Jim Schaffner, the general manager of LECOM Radio, has purchased the business and is the number's account holder.

Jim Schaffner has plans for one of Erie's most popular phone numbers.

The accountant and general manager of LECOM Radio purchased Erie Time & Temperature on Monday and is the new account holder for its number: 452-6311.

“There were all kinds of reasons I wanted to do this,” Schaffner said. “I remember my parents and grandparents calling this number. It's part of Erie's history.”

Schaffner purchased the business for an undisclosed price from Pat Jones, who resurrected Erie Time & Temperature in 2010 after Verizon had discontinued the service two years earlier.

Other than that two-year interruption, the number has been available since at least 1957, when it was listed in an Erie telephone book as GL2-6311.

“I had a lady tell me that she remembers the number when she was a child in the 1940s but I don't have any proof of that,” Jones said.

Though technology makes it easy for people to find the correct time and temperature within seconds on their smartphone, there is still a demand for a time and temperature number, Schaffner and Jones each said.

The Erie number averaged about 62,000 calls a month in recent years and peaks in April or May with around 75,000 calls.

“Erie seems to go nuts when the time changes,” Jones said. “We get an extra 7,000 to 10,000 calls when we spring forward or fall back.”

Schaffner said he believes he can boost the number of calls to more than 100,000 a month and increase its number of advertisers.

“Though my company owns the business, not LECOM, it would make sense to promote LECOM on the message if I get approval from my bosses there,” Schaffner said. “I think it would be a good fit for LECOM.”

Schaffner wasn't the only person interested in buying Erie Time & Temperature when Jones announced on social media that he was interested in selling it.

Nine different people and organizations contacted Jones, including a man who owns at least 200 other time and temperature businesses around the country.

Jones also had competition when he secured the number from Verizon, he just didn't know it.

“I knew what day the number would be available and I was on the phone with a Verizon representative ... the moment it happened,” Jones said. “I later got calls from Saint Vincent, (the former) HealthSouth and a couple of others. They said, 'You rascal, we were interested in the number but you already grabbed it.'”

Erie's Time & Temperature provides callers with a 1-minute 11-second message that includes a 15-second advertisement, the correct time and temperature and a weather forecast from WJET-TV/WFXP-TV.

“We've had the JET forecast since April 2011 and I hear from lots of people that it's the fastest and easiest way to get the forecast,” Jones said.

Schaffner said he plans to keep the forecast, especially since WJET/WFXP provides the forecasts for LECOM Radio.

The sale also includes the business' website, www.4526311.com, and its Facebook page.

“I haven't decided what changes I will make but I can tell you that this number will never go away,” Schaffner said. “It will outlive us all.”

David Bruce can be reached at 870-1736 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNbruce.