Aubuchon ready to celebrate 100
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

On Feb. 9, 2008, every Aubuchon Hardware store will celebrate the company's 100th birthday with a birthday cake.

The Westminster-based company has made its home on Route 2A for the last 30 years after moving from Fitchburg during the 1970s.

"We're always going to be your local neighborhood hardware store," said Bernard Aubuchon Jr.

Each store is going to host its own anniversary celebration. The specific events will be up to the store's managers and will vary depending on the stores.

"It's going to be like a miniparty," he said.

The annual music fest at Wachusett Mountain will also host a variety of events for Aubuchon employees at the two-day event next year.

"We're going to be a major sponsor of that," Aubuchon said.

The company will also be working with its vendors to get things for giveaways to customers.

Aubuchon attributes the company's years of success to the small atmosphere of the stores and the hands-on approach of the employees.

"We think there will always be customers that want that type of service," he said.

Aubuchon has worked for his family's hardware store company for more than a quarter of a century, and for a quarter of its history.

"I thought I'd give it a try and I haven't left," he said about his move up the ladder at the store.

And for the last year, the vice-president of purchasing has worked to write a book on the company's (and his family's) history, and has worked on a committee to organize events throughout the year to celebrate 100 years of history and sales.

"I spent my vacation sitting in the boardroom writing and researching," he said.

As the grandson of one of the founders, Aubuchon said the family history and the store's history are very tied together.

"It's very much a family business," he said.

He is one of 20 family members working in the company. The first store was opened in the Cleghorn neighborhood of Fitchburg.

The company has survived the flood and the hurricane in 1936 and 1937. It survived and grew through the Depression and World War II, when many of the residents

The book, which will be part of the Images of America series, will be a pictorial history of the company from the opening of the first store in 1908 to the present day employees and stores.

The book includes references to a variety of points in the company's history, including the first phone in 1992.

"My grandfather was very up on customer service," said Aubuchon. "If the guy was on the phone then he wasn't helping the customer."

The problem this causes was that every time a customer wanted to use a credit card the cashier had to leave the store to process the purchase at a neighboring store.

Today, every store now has phones and the company is also online at hardwarestore. com. Aubuchon said the Web site is the company's largest single point seller.