By GLYNIS HART
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LEBANON — The F.W. Webb company opened a new store on Etna Drive, across from its old store, with fanfare, free lunch and lots of vendors, employees and customers showing up to celebrate. The plumbing, heating and home bath and kitchen supply company, now owned by the third generation of the Pope family, also serves customers in Claremont.
“We keep an eye on Claremont because guys come up here to buy,” said Mike Nachajski, operations manager. “We know when there’s building going on down there — it’s nice to see progress in Claremont.”
The new building is almost twice the size of the old one: 73,000 square feet. “The expansion was driven by consumer demand,” said Nachajski. “Our shelves were too full.”
The F.W. Webb showroom, which displays home bath and kitchen designs, will remain across the street at #55, but it will also be bigger and more accessible.
Company President Jeff Pope spoke briefly before cutting the ribbon on the new store. Pope, his brother, sister and father are all Dartmouth graduates, so the green trim on the new store is significant.
The store was founded in 1866 in Boston, and was an early sponsor of Fenway Park. “We were the single plumbing supply house in Boston,” said Pope. His grandfather, Roger Pope — a Kimball Union Academy graduate — bought the company in 1933.
Although the company now operates in 1,500 locations, Pope said, “We’re committed to maintaining that small family feeling.”
The new store adds more than 3,000 SCUs, or plumbing components, to the inventory.
“Our plan is to better serve you guys, the customers,” said General Manager Brian Bradley.
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