IMAGE GALLERY: Hardware Store To Open June 1

Bucking the big box trend, Doug Curving of Westborough Paint & Decorating is opening a new local hardware store, Village Hardware & Supply Co. at the site of . Curving told Westborough Patch, "The store is going to be clean, bright, well lit and well merchandised...I tell people that we're going to compete in the same way that we do at the paint store, except here we'll be wearing a hardware hat."

Curving, who lives in Northbridge, is hoping for a June 1, 2012 opening for his store at 1 Phillips St., near the rotary.

Curving's endeavor is all about keeping things local. Westborough resident Michael Hally redesigned the exterior of the building. Josiah Rich, who grew up in Westborough, is the general contractor. "We're a local business, and we're local people. That turns around right here... We're reinvesting in the local community, in the character of the local real estate and property too," said Curving.

According to Curving, he expects to start out Village Hardware with 5 or 6 experienced employees, and a few spots for high school students. He plans to spend 90 percent of his time at the hardware store. Tom Foley, a current employee at Westborough Paint, will be the store manager there. Village Hardware will have a store manager as well.

The Store

With demolition underway down to the studs, Curving and a silent partner are completely renovating the 8,300 square foot site of Village Lumber. The plan is for the store to have a retro feel. An old wooden sign from outside the Village Lumber site is being restored and will be displayed inside.

The exterior of the building will feature gray cedar siding on the original house section, with a red awning. The main entrance will be beige, and to the right will be a lawn and garden center. Curving said that there will be more than 10 parking spaces, between the front and side spaces. There will also be a gate on the side through which contractors can drive and park. The rear of the store will have a contractor's help desk.

Curving's crew is restoring the wood floors of the original "house" section, which was built in 1965. The back building, built in about 1980, now has a poured concrete floor that connects to the main store, built in 1970. Curving will sell quality grade A lumber from the 8,000 square foot lumber building in the back. In the wood department, he plans to start small, focusing on remodeling contractors, and homeowners who are interested in locally buying high quality materials.

The Goods

Village Hardware & Supply Co. will feature hardware and fasteners, plumbing supplies, electrical, lawn and garden, seasonal, cleaning supplies and housewares. According to Curving, "We'll have paint but it will be more of an ancillary department. If someone is going to paint their whole house, we'll send them over to our paint store."

Customer service is going to be key, and keys will be cut. Curving plans on doing re-screening and screening, and possibly some glass work. He expects that customers will be split 50-50 between retail and contractors.

Although Curving does not expect to compete on price, he expects that his prices will be competitive. "People have misconceptions that box stores have the cheapest prices," said Curving.

Collaborating with Other Businesses

In addition to referring customers from his paint store, Curving is excited about collaborating with Boston Interiors, now located in the Bay State Commons, and Rooms with a View, the new tile store in town. Curving said, "It's really great to be able to partner with these other businesses."

Curving owns the almost 9,000 square foot Wheatley Motors Building (1921) in which Westborough Paint & Decorating is located. He has no plans to move his East Main Street business, which employees 10, to the new Village Hardware site.

Westborough Paint's interior designer Rose Wheeler, who helps customers select paints, fabrics, wall and window treatments, is also involved with designing the new interior of the Village Hardware store. Curving said that the hardware coop to which he belongs helped designed the store's general floor plan. He's doing much of the layout himself.

“It Could Have Been Demolished,” said Curving.

"The building was heading for foreclosure, and it could have been demolished," said Curving. He seems to have a tremendous amount of pride in his effort, and optimism about his success. "This could have been a chain store. I'm glad it's not." 

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