53-year-old hardware store Blossom True Value Hardware in Mountain View, California, will permanently close when its lease expires in summer 2026. The Mountain View Voice reports the store lost roughly half its business since the pandemic subsided, facing intense competition from giants like Home Depot, Lowe's, and Amazon, alongside rising online shopping and tariffs. Blossom True Value Hardware owner Paul Zeitman stated the final blow came from unsustainable tariffs on imported goods and a shrinking customer base. 'Every year is worse than before.

People are buying less and less,' he told the paper. The closure underscores the relentless pressure on independent hardware retailers unable to compete with big-box chains and e-commerce giants.