New Bedford's Bourassa family hardware store on Acushnet Ave. closing after 100 years
NEW BEDFORD - Therese Bourassa Bernier said Bourassa True Value Hardware on Acushnet Avenue has been "open six days a week for as long as I can remember."
Therese, who is 66, can't personally remember all the way back to its founding by her grandfather, Donat Bourassa, in 1924, but that's 100 years of six-day weeks.
The Bourassa family has been running the business in all that time, helping generations of North End residents fix or spruce up their homes, repaint, get new keys, or with any one of the hundreds of homeowner chores requiring a handy hardware store.
Bourassa Hardware is closing its doors Jan. 13 for good.
"It's an emotional time," Therese said, her voice catching just a bit.
She adds, though, "But I know it's the right thing to do."
Her dad, Raymond, was just 5 when Donat opened.
The store passed down to her Uncle Aime and her dad. Aime was 12 years older so he started earlier.
"In his older age, Uncle Aime told me that he and my father never had a fight in all those years," she said.
Met her husband at the store
Bourassa Hardware was originally located next door to its 1837 Acushnet Ave. address. It moved to the current location back in the '30s.
Today it's run by Therese and her brother, Gerard. But family members are pitching in to help with the closing, including her husband, Bob, who is retired.
Therese actually met Bob through the business.
"His uncle came in, and asked me a few questions, and went back. Then he came back and asked me if I wanted to go out with Bob."
She added with a laugh, "I said I don't take second-hand invitations."
But Bob persevered.
Therese and Gerard have another sister, and two other brothers.
One of Therese's first jobs at the store was to replace keys on display. She needed to climb steps to reach the empty slots.
Therese was about 7.
Years later her own daughter would play behind the counter. "Of course, I had a sharp eye on her."
And years after that her customers would ask about the little girl who used to play behind the counter.
She'd tell them that the little girl was in college now, a communications major.
The inevitable response: "I can't believe it!"
The store sold toys at one time
Many of their generations of customers have moved away from New Bedford. When they return, though, and stop by they're struck by the store's timelessness.
They'll say, "Hey, the wooden barrels are still here! And they get all excited," she said. The barrels hold nails.
The store also sold toys for a period. That was before she started, Therese said.
"People would come by just before Midnight Mass and get their toys for their children," she said.
Time to say goodbye
While it's an emotional time, she's looking forward to not having business to think about. That includes waking up at 4 a.m. worried about what needs doing.
And they're not closing out of necessity. It's a decision.
The store, after all, opened five years before the Depression's advent and survived.
It's been there for decade after decade, through good times and bad, through war and peace.
Personally, she can remember tough economic times in the '70s. Even 10-cent items weren't selling.
"But we survived," she said.
An inventory clearance sale will commence on Jan. 2.
Therese said she'll be there.
"I want to say goodbye to my customers," she said, her voice once more catching just a bit.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford's Bourassa Hardware closing after 100 years
