Aubuchon-Laconia closes

fatlazyless · 01-04-2010, 09:10 PM

The 125 store chain of Aubuchon hardware stores has just turned out the lights and pulled the plug on their key duplicating machine at their eleven year old Laconia store. With stores spread across NH, Vt, MA, and NY, and over one hundred years experience in the hardware biz, their management team must know very well when it's best to close up a store and call it quits. For most Aubuchon's, it's much more likely to be a small town anchor, and a go-to spot for whatever hardware one needs.

Oh well, not every store can be a winner. Aubuchon's hung in there for eleven years before deciding to close up. No doubt competition from the nearby Home Depot, Lowe's, Gilford & Tilton Wal-Marts and the very popular owner-operator Moe's Service Star Hardware all contributed to its' demise. Could be that the Aubuchon did not have too good visibility from passing traffic being set back from Court St?

It joins another fine, nearby and long time neighborhood store into the Laconia graveyard of dead businesses, Walter's Market, which closed in September 2009, and was in business since the 1930's. Toss in NOK-Freudenberg-Laconia, the New Hampshire State Prison-Laconia, and Molex Manufactoring, and it all adds up to a school of dead business with plenty of terminated employees.

Seems like the Moultonborough and Meredith Aubuchon's do very well. One thing I noticed in Laconia is that the City of Laconia appears to buy everything it needs from Moe's Service Star, while the Towns of Meredith and Moultonborough go to the Aubuchon's within their town, so could be that makes a big differance. Hardware stores really need to have regular business customers that keep coming back, again and again.

About ten years ago, the Aubuchon bought out the inventory of Lucky Lennie's Tru Value and was selling it all off flea market style. Wonder if the Laconia Aubuchon inventory will wind up in Meredith and Moultonborough at 90% off-price?

"We'll fix you right up............at 90% off.........ho-ho-ho!"

Pineedles · 01-04-2010, 09:20 PM

How does this bode for Heath's in Centre Harbor, if "Moultonborough Aubuchon's do very well"? I use both stores. Paint, lumber, fishing supplies, misc. household needs, Heath's. Sledge hammer and axe supplies, screws and nails, gardening, electronics, Aubuchon. Any insight FLL?

fatlazyless · 01-04-2010, 09:33 PM

I definately do my part to support the Heath Hardware. Last week I bought two 5/16" galvanized carraige screws to do some repair work on the dock, and a few months back it was a gallon of Ben Moore alkyd opaque stain, reduced from about $30 down to five bucks. Just wish the hardware store had freebie cups of coffee just like the super-market. For free coffee, I take my business up the hill to Heath's Super-Duper!

And, ya know, Lowe's has freebie coffee that's not too bad.

magicrobotmonkey · 01-04-2010, 11:30 PM

Yea that was a shocker saturday afternoon when I pulled in to abuchon to get some paint stripping supplies. It was awfully nice to have a hardware store that close to home and work. It seemed like there were usually a few people in there whenever I went in, too.

Oh well, now it looks like I'm gonna have to make the drive out to lakeport when I need to pick something up, instead of a walk down the street. Course I guess I could walk down the new WOW trail most of the way. Once the snow melts.

corollaman · 01-05-2010, 12:27 AM

Why would a store owner just up and leave like this? I didn't hear nothing on the radio or in the papers, or anything. I didn't know about it till I saw it on here. The big box stores around here are killing the small guys.

SAMIAM · 01-05-2010, 09:59 AM

I can't believe that Lowes in Gilford is operating in the black. Every time I go in, there are more employees than customers.....huge debt service and overhead on a building that size. Bet they're wishing they had never built there......Home Depot was smart enough to back out from building next door.

BroadHopper · 01-05-2010, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

I can't believe that Lowes in Gilford is operating in the black.Every time I go in,there are more employees than customers.....huge debt service and overhead on a building that size.Bet they're wishing they had never built there......Home Depot was smart enough to back out from building next door.

If you read Lowes last quarterly statement, Sales are down 40% from their all time high. They have expanded into the Canadian and Mexican market to boost sales. They are into agreement to expand into Australia. Looks like companies need to go Global to stay alive. US is no longer the market it use to be.

40% sounds about right. 40% of the population have lost their jobs in the past 2 years. Many are 'underemployed' and making much less money.

VitaBene · 01-05-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

How does this bode for Heath's in Centre Harbor, if "Moultonborough Aubuchon's do very well"? I use both stores. Paint, lumber, fishing supplies, misc. household needs, Heath's. Sledge hammer and axe supplies, screws and nails, gardening, electronics, Aubuchon. Any insight FLL?

Pin- The Heath's is actually a True Value Hardware Store. The Aubuchon is up 25 across from Murphy's and Mboro Neck Road. They both seem to be doing fine.

These types of full service hardware stores always seem to take a hit for a while when a big box opens near them, but after a few months customers seem to come flocking back. If the business was shaky to start, the opening of a HD or Lowes will likely be a killer, as was the case here it seems.

jmen24 · 01-05-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corollaman

Why would a store owner just up and leave like this? I didn't hear nothing on the radio or in the papers, or anything. I didn't know about it till I saw it on here. The big box stores around here are killing the small guys.

Aubuchon is as much a local company as Market Basket is. They are both out of state based multi store chains. They are not individually owned and operated. Closing a store in a chain like this comes from a calculated viewpoint with the overall bottom line firmly in the sites. It has nothing to do with someone wanting out.

Vita, When you talk about a local store that is affiliated with True Value or Ace, those are independents that have bought into the national chain for advertising and name power, but are still operated by the local guys. These are the types of stores that require the locals to keep afloat. I think you are seeing the proximity of major national chains being the saving grace for these two stores in M'boro, who is going to drive 45 min to lowes when you have these two stores right in town or the next town over. Laconia was very close to Lowes and that probably did not help.

A hardware store is only as good as the people that work there, if you cannot feel like a welcome guest with welcome questions than you are not going to go into that store when you can go a little down street and get the same service with cheaper prices at Lowes. I have not been in that store in quite some time, so I am not saying that is the case, but it is a typical situation when the big box stores move in.

sa meredith · 01-05-2010, 12:34 PM

Is this the store located next to DairyQueen and Friendly's on Paugus Bay????

fatlazyless · 01-05-2010, 12:48 PM

No, Aubuchon's was located on Court Sr, just beyond the now closed Walter's Market.

The hardware store near the DQ and on Paugus Bay is Moe's Service Star Hardware, aka "Moe's", home of the world's best plumbing dept.

AC2717 · 01-06-2010, 09:49 PM

The one on Paugus Bay is Trustworthy, they are great!!!

But more importantly, what is Charlie Moore Going to do????

dpg · 01-07-2010, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AC2717

The one on Paugus Bay is Trustworthy, they are great!!!

But more importantly, what is Charlie Moore Going to do????

I'm sure Charles will survive, no worries.

CrawfordCentury · 01-07-2010, 12:25 PM

Interesting. And at the same time, there are three hardware stores in Alton all within a mile of eachother - and about a 25 minute drive to the Rochester HD. Don't know how they all pull it off.

angela4design · 01-07-2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Aubuchon's was located on Court Sr, just beyond the now closed Walter's Market

Not to mention that Walter's Market also closed! I wonder if they impacted one another's business?

fatlazyless · 01-07-2010, 02:06 PM

...ya know, the nice thing about Aubies was they let you have all the nails you could eat.....ya know, the nice thing about Walter's was that their old fashioned donuts were so old you could use them for #80 sandpaper....and for about one month last spring I got all inspired by putting about a tablespoon of paint thinner into my cup of coffee.....it made me a more intelligent painter while climbing ladders

!

upthesaukee · 01-07-2010, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

Interesting. And at the same time, there are three hardware stores in Alton all within a mile of eachother - and about a 25 minute drive to the Rochester HD. Don't know how they all pull it off.

Alton residents and, probably more importantly, the Alton business people, especially contractors, are pretty loyal to the three hardware businesses in town. One big reason: these local stores work with the contractors and the contractors support them. I know at least one store will allow a "day tab" to be run so that repeated trips to the store can be consolidated into one bill. Try doing that with a big box store. They will try to tie you into a credit line, which can take a while to get processed. The local store knows their customers, and will get them in and out so they can finish their job, knowing these customers will not stiff the store. Like doing business on a handshake, something you don't see anymore.

tis · 01-08-2010, 08:45 AM

It is interesting that since HD went in next to Brocks' in Rochester, it actually increased Brocks' business.

01-04-2010, 09:10 PM	#1
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,859 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,040 Times in 759 Posts	Aubuchon-Laconia closes The 125 store chain of Aubuchon hardware stores has just turned out the lights and pulled the plug on their key duplicating machine at their eleven year old Laconia store. With stores spread across NH, Vt, MA, and NY, and over one hundred years experience in the hardware biz, their management team must know very well when it's best to close up a store and call it quits. For most Aubuchon's, it's much more likely to be a small town anchor, and a go-to spot for whatever hardware one needs. Oh well, not every store can be a winner. Aubuchon's hung in there for eleven years before deciding to close up. No doubt competition from the nearby Home Depot, Lowe's, Gilford & Tilton Wal-Marts and the very popular owner-operator Moe's Service Star Hardware all contributed to its' demise. Could be that the Aubuchon did not have too good visibility from passing traffic being set back from Court St? It joins another fine, nearby and long time neighborhood store into the Laconia graveyard of dead businesses, Walter's Market, which closed in September 2009, and was in business since the 1930's. Toss in NOK-Freudenberg-Laconia, the New Hampshire State Prison-Laconia, and Molex Manufactoring, and it all adds up to a school of dead business with plenty of terminated employees. Seems like the Moultonborough and Meredith Aubuchon's do very well. One thing I noticed in Laconia is that the City of Laconia appears to buy everything it needs from Moe's Service Star, while the Towns of Meredith and Moultonborough go to the Aubuchon's within their town, so could be that makes a big differance. Hardware stores really need to have regular business customers that keep coming back, again and again. About ten years ago, the Aubuchon bought out the inventory of Lucky Lennie's Tru Value and was selling it all off flea market style. Wonder if the Laconia Aubuchon inventory will wind up in Meredith and Moultonborough at 90% off-price? "We'll fix you right up............at 90% off.........ho-ho-ho!"

01-05-2010, 12:34 PM	#10
sa meredith Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 986 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 352 Times in 137 Posts	location Is this the store located next to DairyQueen and Friendly's on Paugus Bay????

01-06-2010, 09:49 PM	#12
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,585 Thanks: 756 Thanked 356 Times in 268 Posts	The one on Paugus Bay is Trustworthy, they are great!!! But more importantly, what is Charlie Moore Going to do???? __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

01-07-2010, 12:25 PM	#14
CrawfordCentury Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere betwixt Gonic and Chocorua Posts: 191 Thanks: 13 Thanked 30 Times in 21 Posts	Interesting. And at the same time, there are three hardware stores in Alton all within a mile of eachother - and about a 25 minute drive to the Rochester HD. Don't know how they all pull it off. __________________ Plant a garden. Heat with wood. And thank a veteran.

01-04-2010, 09:20 PM	#2
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 1,074 Thanked 672 Times in 369 Posts	How does this bode for Heath's in Centre Harbor, if "Moultonborough Aubuchon's do very well"? I use both stores. Paint, lumber, fishing supplies, misc. household needs, Heath's. Sledge hammer and axe supplies, screws and nails, gardening, electronics, Aubuchon. Any insight FLL?

01-04-2010, 09:33 PM	#3
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,859 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,040 Times in 759 Posts	I definately do my part to support the Heath Hardware. Last week I bought two 5/16" galvanized carraige screws to do some repair work on the dock, and a few months back it was a gallon of Ben Moore alkyd opaque stain, reduced from about $30 down to five bucks. Just wish the hardware store had freebie cups of coffee just like the super-market. For free coffee, I take my business up the hill to Heath's Super-Duper! And, ya know, Lowe's has freebie coffee that's not too bad.

01-04-2010, 11:30 PM	#4
magicrobotmonkey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 160 Thanks: 42 Thanked 44 Times in 31 Posts	Yea that was a shocker saturday afternoon when I pulled in to abuchon to get some paint stripping supplies. It was awfully nice to have a hardware store that close to home and work. It seemed like there were usually a few people in there whenever I went in, too. Oh well, now it looks like I'm gonna have to make the drive out to lakeport when I need to pick something up, instead of a walk down the street. Course I guess I could walk down the new WOW trail most of the way. Once the snow melts.

01-05-2010, 12:27 AM	#5
corollaman Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 181 Thanks: 8 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Why would a store owner just up and leave like this? I didn't hear nothing on the radio or in the papers, or anything. I didn't know about it till I saw it on here. The big box stores around here are killing the small guys.

01-05-2010, 09:59 AM	#6
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,922 Thanks: 349 Thanked 1,693 Times in 595 Posts	I can't believe that Lowes in Gilford is operating in the black. Every time I go in, there are more employees than customers.....huge debt service and overhead on a building that size. Bet they're wishing they had never built there......Home Depot was smart enough to back out from building next door.

01-05-2010, 12:48 PM	#11
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,859 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,040 Times in 759 Posts	No, Aubuchon's was located on Court Sr, just beyond the now closed Walter's Market. The hardware store near the DQ and on Paugus Bay is Moe's Service Star Hardware, aka "Moe's", home of the world's best plumbing dept.

01-07-2010, 02:06 PM	#16
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,859 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 303 Thanked 1,040 Times in 759 Posts	...ya know, the nice thing about Aubies was they let you have all the nails you could eat.....ya know, the nice thing about Walter's was that their old fashioned donuts were so old you could use them for #80 sandpaper....and for about one month last spring I got all inspired by putting about a tablespoon of paint thinner into my cup of coffee.....it made me a more intelligent painter while climbing ladders !

01-08-2010, 08:45 AM	#18
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,821 Thanks: 759 Thanked 1,472 Times in 1,027 Posts	It is interesting that since HD went in next to Brocks' in Rochester, it actually increased Brocks' business.