@Arthur P. Bloom posted:Try being in retail in New York City (motto "Fugedaboudit!") for 60 years in an industry that attracts, shall we say, the occasional asocial type, and the more than occasional tire-kicker, are you'll get a little prickly, too.
I found them to be patient with little kids, and kind and generous to big people, in my dealings with them over 30 years or so. "They did not suffer fools gladly" as the saying goes and could detect BS from a block away.
Never had a chance to meet them. Actually, I avoided NYC for most of my life.
But from such reports of those who directly encountered Carl and Lou, they seem to me like...kindred kurmudgeons!
My only experience with Madison Hardware was a phone call many moons ago from Michigan in search of a replacement whistle for Dad's 1835E tender. (The original had petrified pestified..zinc pest). I don't know whether I was talking with Carl or Lou. But he said something like 'Yeah, I think I've got one that'll work for you. Hold the phone.' I could hear voices, shouts, phones ringing, boxes being shuffled,...all sorts of noises in the background. After a few minutes he came back on the phone...'Found it. You can have it for $$ plus postage'. Sold. Received. Perfect. Smiles all around.
Hey, after 20+ years of a second career behind the LHS counter (counter intelligence, we called it) I can safely say there were more than a handful of customers who were memorable...challenging...for all the wrong reasons!!
RIP, Carl and Lou.
