Aug 5, 2016 3 min read

Rose and Jim Bayne were serving customers for 40 years. Then a few months ago, a woman walked in and served the owners of Bedillion’s New & Used Furniture some nourishing food for thought.

“She said her husband had died and left a lot of farming equipment,” Rose recounted. “She said it was a job to liquidate. Jimmy starting thinking that if something happened to him, this (store) would be too much for me to tackle.

“We’re in our 70s and decided it’s time to retire.”

So they did, and retired their Canton Township business as well.

Bedillion’s, a family operation for 50 years, closed June 30 following its last transaction. Remaining inventory, including display items hanging from the ceiling – a store trademark – will be available at an auction beginning at 9 a.m. today. Randy Shook and Steve Yilit will run the event at the store, 840 Race St.

Shuttering the place where they worked for four decades, and lived for 23 years, was a bittersweet decision for the Baynes.

“It’s even hard to talk about now,” Rose said, her voice wavering over the phone. “My kids grew up here. Our youngest was in kindergarten when we started in 1976, and we now have four grandchildren. All of the kids loved the store. It was like the best playground ever.”

Jim’s uncle, George Bedillion, launched the furniture store in 1966 at that location. He did so after closing his longtime livelihood, Bedillion Auto Wrecking, in the same area, a few blocks off Jefferson Avenue near the Washington line.

George was in charge for 10 years before turning the store over to the Baynes. Jim and Rose built a large apartment upstairs and moved in with their young family.

“My biggest problem getting to work was getting down the stairs,” Rose said, chuckling. “There were so many of them. I did trip a couple of times.”

Overhead, from a retail context, usually relates to the cost of being in business. That had a dual meaning at Bedillion’s.

While dining at a Cracker Barrel in the South years ago, the Baynes noted the kitschy and not-so-kitschy items affixed from above, a common practice at the restaurant chain. They decided to do the same.

“My husband had so much memorabilia,” Rose said. “He had all this stuff hanging.”

Now all remaining items – hanging or sitting – are for sale. New bunk beds, washers, dryers, china closets, dolls, antique refrigerators, a wooden washing machine and an old Maytag wringer-washer are among the merchandise up for auction.

Bedillion’s is still in the Baynes’ name, but the couple has a buyer. Rose said Brookman Iron & Metals, adjacent to the furniture store, plans to buy their property, and the closing is scheduled for later this month.

“They’ve been good neighbors for years,” she said, adding that the scrap metal recycler hasn’t decided what it will do with the property.

Though they are retiring from furniture, the Baynes aren’t actually retiring. They are operating a storage business in South Franklin Township. And, again, it is part of their home.

“We just don’t have to put in the hours we did at the store,” Rose said.