Since 1947, Canfield Radiator has been a staple in Erie, but by the end of the month, the family-owned business will close, leaving an empty garage but a widespread legacy.

"The cars aren't the same and we're not the same," said Nolan Canfield, who runs the garage with his brothers Scott and Dan.

 He says closing their father's business wasn't easy, but they're all at retirement age, and manual labor gets harder day by day. 

"It's hard," he said. "It was not an easy decision to make. We love what we do. We love helping our customers."

It's those customers, he says, that are the hardest to leave. He's watched them grow up, bring children of their own to the shop, and has even helped grandchildren of lifelong customers and friends. 

"It's really special. To be able to work with the families and have their trust over the years has been very rewarding and very satisfying," Canfield said.

Aside, of course, from the loss of a dedicated radiator repair shop, perhaps the most visible effect of the company's closing will be the loss of Canfield's signature notepads that you'll see in garages all over the region.

"We've seen them hanging in great schools where paragraphs were written and put up for an ice cream social." Canfield said.

For Bob Nolan, those notepads represent much more than a handy place to scribble notes.

He worked at Canfield's for two decades before starting his own shop, and even now he uses lessons learned at 18th and French. 

“The notepads have been around forever," he said. "It's got their name out there all over the place. And they're going to be missed, I'm sure."

But the Canfield brothers say they're at peace with closing. 

After 75 years, it's time for a new chapter in their family's history. 

"I'm a little sad," Nolan said, "but I'm glad we could get to this point and go on with our lives."