Today's State Journal announced what most of us in the neighborhood have known all week, that Dorn Hardware is closing their Northgate store after 51 years. There have been rumors that a major tenant would be leaving ever since the North Sherman safety project was announced, but the rumors usually identified Frugal Muse rather than Dorn.
I've sort of been expecting a "we told you so" message from the Northside Business Association, but there's been nary a peep all week from anyone, not even on the Northside listserv. Of course, that hasn't stopped the idiots who comment on Madison.com from speculating that the upcoming street reconfiguration has already killed off Dorn Hardware. Has it really?
Tom Dorn, heir to the family business, doesn't seem to think so.
