Mikush Home Appliance Center, Ambridge's last appliance store

Mikush Home Appliance Center
811 Merchant St.
August 11, 2021
credit: P.J. Shotter

Once, in the 1950s - 1960s, the Mikush Appliance store was one of a number of stores on Ambridge's Merchant St. where a shopper could buy major appliances like washers and dryers, stoves, refrigerators, and dishwashers. Some others were Kubek's, Capital, Timney's, and Kelly & Cohen. Ambridge's Sears also did a big business selling appliances. Plus some furniture stores--including Ambridge, Economy, Modern, Goorin & Harris, and Darcel's--also sold them. 

But starting in the 1950s, all of Ambridge's stores were hit hard by a series of blows: the opening of Northern Lights Shopping Center in Baden; the extension of Ohio River Blvd. from Ambridge's 8th St. to Baden, eliminating the need to drive through downtown Ambridge; and then the biggest blow of all: the collapse of the U.S. steel industry and closing of the area's plants and mills in the 1980s. The growth of big box stores in the area didn't help.

So one by one the places that sold appliances in Ambridge closed, until only one remains: Mikush Appliance. 

I believe that Mikush Appliance is now the second oldest retail store in Ambridge, with only Stangl's Bakery being older. Perhaps their longevity is related to the fact that the two stores have been family owned and operated since the businesses began.

Mikush Appliance's story

Andrew Mikush Sr.
courtesy Bob Mikush

In 1929, a Yugoslavian immigrant with a third-grade education, Andrew G. Mikush Sr. [Andrew Sr. elsewhere in this blog post], began going door-to-door selling merchandise that now seems rather unusual: appliances.

But in the days before many families owned cars, selling appliances door-to-door must have been a savvy business idea for Andrew Sr.'s employer, Milleman's, a long-time Ambridge store that sold pianos and appliances.

Andrew Sr., who had worked as a delivery man for Milleman's, turned out to be a quite successful salesman. According to his grandson, Bob Mikush, people trusted his grandfather to understand their needs, undoubtedly helped by his self-taught ability to speak the languages of many of Ambridge's immigrants including Greek, Italian, Polish, and several other Slavic languages. 

Andrew Sr. had a talent for repairing appliances too and developed a reputation not only as an honest seller, but also a skilled appliance repairman, an important skill during the depression years when many people couldn't afford to buy a new appliance when the one they owned stopped working.

In 1932, with Mr. Milleman's support, Andrew Sr. was able to open a business at 926 Duss Ave. (which many might remember as the location of J. Strock Memorials for many years). There he sold and repaired a variety of new and used appliances and their parts: washers, ironers, stoves, vacuums. And, according to his business card, he also sold radios and pianos.  

Thanks to his impressive success, Andrew Sr. was given the Maytag appliance franchise in Ambridge, making the business one of Maytag's earliest dealers. 

Andrew Mikush Sr.'s business card
926 Duss Ave.
courtesy: Bob Mikush

Andrew Sr. wanted to move his business from Duss Ave, to Merchant St., but despite the Great Depression, Merchant St. was busy, and there wasn't any available space he could lease.

Still, Andrew Sr.'s business didn't remain on Duss Ave. for long. By the late 1930s, Andrew Sr. had moved his business to 601 Melrose Ave., a block east of Merchant. While the primary reason the business thrived was probably Andrew Sr.'s reputation for personal customer service, he also seems to have had a knack for promoting special bonuses for buyers. 

Andrew Mikush
classified ad
Daily Citizen
December 3, 1937

Andrew Mikush Sr.
behind counter of store at
601 Melrose Ave.
courtesy Bob Mikush

Andrew Mikush
"All Makes of Electrical Appliances"
601 Melrose Ave.
ad
"Minstrel Varieties" program
Ushers Club of St. Veronica's Church
April 1949
courtesy Good Samaritan Parish Archives

Although I don't know yet exactly when Mikush Appliances was finally able to move into a store on Merchant St., based on the ads above and below, the move to 818 Merchant St. was apparently sometime between April 1949 and December 1950. (I'll update this article if I find a more exact date.)

Andrew Mikush
Electric Appliances
818 Merchant St.
ad
Holy Trinity Dedication program
December 17, 1950

Andrew Mikush Sr. posing behind business' float
for the Ambridge Golden Jubilee parade
on float, grandchildren Roberta Mikush (now Sciulli)
and Andrew "Whitey" Mikush
in front of 818 Merchant St. store
July 1955
courtesy Borough of Ambridge

Andrew Mikush Sr. in front of Mikush Maytag Appliances
818 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory
1956

Andrew Mikush Appliance ad
Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory
1956

In 1962, Andrew Sr. retired and handed the store over to his son, Andrew R. Mikush Jr.

Andrew Mikush Jr.
ad
Bridger yearbook, 1971

A January 31, 1969, Beaver County Times article about Mikush Appliance's history and award-winning service, mentioned that the business soon would be moving to a larger building, purchased the previous year. The new location, at 811 Merchant St., previously Jay's Floor Covering store, would undergo extensive remodeling before a grand opening. Mikush Appliances has done business there ever since.
 

Mikush family in appliance store
811 Merchant St.
credit: Beaver County Times, March 23, 1997

Caption under photo above:

The Mikush family has been in business in Ambridge since the 1930s. From left are Whitey Mikush, Bob Mikush, Andrew Mikush and Bryan Mikush.

Andrew Jr. retired in 2001. His grandson, Bryan, now owns and operates the business.

Over the years, Mikush Appliances was recognized on several occasions by Maytag for their outstanding sales and service including the Maytag Red Carpet Service Excellence Award and the Outstanding Maytag Dealer Award. Bob Mikush also was invited to speak at the National Home Appliance Center Convention--twice. Even TV's lonely Maytag Repairman visited.
 

The lonely Maytag Repairman (actor Gordon Jump) visits Mikush Appliances
On left: WMBA announcer Dave Justice
On right: Andrew Mikush, Jr. and Al Serak
June 14, 1996
courtesy Bob Mikush

Recently, there's been a twist to the Mikush Appliances story: Despite the signs on the business that still say "Maytag," the store stopped selling Maytag appliances a few years ago. Bob Mikush said that after Maytag was sold to Whirlpool in 2005, the quality of appliances sold under the Maytag name just wasn't up to Mikush Appliances' standards that customers expected. 

Yet, amazingly, despite the competition from today's big box stores and the development of new shopping areas like Cranberry and Robinson Township, the store still sells appliances, although the models on display aren't as numerous as they once were. Most of its business is now in repairs and selling parts. But personal customer service is still its focus.

Some other things that make Mikush Home Appliance Center special:

- The business truly has been a family business for four generations. In addition to the founder Andrew Sr., Mikush family members who have been involved in the business include: Andrew Sr.'s sons, Andrew Jr. and Steve; grandsons Andrew (Whitey) and Bob and granddaughter Roberta; and great-grandson Bryan.

Roberta Mikush Sculli provided this memory:

My mom maintained the flower container outside the store, vacuumed and kept the store clean. When we were located across the street, I remember my grandmother coming to serve lunch. It was a full lunch like they ate in Europe. They ate their main meal at lunch.  My grandfather locked the front door and we all ate together.

- Bob Mikush will repair lamps at the store.

Bob Mikush with lamps needing repair
November 25, 2015
courtesy Ambridge Area Chamber of Commerce

- The store has decades of both Maytag and Ambridge memorabilia on display.

- Bob Mikush is a wonderful source of information about Ambridge's history.

- The business has been a frequent supporter of many Ambridge events, schools, and organizations.