The World's Greatest Vacuum Store?

Ron Wood has been fixing vacuum cleaners at Charlie’s Capital Vacuum on Park Street, Glens Falls, since early in President Ronald Reagan’s first term. The 61-year-old “happily single” Glens Falls resident took time recently to chat about 30 years of vacuums, the ever-changing city and life in general.

Q. When Charlie Fuller hired you, did you ever think you would likely retire here?

A. (Laughs) Actually, I was hired by the guy who bought it from Charlie. He said, ‘Let’s try it out on a part-time basis.’ That was 30 years ago. As new owners came and went, I stayed. I tell people I keep hanging around like the light fixtures.

Q. I’m curious if you remember your starting pay back then?

A. God, it was $2 and something an hour. It wasn’t much. They liked me right away and I went full-time pretty soon after.

Q. How have vacuums changed in 30 years?

A. Back 30 years ago, it was a simple motor, a belt, brush roller and fabric bag. There’s a lot more electronics now.

Q. How have people who visit a vacuum store changed in 30 years?

A. Elderly people who had old vacuums changed the belt once every five to 10 years. Now they have to do it every six months and they wonder why. They also wonder why vacuums don’t last 30 years. Get one from a big box store and you’ll throw it out in a year or less.

Q. You’ve been employed by four different owners over 30 years. Do you come with the place when the business is sold?

A. (Laughs) That’s what I’ve been told. They tell me you buy the store, you get Ron too.

Q. Those new Dyson vacuums look so modern and awesome. Are they as good as they look?

A. No. As a matter of fact, I don’t recommend any bagless unit. Studies show bagless units put out 21 times the emissions, lung-damaging dust particles. And people don’t clean the filters and some have four of them. Sometimes with the labor and the filters it doesn’t pay to fix them.

Q. What vacuum do you own at home?

A. I’m on my second Panasonic, from back when Panasonic made a good vacuum.

Q. You’re a Warrensburg native who worked at Sears in Chicago as a young man before returning north. What was that like for a country kid in the big city?

A. Scary. I didn’t like Chicago at all. I went to DeVry Institute of Technology for one semester. It was the time of the Black Panthers and a lot of gangs. There was a lot of trouble there at that time. I only stayed one semester because I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. to work at Sears and going to class at night. I couldn’t keep up with it.

Q. How is Glens Falls better than it was 30 years ago when you started on Park Street?

A. The downtown economy is better. More small businesses. And although I have mixed feelings about the roundabout, I think the traffic pattern is better too.

Q. How is it worse?

A. Well, it’s a lot more expensive than 30 years ago. Taxes are more, utilities are much more.

Q. As a longtime city resident, what’s the hidden gem business here, aside from Charlie’s, of course.

A. (Laughs) Well, I don’t go out much. Don’t have time. But I’ve gotta say City Park and Crandall Library. I used to like to just walk over to the park at night and sit and talk to people.

Q. You said you were “happily single” when I asked if you were married or had kids. Why happily?

A. I don’t have to answer to anyone. I don’t have to pay child support, or alimony – or anything.

Q. I understand you love antiques. What’s your prized possession?

A. I never got around to fixing it up, but a humongous antique tube radio with a speaker about this big (holds arms out wide). It still works, too. Of course, my house is my prized possession, built in 1839. It’s the original Methodist parsonage.

Q. Funniest question a customer asked you?

A. I had a lady come in with an Oreck saying, “I bought this because it was an eight-pound Oreck,” and she was complaining that it was too heavy. I took a full bag out of it that weighed over 10 pounds. I put a new bag in and she said that was better. I said you do have to change the bag.

Q. What was your best moment ever in the shop?

A. I have a lot of moments where customers are so pleased, especially when I don’t charge them. When they shake your hand and say they’ll be back, knowing they liked the way they were treated.

Q. What’s a guilty pleasure for a guy who fixes vacuums all day?

A. Kick back with a cold beer and leave the day behind me until the next day.

Q. When will you stop fixing vacuums?

A. The only way I’ll retire is either death or if I win the lottery. I like what I do. I like working with people and with vacuums.