years. He said “there is a lot of work to be done.”
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-0261, ext. 269 or afritz@recorder.com.