В Мэклине отметили 60-летнюю службу владельца магазина освещения Роджера Вулэвера

On Sunday, Roger Woolaver of McLean will celebrate his 60th year of faithful service at Lamps Unlimited, a long-treasured local lighting store. The store, which once had nine locations around the DMV area, was started in 1957 by Woolaver’s wife’s aunt and uncle. Now, only the McLean store, which Woolaver and his family have owned and managed since 1987, remains. Woolaver, who will celebrate his 81st birthday next month, began working at the Seven Corners branch of Lamps Unlimited in 1966 at age 22. He started working in the stockroom, setting up displays, and handling customer service. He was a fast learner and quickly familiarized himself with the different lighting categories. After a few years, he became the manager of the Seven Corners store and, in 1976, moved on to manage the Rockville location. In 1987, Woolaver was offered ownership of the McLean store. “I jumped at the opportunity,” Woolaver said. “My wife Margie shook with fear, but we soon realized that this was the best thing to ever come to us.” During his first few years at the Seven Corners location, Woolaver closely watched and learned from one of the store’s veteran repairmen named James Williams. Williams taught him the basics of lamp repair, and as time passed, Woolaver continued to teach himself through regular practice. This required patience and a passion for learning, both of which Woolaver possessed. He was never afraid to get his hands dirty or to explore new concepts through trial and error. With continued practice and exploration, Woolaver was able to keep up to date on everything from simple socket replacements to more involved projects, like rewiring chandeliers. The business has undergone many changes since Woolaver began, especially given the internet’s impact on people’s shopping habits. “It has been challenging in recent years,” Woolaver admitted. “Dealing with the internet and its price levels has been hard. But we find that the public still wants quality service. They love individual care, product knowledge, and seeing beautiful things in person. It all comes down to doing what I love: sharing my knowledge, helping however I can, and building connections with customers.” In addition to selling the most modern lighting fixtures, including recessed lighting, which Woolaver cites as his favorite for its versatility, they also hand-craft and repair lamps. He appreciates being able to mend sentimental or valuable pieces for his clientele, allowing them to enjoy them for years to come. He and his staff have also had the unique pleasure of crafting new lamps from unlikely items, including vases, wine bottles, fire extinguishers, and trumpets. Creating lamps out of found objects has been one of Woolaver’s favorite activities. He has enjoyed artfully making unique fixtures, even playfully naming some of his lighting creations “Roget.” He even had one customer who, after discovering that the lamp they purchased was Woolaver’s own creation, asked him to sign the bottom of the piece. Woolaver admits to having personally made many of the lamps and fixtures in his home, as well. It’s rare these days to encounter someone who has held the same job for 60 years, and still loves what they do. “Our joke is, ‘Come in early so you can leave late!’ Sustaining a business like this takes time, patience, honest behavior, and a passion for what you’re doing,” Woolaver explained. Dedication and hard work have clearly fueled Woolaver’s career and the business. “Working with the wonderful community of McLean has been the pleasure of a lifetime,” mused Woolaver. “Watching the styles change has been exciting, and it’s been rewarding to grow up and grow old with many of the manufacturers. Our children and grandchildren spent their childhoods coming here, and sharing this business that we love with our family has been a great joy.”