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Aubuchon Hardware has been on Union Street since 1987.

North Adams Aubuchon Closing Doors After 36 Years

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The store's cats Abbey and Shawna will be transferred to the Williamstown store. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Aubuchon Hardware on Union Street will be closing this fall after 36 years. 
 
The interim store manager Scott Wascher made the announcement on his Facebook page Tuesday. He was not immediatley available to speak to iBerkshires yesterday. 
 
The closing is due to "falling sales and location," Wascher posted. 
 
The store opened at 41 Union, in what had been a Carr's Hardware, in September 1987. The company's then owner, William Aubuchon, had attended the opening. 
 
The family-owned chain has more than 100 stores in Northeast and dates to 1908. Last month, Aubuchon Company acquired J.B. Hostetter & Sons in Mount Joy, Pa. 
 
Residents won't be without a hardware store, though they may have to travel a little farther to the Williamstown location. Also, Carr Hardware opened a 10,000-square-foot store on State Road in 2012 and a new hardware and lumberyard, Duke's, is opening on Saturday on Curran Highway.
 
The store will hold a clearance sale beginning Oct. 14 and its hours, starting Tuesday, are 8 to 5 on weekdays; it will be closed on weekends. It's not clear how many employees will be affected by the closure and those at the store expressed disappointment at the news. 
 
Abbey and Shawna, the store's cats, are expected to move to the Williamstown store to work with Matt and Annette Moullan. Employees also had said they could have a home with a former store manager. 
 
"The Williamstown store will take over serving our customers in the area," Wascher wrote. "We would like to thank our customers for the continued support throughout the years."

Tags: business closing,   hardware,   

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MCLA's Gallery 51 to Debut 'Materialscape' Exhibition

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — MCLA's Gallery 51 will host an opening reception for a new exhibition titled "Materialscape" featuring the work of three visual artists who explore the intersection of materiality and land.  
 
The exhibition opens on Friday, Sept. 6, with an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. including light refreshments and a performance by Marissa Baez. The exhibition is on view through Nov. 3. 
 
According to a press release:
 
"Materialscape" introduces the work of three visual artists—Marissa Baez (Mexican American), Delaney Keshena (Menominee), and Mikayla Patton (Oglala Lakota), each distinctively exploring the intersection of materiality and land. Their intentional use of material is deeply rooted in their cultural and personal journeys, manifesting either as a form of reclaiming or as a continuation. Ash, beeswax, metal, porcupine quills, paper, animal hide, and plants are not merely mediums but pivotal elements central to their expressive practices. By employing both natural and synthetic materials, the artists collectively share stories, memories, and histories that powerfully reflect on the contemporary Indigenous experience. 
 
Through diligent research and the embrace of communal knowledge, these artists delve into the complexities of identity, resistance, and resilience. Their works act as a dynamic exploration of the interplay between culture, environment, and personal narrative, illustrating how deeply embedded materials can convey profound thematic inquiries. As they navigate through themes of dispossession and regeneration, their artworks resonate as potent symbols of cultural reclamation and personal revelation, offering insights into both shared and unique paths of Indigenous persistence and creativity. 
 
The reception is free and open to the public. Gallery 51 is located at 51 Main St., North Adams, MA.  
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