Nebraska Retailer Closes After 72 Years

Scottsbluff, NE, February 6, 2006--Taylor’s Warehouse Carpet Corporation closes its doors, after 72 years in the community, according to the StarHerald. On the second to last day of business at Taylor's Warehouse Carpet Corporation there were seven rolls of carpet left, a few throw rugs and some ceramic tile at half price. Owner Harry Lynn, 84, was getting ready to close the store for good. Taylor's Furniture was established in 1934 by Ernie Taylor. In 1962, Lynn, along with Ralph Kennedy, bought out Taylor as co-owners of the business. They ran it together until 1974, when they split it into separate carpet and furniture businesses. "No fight, no argument," Lynn said. People thought the location of Taylor's, on West 20th Street, would only hurt their business. "But you don't just walk down the sidewalk and say, 'Let's look at tile today.' It's not a dress. It's not sporting goods. People drive here." Lynn came to Scottsbluff in 1955 from Denver. Born in Jersey City, N.J., he started in the carpet business in 1940. He started as an apprentice, working 60 hours a week for $15. The G.I. Bill took him to Denver University where he earned a degree in statistics. Then a job working for a now defunct company that sold Armstrong products brought Harry and his wife, Teresa, to a house on L Street. Lynn said there were 350 traveling salesmen in the Scottsbluff-Gering area in 1955, with five living on his street. "Today that's gone," Lynn said. Scottsbluff and the community have served him well and he worked to maintain his reputation. "I've got to live here. I don't want a guy tapping me on the shoulder and saying, 'That stuff you sold me was junk.' What do I do? Hide under the table? "It's a nice place to raise a family. Scottsbluff's a nice town. Clean. Good education system." His children, Kenneth and Sherri, both graduated from the Scottsbluff public school system and both live in town. Lynn spent a total of 66 years in the floorcovering business. "I'm lucky to have had good health. I like to work. I have never done anything else. I don't like to kill animals. I don't like to like to sit on some bank and throw a hook at some fish swimming by. I enjoy work. "I feel sorry for those people that cross off the days on their calendars until they're 65, retire, then what?" Harry and Teresa just bought a new house and he plans to spend his time working on it. He's ready for the change. "Everything changes. If you don't think things have changed, get a phonebook from 10 years ago. Look at the yellow pages, look at the names that aren't there."