The Scarlet & Black

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The Scarlet & Black

The Scarlet & Black

Best Vacuum Store offers vacuums, repairs, but no robots

You might not know it, but there’s a new store in town. It’s called Best Vacuum Store & More—located at 817 4th Ave.—and is owned by veteran vacuum sellers Dean and Denise Stucky.

“Grinnell is a hub of this area,” said Dean Stucky.

This is why he chose to open his second vacuum store here—he and his wife own another in Marshalltown, which they purchased eight years ago. And despite hard economic times, which Stucky admits have impacted his sales, vacuums, he says, can be a constant source of income, because they require upkeep and repairs. “Every house has a vacuum,” he said. 

Best Vacuum opened on Nov. 1, just in time for the holiday buying season. Though vacuums are, surprisingly, often given as gifts, Stucky still expects most of his business to come from repairs.

“If you buy a good vacuum, it will last a long time, requiring some repairs,” he said. Best Vacuum sells many brand-name vacuums—the Dysons are especially attractive, according to Stucky—but also does extensive repair work.

“We had two repairs come in today,” Stucky noted. 

Stucky also said that customers have told him that Grinnell was long in need of a vacuum store—a surprising fact, considering the longevity of vacuums.

Stucky even related an anecdote illustrating the resilience of vacuums. “My grandmother bought an Electrolux vacuum. When she went to the nursing home, my mom got it. When she went to the nursing home, my sister got it.”

One thing you won’t find at Best Vacuum? Those little robot vacuums that scurry around the room without human aid.
Stucky explained that these machines are not really vacuums—that is, they don’t suction up dirt but just sweep it into a small interior compartment. For this reason, they are not as effective as traditional vacuum cleaners. They are, however, great for hardwood floors. “But there’s no suction,” Stucky said. 

Stucky is still waiting for business to get rolling, but he is confident that his store will build a strong customer base. Nevertheless, he’s unsure as to whether the college will contribute to this.

“The college will probably offer us the opportunity to sell bags and do repairs,” he said.

With vacuums starting at $50 and up, Stucky doesn’t expect college students to buy top of the line products. But vacuums may improve the college experience more than one might expect—financially speaking, that is.

When Stucky’s son was in college he took after his father and vacuumed his floormates’ rooms for a dollar.

“He always had some money,” Stucky said. 

So if you’re in need of vacuum supplies or repairs—or if you’re just feeling adventurous—visit Best Vacuum Store.  

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    AdamNov 19, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    A vacuum store (not a big box type store) is the only kind of store where you can really get good vacuum advice. If you really want to find the best vacuum cleaner, you have to ask those kind of experts.

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