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North Adams Auto Parts Store Sets Grand Opening Sunday

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
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Bond Auto Parts is introducing itself to the community with a picnic and demonstrations at its grand opening Sunday

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The new Bond Auto Parts store is looking to be a major competitor in the area — starting off with a revved-up grand opening on Sunday.

The event runs from 10 to 2 at the Curran Highway store.

Regional Manager David Eriksen said the event will be a lot of fun.

"The Bond family is coming down, and they get involved with just about everything and that what makes it so nice with the family owned and operated," Eriksen said. "We are going to have trailers here to show innovative paint systems, and we are going to have hot dogs and hamburgers."

Eriksen said a big part of Bond Auto is charity. They are the largest supporter of the Make Wish Foundation in Vermont and are trying to raise $100,000 for the foundation.

“We are going to have a car wash and half of the money made will go to a local charity and the other half will go to Make a Wish,” he said.

Eriksen said Bond Auto was established in 1956 and is still family owned and operated. There are 48 stores throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire and Vermont. Bond has refurbished the long vacant Tire Warehouse with a new exterior and distinctive checkerboard logo.

Eriksen said North Adams is a perfect location for the store.

"North Adams has been a target for some time now, and it is right on our normal truck route so we try to stay with were we can best service the community," he said. "North Adams has a wonderful location that we found and it has been working well so far."

Eriksen said Bond Auto Parts stays as local as it can and does whatever it can to satisfy customers.

"We don't go out to a million areas. We stay local, and we find the local people and we service them the best we can," he said.

Eriksen said they carry fit, form and function items that will fit customer's vehicles every time. They also offer "lowest price plus 5 guaranteed."

"We give 5 percent off if you find the part less expensive here in town," he said. "We will match it and beat it by 5 percent. We make it work for you, and it is all about satisfying the customer."

Although there are many other auto parts stores in the area, Eriksen is confident that Bond will be a top competitor.

"Bond Auto has never closed a location so I guarantee they will stick it out here and be a No. 1 competitor,” he said. “We buy direct from factory, and we can compete. We are an auto value buying group, and we aren’t just some small-town guy opening up an auto parts store and hoping for the best."

Eriksen said he started a Bond Auto in Bennington, Vt., and has operated it for 17 years and is prepared to do the same in North Adams.

"I grew it from the ground up, and I am ready to grow this one from the ground up," he said.


Tags: new business,   automotive,   

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Macksey Updates on Eagle Street Demo and Myriad City Projects

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

The back of Moderne Studio in late January. The mayor said the city had begun planning for its removal if the owner could not address the problems. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Moderne Studio building is coming down brick by brick on Eagle Street on the city's dime. 
 
Concerns over the failing structure's proximity to its neighbor — just a few feet — means the demolition underway is taking far longer than usual. It's also been delayed somewhat because of recent high winds and weather. 
 
The city had been making plans for the demolition a month ago because of the deterioration of the building, Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the City Council on Tuesday. The project was accelerated after the back of the 150-year-old structure collapsed on March 5
 
Initial estimates for demolition had been $190,000 to $210,000 and included asbestos removal. Those concerns have since been set aside after testing and the mayor believes that the demolition will be lower because it is not a hazardous site.
 
"We also had a lot of contractors who came to look at it for us to not want to touch it because of the proximity to the next building," she said. "Unfortunately time ran out on that property and we did have the building failure. 
 
"And it's an unfortunate situation. I think most of us who have lived here our whole lives and had our pictures taken there and remember being in the window so, you know, we were really hoping the building could be safe."
 
Macksey said the city had tried working with the owner, who could not find a contractor to demolish the building, "so we found one for him."
 
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