After 75 years, Babylon hardware store closes

After 75 years, the Babylon Paint and Hardware has closed its doors.

On Saturday, the message on the Babylon Village staple on Deer Park Avenue changed from, “Hello, please leave a message after the tone,” to "You have reached the old number for Babylon Paint and Hardware, which is officially out of business."

The front window reads “Store for rent.”

Keith Dahmen, owner of Gino's Pizza a few doors down, said the operation went out of business on Nov. 20.

"It was the economy," Dahmen said, adding that the local business community was aware that it was going to close.

Another sign in the store window reads, "Coming in January, Babylon Auctions," which Dahmen said will have  "once-every-couple-of-weeks" events in which items like antiques, furniture and jewelry will be sold.

According to hardware store's website, the business was opened in 1935 by Ben Aripotch and was run by his family until 1999, when it was purchased by the current owner, Bob Norman.

A phone call to the store was not immediately returned. 

With T.C McCarthy 

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