S&S Appliance celebrates 50 years in Athol

Current S&S Appliance owner Mark Armentrout (l-r) speaking with previous owner Mark Duguay and company founder Charlie Shatos. The Main Street store is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Current S&S Appliance owner Mark Armentrout (l-r) speaking with previous owner Mark Duguay and company founder Charlie Shatos. The Main Street store is celebrating its 50th anniversary. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

S&S Appliance founder Charlie Shatos (center) with current owner Mark Armentrout (right) and former owner Mark Duguay. April 1 marked the store's 50th anniversary.

S&S Appliance founder Charlie Shatos (center) with current owner Mark Armentrout (right) and former owner Mark Duguay. April 1 marked the store's 50th anniversary. PHOTO BY GREG VINE

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 04-01-2024 5:00 PM

Modified: 04-02-2024 10:42 AM

ATHOL – After 50 years and a few ownership changes, S&S Appliance remains a strong presence in the town of Athol.

When Charlie Shatos first opened the store in 1974, it was located at 454 Main St., currently the site of Pre-K Kidz daycare. A growth in business and inventory led him to move S&S to its present location at 447 Main St. in 1980.

Shatos explained that he had worked 12 years selling appliances for Mass Electric in Gardner before the program for selling these items was discontinued in 1973, after which he was given a job as meter reader.

“A couple of people talked to me about opening a store in Athol,” he explained. “So, I took a leave of absence from Mass Electric and decided to give it a try. It was so hard to get credit to get into the big names in the appliances – the General Electrics, the Whirlpools, and so on – so I started out just dabbling in it. I bought appliances from other dealers, believe it or not. And the business took off.”

When the success of S&S necessitated a move in 1980, Shatos purchased the Main Street block where it is now located from Eddie and Roberta Landry. After moving, Shatos expanded his business into two neighboring storefronts. Shatos said he stayed with the business for “30 years and three weeks.” While the store was still locatedat 454 Main St.,he hired Mark Duguay as a service man.

“Well, we were all around. We did everything,” said Shatos. “There were days when – this is no lie – we’d sell in the morning, lock the door, and he and I would deliver in the afternoon.”

Shatos said it was the customer service offered by S&S that allowed him to outlast his competitors and maintain a healthy business despite nearby big box stores like Home Depot and Loew’s.

After leaving to do other work, Duguay returned to S&S in 2000, shortly before Shatos decided to retire.

“I was after him to buy it,” said Shatos. “I wanted to place it in someone’s hands who was going to make a success out of it and keep it going. And this man was the perfect person.”

Duguay officially took ownership in 2004 and learned the details of the business while working for Shatos from 2001 on.

“I pretty much ran the place for three years,” said Duguay. “He paid the bills, and I pretty much managed the place. At one point he asked me, ‘Do you think you want to buy it?’ So, I talked to my wife and she said, ‘Why not?’ So, I went to the bank and it was relatively easy to get the money to buy the place, so I bought it.”

Duguay said he wasn’t really looking for a buyer for the business at the time that he decided to sell to current owner Mark Armentrout.

“Actually, my wife brought it up,” said Armentrout. “She said (to Duguay), ‘When are you going to retire?’”

“She asked me if I was interested in selling my business,” Duguay continued. “So, that’s where it started – over at the American Legion – while we were having a beer.”

Armentrout officially took ownership on Jan. 2 of this year.

“There have been some learning curves to go through,” Armentrout said. “But, all in all, Mark, he prepped me pretty well about what to expect.”

Armentrout was working as a carpenter when he decided to take the leap.

“I worked with another guy, but the aches and pains when you turn 55, they don’t go away as quickly,” he said. “I decided maybe it was time to do something different. So, my wife and I decided to give it a shot, and here we are.”

All of those who were employed by Duguay have stayed with Armentrout over the transition.

While April 1 is the official 50th anniversary date, Armentrout said there will be some promotional sales over a three-day period, from April 4-6.

As for the future, Armentrout said, “I’ve got about 10 more years before I’m going to retire. In 10 years, we’ll see where we stand and, who knows, maybe one of my kids will want it. We’ll see.”

For now, however, he added with a smile, “My parents are moving back here from Florida. I think my father wants to come back to work part-time.”

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.