Stow's Forrest Vacuum

1644 Norton Road
Stow, Ohio 44224

330-655-2449

How To Find Great Vacuum Cleaner Sales & Service in the Stow, Hudson Cuyahoga Falls and surrounding areas

This article appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Perspective

JOB SATISFACTION

Vacuums old and new
cover a lot of ground

by Richard Weiner
Weiner is a free-lance writer

You can buy a vacuum cleaner at almost any large discount department store. Most of these are constructed of plastic parts, and cost anywhere from $90 to a couple of hundred dollars. But how long will these vacuums last, who can you go to for advice, and who repairs them? There are still a few small specialty vacuum shops left, where you can talk to a trained technician, ask questions, have your vacuum cleaner repaired or purchase a new one. And chances are good that any new vacuum was made in Northeast Ohio.
Q. What's your background?
A. I started repairing vacuums when I was a junior in high school. This store used to be part of a local chain of five Forrest Vacuum stores. I helped open it in 1981, then worked at the North Olmsted store until 1996, when I bought this one and came back here.
Q. So how's business?
A. A lot of our business is in repairs. A lot of places sell vacuums, but very few repair them. I get a lot of business from people who buy the cheap plastic ones in the big stores. Also, we sell a lot of bags for out of date models. Our new vacuum business is pretty good, although it's down a little this year from last year.

 

Interview with Tom Finn, owner of Stow's Forrest Vacuum, on the Stow-Hudson border.
We also sell a few refurbished ones. Like most small businesses, we operate a lot by customer recommendation, but we do advertise a little. Most of our customers come from Hudson and we also have a lot from Kent and Ravenna.
Q. What types of vacuums do you sell new?
A. We specialize in 3 brands that sell from between $200 to $500. They all come with guarantees, and we do all the necessary repair work. We try to sell vacuums with mostly metal parts, especially the fans. But we also don't think you have to spend thousands to get a good vacuum either. The better machines we sell have efficient motors, ball bearings in the motor and more suction power than many other models.