Posner’s Hardware & Locksmith In Bayside To Close After 79 Years

BAYSIDE, QUEENS -- After being in business for almost 80 years, Posner’s Hardware & Locksmiths in Bayside will be closing its doors for the final time on Nov. 21.

Joe Lamel, who has owned the hardware store at 4728 Bell Boulevard for the past 44 years, said he set his sights on retiring and put the store up for sale a couple years ago. After going through several real estate agents, no one was interested in buying.

The original owner was Ben Posner, who opened the store in 1939, around the corner from where it is now. Lamel, born and raised in Queens, started working part-time for Posner at that location in 1964.

“I was in college and needed some gas money,” he said. After he finished his degree in business at Long Island University, he continued to work there.

Lamel, now 71, bought the store from Posner’s son Morris in 1974.

“Things were much different back then,” he said.

In the 1970s, the store’s big business was in window shades, kitchen appliances and lots of Christmas items during the holidays, “We got out of that years ago,” Lamel noted.

“Today, our biggest thing is locks and keys. It’s what we’re known for.”

About 34 years ago, Lamel said he had the opportunity to move to a bigger location on Bell Boulevard with lower rent and took it.

“The way people shop has changed. It’s hard for brick and mortar store to compete with Amazon,” Lamel said, “You can beat ‘em on service but you can’t compete on price.”

Lamel added that he sees items online for the same price he pays for it.

“The second closest store to me [in Bayside] closed three months ago. Expenses are going up for everybody.

He noted that he just had a conversation with a friend who is a partner in hardware store in a wealthy neighborhood. His friend reported that he would be lucky to be in business for another five years.

After the store closes, Lamel isn’t sure where he’s going next, but that’s okay with him.

“Hopefully, I will walk out of here with my bills paid and a lot of nice goodbyes and memories from customers."

After that, he said, “I’m going to do a little work on the house [he lives in Syosset], sell it and buy a used RV. We’re go back to our hippie roots.”

He has been married to his wife Sherry for the past 47 years, who helps with the bookkeeping at the store. They have two sons and two grandchildren with a third on the way. One of his sons and college-age grandson have been helping him in the store for the past two years.

He said that he and his wife don’t know where they’re going to end up, “Except knowing it’s not here.”

Caption: Photo via Google Maps