Don and Glenda Edwards

LIVE OAK — The end of an era came last month when Certified Plumbing and Electrical Supply Co. was sold.

“I hate to even say we sold out,” Don Edwards said about the deal that he and his wife Glenda made with Winsupply. “I would rather say we merged our business into this other huge business.”

Don started Certified Plumbing and Electrical Supply as a side business to their C&E Food Store in 1976.

Don said he ended up putting more and more money into the business and moved it to its own building in 1978.

Shortly after, he built his own building to house the store at 1725 Voyles Street.

Don said the business was hard when he first started.

He gave himself a paycheck of $25 a week just to say he was getting something.

“There wasn’t nothing else to do but keep on going,” Don said. “I wouldn’t let it beat me.”

Early on the business would be short on money in the bank but he would have customers pay for items in advance, which gave him the money to actually buy the item.

He has since opened two more locations. The Lake City store opened in 1991 and the East Point store opened in 2003.

Many of Don’s employees have been with him for 20 to 30 years and they were taken into consideration when deciding to sell.

Winsupply Inc. is a leading supplier of residential and commercial construction and industrial supplies and equipment headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The privately-held company has nearly 590 wholesaling locations in 45 states.

Under the Winsupply business model, employees can invest in substantial ownership of their location with Winsupply Inc. as majority owner.

“I knew they had the financial ability and experience to help our employees keep the business going if they had trouble but I don’t foresee them having trouble,” Don said.

Don is still checking in on his employees since the sale became finalized but said he and his wife look forward to taking vacations.