Even in a quiet town like Cummington there’s still plenty to get done; a new wood shed that needs to be sheathed before the first snow, those “quick” renovations that threw a curveball, or that footing that just needs a bag of concrete and a dry day. When you need building supplies out in the hills, there is one place that’s always ready to help. In a world that sees small businesses opening and closing at an ever more rapid pace, it’s no small feat for even the most stalwart small town entity to make it to the half-century mark.
Walking into Cummington Supply, one immediately encounters a welcoming atmosphere and a sense of timelessness. You’ll find warm greetings and the open offer to help find what you’re looking for.
Gus Perkins, owner, is happy to help you figure out what your next step is, or suggest a solution to an ongoing problem. And if you find you want something that won’t fit in the back seat, you can schedule a delivery. No matter the scope of your project, rest assured one of their three delivery trucks will make sure you’re not short on those essential building supplies.
Service has been the cornerstone of the Cummington Supply since 1974 when Peter and Frances Kipp took a leap and bought the storefront. At that time the building was two thirds post office and one third hardware. Even then, folks were worried about maintaining local access to goods and supplies, an ongoing concern in any small town. Prior to purchasing the store, Peter was working in real estate in nearby Williamsburg.
When the store in Cummington came onto the market, he and Frannie made the decision to jump headfirst into a new endeavor. Neither of them had experience owning a hardware store or lumber yard, but they threw themselves into it wholeheartedly, frequently spending all their daylight hours at the store.
Peter and Frances would continue to dedicate their time to the operation of this business for the next forty-four years. When finally it came time to consider stepping away, it turned out they had the perfect buyer waiting to take over the family trade. Fortunately for the town of Cummington, they’d had the foresight to start training that buyer back in the 1980s.
Gus Perkins’ first experiences working at Cummington Supply came in the form of short shifts covering the register for his parents during their lunch breaks for a 10% commission on his sales. Slowly but surely, from these humble beginnings, Peter and Frances trained their son in the ways of the family business.
Though he did step away for a number of years to work in the field with the sort of general contractors that regularly frequent the store, it only served to fortify his understanding of the market that the family store supplied. When finally he purchased the store from his parents in 2018, the transition was near seamless.
These days, talking someone through their project, offering tips, and helping figure things out on a daily basis is one of Gus’s favorite parts of the job. In fact, one of the most impactful elements of the business has been the relationships with those customers who come in over and over again. Going into the Supply is very much like going to see your neighbor for tools and chatting about how to fix your fence. Currently, the store employs six workers, including one who has worked there for over thirty years and another who’s been there for ten.
That’s part of the real value of a store like Cummington Supply, the people and the personal connection. Supporting Cummington Supply is supporting Gus and his fantastic team. They offer the convenience of accounts for local folks and contractors. For contractors this can be an invaluable tool for tracking their ongoing projects, but anyone can call in to have plywood and sheetrock added to their tab and delivered as needed, so long as they pay off their debts at the end of the month.
This valuable community resource stocks everything from hand tools to drywall tape. They feature a fantastic selection of paint colors and can cut single sided keys as needed. Their lumber yard has lengths in all sizes and cuts, from pine to oak. Gus does prefer to err on the side of higher quality goods, as his resources and storage spaces are limited, but the storefront is packed to the gills with all the things you’ll need.
They like to say: “Once you’ve got the foundation poured, the Supply can help you build everything till you’re ready to put in cabinets.”
As was the case with so many home improvement based businesses, the pandemic year of 2020 actually generated a great deal of business for Gus and the shop. Suddenly, folks all over the area found time for those indoor projects and Gus couldn’t get supplies in fast enough. Of course, after a year or so this led to a drop-off as those projects were completed and pandemic-era restrictions began to ease. That said, the store is still doing well. In fact, in the last six months they’ve installed a new point of sale system to replace the former billing software which was coded in Basic. Looking forward, Gus suspects the coming decade will see continued population growth as events like COVID inspire people to move to the country and away from denser population centers.
For fifty years, Cummington Supply has cemented its reputation as a valuable resource for Cummington and the surrounding Hilltowns. It’s hard to factor how much this business has helped support the Hilltowns, but there’s no question that more than one home has been built because the Supply was able to provide the materials with ease and convenience. On August 10th, the store held a community celebration for their 50th anniversary. It was a joyful event, that also served as a celebration of life for Frannie Kipp, who passed away somewhat suddenly in February.
Back when Frannie and Peter started the store they would get phone calls from various folks who would at first insist on speaking with Peter, assuming Frannie was less versed in the subjects at hand. As time went on, Peter’s gruff nature would inspire folks to call back on the other line with the hopes of talking with Frannie. Gus is still impressed with the two of them. They went into it coming from families of lawyers and doctors. It’s amazing what they put together, and now fifty years later the store is still serving its neighbors. As for the next generation, Gus has encouraged his children to go out and experience the world. As Gus has no plans to step away from this HIlltown institution any time soon, he’s happy enough to know that the next generation is gaining exposure to other trades and other places, and gaining useful perspectives in the world at large. In the meantime, Cummington and the Hilltowns are a better place to live with Cummington Supply ready to help serve.
If you’d like to pick up some supplies their store is on Main Street in Cummington, or if you’d like to see if they have what you need you can give them a call at 413-634-8868 and even set up a delivery if that suits your needs.
Cummington Supply
Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-5pm Saturday 8am-12pm
18 Main Street, Cummington, MA 01026
413-634-8868