Storm water is delaying the opening of a new True Value hardware store branch on Lyons Ave. in Newhall, but it’s not due to all our recent rain.
To comply with the Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan adopted by the State Regional Water Quality Board in 2000, the building’s owner must install a stormwater mitigation filter to handle runoff from the parking lot. The store and postal branch next door will open once that project is complete and has received final city approval.
“We’re shooting for a soft opening March 1, with a grand opening later in March with Mayor Cameron Smythe cutting the ribbon,” said Chris Smalley, co-owner of Newhall True Value. He said the Boys and Girls Club would be take part in the grand opening.
The hardware store will occupy just under 10,000 square feet. Except for one existing wall in back, the building is new. The site has a long retail history as the former location of Caston’s TV and Appliances, which closed in 2011.
“We see this as a great addition to the neighborhood,” Smalley said. “We needed a hardware store on this side of town.”
“We’re in a cooperative arrangement with True Value,” he said. “We own stock in the company, and buy most of our inventory through them. They’ve been fantastic to work with.”
The store’s inventory will reflect the community, with an equestrian department and a range of farm and ranch supplies. “We’ve got a fair number of ranches nearby, and we want to serve those customers,” Smalley said. The store, at 23736 Lyons Ave., will also have a large paint department, a wide tool selection, automotive parts, and a small lumber department.
Customer service will be a priority, Smalley said. “We’re going to have more people on the floor helping customers than the big box stores. We hired people who care, have good manners, and are interested in home repair.”
The store’s 30 employees include recent Hart High and College of the Canyons graduates and senior citizens. To help the owners of the many older homes in the neighborhood, the store will conduct home-repair classes.
Smalley is a retired Ford Motor Co. employer who moved to Newhall in 1994 after the Northridge earthquake. Shiers worked in the shipping department at AutoNation. They’retailing veterans, having owned the Lighthouse Bar & Grill in Monterrey for eight years before selling it in 1997.
Smalley is eager to open for business. “I’ve always enjoyed home repair projects, and I enjoy helping people, so I can’t wait to get started.”