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Sad day for HJE

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marak

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
338
Location
Anchorage, Alaska
I’ll truly miss chatting with Steve and hearing his stories. I always looked forward to seeing him whenever I visited family in Kansas City. It was sad to hear the news in my brother’s email this morning. I first went to HJE nearly 40 years ago with my dad. Rest in peace, good man.
 
L

loganb

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Messages
5,515
Location
Omaha, NE
I was able to chat with both of them in Feb when I stopped in...he was working the store, chatting with customers and helping us find new "must haves" and "I wants it" like nothing had changed. He has known this day was coming but seemed determined to continue to spend it as he wished, I hope we are all so fortunate.
 
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SweetD

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
3,264
Location
Rhode Island
A life well-lived, and a great character. Never met Steve but through the YouTube vids, his personality was awesome and I could tell he was an extremely intelligent individual, and thoughtful. RIP
 
S

Squankum

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2011
Messages
7,671
Location
Southeast
jmarkwolf said:
Forgive me. What is HJE?
Click to expand...

Image.png

Harry J. Epstein's is a family-owned hardware store in Kansas City, sneaking up on 100 years in the same building. They have industrial tools, serious tools, American-made hand tools, equipment and gear and all sorts of interesting things bought on the surplus market. Over the years "interesting things" included a WWII hand-cranked lathe used on Liberty Ships, geiger counters, tank periscopes (they still have those.) About two winters back they scored a warehouse full of post-WWII/Korean War era U.S. gov't surplus tools, and recently they've scored a load of modern rulers from a steel rule company in CA. Closeouts, overstocks, blems, and brand new and perfect. You never know what you're going to find by poking around on their website. Last year's Knipex Cobras for a fair price, or East German military test tubes.

Many of us here at GJ are big fans of the HJE. Also, every 4th of July we do a special mass purchase of stuff from HJE and talk about it. Sometimes there are deals, promotions, occasional discounts, special T-shirts, free or not free.

They support American tool makers as best they can.

Here's this year's thread about the upcoming July 4 weekend HJE event:

Harry J. Epstein Day 2025

Hey, it's March already. Wil there be a 2025 Epstein's day? Fireworks, seared flesh, apple pie and tools from an American Small Business. :bounce: On behalf of Fedwrench, @jsackin First of all, how is Steve and can we get an update ? Secondly, Jori is this going this going to happen this...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com
 
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D

dura eagle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2023
Messages
65
I stopped in 2 or 3 year ago and had a nice visit with him. They received I don’t know how many thousands of the last USA production Cresent wrenches before they moved to China. The basement was full of cases of NOS USA wrenches. He told me they cut a fat hog when Diamond sold all of there USA inventory before moving to China.
 
M

Miss the Pontiacs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
16,436
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
I was able to meet the HJE crew when we were going through Missouri. The conversation was interesting, lively and had a good sprinkling of humour.
We probably could have talked longer but I wanted to go through that huge warehouse. I did buy a few items and said that one day I would visit again.
RIP Steve you earned it.

 
R

rust in the eye

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Messages
2,751
Location
Chicagoland
Never met, conversed or had opportunity to do business with the man but see how he was held in high regard by his customers.
Making money in business is great, friends is perhaps better.
I could only hope to leave such a nice legacy.
Condolences to his loved ones, peace to Mr. Sackin and hopes the family business will carry on.
 
J

jeffmoss26

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
12,854
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Spoke to Steve many times. He was a wealth of knowledge. I loved all of the “inside baseball” in the videos with Jori. Sad that I never got to meet him! He truly was a mensch.
 
M

Mr.zippy

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
2,217
Location
Wyoming
My son and I stopped in a few days after the Chiefs won their second Superbowl. Steve came over and visited with us. We talked a bit about the Chiefs win. Steve mentioned his mother was a fan, and watched the game Sunday. Then she passed next day or so. I made an impression on me that Steve was so respectful to his mom. She was quite elderly he mentioned. It's so sad that Steve couldn't lived that long as well. Prayers sent for the family.
 
E

Etchase

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
1,986
Location
Hawaii
Looking forward to reading the second book. I’ll wait until July 4th. Such strength and dignity in that family.
 
L

LB-1911

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Sep 24, 2011
Messages
5,742
Location
Northwestern Il.
Sumboodie said:
HJE is?
Click to expand...
:see: Post #22
Squankum said:
1748665133031.png

Harry J. Epstein's is a family-owned hardware store in Kansas City, sneaking up on 100 years in the same building. They have industrial tools, serious tools, American-made hand tools, equipment and gear and all sorts of interesting things bought on the surplus market. Over the years "interesting things" included a WWII hand-cranked lathe used on Liberty Ships, geiger counters, tank periscopes (they still have those.) About two winters back they scored a warehouse full of post-WWII/Korean War era U.S. gov't surplus tools, and recently they've scored a load of modern rulers from a steel rule company in CA. Closeouts, overstocks, blems, and brand new and perfect. You never know what you're going to find by poking around on their website. Last year's Knipex Cobras for a fair price, or East German military test tubes.

Many of us here at GJ are big fans of the HJE. Also, every 4th of July we do a special mass purchase of stuff from HJE and talk about it. Sometimes there are deals, promotions, occasional discounts, special T-shirts, free or not free.

They support American tool makers as best they can.

Here's this year's thread about the upcoming July 4 weekend HJE event:

Harry J. Epstein Day 2025

Hey, it's March already. Wil there be a 2025 Epstein's day? Fireworks, seared flesh, apple pie and tools from an American Small Business. :bounce: On behalf of Fedwrench, @jsackin First of all, how is Steve and can we get an update ? Secondly, Jori is this going this going to happen this...
www.garagejournal.com www.garagejournal.com
Click to expand...
 
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