During the 22 years Julie and Bob Fatherley have lived in Westport, they’ve become big fans of a nearby store.
Jim and A.J. Izzo run Crossroads Ace Hardware — “a fantastic local business,” she says.
Their customer service is “incredible,” Julie adds. “Their great assistant, Joe Italiano, has even made house calls to some of my friends.”
Recently, Joe assembled a tool kit for the Fatherley’s young grandson, Gordon. The 2 1/2-year-old loves to hammer nails into wood with Bob.
The other day, 3 generations of Fatherley males headed over to Crossroads. The boy brought along freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
It was a typical Saturday: busy as heck. Everyone had a question, request or command of the staff.
Nonetheless, Joe took Gordon on a tour of all the wonders to be found in a hardware store.
“This is what community is all about,” Julie says.
It is indeed. A tiny gesture — but one that resonates with an entire family.
And one that helps make a young boy understand what the world — and, just as importantly, the people in one small community — are all about.
The BEST!
Love this write up, we will have to bring our son to the store and daughter.
It’s always fun to see the gang at Crossroads and they always have what I need and sometimes what I don’t know I need.
The guys at ACE are the best!!! The Fatherly’s are pretty special and hoe nice it is for Bob to encourage his grandson’s use of tools as opposed to some video game…even if Gordon is only a 2.5 year old.
Dan – thanks for your post – we’re very fortunate to be able to share the tradition of quality (and local) customer service with our children – Christopher (Gordon’s dad)
Thanks, Dan Woog, for understanding the value of this story. Our kids are
the hope for the future and Gordon is Ace’s youngest customer. Joe
Italiano got a chocolate chip cookie as a “thank you” for the time and effort
he took to put together Gordon’s first set of tools. Further, this is a well-deserved recognition of Ace Hardware’s exceptional attention to and care
of its customers. We need to encourage and patronize local, small family-
owned businesses in Westport which are sadly declining. Small businesses
are, in many ways, the backbone of America. Bob and Julie Fatherley,
Gordon’s grandparents.