A Hardware Store On Broadway

 

As the sales of city owned properties pick up momentum in and around the Historic District, new shops, pop up galleries, and restaurants have begun to spring up.

As fun as all that is, and as much as that lends a hipster vibe to Newburgh, practical realities are such that you need some rock-ribbed, American mom and pop, brick and morter shops that provide the essentials for daily life. We are talking about stores like:

• dry cleaners
• a butcher
• a hardware store
• a cobbler
• a jewelery shop

These are the convenience stores (outside of the big box chain stores) that give life-blood and quality of life to every small and large city, block by block.

The major thoroughfare of any city (especially a city reinventing itself) must have these anchor-tenant type shops in order to attract more and more interested residences and varied supporting businesses.

This in turn creates a growing, vibrant economy.

One of the historically appealing things in American cities is that different sections had little shops which reflected ethnic diversity:  salumerias and bodegas that offer the meats, vegetables, sandwiches etc., reflecting the areas ethnicity.

And these shops and their inherent diversity are what enrich and make a city interesting.

Newburgh, certainly has some neat coffee, pastry, and food places, not only in the historic district, but throughout the city.

But, up until now, it hasn’t had the kind of retail experience a quality hardware store offers available.

No more!

Now, Newburgh has a hardware store located at 199 Broadway, Newburgh, N.Y. not very far from the very busy Liberty Street corridor, which is bustling with activity, growth and change.

Mel Hales and his wife Dianne Dixon are co-owners of the store, and they are helped by niece, Tracey Cooper.

All three moved to Newburgh within the last two years.

Mel had visited Newburgh frequently as a youth, Dianne explained, and that is where his connection to the city sprang from.

Both he and Dianne began to tire of Brooklyn, and Mel was looking to move away from the construction work he had been involved with for decades.

Mel’s work in construction with architects and designers gives him the inside knowledge-track for working a hardware store.

 

Mel’s familiarity with the various aspects of construction (both for home and business) give him an edge, not to mention his familiarity with materials, implements and home and business- maintenance, equipment-rental machines.

Mel and Dianne fell in love with the beautiful homes in Newburgh, and so they purchased a home here, but for about two years they shuttled  back and forth between Brooklyn and  Newburgh.

This past year they finalized their move and this summer,  after setting up shop in their beautiful designed (their storefront is gorgeous!) and well stocked hardware store, they opened their doors.

Business has steadily come along and grown!

“We have been very blessed,” Dianne said, “We are trying to tweak our inventory, as we service this community.”

“Our biggest asset, we believe, is our customer service! We made a delivery to a couple who just bought a home recently, and that’s the kind of customer service we can offer. We even get people from Beacon coming over, because they don’t have this type of store there any longer!” she said.

A River of Opportunities welcomes you to the neighborhood, Mel and Dianne and Tracey!

And we wish you all the best as you grow your business in Newburgh!