One of Austin's best-known family-owned businesses is moving from Austin's east side to the west side of town.

Owners of Bissen TV & Appliance have announced they are moving the business to the Sterling Shopping Center.

"It's a bitter-sweet move for all of us," said one of the owners, Dan Bissen. "We have been at the 10th Street Northeast location for so long and we have enjoyed so many loyal customers here, that it really is bitter-sweet to make such a move."

"But," Bissen added, "we will triple our size in the new location and that means we can offer an expanded line of merchandise and display more products that we were able to do at the old location."

According to Bissen, renovations at the new store location are expected to be completed later this summer and an early August grand opening at the new location is tentatively planned.

Bissen TV & Appliance at 415 10th St. NE has been an Austin business landmark since 1966.

The business was started by George Berg and Ray Bissen, father of Dan Bissen and flourished as the Berg & Bissen TV and Appliance store until 1975. "That's when George Berg chose to embark on another career and my father, Ray, took over the business with his wife, Elaine," said Dan Bissen.

Today, the business is co-owned by Dan and Margo Bissen and Gary and Kathy Grant, continuing the inter-generational mix of owners.

"We have all enjoyed a role in the business. Even my mother, Elaine, was an owner through the years. It's been a family operation forever it seems," said Dan Bissen.

The co-owner said the new location at

Sterling Shopping Center will offer Bissen TV & Appliance shoppers a "nice environment."

The east side business is moving into the old location of Kramer Ace Hardware (Formerly Alger Ace Hardware). The Kramer Ace Hardware business has moved into the former location of Sterling Drug Store, which moved into the new Main Street mini-mall location also at Sterling Shopping Center.

The arrival of Bissen TV & Appliance later this summer signals a continuing enhancement of the west side mini-mall. Coupled with the major renovation and expansion project underway at Sterling State Bank of Austin, it also means every storefront in Sterling Shopping Center will be filled.

Bob Hart, the realtor, who facilitated the leasing of the new store space in the shopping center said Bissen TV & Appliance

will occupy a 9,000 square foot site.

Lee Bonorden can ber reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com