Western Outdoor Equipment Co. in the Old Town section of Victorville, Calif., has closed after 85 years in business, reports the Daily Press.
It was founded as Victorville Hardware in 1923 and moved to its current location on Seventh Street, aka Route 66, in 1938. It became a Western Outdoor store in 1950.
This is where the story gets a bit strange:
The reason for the sudden closing remains unclear.
The site is not part of the city’s ongoing efforts to buy up Old Town property for planned renovations, according to city spokeswoman Yvonne Hester.
Phone numbers for the business and former owners have been disconnected. Messages for family members and an e-mail sent to Walls garnered no response. The phone number listed on the building’s “for rent” signs leads to a company based at Ft. Irwin, which knows nothing about the project.