It’s been in operation nearly a century long, and is still going strong.

Charles X. Blocks, at 251 W. Broad St. in Tamaqua, is 95 years old.

To commemorate the watershed occasion, the business will host a customer appreciation evening from 4-9 p.m. today.

Ralph Richards, who along with his wife, Jeanette, owns Charles X. Blocks, said each year on their anniversary they partner with a local business.

This year, Richards said they have partnered with Eight Oaks Distillery, of New Tripoli, which will be on hand during the customer appreciation evening to provide complimentary tastings of their various liquors.

As part of that, Richards said there are various bargains to be had for customers.

“We have such a loyal customer base that we invited those loyal customers to come in and take advantage of our deals,” Richards said. “People who wear suits and who live in that lifestyle, this is a great day for them to come by, but also a great day for any mom or dad who wants to come out Christmas shopping.”

Richards said that today, a $50 gift card will only cost customers $40, while a $100 gift card will only cost them $80.

“We found that a lot of local businesses take advantage of that,” he said. “It’s a time where we usually launch new things.”

An example of that is the store has expanded its women’s area to the point where about one-fifth of the store is dedicated to women, Richards said.

“We are an experience-driven, full service men’s store that is slowly evolving into a gift idea store, not just an event store,” he said. “We are so much more than that now.”

Store manager Rich Gibson has been with the business for over 40 years.

“We’re a part of the community,” Gibson said. “We like to provide personal service that you don’t find anymore.”

Richards echoed Gibson’s thoughts.

“What we specialize in is customer service; we offer a customer experience that is unparalleled by any box store or any store in our area that we are aware of,” he said. “We are blessed to have the greatest employees who provide six-day-a-week phenomenal customer service, and that is truly the key to our success.”