Business & Tech
Hopkinton Residents Say Bye to Their Westborough business
On Sunday, April 3, business partners from Hopkinton Bill Peaslee and Robert St. Angelo held a closing sale to say goodbye and thank their customers.
Sixteen years ago, Woodville neighbors Bill Peaslee and Robert St. Angelo ran into each other in the Hopkinton Post Office. Robert had just graduated from college and planned to open a video store. That was the start of the Video Vault, a "brick and media store," which outlasted all the others in the area.
The Video Vault, which closed on Sunday, April 3, was more than just a store. Peaslee told the Patch, "We've had a fantasic 16 years. It's been great knowing our customers from Westborough and other towns."
Longtime customer Fran Despres of Westborough said, "You don't want to know how I feel about the Video Vault closing. Who am I going to razz now?"
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Mother and daughter Michelle and Jianna Mangano from Hopkinton stopped by the closing sale. Michelle commented, "We've been shopping here on and off for nine years. I'm sad to see it go. They've given great video advice for kids."
Peaslee attributes the closing of the store to changing video habits, especially among kids. He said that with texting, Twitter, DVR and YouTube, there are a lot of other sources for content.
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Peaslee commented, "Over the last year, we could see the writing on the wall. We outlasted every video store in a 30-mile radius. That's a testament to our service."
St. Angelo is now working in the parts department at Volvo Construction Equipment in Southborough. Peaslee told Westborough Patch that he's "got an iron" in another business venture.
Both St. Angelo and Peaslee were extremely upbeat, and thankful for the run they had at the Video Vault.