Video: Starkville Western Auto to Close

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STARKVILLE, Miss.(WCBI) — After being in Starkville for almost seven decades, the only Western Auto Store there is closing its doors to the public forever.

Since 1937 three families of entrepreneurs have operated the downtown Western Auto Store there.

“I’m not sure who started it, but he ran the store for two years and sold it to a Mr. Cole in 1939. My parents Faye and V.J. Robinson bought it from Mr. Cole in 1965,” said Bill Robinson, Store Owner-Manager.

For 50 years the Robinson family serviced their customers who came to shop or just to say hi to friends. They would buy those traditional small store items for their family.

“Western flyer bicycles, wagons, and trikes. And we sold many many many of them,” said Bill Robinson.

The Robinson’s had been allowed to keep and display the trademark name even though Western Auto was bought out by Sears in 2003.

I’m just retiring, are the words Bill Robinson is telling everyone dropping by his place of business in the final months of operation.

“I will miss my customers, my employees. Starkville has been very good to us. And we’ve had some great customers and some great employees over these last 50 years,” said Bill Robinson.

Robinson’s Western Auto Store is expected to remain open until all merchandise is gone.