Would this work in Pittsboro?

[oneinsanecane]

Do you all think a "Mast General Store" type hardware store would work in downtown Pittsboro? I think it would be cool to see one like that downtown. Could it compete with Lowes down the street?

[Shot of Spro]

How have things been dude? Bet the wife misses being out during this nice weather we're having right?!?

I don't know about competing with Lowe's but there is an established hardware store in Pittsboro. Don't know how well they are doing financially though.

[Grumble69]

My guess would be no.  People love one stop shopping.  Get everything right now & go home.

Having said that, there's a wide open niche in this country for quality items.  I'm tired of cheap, plastic, Chinese cr*p that keeps breaking after a year or two.  Or some undersized, underpowered appliance/power tool.  I don't hardly buy anything these days without researching & cross referencing the bejeezus out of it.  Now if you've done that research for me and know that something is good, then you've got my attention and likely my business.  ...even if it's higher than Lowes.  But just don't fall for the mistake of going for a "name brand" and assuming it's good.  Too many companies these days are using their name on a cheaper/economical product line that ends up being cr*p.

[natvrabit]

I don't really think of Mast as a hardware store to begin with, not in the traditional sense anyway.
Their success has been based more on uncommon novelty items, odd food findings, certain type of clothing, foot wear not found in their immediate area in earlier years. (Had to go to the city to get it).
Also some of the nostalgic items in their stores, hand made toys from back when. PBO has some of these things already, some not. But IMO, it would 1, be a stretch to try to duplicate, 2 not likely to catch on too fast in this economic downturn. Enough bits and pieces similar offerings already exist in PBO. Just my honest opinion.

[bluetick67]

My guess would be no.  People love one stop shopping.  Get everything right now & go home.

Having said that, there's a wide open niche in this country for quality items.  I'm tired of cheap, plastic, Chinese cr*p that keeps breaking after a year or two.  Or some undersized, underpowered appliance/power tool.  I don't hardly buy anything these days without researching & cross referencing the bejeezus out of it.  Now if you've done that research for me and know that something is good, then you've got my attention and likely my business.  ...even if it's higher than Lowes.  But just don't fall for the mistake of going for a "name brand" and assuming it's good.  Too many companies these days are using their name on a cheaper/economical product line that ends up being cr*p.

I don't really think of Mast as a hardware store to begin with, not in the traditional sense anyway.
Their success has been based more on uncommon novelty items, odd food findings, certain type of clothing, foot wear not found in their immediate area in earlier years. (Had to go to the city to get it).
Also some of the nostalgic items in their stores, hand made toys from back when. PBO has some of these things already, some not. But IMO, it would 1, be a stretch to try to duplicate, 2 not likely to catch on too fast in this economic downturn. Enough bits and pieces similar offerings already exist in PBO. Just my honest opinion.

Agreed.  Done creatively though, with input from county residents of what we'd like to buy here and can't so much at the moment - go for it.

[mistermike]

is it just my imagination, or wasn't the current carolina brewery location on west franklin st. in chapel hill once a mast general store.  if it failed in chapel hill, what's the likelihood that it would succeed in pittsboro?  i'll invest my 2 cents on this posting, but not on that business idea

[murph]

is it just my imagination, or wasn't the current carolina brewery location on west franklin st. in chapel hill once a mast general store.  if it failed in chapel hill, what's the likelihood that it would succeed in pittsboro?  i'll invest my 2 cents on this posting, but not on that business idea

I am 99% sure there was a MGS in Chapel Hill... the same thought crossed my mind as well.  The MGS locations in Valle Crucis and Boone have the benefit of tourists, college students, and outdoor enthusiasts in one location.  Chapel Hill certainly has college students and maybe a few of the other categories, but I don't think it remained open in CH for very long. 

Pittsboro isn't really strong in any of those categories... "tourists" possibly being the strongest at one time, but that is almost non-existent now with the 64 bypass complete.  A Mast General Store situated among a dozen or so antique shops might add to the draw in downtown PBO, but with only two remaining antique shops, and closing of Espresso Brazil, Side-Street Art Gallery and Beggars and Chosers in the last calendar year alone, I'd be hesitant to build a business case around tourists shopping at the store.

As for meeting the original intent of such a general store... a local store to buy shoes, clothing, homestead-type supplies and equipment without having to travel to a larger town/city (the MGS in Valle Crucis also served as a post office)... I'd say that as soon as the first "big box" type store is built within a 5-mile radius of Pittsboro, that a MGS type establishment would have a very hard time surviving.   Don't get me wrong, I think this is an AWESOME idea... anything to help keep Pittsboro vibrant and retain some of the charm of yesteryear (yes, this is highly subjective depending on your own perspective) should be considered.  A Mast General Store along Hillsboro Street would certainly qualify, but to answer the original question of this thread, I don't think it would work. 

-murph

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