It has the look and feel of yesteryear, but to those who frequent the inside the Union Commercial Hardware store at 479 Wood St., there is no other place like it, plain and simple.

Under the watchful eye of its dedicated owner, Andrew Pansa, the family business, originally the brainchild of his grandfather, Italian-born Thomas Pansa, and continued by his son, Andy Pansa Sr., and now Andrew Pansa, hasn’t changed one iota.

With hardware store chains now in full control no matter where you look, it’s nice to see an old-time family-operated business like Union Commercial appeasing the appetites of most people who pass through its hallowed front door. And, with Andy Pansa, now 71, welcoming everyone with open arms and enough hardware store knowledge to fill a library, it’s easy to understand why business continues to flourish.

Local resident John Medeiros, past president of the St. Elizabeth’s Church Santo Cristo Feast Committee, knows full-well how much Andrew Pansa and Union Commercial means to everyone in town, but most importantly, Andrew himself.

“He can’t retire,” Medeiros cried out as he entered his historic store the other day. ”He knows everything about this business. We’ve been coming here for more than 40 years and Andrew is ‘The Man.’”

Former Bristol resident and retired Bristol Superintendent of Schools Ennis Bisbano remembers how cordial and accommodating the Pansa family was over the years.

“I had the pleasure of shopping there many times with Andy’s father and grandfather,” said Bisbano. “They were always courteous and helpful. It was always amazing how they would almost always be able to find whatever I was looking for.”

Historically speaking, Union Commercial Hardware is currently the oldest, continuous family-owned business in Bristol, having begun operation in 1910 in the same exact location.

“We have hardware, housewares, lawn and garden, paints, and we even cut glass,” said Andrew. “We try our best to meet customer demands. I just love helping people any way I can.”

As Pansa pointed out, at one time, there were five hardware stores and two lumber yards in town. “Now, we’re the only independent hardware store in Bristol County.”

Being a one-man operation, Pansa takes everything in stride, even though he admits retail has changed a lot.

“I put in a lot of hours every day,” he said. “I always did everything by myself. And, we’ve had the same customers for years. Everything has been done in the same building here with the same shelving on the same floor.”

“This store was built around 1900,” he continued, “and we’ve been so proud to serve the general public the way we have all these years. I know my own dad and grandfather would have said the same thing.”

As hardware stores go, Union Commercial is the last of a vanishing breed. But as Andrew Pansa emphasized, “I have no intention of retiring. I enjoy what I do here and I know my customers will always keep coming back. It’s been a great way of life.”

Someone who asked not to be unidentified popped in the front door said it best, “If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, you won’t find it anywhere else.”