New business owner discovers old signage at former Trader Horn building along Route 422
FRANKLIN TWP — There are still traces of the old Trader Horn store at 990 New Castle Road, but the building’s newest owner was surprised recently when he uncovered what he believes to be traces of the warehouse supply store that preceded Trader Horn.
When fixing up the building to put in a new True Value Hardware store, JR Rumburg, the building’s new owner, discovered old signs that advertised the old hardware store. He estimated on Friday, April 19, that the signs could be from as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.
Rumburg, who bought the building about two years ago, said he plans to keep the signs in the new store in some way, even with his goal of opening his True Value Hardware sometime this summer.
“This is their original store, this is where warehouse sales and Trader Horn started,” Rumburg said. “These will come out. We’re going to take them off and display them in the store.”
Signs saying “electrical and plumbing supplies,” “tackle and sporting goods” and “open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.” are now visible from Route 422 to passersby.
Rumburg said the unveiling of the signs has gained attention from some local people, and even some former employees of Trader Horn.
“I can’t believe how many people stopped to take pictures,” Rumburg said. “People that worked here have stopped by and taken pictures.”
The Trader Horn that once occupied the building opened in 1958, and was the original Trader Horn store. Headquartered in Penn Township, the company, at its height in 2007, had 11 Trader Horn stores and employed about 400 people in locations in Butler, Beaver, Clarion and Armstrong counties.
The building, along Route 422, caught fire in 2014, but it reopened about a week later with minimal damage to its merchandise. The fire started in a front corner of the store about 10 a.m. Oct. 18 and spread up the wall and back to the second floor ceiling and roof. There was some damage to the exterior corner of the store, but there were no injuries.
All Trader Horn stores closed in February 2016, after its owner, Bob Greenberger, decided to focus on health issues and recovery. All but three of the Trader Horn buildings were leasing their properties, including the one on Route 422.
