Fastened latest retailer to relocate to village
“We are very proud to be able to bring new business and new life to this downtown Middlefield location and also honor the history of the B & O Railroad that made Middlefield a center of commerce for Geauga County," – Mark Dolezal
For Mark and Patti Dolezal, their business is Middlefield and there was no better place in which to make their first commercial real estate investment than their hometown.
Last Thursday, the couple, owners of MD Realty on West High Street, celebrated the grand opening of Fastenal, the anchor tenant in Station Square, a multi-tenant retail property they bought approximately three years ago.
“We are very proud to be able to bring new business and new life to this downtown Middlefield location and also honor the history of the B & O Railroad that made Middlefield a center of commerce for Geauga County,” Mark said following an Aug. 27 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Fastenal is a national industrial and construction supply company based in Minnesota. It operates 2,700 stores throughout the United States, including stores in nearby Warren, Streetsboro, Mentor and Willoughby.
It mainly specializes in fasteners such as nuts and bolts, but also carries other product lines, including construction, welding and safety supplies.
“We put a local stores in a local area with local representation so we can cater to all the local businesses,” said store manager Tyler Boyle.
“There is a lot of industry here and a lot of ways to help customers out,” he added. “There is a lot of business to be gained here, so we can help them out and they can help us out at the same time by referring us to potential customers. It’s also a nice rural area.”
Boyle said the store’s location in Station Square, just south of the center of Middlefield on South State Street, is great for foot traffic and is highly visible from the intersection.
“Our old location in Newbury, we were kind of tucked away,” he explained.
When the Dolezals bought the former H & H Hardware Building, they renamed it Station Square.
“It’s located in the center of town, across from the old B & O train station,” Mark said. “The history of this corner is that it is the location of Middlefield’s first fire station and when I was a young lad, it was the village hall and the police station. So, it’s been a station many times, so we thought it was appropriate to name it Station Square.”
Since then, they have been refurbishing and subdividing the 19,000-square-foot property into smaller retail shops. Only about 2,000 square feet remains available for lease, with the retail center already home to a barbershop, specialty dental office, North Coast Sales and Maintenance, and now Fastenal.
Dianna Hasket, owner of Designs by Dianna in Newbury Township, designed the Station Square sign.
“We took a photograph of the B&O steam engine that used to come into this town, No. 1948, and we took it to Designs by Dianna, and she did a great job detailing that signs and really capturing the essence of that old steam engine,” Mark said.
“It’s another eye sore that has been cured with a positive,” said Middlefield Village Mayor Ben Garlich, who was on hand for the grand opening along with several council members. “I looked at this empty (building) for years. This is nice and it’s in the right area.”
Garlich, who is site manager at Dillen Products, said his company frequently uses Fastenal products.
“We have a lot of industry here and they service industry,” he said. “They are just a heck of an asset for this village. I think those kind of assets promote future business because you have those assets here.”
He added, “Nothing happens without effort and we’ve had a lot of effort applied in the village, and I think we’ve seen the results.”
