A Stratford family will close a local business on Friday after more than 80 years of serving the community.

Clough's Hardware, located on Main Street, has become a staple in Stratford.

"We started in 1933 by my grandfather who was a carpenter and an electrician and couldn't get work during the Depression," says Ron Clough Jr., whose parents own the hardware store. 

Ron Clough Sr. and his wife say they're now closing because they're ready to retire and their son, who works there, says he wants to try something new.

"After 83 years, just a lot of good memories we've had waiting on many generations of people," Clough Jr. says.

Clough Jr. says hardware stores have become a dying breed, and business has slowed down over the years partly because of the competition. They call the closing bittersweet and emotional, and say there's been a parade of people stopping by to say goodbye over the past few days.

The Cloughs say the store is set to close for good Friday at 3 p.m. They say they hope to rent out the property to someone else.