Buckalew's Finds New Home - And It's Not Going Far

MELROSE, MA — Shoppers won't have to look far for Buckalew's particular brand of local charm. The popular something-for-everyone general store will move across the street to what is now Whittemore's after moving out of its current location at the end of this year.

Buckalew's will continue to be open every day at 504 Main St. until Dec. 24. There will be a final clearance sale Dec. 26. Buckalew's will then begin setting up across the street in part of the current Whittemore's building in February and plans to have a grand reopening in early March.

Whittemore's, which has been a hardware mainstay for 96 years, is soon closing, the Chamber of Commerce announced in October.

The lease for the Whittemore's building was signed last week, Buckalew's owner Robin Peevey said.

"We want to keep the character of the store as a general store with something for everyone," store owner Robin Peevey told Patch. "I am welcoming input from the community on what they would like for us to offer in the store and right now we are planning to have more of a food, kitchen, and entertaining focus when we reopen."

Patch first reported in October that Buckalew's was being squeezed out by its landlords, the city police chief and his wife, who manage the property. Peevey told Patch they were raising rent 72 percent, among other unfavorable lease conditions.

Mike Lyle offered no comment when reached in October. Eileen Llyod Lyle, manager of the trust that owns 500-504 Main St., said in a letter published by the Melrose Weekly News that rent was being raised to align with market rates and that Patch's article was "biased [and] one-sided," though she did not specify any alleged inaccuracies. She has not responded to Patch's request for comment.

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Photo by Mike Carraggi, Patch