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Orchard Supply Hardware Stores To Close Nationwide By Year's End

LAKEWOOD (CBSLA) — Customers of a popular, nearly 90-year-old chain of hardware stores were devastated at the company's announcement it was closing up shop for good.

"I've never seen a store do that, just close down," said Lindi Yamashita, who found the Lakewood store's doors closed when she went to go buy sand for her zen garden Tuesday night. She won't be very zen now. "I'm going to lose sleep over this," she said.

The Mercury News reported OSH's 4,000 employees learned of the closures Tuesday. All stores will reportedly be shuttered by the end of this year.

A sign at the Lakewood location said the store would be open again Wednesday, but it's little consolation for those who have called OSH their home hardware store for decades.

"I grew up in a time when they were mom and pop stores everywhere, right?" said Ron Rodriguez. "That's the sign of the times."

The company was founded in 1931 in San Jose and grew to 98 stores on the West Coast. The stores were acquired by Lowe's in 2013.

The Mercury News reported more information on the possible reasons for the closures would be made available Wednesday.

Liquidation sales will start Thursday.

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