Long's Outpost Celebrates 35 Years of Service in the Community

This past weekend, Long's Outpost marked a milestone, celebrating its 35th anniversary with two days of festivities that included giveaways, product demonstrations, and food for customers.

The hardware store, which has been a staple in the community since its founding in 1989, remains family-owned and operated, with deep roots in Martinsburg and New Paris.

Melody (Long) Robinson, who helps to run the business alongside her uncle, Mike Snyder, reflects on how far they've come.

"The community has been great over the 35 years," she said. "We've got everything - hand tools, power tools, electrical, plumbing, welding, trailer supplies, sporting goods, archery, fishing, gardening and landscaping materials-everything you'd expect from a one-stop shop."

Robinson and Snyder both agreed that the variety, along with the commitment to serving both professional contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners, has been the secret to their success.

"It doesn't matter if you're a contractor or a do-it-yourself homeowner," Robinson said. "We see our usual customers who come in regularly, and it's always nice to meet new faces, especially during the summer months when we get folks from the Raystown area, and even from Maryland and Virginia."

A Family Legacy

Long's Outpost wasn't born from a traditional retail concept. Robinson's parents, Terry and Beth Long, owned an excavating company when they realized there was a demand for a local hardware store. So, in November 1989, they opened the doors of Long's Outpost with a single building, about 3,000 square feet in size.

"I always remember Dad saying it was the working man's store," Robinson said.

The store steadily grew as the community responded to the need for locally sourced supplies.

"Next thing you know, we were adding on to the original building," she said.

The business has faced its share of challenges over the years. Robinson's mother, Beth, passed away from cancer in 1992, just three years after the store opened. Yet, the family persevered, with Snyder stepping in to help run the business.

"I was always close to Beth and Terry," Snyder recalled. "When Beth passed away, I left my job building power lines and started working at Long's on weekends to help out. Terry was ready to sell the business, but I decided to stay on, and I've been here ever since."

Growth and Expansion

In 2007, Long's Outpost expanded to a second location in New Paris. While the New Paris store is smaller, Robinson says it offers many of the same products as the Martinsburg location.

"New Paris is a little bit smaller, but it's basically the same concept," she said. "We're always evolving to meet the needs of the community."

Snyder agreed with the sentiment, noting that while the business has seen steady growth, there's always room for improvement.

"We've had steady growth over the past 35 years," Snyder said. "We're always trying to evolve to keep up with new trends, what people want to buy, and what will sell. The comments we get from customers are that if Long's Outpost doesn't have it, then you probably don't need it."

That reputation for having what people need has even reached beyond the local area. During storm season, Long's Outpost has shipped generators to states as far away as New York and Florida.

"They'll call us when their local stores are wiped out," Snyder said. "We've had people say, 'We need a store like this in our town.'"

A Pandemic Boost

Like many businesses, Long's Outpost faced challenges during the pandemic. While they were fortunate to be designated an essential business and remained open, supply chain issues and rising prices made it difficult to keep the shelves stocked.

"We were hit with everything-supply chain issues, price increases, keeping inventory up," Robinson said. "Just about everything was affected, and we're still getting orders from years ago that are only now showing up."

Despite the struggles, the pandemic brought a surprising boost in business. With people staying home and tackling home improvement projects, Long's Outpost saw a surge in customers.

"We had a tremendous year during the pandemic," Robinson said. "Everyone was at home working on their projects, so we stayed busy."

Looking Ahead

For the anniversary celebration, Long's Outpost made sure to give back to the community that has supported them over the decades. On Friday and Saturday, the first 50 customers received swag bags, and there were special promotions across all departments. Product demos and sampling sessions were held, and customers enjoyed cookies and milk in the morning, followed by hot dogs later in the day.

As they look to the future, both Robinson and Snyder hope to continue expanding the business, but they acknowledge the challenges of finding employees.

"We're very fortunate to have the employees we have, but we're always looking for new help to expand," Snyder said. "Not everyone is cut out for this kind of work, but some people really excel at it."

He cited Traci Williams , a longtime employee who started as a cashier in 2007 and has since risen to the role of general manager.

"She's really excelled and accepted more responsibilities," Snyder said. "She loves the business as much as we do, and that's what it takes."

As Long's Outpost moves forward, the focus remains on serving the community-farmers, Mennonites, contractors, and homeowners alike.

"We've been here for 35 years because of the community," Robinson said. "We're thankful for the support we've received, and we'll keep working to provide what people need."

For Robinson and Snyder, Long's Outpost is more than a business-it's a service to the community, one they hope will continue for generations to come.