Jimmy and Hazel Pepe stand in their Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming, video rental store during the final days of liquidating all stock and equipment. The Pepe’s are retiring after being involved with several of their businesses since 1980.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Hazel Pepe places an item on a peg prior to the last few days of liqudation of her store.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Hazel Pepe stands outside the building her and her husband Jimmy have owned since 1983. The Pepes are retiring and are in the process of liquidating all of the building’s contents.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Pepes were always reminded of the grand opening of their businesses on Wyoming Avenue with newspaper clippings in a frame from 1989.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WYOMING — As the saying goes, “Everything must come to an end,” and for Hazel and Jimmy Pepe, after 42 years of being in business, the time has come to close up shop, three in all, and call it a career.
The Wyoming couple had been based at 311-313 Wyoming Ave. since 1980, owning several businesses in one building in what started out as a rent-to-own business agreement with the previous owner of the building. Eventually, in 1983, the Pepes bought the building outright.
The Pepes started off in the garment industry, making clothing in the rear of the building and selling their merchandise in the storefront.
When the garment industry began to disappear locally due to clothing manufacturing being moved to China for cheaper costs, the Pepe’s had to reinvent themselves.
They took the 5,000 square-foot building and divided it up into three businesses; a video rental company, a gift shop and a carpet binding company.
“Jimmy and I did it all and my mother helped as well,” Hazel said on the challenges of operating three businesses at one time. “My mother was always here for us and she would often come down, make us coffee and relax.”
The Pepe’s are probably best known for their video rental store over the decades which all came to an end at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
According to Jimmy, he heard about a video store going out of business in Plymouth and decided to purchase 2,000 movies worth $26,000 in 1989 from the liquidation sale.
“I didn’t know anything about a video store,” Hazel said, with laughter. “I told Jimmy, I don’t know how to ask people for money for a movie, but I learned.”
Hazel said she would miss all the friends she made over the years, which amounts to three generations over time.
A highlight over the years was her association with child actor, the late Skye McCole Bartusiak.
Skye was the daughter of the late Helen McCole, a 1974 graduate of Wyoming Area. The Bartusiaks would frequently visit Greater Pittston to visit family.
The Pepes were friends of Skye’s late grandparents, Walter and Johanna McCole, who introduced Skye to Hazel and Jimmy.
Skye starred in films such as The Patriot (2000), Don’t Say a Word (2001), Love Comes Softly (2003) and did an off Broadway play starring as Helen Keller in the Miracle Worker opposite Hilary Swank as Ann Sullivan.
Hazel proudly displayed photos and memorabilia of Skye as well as her all-time favorite, Elvis Presley.
Skye and Helen would often email, phone and visit the video store to see Hazel and Jimmy over the years when they were in the area.
With all three businesses having a lot of stock and equipment, it was too much for the Pepes to liquidate on their own, so they hired a professional liquidator.
This weekend is the second weekend and last of the sale. Hazel said she was surprised how far people traveled for auctions and estate sales.
“A guy called the estate liquidator from Wisconsin asking where we were,” Hazel said. “The man flew in and bought about $600 in videos. Some ladies even came in from New York on a bus.”
With the combination of COVID and age as deciding factors, the Pepe’s felt it was the right time to liquidate the businesses, sell the building, and enjoy their years together.
“I already miss my all my customers, I miss their faces and I’m still friends with the ones I know,” Hazel admitted. “I met a lot of nice people and some rascals too, but I’ll miss the kids coming in for lollipops off the bus from school.”
Jimmy agreed, “It’s been a good run.”
