FAIRHOPE, Ala.—“Any chance you a got a nut to hold a steering wheel on?” Fairhope resident J.J. McCool asked as he walked into Thomas Home and Auto Store with his son Cody.

It was Dec. 24 and Christmas music was playing in the store that has been open six days a week in downtown Fairhope since 1971. When 5 p.m. came, the store would shut its doors for the last time. On that day, owner Perry Thomas, 69, who said he missed less than 10 days of work during those 37 years, would start his retirement.

“Is it a half-inch fine thread?” Thomas quickly responded.

McCool nodded “yes.”

“OK, I got one,” Thomas said.

The two headed for the hardware supplies area against the wall, passing on their way, tennis rackets, heating elements for stoves, weed whackers, and dozens of lawn mowers lined up in one aisle.

As they held the nuts up to the light and consulted, Coby McCool inspected the rack of “house for sale” signs and a key-making machine.

Thomas rang up the $3.18 sale for the two nuts.

“This is my last day,” he told McCool. “I’m retiring.”

There was a long pause as both McCool and his son looked up at Thomas, who stood there behind the counter next to the store’s original cash register, an archaic-looking machine that chimed loudly when the sale was made.

“You will be missed,” McCool finally said.

Thomas explained he would open again in February for a few days a week to sell off the remaining inventory.

“We shopped here a lot,” McCool said. “This shop has it all. He’s always had everything we ever needed, from BBs to bolts.”

That same kind of conversation occurred several times during that afternoon as old customers came in looking for a lawnmower fan belt or air filters and learning of Thomas’ retirement.

You could tell they had a special affection for the store, the kind of personal feeling and relationship not often associated with many stores these days.

“I opened up in 1971 before there was any shopping area other than in downtown Fairhope,” Thomas said. “There was nothing on Greeno Road. The concept now is that big is better, but that’s not right. Service is better.”

Thomas explained what made his store different and kept customers coming back.

“Every lawnmower we sold we assembled, cranked up and showed you how to use,” he said. “Then we kept it up for you if it ever needed repair and always kept parts for it.”

Thomas grew up less than 300 feet from his business at the corner of Section Street and Morphy Avenue. He learned the kind of business he’s in now at a place where Ace Hardware is now on Fairhope Avenue. Then he made the leap of faith.

“I had always wanted to be in business for myself,” he said. “I’ve been very blessed. There’s not many folks who go to high school, have their own business and stay in business, and raise a family all in the same town.”

When his retirement starts, Thomas will spend more time hunting, restoring old cars and working on his tennis game, where at times he has been ranked No. 1 in the state in his age bracket.

“My advice to young people is don’t just try and take something from your employer,” he said. “Have a good work ethic, be a good worker and be honest, and you’ll get ahead over the long haul. Too many these days think you need success immediately.”

One important part of Thomas’ store, the repair shop, will continue to remain open, but will be run as a new business by Roger Bellings, who has worked for Thomas for the past 25 years.

“I’d like to think we made a pretty good team,” Bellings said. “I appreciate him giving me the opportunity. I hate to see him retire but I love that he will be able to do it.”

Thomas said that after the inventory is sold he thinks someone might have an interest in leasing the building or dividing it into small shops.

“One thing that a lot of people said over the years is that they like the smell of the store,” Thomas said, of that hard-to-describe smell that is both familiar, a little musty, but comforting. “They say it reminds them of their grandfather or a store they used to visit when they were little.”

As one customer left with a fan belt in hand at about 2 pm, he asked Thomas if he would be closing up for the day soon.

“No, I’ll be here until 5,” Thomas said.