Operating out of a small, cramped addition on the back of the Delmonte Hotel, Evans TV opened for business 30 years ago today. Their inventory was made up exclusively of Zenith and RCA televisions.
Grover Evans and his wife, Nada, the senior partners of the business, and their son, Larry, and his wife, Nancy, started the business under the notion that "they would stay in business as long as they could make a living by staying honest and giving people good service." The elder Evans' son, Stanley, came aboard a year later.
To celebrate their anniversary, the Evanses are featuring 30 hours of 30-percent discounts on special items as a way of thanking their clientele for their years of faithful patronage. The sale began at 9 a.m. Friday and will continue through 3 p.m. today. Those who visit the store during those hours may register for a chance to win a curio cabinet.
On Thursday, prior to the beginning of what they expect to be a busy weekend, the Evanses took time out to reminisce about the past 30 years.
Larry, speaking of the changes that have taken place over three decades of doing business, said, "The greatest changes have been in TV repair. We have gone from vacuum tubes to transistors to integrated circuits to picture tubes to LCD and now LED flat panels."
The senior Evans said, "We like the people. We have always tried, and I think we've been very successful, providing honest values - that and the quality service we've provided over the years has kept our customers coming back. We have done our best to be good to our customers."
Stanley said that working with his dad and brother is like a family reunion every day.
"It's a real challenge trying to determine what the needs of our customers will be in the months ahead when placing orders for stocking the store," Stanley said. "Today's technology plays such an important and decisive part in dealing with customers today. Nowadays, customers have access to the Internet and to real-time information that keeps them well-informed regarding products they want and need. Many of them, through their research, are as knowledgeable about the appliance they are looking for as we are. That is a great advantage for our customers - they know ahead of time what they want and what products best suit their needs. The rapidly changing technology used in today's products makes it very challenging to anticipate what our customers will want and need while at the same time avoiding stocking an inventory of appliances with outdated operating systems that no one wants. It is a challenge to stay ahead of their (the customer's) needs."
Stanley installs and maintains the company's computer network as well as servicing customers' computers that are purchased through the store.
The Evanses said that they have no plans for any major changes in the future.
"We plan to continue doing business as before," they said, "We've been successful in the past doing what we're doing and see no reason to change."
Grover said, "I've always said that if I make it to 30 years I'd quit, but now that that benchmark has been achieved, I plan on staying a while longer. I've enjoyed every year that we've been in business and as long as I stay in good health, I have no plans to retire."
Larry added, "Dad believes himself to be the only 84-year old businessman in Elkins that shows up for work six days a week. I was old enough to retire a year ago but I can't let him outdo me."
Grover said, "I have been trying the last few weeks to see just how true that is. I'm trying to find out if there are others in Elkins my age that put in six days of work each week."
He will be 85 this fall.
Each agreed that there have been some hard times. Speaking for the three, Larry said, "This past winter was the worst. With a weak economy and the worst winter on record for decades, it was a rough one. Business is picking up, however," he said. "We are back to about normal now - about what our business was prior to 2009."
The Evanses offer free delivery in a 20-mile radius of Elkins and service the products they sell.
The location of the business like so many others in Elkins has seen several moves. After only a little over a year of operating at its first location, Grover moved the business to the Maxwell Building on Randolph Avenue. Then in 1984 they expanded their line of products taking on the Whirlpool line of household appliances and had to move again. This time, they relocated to what is now Beander's. In 1998, they settled the business at its current location at 125 Third St., which had been a furniture business owned by Clarence Armstrong. Now the business handles a variety of living room, bedroom and dining room furniture and accessories.
Store hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Saturday's hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The telephone number is 304-636-8950.
