O’Donnell’s Distributors to close; owners looking forward to retirement
OAKLAND TWP — For over 50 years, O'Donnell's Distributors, 736 Chicora Road, has been offering friendly service and a wide selection of beer products.
According to co-owner Steve O’Donnell, 66, the business is officially closing down, with its last day of operation set for Dec. 28.
The business is owned by Steve and his older brother Dennis O’Donnell, 70.
Steve said the decision is bittersweet, as he and his brother will be retiring.
“This is all positive,” Steve said. “The glass is half full, not empty.”
Steve said he and his brother plan to do some traveling and play some golf with their newly found free time, but not before Steve takes care of something he has been putting off for a while.
“The first thing I’m going to do in January is get my hip replaced,” Steve said with a laugh. “That’s my retirement gift to myself. We have grandkids, so we will spend time with them. We won’t be retired people who don't know what to do.”
Steve said during the business’s heyday it was helping distribute beer products to over 60 taverns and 30 beer distributors across Butler and other surrounding counties.
The distributor was opened in 1967 by their father Harry O’Donnell, who died in 1986. It was situated right next to O’Donnell’s Car Wash, which was opened in 1963 by their other brother, Jay O’Donnell, who died a few years ago.
The car wash was closed over this past summer, after it ran into some trouble with the water system, which proved too costly to repair.
Steve said he and his brother will be signing the papers to complete the sale of the building on Dec. 30, and at this time he does not know what will happen to the building once the sale is complete.
“They are going to lease it or do something,” Steve said. “There's a rumor they might tear it down. We are going to have an auction on Jan. 18 because we have forklifts and stuff to get rid of.”
During his time working with his father, Steve said he learned a lot from him over the years, but there was one thing that stood out to him the most.
“I learned how to treat people from him,” Steve said. “He was a very good people person. He treated everybody how he wanted to be treated.”
