January 22, 2026 – Jackson, Wi – After 33 years behind the counter, on the floor, and quietly keeping the gears turning, Barb Fabitz is hanging up her name tag at Tennies Ace Hardware in Jackson, WI, closing a chapter that began with a “temporary” job and turned into a lifetime of service and smiles.
Fabitz started September 8, 1992, at age 39. At the time, she was a stay-at-home mom watching her youngest head to first grade and her oldest looking at high school, with college looming.
A friend of Herb Tennies nudged her to apply. She interviewed with Todd Tennies, got hired, and planned to stay “just a little while.”
Thirty-three years later, the rest is hardware-store history.
“I started as a cashier then worked on the floor, and did merchandising. I call myself the glorified cashier,” she laughed.
Fabitz career mirrors the growth of Tennies itself. She trained at the downtown West Bend store in 1992, learned the ropes on a manual cash register where you actually had to count change, then she worked at the S. Main Street store across from George Webb.
That tiny location, staffed by just Mike, Lisa, and Lenny Van Beek, later moved to a rented space where Pick ’n Save now stands. When Pick ’n Save expanded in 2009, Tennies shifted again and the Jackson store was born, where Fabitz has been ever since.
Through all of it, Fabitz became the go-to at the local hardware store.
“Since I’ve worked here part-time, she’s been a very stable influence,” said coworker John Berst. “Especially for young cashiers and new employees. With her 33 years of experience, she helps people find things on the floor, make suggestions, and understand how everything fits together.”
Berst summed it up. “They don’t make them like her anymore,” he said.
Coworker Wally Heumann said bluntly, “She runs the place. Barb’s been here so long, she knows everything about everything. She’s the go-to person for whatever problem you’re dealing with.”
Fabitz said working retail for a family-owned business made all the difference. “It’s retail, but you make friends,” she said. “The customers have been great. I’ve had people come in and drop off little gifts. That’s hard to leave.”
Her advice for anyone behind the counter is simple and timeless: be personable and patient. “The majority of the Jackson customers are wonderful,” she said. “In a small town, you get a lot of regulars. You have to listen and get to know them.”
She also learned to read the weather like a TV forecaster. “Any time there’s a snowstorm, we get very busy,” Fabitz said. “Our snowplow shovels leave the store, and we sell a lot of ice melt.”
“Barb brought stability,” Todd Tennies said. “She made employees and customers feel comfortable. For 33 years, she was a great addition to our stores. We wish her the very best in retirement and good health.”
As for Fabitz, she’s grateful a stepping stone turned into a destination. “I appreciated that they gave me the opportunity so many years ago,” she said. “I told them it was temporary, but I enjoyed it. That’s why I’m still here.”
