Ruskell Hardware to close April 30

Published 10:15 am Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Ruskell Hardware owner Chris Ruskell announced the store will close April 30. Ruskell also owns a store in Chatfield, which will close April 23. -- Adam Harringa/adam.harringa@austindailyherald.com

After over four years in Austin, Ruskell Hardware is closing shop.

Chris Ruskell, owner of Ruskell Hardware at 1301 18th Ave. NW in Oak Park Mall, confirmed Monday the store will close April 30. The business opened December 2006.

Ruskell also owns Ruskell Hardware in Chatfield, Minn. Ruskell declined to comment on if that store would close, but an employee there said it will close April 23.

Email newsletter signup

Ruskell said employees were notified, but would not comment on why he was closing or if he would try to sell the business.

Sandy Forstner, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said the business will be missed.

“I’m very sorry to hear (it will close),” Forstner said. “That’s bad news for Austin. It was a nice addition, a nice store with friendly service.”

“I don’t know if the downturn in the economy is part of that,” said Craig Hoium, Austin’s planning and zoning director. “I hate to see the mall lose another tenant.”

But Hoium pointed to Austin’s retail sales increases in 27 of the past 29 months as reason for optimism.

Calls to Oak Park Mall owner M H Graff & Associates Inc. were not returned.