Photo by Jim Muchlinski Barb Rye and Dave Fahey have operated Gislason’s Hardware in downtown Minneota since 2001. They sell hardware, farm supplies and gift items.

MINNEOTA — More than a century of family ownership can be found at Gislason’s Hardware in downtown Minneota.

Owners Barb Rye and Dave Fahey offer an extensive selection of hardware and farm supplies, along with gift items. Rye is a fourth generation owner, a tradition that dates back to the days of her great grandfather, W.B. Gislason.

It also includes her grandfather and father, both of whom were named Virgil Gislason. In its early years Gislason’s was an International implement dealership. It transitioned to a combination of farm equipment and hardware.

Rye and Fahey bought the business from her father in 2001. One of their first changes was to discontinue the clothing side of the business and replace it with gifts.

They named the gift shop area The Arched Door. Its entrance features a distinctive archway that faces Minnesota Highway 68. The hardware area has its own entrance.

They said success in the past 25 years has depended on having a combination of excellent service, competitive prices and wide selection.

The selection has been helped by outsourced purchasing of farm supplies. Hardware is supplied through the ACE Hardware chain.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on our service, but we’ve also needed selection and price,” Fahey said. “Our inventory has expanded through a combination of ACE hardware and farm supply outsourcing. The prices have stayed competitive.”

He said items not in stock can be ordered and shipped to the store within a short time period.

Gislason’s gets a wide range of customers. Many of them are involved in farming, construction, carpentry and other similar businesses.

“Most of our regulars are farmers and contractors,” he said. “They don’t have time to go around to different places. They just want to get their materials and get back to work. We’ve formed good friendships with them. They’re loyal to a fault.”

Rye and Fahey said community support makes them want to act as boosters of Minneota.

Over the years Gislason’s has been a consistent supporter of high school sports teams and community service projects. They’ve also contributed to fundraising by nonprofit civic groups such as Minneota’s former Rotary International club.

Rye said personalized service remains important even though technology has opened new avenues for getting information.

“Dave’s expertise is very important with the hardware and farm supplies,” she said. “Customers talk to him about their projects. They know they’ll get good advice.”

She added that they’ve enjoyed seeing the inventory expand to the point of having a store that’s always full and that rarely runs out of a product.

She and Fahey live only four bocks from the store, and are usually open in almost any kind of winter weather. They run the entire operation by themselves, which indicates a trend involving many types of small businesses.

“Gislason’s used to have employees, a bookkeeper and store clerks,” Rye said. “Our strategy now is a sign of the times. Small businesses have limited budgets.”