Reina P. Cunningham
Staff Writer
For their approximately 50 years of service, Spider and Sons Glass and Radiator (Spiders) has been chosen as this week’s installment of Surviving the Hard Times.
Spiders was opened by Otto Gambrel.
Gambrels’ nickname was spider because as a kid he loved to play with the eight-legged creatures. The name stuck around into adulthood and Gambrel decided it was a fitting name for his store.
In 1964, Gambrel opened Spider Glass and Radiator at 703 N. 19th Street Almost five decades later, the business still calls this location home.
Spiders has always offered numerous types of glass products and services radiators for Bell and surrounding counties.
The glass business is located in the back of the bottom level of the building with the radiator business being in the front. Upstairs of the business, there are five apartments that Spider rented out.
When Spider decided he wanted to retire in 1997, he offered the business to Debbie Hunley. Hunley had worked sporadically in the office for Spider.
Hunley, an X-ray technician at the time, decided to make a career change and purchased the business in November 1997.
Hunley promised Spider she would not change the name of the business that he had spent 30 years building. Instead she added “and Sons” to the name in honor of her children.
Hunley has expanded the business and now the company installs glass throughout the United States. It is not uncommon for her crew to be out of town, Spiders now has more out of town glass work than local jobs.
The radiator shop continuously stays busy as well. Bell County residents bring their vehicles to Spiders if they believe they have radiator trouble.
It is not rare to see Hunley leave her office to go out front to check a radiator. Although she had no radiator knowledge when she bought the business, she has educated herself on every aspect of the business and is quick to help out when needed.
The upstairs of the business is still apartments that Hunley rents out.
For glass or radiator questions, Hunley can be reached at 606-248-1203.
To nominate a long-standing locally owned business to be featured in Surviving the Hard Times, contact Reina Parker Cunningham at 606-248-1010, ext. 205, rpcunningham@civitasmedia.com.
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