NextBackMidland Handyman had three Hardware Shops.
One in Studley -
Now Tony Balls was the Manager of the Church Green Shop and was becoming disillusioned with his employers and the way they ran their shop. “If only I could find a suitable shop in Redditch, I'd start up on my own”, he said to me one Saturday morning, “I've got lots of ideas and I am sure I could make a real good job of it.”
“What sort of shop are you looking for, and whereabouts in the town,” I asked him.
“Well, Unicorn hill would be ideal but there are never any units available up there,” he said somewhat despondently. “Problem is I'd need a phone as well, and they take ages.”
Well it just so happened that the day before, I had been speaking to a certain Chris Meade from a local firm of Solicitors who had a shop on Unicorn Hill which was now redundant to their requirements. “If only I could find someone willing to take over my shop with it's telephone 66066” he bemoaned at me.
A meeting was arranged for the Monday morning, the deal was struck, and 66066 became one of the most well known of Redditch phone numbers.
Funny enough, the name TONY became one of the most well known Redditch names, renown for good prices and reliable service.
TONY soon outgrew his shop and took over another unit a couple of doors down, specialising in wallpaper, tiles and paint.
Not content, TONY soon acquired the Studley Hardware business which he operated for many years.
Latterly, TONY moved into the old Woolworths building and became probably the best known landmark in Redditch.
A few years ago the Studly branch was closed and in 2012 Tony gave up the Redditch branch due to the economic climate.
