Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
HUDSON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — It was a busy Halloween for Robinsons Hardware in Hudson.
"You look at the parking lot, it’s full of cars, which on a normal day in the last two or three months, that wouldn’t be the case," store co-owner Kim Underwood told WBZ NewsRadio.
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Unfortunately, people did not come to say hello, but rather goodbye.
Robinsons opened as a general store in 1874, but after 150 years in business, Underwood and his brother Dirk, also a co-owner, are closing both the Hudson and Framingham locations.
According to Underwood, Robinsons' business has slipped for years thanks to big box stores gobbling up customers and people switching to online retail, the latter having accelerated during the pandemic.
"It’s come to a point where we can’t not make money and stay in business," Underwood said.
Another major blow was the lack of snowfall in recent winters.
"No snow for two years in a row, that just absolutely killed us," Underwood said. "Ice melt, snow shovels, roof rakes, we just didn’t have sales for."
The end of Robinsons means retirement for Underwood and some of his 30-plus employees, but many of them will need to find a new job.
"They are looking for work. Most of them are gonna need jobs," said Underwood.
As for his customers, Underwood expressed gratitude for everyone who stuck with the store until the end and encouraged them to support other local businesses.
"I would encourage anybody to be loyal, shop local, Underwood said.
WBZ’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
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