Business & Merchant
- Last Updated on Thursday, 27 August 2015 22:58
By J.R. Brower
As the co-owner of Crossroads Mower Center in McMurray, Thomas Sapolio, Sr. is very proud of the fact that his business has been around for a long time - 55 years, in fact. He and his son, Thomas, Jr. are partners in one of the area’s most reputable residential/commercial equipment sales and service companies.
Partners Tom Sapolio, Jr. and Tom Sapolio, Sr. stand among an array of new equipment in their recently constructed addition. |
Located at 611 E McMurray Road, across from the Peters Township Municipal Building, Crossroads Mower Center sells and services all types of small and large equipment including riding and walk-behind mowers, chainsaws, trimmers, leaf blowers, snow throwers, snow plows, salt spreaders, generators, tractors and tractor/truck attachments.
“We have something for all seasons, anything to do with lawns and snow removal” said the elder Sapolio. He and his son pride themselves both in their competitive pricing and quality service. The business has eight employees, and all of their four mechanics are factory-trained. Crossroads Mower Center’s motto is “Nothing is sold in a box; we assemble it and deliver it”.
The business began in 1960, when Sapolio bought Vitte’s, a hardware store that sold and serviced mowers at their store at Donaldson’s Crossroads. The original Vitte’s store, with which he was associated, was located in Castle Shannon. Around 1970, the name became Crossroads Mower Center, which was located behind the old Pizza Hut restaurant at the site of the present-day Walgreen’s property.
In 1989, Sapolio moved the business to its current location in “downtown” McMurray. Last year, they built an expansive warehouse-style addition to their building in order to be able to display more makes and models of all the equipment that they sell.
Crossroads Mower Center is an official Briggs and Stratton sales and service location. The other brands that they sell and service include Toro, Echo, Snapper, Shindaiwa, Lawn Boy, Billy Goat as well as Simplicity, Wright and Ferris commercial products, among others.
Sapolio is very proud of his longevity as a successful businessman. “I’m pretty sure that I am the oldest merchant still working continuously in Peters Township,” he said.
“There are people who I serviced 50 years ago whose grandkids come into the store today.”
He is also grateful that his is a family business, which includes a highly experienced and courteous staff. He was quick to mention that none of the big box stores have the variety of equipment that his store has. “And, of course, none of the mass merchants have the service capabilities that we do,” Sapolio said.
Crossroads Mower Center is also a ‘top-rated lawn mower repair shop’ on Angie’s List.
Their phone number is 724-941-6501. Their hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. – p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.