Fifty years ago, Walt Gnann opened a small TV and appliance repair shop in Springfield. Saturday, customers packed a now vastly larger store to help Gnann and his family mark the golden anniversary of Walt’s TV, Furniture and Appliance.

“When I first opened the store, I was a TV technician, and I repaired TVs and appliances while my wife ran the store,” Gnann said.

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, the store had giveaways on the hour, including Braves’ tickets and store merchandise.

His original location was a 20 by 40 foot store.

“It had been a casket store when I bought it,” he said.

But the house next to it burned one day, and his store also caught fire. After that, Gnann decided to expand his business.

“It made me get bigger, so it was good for me,” he said.

The current store is 8,000 square feet. Over the years, the store has been expanded four times.

“And then I raised my family here,” Gnann said.

His son David runs the store, after Walt retired a few years ago, with his wife Bonny.

“David started working here in grammar school,” Walt Gnann said, pointing to a picture of a younger David at the store.

Next to that picture was a shot of Walt Gnann in prisoner’s garb. It was a get-up for his first sale at the store, back in 1958.

“I put bars in the window and said I couldn’t leave until I sold 15 appliances,” he said
“I was little and skinny back then.”

Staff members wore T-shirts Saturday with the names of all the employees, many of them family members. The store has been a family enterprise since the elder Gnann opened the doors.

“One hundred percent,” he said.

David said he hasn’t changed the way the store has been run from what his father taught him years ago.

“I’m just doing it the same way we did it 30 years ago,” he said, “to be able to see your customers after the sale and not have to run, knowing you sold them what they bought.”

Walt Gnann said the secret to the success has been “loving my customers.” Both Gnanns were overwhelmed by the return of the affection shown by their visitors and customers Saturday afternoon.

“It’s been a great day,” David said. “Good customers, good friends, good people.”

Said Walt: “It fills me up.”

Walt Gnann said leaving a business to a family member isn’t as easy as it seems.

“I read somewhere that less than 10 percent do it, of those who inherit a business survive,” he said.

Yet the store that bears his name continues, even if he had no idea it would still be here when he opened it in 1957.

“Of course not,” he said.

David doesn’t know if there will be 100-year anniversary for Walt’s, but the plans point to keeping it in the family’s hands.

“It will be tough to make another 50,” he said. “I’m hoping the next generation will take over.”