By NORA LYONS
Fosters Daily Democrat
Somersworth Bureau Chief

SOMERSWORTH — Conrad Aubin of Nard’s TV & Appliance Store said the High Street business has kept pace with "big box" retailers by providing their customers with just a little bit extra.

"We offer services they don’t. We deliver, service and install, which we don’t charge for and the big box stores don’t offer," the 56-year-old businessman said.

Such commitment to service has kept the store operating in the same location for 45 years.

Aubin’s in-laws, Bernard and Etta St. Laurent, opened the store in 1958 selling General Electric appliances and televisions, the same brand name it carries today. The store’s name derives from Bernard’s nickname — Nard. Aubin and his wife Brenda, both Somersworth natives, took over the business in 1982.

To celebrate their anniversary and recent accomplishments, an "anniversary/grand-reopening sale" will be held from June 5-7. A drawing for a new air conditioner will be held on June 7.

The "grand reopening" is in recognition of recent changes that do not involve products or inventory but the redesign of the storefront. Aubin financed the store’s transformation through a Somersworth Housing Authority project designed to spruce up downtown. The project offers low interest loans for façade rehabilitation projects. The metal storefront and overhang was replaced with a new green façade and awning. The back of the building was sided as well.

"This had been on the table for quite sometime," Aubin said of doing facade work. "Bob (Crichton of the Somersworth Housing Authority) had been on me for some time to do it and the timing was right last year because we needed new windows and a new roof … I’ve had people stop in and say how good it looks."

The improved look even helps to direct new customers to the store.

"I just say look for the awning and they find it," he said.

The project won "Best Building Rehabilitation Under $50,000" at the New Hampshire Main Street Center Awards in May. It was the first statewide award Somersworth Main Street Program garnered and the first time a first-year Main Street program won an award, Executive Director Lara Willard said.

"Nard’s is a shining example of how a mom and pop store can survive the invasion of the ‘big box’ through customer service and community involvement," she said.

Although the store is a family business, Aubin said none of their three children want to take over the business.

"They have their careers and like what they do," he said.

One of his sons is in public relations, the other is a police officer and his daughter is a teacher. "My sons worked for me when they were in high school and college and saw the ups and downs of the business … They worked for me for about 10 years all together."

Some aspects of the business have changed over the years, while others have not, he said.

"In terms of the way we do business … I do things like my father-in-law did 45 years ago, one-on-one," he said. "We have greater volume now and we’ve added lines. When they first opened I believe they had Whirlpool and added the GE line, which we still have … When I first started here (in 1972) I’d sell a piece in the morning and deliver it in the afternoon. Now we have employees who do that and separate sales people. It’s grown from two people to five or six, but we do business the same way."