Alper’s Hardware will celebrate the renovation of the interior of the store by hosting a weekend long celebration from April 17 to 19. The event will show off the store’s new interior and thank the community which has supported this family owned business since 1911. There will be many opportunities for people to win gifts and receive discounts on purchases.
All customers who spin a large spinning wheel will receive a small gift. Saturday will be “bag and bucket day.” Alper’s will provide small bags and buckets and customers will receive 20% off everything that fits into the bag or bucket. Also on Saturday, a scavenger hunt will be held. In exchange for visiting five points in the store and having a ticket punched, patrons will be entered into a raffle. The prizes will include big ticket items such as a Miele vacuum and a Weber gill.
Product demonstrations and expert talks will also take place. The use of the “Big Green Egg,” which is a new type of outdoor barbecue and oven, will be featured. An expert from Scott Lawn Care will be available to answer questions on lawn maintenance.
“We are calling the event a re-opening because we have refinished the walls and floors, re-inventoried the store, by expanding existing categories of merchandise and adding things we did not offer before such as lumber, expanded barbecue equipment and a full line of “green” cleaning products,” said Adam Novick, one of two fourth generation Alpers running the store.
Re-merchandising based on customer feedback and changing times is part of Alper’s heritage. The first incarnation of Alper’s was a jewelry store on Main Street that was opened in 1911 by Sam and Fanny Alper, recently arrived immigrants from Eastern Europe.
After purchasing an auto supply shop and expanding into hardware, the jewelry, clocks and watches disappeared and the store, as Alper’s Hardware, moved to its current location on the corner of Main Street and Alper’s Way. In the 1950s, the second story was added to the building and just a few years ago the storefront was re-designed and refurbished.
What remains of the legacy is the “commitment to service,” said Novick. “We listen to our customers and curate our inventory based on their feedback and an evolving marketplace.”
For people who like to shop in their pajamas, Alper’s offers a new service. Customers can visit the True Value site, order on line and pick up the merchandise at Alper’s. If it is a big item, Alper’s will deliver, free of charge.
Novick stated that being part of Port Washington for four generations is both a privilege and responsibility. “We try to give back whenever possible,” he said. Karmecue, a barbecue competition which has been held in May for the last seven years, has raised more than $10,000 for Community Chest. “It is our way of supporting the community that supports us,” Novick said.
