Pay 'n Pak Ceramic Ornament
Round / One size
$15.99
Sale price
$15.99
Regular price
Skip to product information
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Celebrate a memorable piece of regional retail history with this Pay 'n Pak ceramic ornament. Founded in 1962 by Stan Thurman, the Kent-based home improvement chain grew into a 112-store Western business by 1987. Its original flagship mall was unusual for its time, arranging electrical, plumbing, and lumber departments as separate stores and adding a coffee shop. A meaningful keepsake for former shoppers and collectors of Pacific Northwest businesses, honoring a company whose story began in Washington and reached across the West.
Pay 'n Pak was a home improvement chain based in Kent, Washington. Stan Thurman, an electrical and plumbing supply retailer from Longview, Washington, established the business in 1962. In 1969, Pay 'n Pak merged with Eagle Electric & Plumbing, a company led by Thurman's protégé David Heerensperger, and went public. Thurman was voted out that year, and Heerensperger became chairman, serving until 1989. The chain's original Kent flagship, Pay 'n Pak Mall, arranged its hardware departments as separate electrical, plumbing, and lumber stores and included a coffee shop. A larger store was built beside the mall by the 1980s, and the mall was sold. In 1987, the company faced a hostile corporate raid attempt; in 1988, it went private for $226 million. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991 and liquidated its remaining stores in 1992. Thurman Industries bought four former locations in Butte and Billings, Montana, and Moses Lake and Wenatchee, Washington, operating them as Thurman Pay 'N Pak home centers. Ernst took over the Kent store and distribution center. Thurman Industries liquidated and closed its four stores in March 2003. Heerensperger left in 1989 to form Eagle Hardware & Garden.
Pay 'n Pak Ceramic Ornament
$15.99
Sale price
$15.99
Regular price
Celebrate a memorable piece of regional retail history with this Pay 'n Pak ceramic ornament. Founded in 1962 by Stan Thurman, the Kent-based home improvement chain grew into a 112-store Western business by 1987. Its original flagship mall was unusual for its time, arranging electrical, plumbing, and lumber departments as separate stores and adding a coffee shop. A meaningful keepsake for former shoppers and collectors of Pacific Northwest businesses, honoring a company whose story began in Washington and reached across the West.
Pay 'n Pak was a home improvement chain based in Kent, Washington. Stan Thurman, an electrical and plumbing supply retailer from Longview, Washington, established the business in 1962. In 1969, Pay 'n Pak merged with Eagle Electric & Plumbing, a company led by Thurman's protégé David Heerensperger, and went public. Thurman was voted out that year, and Heerensperger became chairman, serving until 1989. The chain's original Kent flagship, Pay 'n Pak Mall, arranged its hardware departments as separate electrical, plumbing, and lumber stores and included a coffee shop. A larger store was built beside the mall by the 1980s, and the mall was sold. In 1987, the company faced a hostile corporate raid attempt; in 1988, it went private for $226 million. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991 and liquidated its remaining stores in 1992. Thurman Industries bought four former locations in Butte and Billings, Montana, and Moses Lake and Wenatchee, Washington, operating them as Thurman Pay 'N Pak home centers. Ernst took over the Kent store and distribution center. Thurman Industries liquidated and closed its four stores in March 2003. Heerensperger left in 1989 to form Eagle Hardware & Garden.
| Heart | Round | |
| Diameter, in | 3.21 | 2.80 |
Product features
- 100% white ceramic construction — strong and durable
- Double-sided print with matte finish option
- Golden hanging string included
- UV-decorated for lasting color
- Available in white or gold gift packaging (single ornament per pack)
Care instructions
- Use a microfiber cloth to gently remove any dust or dirt build-up. Avoid harsh chemicals or cleaners. Instead, dampen a cotton wool swab in warm water (just a few drops per liter of water) and gently roll the swab over the ornament and refrain from scrubbing