Janet Bacco, manager of New Canaan Lawn Equipment on Cross Street, says she's seen far greater numbers of private homeowners--versus contractors--coming in for equipment and repair during the last 18 months of this down economy.
A 1976 New Canaan High School graduate, Bacco--whose father, town resident John Lapolla owns the business--spoke to us with her son James who also works there (see video).
According to James, homeowners do come in to request recommendations for contractors on things like landscaping projects, and New Canaan Lawn Equipment continues to do a steady business with contractors who need heavier machinery that they can't get elsewhere, such as X-Mark and Bobcat models.
On the private homeowner side, many customers will go to chains such as Home Depot for Snapper or Toro models because they're often less expensive there, James said -- though others invest in higher-caliber equipment that doesn't break down as quickly or frequently.
The family's downtown business ranks among New Canaan's oldest, dating to 1968 on the former site of Sillman's lawn repair unit.
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