Senator Sean Ryan Honors Dibble True Value Hardware As July ‘Small Business Of The Month’

BUFFALO – Today, August 5, 2024, New York State Senator Sean Ryan announced that Dibble True Value Hardware has been selected as the 61st Senate District Small Business of the Month for July. Senator Ryan will present the store’s owners with a New York State Senate Empire Award in recognition of their commitment to carrying on the legacy of a West Side cornerstone.

The Dibble name has been synonymous with hardware on West Ferry Street for generations. In 1924, Leroy Melvin Dibble bought a hardware store that had been operating since 1897 and renamed it L.M Dibble Hardware, which later became Dibble True Value Hardware. In the 1980s, the Dibbles built a new building next door to the original store, and in 1988 they moved into the store’s current location. The Dibble family continued to operate the independently owned business until 1993, when Tenso Japadjief bought the family business from his employer. Japadjief originally began working at the store as a teenager in 1971, stocking shelves and repairing windows, and worked there for 22 years before taking over the business. Dibble’s remains a family business, also employing Japadjief’s wife, Jane, and son, Dan.

Dibble True Value Hardware is a true West Side business that prides itself on hiring employees who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. In that same community spirit, the store has sponsored Garden Walk Buffalo for 15 years and partnered with True Value to donate paint to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Buffalo through their annual “Painting a Brighter Future” program.

Senator Ryan will continue to highlight businesses that deserve special recognition for their contributions to the Western New York community throughout 2024. To nominate a business for the August award, individuals should fill out the nomination form here or at ryan.nysenate.gov by Sunday, August 18.

Businesses that will receive special consideration during the selection process include:

• Companies that have created a culture of philanthropy and/or demonstrated exceptional leadership in the community
• Leaders in their industry and/or innovators in their field
• Promoters of economic growth in Western New York
• Family-owned businesses that have successfully passed from one generation to another
• Companies that conduct virtuous ethical practices and/or utilize green practices

To be eligible for the award, a business must be located in the 61st Senate District, which includes parts of the City of Buffalo, as well as the entireties of the City of Tonawanda, the Towns of Amherst, Grand Island, and Tonawanda, and the Villages of Kenmore and Williamsville. To confirm whether a business is located in the 61st District, individuals can visit www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator and enter its address.