BREWER, Maine (WABI) — As of Tuesday night, a longtime Brewer business owner is officially retired.
Al Elkin ran Perkins Appliance on Center Street for 25 years, but it’s been in his family for generations.
“People are asking me now, ‘Are you ready?’ It’s like, ‘Yeah. I’ve waited three years,” Elkin said.
Tuesday was a long time coming for Elkin, who first walked through these Center Street doors when he was about 5 years old.
After four generations of family ownership, the company that became Perkins Appliance is finally closing.
“I think I liked working on radios. In the early days, people brought radios with them. We were working on televisions back then and that was in the vacuum tube era. I really enjoyed it and am still tinkering with it to this day. Find vintage stuff and work on it,” Elkin said
TV5 asked if he will do the same when he retires.
“Yeah, don’t tell anyone,” Elkin laughed.
Elkin says he was driven by a desire to help people and his quest for answers drove him forward over the years.
“If someone comes in and hasn’t gotten an answer anywhere, this is where they get their answer and they get the help they need and maybe parts or whatever. And you won’t find that anywhere. So it was a real pleasure,” said Elkin.
“He’s the right man. He really was. So if you have a question, that’s the right person to talk to,” said Gary Coleman.
Coleman takes the torch in hand and opens his own electronics and repair shop a few doors down.
Sure, he’ll be able to call Elkin with questions…if he can reach him, that is.
“My plan is I tell people: I don’t have a plan. I have 1,000 hobbies. I have several camps available to me, so I won’t sit down,” Elkin said.
As he rides into the Maine sunset, he has one final message for the community: “Thank you. Thanks to all.”
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