BUSINESS: Service is No. 1 at Bonhams

By Timberly Ferree Bonham's Appliances in Linton has been around for more than 20 years. The business is owned and operated by Gene Bonham -- who at one time owned three of the stores which were located in Sullivan, Bloomfield and Linton. Today the Linton store offers a full range of home appliances, custom ordering, service and re-conditioned appliances. Pictured here are store employees (front) Marilyn Bonham and Carolyn Brown. Marilyn has been the store secretary for the past 20 years and Carolyn Brown has worked in the service and parts department for the past 13 years. [Order this photo]

The business is owned and operated by Gene Bonham -- who at one time owned three of the stores which were located in Sullivan, Bloomfield, and Linton.

"I started in Sullivan in 1985 and I bought the Linton store from Hastings in March of 1988," he said, adding the Bloomfield store was destroyed in a fire in November 1994.

In 2004, he decided to close the Sullivan store and focus his efforts in Linton.

Bonham is grateful for his local customer base that continues to do business at the Linton store.

"We're very fortunate to still have many Bloomfield and Sullivan customers," he said. "The two other stores have allowed us to benefit at the Linton store. That's the reason we're still in business."

His local customers are also very loyal, he added.

"Their loyalty passes along from family to family and because of that as an independent business we are able to stay alive," he said. "Some communities are not like that."

But Bonham also cites local service as a reason for return customers.

"Independent stores can offer service that the big box stores don't have," he explained. "Our service is a plus in a small community."

Bonham's business is mostly in sales and service.

"We do a tremendous amount of service," he noted.

Bonham's Appliances has recently expanded its appliance selection to meet the needs of a variety of customers.

"We started out with new appliances and we found out there's a need for reconditioned appliances," he said, noting reconditioned appliances with a warranty have been available for the past couple of years.

"The idea is that we offer not only new appliances but reconditioned ones to be more versatile," he added.

The Linton store also offers special ordering with a quick delivery.

"We can special order appliances that we don't carry on the floor and get them within a few days," Bonham said.

Bonham's Appliances in Linton is located at 99 S. Main Street. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays.

Bonham is a Jasonville native who resided in Sullivan for more than 30 years. He now lives in Linton.

He's been in retail sales for the majority of his life.

"I started in high school working for a variety store in Jasonville," he explained.

After college he returned to retail and later bought the Sullivan store.

"And here I am today," he added. "I enjoy it."

Bonham has a son Eric, and a daughter, Andrea, as well as three granddaughters.