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The Home Improvement News begins today in Brimfield, Mass. where County Line Farm and Hardware is testing out a new approach in getting business into their store.  Actually, as owner Robert H. Clark put it “funds are tight” and he is hoping that this will help keep him from going under. 

Local officials unanimously approved the license, however it is now pending before the Alcohol Beverages Control Commission which has the final say over all liquor licenses issued in that state.  The store already sells cigarettes and convenience items.

I do and I don’t like this one.  Of course nobody wants to see anyone go out of business, but I do like the idea of having convenience items for sale in a hardware store.  Many times I go in to get something and just wish that the hardware store that I am in carried snack, drinks and whatever I was in the mood for at the end of a long day.  I’m not so sure that alcohol and beer sales will help though.

In Washington, DC, local officials have revealed a plan that aimed at speeding up getting a home improvement permit.   Two kiosks called “Virtual Permit Centers” are being set up at a Home Depot store in northeast Washington.

Residents will be able to submit zoning change applications for new projects such as a deck or fence.  Local officials said that it only made sense being that contractors and do it yourself-ers are always in the store anyways.

I’m giving this one thumbs up.  Anything that reduces or eliminates bureaucratic red tape is good with me.

Last, to quickly touch on the economy, plans to build an 84 Lumber store in Wichita, Kansas have been scrapped.  Just add this one as a victim of the housing slump. Jeff Nobers, vp-marketing and public relations for 84 Lumber Store said that all of the permits were obtained, but that expansion didn’t make sense at the current time.  84 Lumber is the industries third largest chain of lumberyards.

The economy has been the same for at least the last few months - housing slump and a very unstable stock market.  Sounds like the “R” word to me, nothing here that we didn’t know so I saved it for last.  

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 6:03 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.