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Giving back to ‘neighbors’

Patzer’s finds a way to give back after staying open during COVID-19 shutdown

Submitted photo Patzer’s Hardware Hank owners Lyle Patzer, left, and Mark Patzer, present a $1,000 check to Marshall Food Shelf coordinator Lori Lerohl.

MARSHALL — On March 16, Gov. Tim Walz ordered the temporary closure of restaurants and bars because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other retail outlets, deemed non-essential, were eventually ordered to close as well.

“As the cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota continue to climb, we must take decisive action to curb the spread of this pandemic and protect the health and safety of Minnesotans,” Walz said when announcing his order. “This is a challenging time for business owners, employees, children and families alike. We must come together as One Minnesota to care for our neighbors and slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Patzer’s Hardware Hank owner Lyle Patzer knows what it means to care for his neighbors. His business was deemed essential and was allowed to stay open. So he decided to give back to his neighbors.

“I almost felt guilty that we’re open. He’s not, he’s not, he’s not. I got revenue coming in. Maybe initially it wasn’t much, but it was something,” Patzer said.

“I really wanted to give some of this back.”

Two weeks ago, Patzer presented a $1,000 check to Marshall Food Shelf coordinator Lori Lerohl as part of a Facebook fundraising match. Patzer said the Food Shelf received $640 from the public and “then we kicked in a thousand.”

“It’s kind of in appreciation and being able to keep our doors open at that time and still have revenue coming in, we felt we needed to share it,” Patzer said. “Because a lot of people weren’t able to stay open.”

Patzer is now glad activity is picking up on Main Street and throughout Marshall.

“It’s nice to see everything open and I hope that nobody was damaged too bad financially anyways up and down Main Street, in Marshall and across America. As we know it’s been tough on a lot of people. We were fortunate to stay open,” he said.

Looking back, Patzer can only compare the COVID-19 pandemic to the 2008 financial crisis. It was difficult to get merchandise back then and during the pandemic shutdown.

“Whether it was freezers or lawnmowers or dryers, everything seems to be a component that’s tied up in manufacturing. This plant is on furlough, or whatever,” Patzer said. “Customers have really been patient with us, trying to get merchandise for their kitchens or whatever. It was a lot of whole kitchens — since we couldn’t go into homes and install them — they patiently waited for this COVID thing to kind of relax a little. So now we are rocking and rolling and getting people taken care of. Some people waited two-plus months for their appliances — very patiently.”

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