Aberdeen says farewell to a retail institution

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ABERDEEN - Goldberg's Furniture has tried a lot of come-ons to attract customers over the past 75 years, but this is the first time a sign in the store has read, "Going Out of Business Sale."

After three generations, Larry Goldberg and his wife, Jane, say it's time to close the doors.

"I have no specific plans," said Larry, grandson of store co-founder Lou Goldberg. "But there are lots of different, exciting things out there in the world to do."

Goldberg's began selling furniture in the Grays Harbor area in 1926. But Larry and Jane's four adult children have no interest in running the business.

Nearly a century ago, the Goldberg family sold furniture and dry goods in North Dakota. When things got tough in the 1920s, one of the five brothers headed to Seattle. He was soon followed to Washington by his four siblings, including Cy and Lou Goldberg, who settled in Aberdeen.

The five brothers and their father eventually founded stores in Everett, Olympia and Aberdeen.

The Everett store was sold after Larry's great-uncle died in the 1970s. Larry's cousin later sold the Olympia store.

Longtime customers have been stopping by in recent days to share their memories. Among them was a California man on a visit to his childhood home.

"He said when he was a teen-ager, one of his parents was ill and they wanted a Philco radio," said Larry. "They came in the store and they didn't have money. My grandfather let them have the radio for a dollar a week.

"That was 60 years ago. (The man) just wanted to stop and say how much it meant to the family, to say thanks."