EASTHAMPTON – Aubuchon Hardware on Northampton Street is expanding its store to accommodate its customers and growing business.

Store manager Demitria Zygo told Reminder Publishing that after Manchester Hardware closed, their business picked up significantly.

“We have taken on pretty much all of Easthampton as well as some surrounding areas," Zygo shared.

As the store manager, she said it makes her feel good and bad. She expressed that friendly competition in any business is good. When the two hardware stores were open they would send customers to each other if one or the other did not have an item that a customer was looking for.

“Now it almost feels like we have to expand more to satisfy the customers that were going to them for those little things that we did not have,” she said.

Aubuchon Hardware is currently planning to expand after purchasing Stronger than Yesterday LLC out of her lease. The hardware store owns the whole building, but had rented out that portion of the building because they did not need the space. Now that their business has picked up, that space is necessary.

They began some of the work in the other room and would like to get things set in the room before they start to open it up. Zygo shared that they are hoping to open the expansion at the beginning of April, just in time for spring.

Since Manchester Hardware had closed, Aubuchon has added brands like Milwaukee and DeWalt tools. With the new expansion, they will be expanding on items such as their paint selection, cleaning products, and their seasonal bag goods like soil and grass seed.

This is their second renovation since Manchester closed. Zygo shared that in November the store completed some renovations to create more space.

Renovations included moving their registers from the middle of the store to the front and changing the layout of their aisles and shelves.

Zygo said when COVID-19 began, there were many issues related to receiving their items.

She said that some companies had to stop production because they were not deemed essential. During the spring and summer, items like mulch, soils, and stones were difficult to get for their customers.

Zygo said there are still some lingering areas to get back in but she knows their product team has been diligently working.

The hardware store is currently offering in-store shopping and online ordering. Customers can order online and pick up their items in-store. Zygo shared that they also offer thousands of items on their website, www.hardwarestore.com/074-easthampton-ma, that can be shipped to the store for free.

Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Mid-March hours will be expanding to Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Aubuchon Hardware has been in the city for 15 years but recently Zygo joined the Chamber of Commerce so she can be more involved in the community.

“I’m a newer manager, I have been with the company for eight years and I have been a store manager for three. In the three years, I have been learning mostly so now I have found that spot, where I can get myself and the store more involved with the community and joining the local chamber, was probably the best avenue to go through,” said Zygo.