As the "Tyra Banks Show" played in the background, customers asked the owner questions about washing machine parts, in which he gladly obliged.
This year the Best Brands Plus store on South Main celebrates its 60th year being open. Owner Cliff McNair remembers the business's history.
Bill Ragan opened the business in 1948 in Skidmore as Ragan's Radios. It moved to Maryville in 1949, McNair said. Ragan sold the business to Ron Goff in the early '60s.
Ragan started off selling General Electric radios, but when it moved to Maryville, Ragan began selling GE appliances and televisions, McNair said.
"Our business started off with GE, and it has stayed true to the brand until we started selling Lucky Goldstar electronics," McNair said.
McNair bought the business in 1985.
"I worked at the store for nine years. I really enjoyed working with people, and I liked the business," McNair said. "I was also making good income while going to school."
Goff sold the store because he made a promise that when his bookkeeper retired, he would retire also, McNair said.
"He (Goff) asked me if I wanted to buy the store," McNair said. "It was either I buy the store and have a job or not have a job."
Business has not always been easy for McNair.
"For these years, there were rough stretches," McNair said. "The years during the Carter administration were the roughest. The last year was pretty tough too due to rising fuel prices."
When McNair first took over the business, it was downtown.
"There were other businesses like JC Penney male and female clothing stores, pharmacies, candy stores and greeting card stores," McNair said. "We could walk down the street and get some shoes and some candy if we had a sweet tooth."
Best Brands Plus has been at its current location since 2000, McNair said. Before, it was in five different locations around Maryville.
"The reason we moved locations is because of insufficient parking and no room to expand," McNair said.
Cathy McCrary has been the bookkeeper for the business since January 1986. She remembers not wanting to be the bookkeeper.
"I looked at it as just a job opportunity, and I was in need of a job," McCrary said. "Now I really like it. I have no problems at all."
Throughout the years, McCrary remembers the best moments of the business.
"The thing I've enjoyed the most was meeting all of the kids who were going through college," McCrary said. "It is one of the most rewarding things about working here."
In 1985, prices of electronics were outrageous, McNair said.
"A HiFi stereo VCR was $900 in 1985," McNair said. "TV prices were the same as they are today, but people don't realize that a 25-inch color television was $1,500, but now you can get a 42-inch high definition for that price now. The quality of TVs have increased over the years, not the price."
Around the time VCRs came out, one could buy a good car for the same price, McNair said.
To help celebrate the milestone, McNair is having drawings and giving away prizes throughout the year.
McNair is also publicizing more because he wants students to know there is a Radio Shack affiliate in town.
"We support the University, and we support the students," McNair said. "Occasionally, we have students come in and say 'I didn't know there was a Radio Shack in town.' So we are advertising more."
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