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Auction 380: A bid for community
MURRYSVILLE, Pennsylvania — W hen Jim Beacom started his auction house in 1964 in an old red barn located on rolling farmland here in Westmoreland County, he had no idea it would end up becoming what it is today.
“We called it Auction 380 because we did auctions on State Route 380,” he says, shrugging matter-of-factly. “No use not to keep it simple.”
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In the 1980s, Route 380 became a four-lane highway, traditionally a development that bypasses small businesses and causes them to close. But when the state re-did the steep hillside for the road, it created an opportunity in the form of a lot more flat land for the business.
A modest retail store was built. The auctions stopped, but the name stuck. “No need to confuse the customers,” Beacom deadpans, sitting on one of the hundreds of sofas located inside his store, which today boasts 30,000 square feet of everything you might need from cradle to grave and then some. “You have to be willing to take risks sometimes. That is how great communities are created.”
Auction 380 is hard to define for anyone who hasn’t seen it. If the name is deceiving, so is the appearance. From the outside, it is difficult to imagine what you are going to experience once you walk inside. In the spring and summer, there are seemingly hundreds, if not thousands, of plants and flowers overflowing into the parking lot. In the fall, pumpkins and mums vie for center stage. At Christmas, the trees and wreaths take over.
There is also a solid stock of golf carts, gardening equipment, landscaping equipment, sheds, and wooden outhouses with quarter moons carved into the front door.
Walk inside, and one room leads to another and to another. There are fresh vegetables, fruits, canned goods of every possible variety and some you would never think of needing. There is a massive automotive section. If you can’t find the car part you were looking for, then it probably doesn’t exist.
There is a huge room full of toys and the best selection of children’s books I’ve ever seen. The furniture rooms are filled with pieces made by local Amish artisans who can custom-build any kind of bed, dresser, table, or chair and have it delivered next weekend.
Everything at Auction 380 is deeply discounted. Every person who works there is incredibly friendly and helpful. One reason is that many of those who work there are members of the Beacom family, like Matt Beacom, Jim’s grandson, who was helping someone have a sofa delivered to their home.
“Mostly, all of our employees have been here years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years — they are like family to us but also to our customers,” said the younger Beacom. “They know them by name the moment they walk in the door, and that is a big part of the appeal of our store.”
Walking into Auction 380 is like walking into the ideal American general store of the past. You are greeted at the front door by the woman running the register. The aisles are organized in spite of the amount they pack into each section. You can feel the care that goes into stacking each department, giving the customer a wave of nostalgia for the way things used to be when store owners were deeply connected to their customers.
Except the Beacoms remain deeply connected. They all live within miles of the business, including one son who lives on the hillside above it. In many ways, they share the same experiences and roots that their customers do. It shows in every interaction and purchase.
“We keep the prices down — which has been a struggle in the past year — by keeping our overhead down, and we just don’t mark up,” Matt said of their abundant stock.
“It is a small business inside a big building — well, a bunch of big buildings,” says Gayle Talmadge, who was shopping with her husband Ed in the household cleaning section.
“We come here at least twice a week, you really never know what you are going to find each time you come here,” said Talmadge, who has been shopping here for decades. “That is kind of the beauty and adventure of it.”
Outside, the parking lot is packed with vehicles. Some have seen better days, and others are new, just pulled off of a luxury car lot. Auction 380 is an oasis in an era of soaring costs and short stock. No matter their income, people seek out stores like Beacom’s that understand their needs and are mindful of their pocketbooks.
The elder Beacom is not wrong to explain that he chose the location because it “seemed like a nice little hill to do some business on.” His little red barn, where he ran his auctions, is still tucked away in the corner of the property — a reminder that we all come from somewhere, from a decision to take a risk and do something different. If we treat people right along the way, it might just work out.
380 Auction continues to rely on low prices, good quality, variety of goods — and family touch
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Jim Beacom III believes the secret to retail success is to keep prices low and customer service high.
The third-generation businessman said such has been the credo of the family business, 380 Auction Discount Warehouse, along Fairview Drive in Murrysville.
“You keep the prices as low as you can (and) you work hard,” said Beacom, 44, of Frazer. “At the end of the day, you let the chips fall where they lie. Always be on the right side of God. Lay your head down at night knowing you did right by your fellow man and you have no worries in life. Everything else just falls into place.”
Founded as an auction business in 1965 by Jim Beacom Sr., it transitioned into a retail facility in the 1970s and grew exponentially.
“It’s a destination now,” said Beacom. “You never know what you’ll find here. We try to offer everything under the sun. Everything is at a discounted price.”
The business is now run by Beacom, his father, and other family members, many of which are from the Tarentum area.
“You can trust one another,” Beacom said about working with relatives. “We know what’s going on. We have a lot of family members, a lot of people that work out of here and draw from this place.
“Everyone does their fair share of what they have to do. Everybody brings something to the table, which is very good and helps out in many ways.”
380 Auction Discount Warehouse
Plenty blooming at 380 Auction Discount Warehouse
The most popular products this time of year are plants. The warehouse carries everything from perennials, annuals, hanging baskets, palm trees, various fruits, vegetables and flowers.
It has a variety of planters and all the necessities for gorgeous landscaping or to grow a sustainable garden. Fresh-cut Christmas trees are available in the winter.
“We try to get a wide variety of stuff in here,” Beacom said. “Everyone’s trying to beautify their homes. I think with the rising costs of everything people are doing staycations. They are staying home and spending the money at their own homes instead of going to someplace else to enjoy the time. We’re growing in the plant business more and more every year.”
Most of the produce comes in from local farms when it is in season.
“We try to offer as much local items as we possibly can (including) fresh sweet corn in the fall,” Beacom said. “We try to bring in from local guys only, but it’s so hard to find anybody local growing anything anymore especially in our climate.”
People also can find name-brand furniture, kitchen tools, paints, hardware, pool supplies, home goods, automotive supplies, pet foods and toys, sports merchandise, seasonal décor and more across a 30,000-square-foot retail space.
380 Auction Discount Warehouse
Everything for your home at 380 Auction Discount Warehouse
A kettle corn vendor sporadically sets up shop and provides a delicious snack.
Beacom said they been able to minimize the impact of inflation by dealing in volume, having less overhead than big-box stores, having a great staff and supporting supply connections made over the decades.
“We’ve had a very good reputation,” he said. “When we take something we pay for something. We don’t live on credit. It is how we’ve worked it all the time, and we take in volume as best we can.
“We have really great employees — can’t say enough about them. Any business out there that doesn’t treat their employees right won’t survive this. We’re fortunate.”
Between 20 to 25 people are working on a given day to make sure customers get exactly what they need.
Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, closed Mondays.
More information about the business, its products, weekly ads and daily specials is available online at shop380.com.