Clovis Mayor Lynne Ashbeck presents a certificate celebrating the 60 years of employment of Bob Park's at Sassano's Mens Wear. Photo by Ben Hensley

An employee at a local western apparel store was honored for a lifetime’s worth of work on Thursday — with no plans of calling it quits any time soon.

Sassano’s Men’s Wear manager Bob Parks, 79, celebrated his 60th anniversary with the company, along with a declaration of “Bob Parks Day” in the City of Clovis by Clovis Mayor Lynne Ashbeck. Representatives of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce were also on hand for the celebration.

Parks started working at Sassano’s in 1963 at age 19 for $1 an hour. He has seen nearly every employee that has come and gone through the years at the sixth-generation, family-owned business that was founded in 1907.

Parks also met his wife, Diane, nearby at a local drug store and coffee shop. Eventually the duo ended up moving three doors away from one another.

Six years later, they were married.

“One of the best things about this community are folks like Bob and his ability to remind us why Clovis is special,” Ashbeck said while presenting Parks with a certificate. “Bob is the best example of what makes Clovis Clovis.”

 

Parks said he was taken aback by the festivities, which included cupcakes, an exterior banner and cutouts of Parks arranged throughout the store.

When asked if he had plans to hang up his boots and hat, Parks said that isn’t an option just yet.

“I’ve got decent health, so I might as well keep on working,” Parks said. “All of the people that have gone through here through the years who have since passed away have said ‘if you can, keep on working; don’t retire.’”

Sassano’s owner Greg Sassano has known Parks since he was a child. Parks has worked under three generations of the Sassano family 

“He was hired on my birthday in 1963,” he said. “I was a little kid running around down here when he was working part time and eventually full time. He’s like family.”

Parks said that through his time at Sassano’s the business landscape has changed, but locally-owned, small businesses will always have a place in the economy.

“Many, many years ago it wasn’t the big box stores that were the economy — it was the little mom-and-pop shops like this one,” he said. “We found a niche in the items that keep us going and I think we’re blessed that Sassano’s can still keep it going.”