An enduring staple of the West Portal community, Papenhausen Hardware has announced its impending closure after servicing San Francisco residents for 88 years. The beloved hardware store confronted many challenges, including two major fires, numerous rebuilds, and the economic ripples of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As SFGate reports, co-owner Karl Aguilar, who has been with the store for nearly three decades, cited a 30% drop in foot traffic post-pandemic as a factor in the decision to shutter the business. The pandemic’s first year took a severe toll, and subsequent turbulent times led Aguilar and co-owner Matt Rogers to consider selling; however, the thought did not translate into a viable option. The store began as a community fixture in 1936 and was declared a San Francisco legacy business in 2016, pointing to its long-term significance in the area.
Customers shared their sense of loss over the closure, with one local, Lee Bradley, describing the news as “terrible” due to the store’s convenience and service. Aguilar emphasizes the importance of community support for small businesses in these trying times. “The one thing people should take from this is whether it be a bookstore, or a coffee shop or maybe a fabric store that you love,” he told CBS News San Francisco, “I guarantee you that they’re struggling. If you want to see them there, you can support them and every dollar makes a difference.”
A storewide 20% off sale is underway at Papenhausen, excluding select services, as the staff prepares to say their goodbyes to a community that has relied on their expertise and service for nearly a century. When asked about what’s next, Aguilar admitted to SFGate that the entire team, including himself, is now faced with finding new jobs, focusing so far on keeping the store viable as long as possible. Papenhausen Hardware broke the news of its closure on social media with a heartfelt thank you to its patrons, inviting them for a final visit before it closed for good at the end of December, as per an Instagram post.
As the neighborhood begins to reckon with the loss of a nearly decade-old institution, Rogers, who has been with the company since his days as a young student and later became owner, reflected on the “crushing avalanche” of business in the days following the announcement, according to CBS News San Francisco, marking a bittersweet close to the hardware store’s longstanding history.
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