ORLEANS – The sign outside the building, at the intersection of Highways 28 and 6A, still says Christmas Tree Shop. But soon you’ll be reading Baskin’s ACE Hardware.
The longtime local company reached a long-term agreement to lease the property, and co-owner Lauren Baskin said she and her team could open their doors at the new location until May 1.
“It’s official,” said Baskin, whose father opened the first store at his current location at 28 South Orleans Rd. in 1977. ” We signed before Christmas. “
The 10-year lease includes an option to extend to 30 years, Baskin said.
“In my opinion, this will go further,” he said of the lease, which covers construction and surrounding property. “We’re really in this position and in our business. “
Christmas Tree Shop founders Charles and Doreen Bilezikian purchased the Orleans property in 1982 for $250,000, according to town assessing records. The 1.8-acre parcel has a total assessed value of $2.62 million.
The store was liquidated and closed in July, sparking local interest and some fear about which company would occupy the space. Greg Bilezikian, Doreen and Charles’ son, suggested city officials help the family attract local businesses that were likely interested in the assets after being approached by a national chain with an interest in moving.
Baskin and her co-owner and partner, Lynne Colangione, temporarily reached out to Bilezikian’s circle of relatives about the space, which is about twice the length of their current location.
“It’s the best location at the time,” Baskin said of the store’s current location. “Today [more than] forty-five years later, we are running out of steam. »
Greg Bilezikian said other local businesses, in addition to a brewery, have approached him with interest in the site. He also said that there is a lot of tension on the network for Trader Joe’s or ALDI to occupy the space. Some even reached out to Trader Joe’s directly, he said.
“I did talk to ALDI. I did talk to Trader Joe’s,” he said. “Those were the two that were most frequently requested. But distribution was an issue. There’s no way to go but back off Cape Cod from Orleans, and I just don’t think they understand that market that well.”
But Baskin came to the table with a plan and a company for how they would use the property. In the end, Bilezikian said it made a difference.
“It took a lot of work, but everyone did as productive as possible and we got a smart deal,” he said.
Baskin said conversations with Bileziki’s circle of relatives began “on a very solid foundation. “
“I’ll never forget meeting Greg Bilezikian,” she said. “He shook my hand in one of the longest handshakes telling me ‘Let’s make this deal happen.’ He looked me straight in the eye, and that’s how the whole thing started.”
The new location will allow Baskin’s to expand its stock and offering. It will also allow the store to continue offering the personalized visitor service that shoppers have come to expect, he said. While the web has long offered online shoppers an online option to brick-and-mortar stores, Baskin said, when it comes to hardware, there will be a need for personalized service.
“I really think that this business model will continue for many decades to come,” she said. “I fully believe in the hardware model.”
The new lease marks an agreement between two Cape Town families with strong local ties. Baskin’s parents built the existing store in Orleans and then opened others in Harwich Port, South Dennis, South Yarmouth and Brewster. The Bilezikiens, on the other hand, owned and operated many retail Christmas tree stores in Cape Town before promoting the chain in 2003 (the family still owns the properties).
“[My mother] looked up to them both, Mom and Dad,” Baskin said of the Bilezikian family. “To some extent, she considered Doreen a mentor. “
“It’s very exciting to see a local family business take over this site,” said Greg Bilzikian. “Everyone is racing to open the store as soon as possible. It’s fantastic. “
Baskin said that in the coming weeks, the store will work with contractors to fix up the old Christmas tree building and add new flooring. A sales plan with ACE will also be developed for the new space, with new stock arriving as existing stock is transferred. the existing location.
The goal is to start operations from the new zone between April 15 and May 1.
“What we’re going to do is we’re going to operate at the existing location until we’re fully open at the new location,” Baskin said. “So at some point there’s going to be a crossover. “
Efforts will also be made to bring in a new tenant to the existing Baskin’s space at 28 South Orleans Rd. Baskin said ideally the space will be leased to another local business.
“I had genuine connections to the local community and my mother still feels that way, even at 85 years old,” he said.
While there’s a lot to be done in the coming weeks and months, Baskin said the move is not only smart for businesses, but also for the community. It’s also helpful that the entire Baskin team is on board with the upcoming changes.
“It’s disturbing, it’s intimidating,” she said. It’s a big change, but the team is excited. The team is busy and that has brought us together as a team with this great purpose that we are aiming for. It lifted the spirits and the excitement.
Email Ryan Bray at ryan@capecodchronicle. com
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