Lassie

If you live in and around Amherst, you are very lucky to have Eric Phinney (in Munson) as a carpenter. Not only does he arrive on time, offer a draft of what you would like done, give an exact estimate, and clean up after every job, he is also actually an amazing carpenter. I cannot praise him enough. Not only did he finish the job in a timely manner, he said that he had saved money on the wood and was passing that savings on to me. Great guy, fantastic carpenter.

Dave's definitely has a million and one products to choose from and the staff is very knowledgeable. I'm not certain that the pet food is actually that much cheaper than anywhere else, but I might be saving a little bit. My only issue with Dave's is that the store is like a warehouse and I always feel like I am in a maze. Also, it's great that the store let's animals in, but sometimes the store is less than clean. Overall it is a very good store that could use a little updating (the debt machines are extremely slow/old). If you are looking for a large selection of animal products, this is the place to go.

Manny's is a small store located in the Hadley Mall. The staff is personable, depending on whom you get. Some of the the sales staff can also be a little short and tend to want to hurry along a sale. Over the years, I have purchased many products at Manny's and all of the products have been reliable. I have heard from others that Manny's no longer handles repairs themselves, and contracts that part out. The delivery men this time around were very accommodating, but I have also had a delivery man who ended up screaming at me because he had to move my washer aside to put in the dryer. I actually thought of going elsewhere after that incident, but after comparing prices, I still buy from Manny's. If you don't mind a dent in your appliance, the scratch and dent store is also worth a trip.

Pinch is not your typical Noho store. The owner, Jenna, has combed for artists both locally and nationally and showcases an amazing array of work. Pinch has pottery, scarves, jewelry, rugs, and some furniture, all of it interesting and varied. The prices range from the low to high end. The products, some of which also appear at Paradise City, are high caliber. The store is worth a walk through even if you don't intend to purchase. The staff is friendly and helpful.

Being a do-it-yourselfer isn't always easy, but it is made a lot better when you have a great company with whom to work. On a tight budget, I purchased flooring from Summerlin that fit my needs, and then my teenage son and I proceeded to lay it. After some initial frustration, I called Summerlin and they told me to come by the store for some additional instructions that would make the job easier. They also gave me extra flooring (when we came up 3 boards short), and an extra role of the underlay at no charge. I have gone back to them twice more and purchased a linoleum sheet for the bathroom, and some more wood flooring. Thanks to their help, all the projects turned out great. Friendly staff, exceptional service.

I hired Ideal when I moved from an apartment in to a house, both in Amherst. Although I moved quite of bit of the light furniture myself, in order to save money, Ideal moved all the heavy and fragile furniture. They arrived on time, worked until the job was done, and encouraged me to let them take more in order to justify their cost. Nice crew. Nothing was broken, and they placed the furniture in the new residence where I asked for it to go.

I purchased a pellet stove several years ago through Bernardston farmers' Supply, which is affiliated with the Amherst Farmers' Supply store. They recommended a stove to fit the square footage of my house and installed it for a very reasonable additional fee. The person who installed it was amazingly fast and competent. After installing the stove, he gave me a brief explanation of the stove's various functions and showed me how to clean it. The stove has held up really well and reduced my heating bills substantially. I also purchase pellets through Amherst Farmers' and find the quality of their pellets (Canadian hardwood) long lasting and clean. Highly recommended.

To be honest, I am not a gardener and not interested in becoming one, but whenever I stop at Andrew's Greenhouse, I think of possibly getting more into gardening. The selection is plentiful and the plants are healthy. The location is serene, with rolling hills in the background. The clerk was nice, but not overly friendly, but I think this was my fault, because I explained I was looking for an outdoor plant that I wouldn't be able to kill within 24 hours. He did help me select several plants, and three months later they are still thriving.

If you are a fabric aficionado, this is the place for you. Valley Fabrics is filled with mouth watering fabrics, everything from Marimeko, to locally hand-dyed fabrics. They have Asian and graphic prints, luscious velvets, and more. The price is commensurate with the quality. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They also offer classes on quilting, but I have not taken one.

While other products at Cowl's are a bit more expensive than elsewhere, the paint service is exemplary. All the paint sales staff - Cynthia, Bob, and Nate, are pleasant, patient, helpful, and exceedingly knowledgeable about paint and paint-related products. The paint itself, Benjamin Moore, is excellent quality and applies easily. The price is probably a bit higher than other paints, but I think the quality is better too.

From start to finish, the Pella salesman was great. After my carpenter took measurements,I called the Pella representative and he gave me a quote that was much lower than the local lumber supplier and for the same quality window. The final bill came to the same figure. The salesman followed up, making certain that the measurements were accurate. Delivery to my door took approximately 2 weeks. The windows fit perfectly, are solid, and easy to clean. You couldn't ask for anything better.

E. Osterman Gas Service has excellent customer service and comes promptly when called (or you can work out a schedule for when you need them to come to your home). They came out right away, and on a Sunday evening, when I reported smelling gas coming from my propane tank. The only problem with Osterman is the cost, which is substantially higher than other propane companies. Once you have chosen a company to deliver gas, it is difficult to get out of the contract as you then need to have the tank removed and that is a pain, so be careful and check out prices before deciding on a company.

Shumway's Tree Service is dependable and does an expert job of cutting trees. Their schedule is sometimes tight, so you might want to leave yourself several week's lead time. The company is very careful and conscientious, and work is done in a timely fashion. On the downside, they are priced higher than many available services.

Walking into essentials is like being hit by a blinding tide of colors and products. Nothing in the store is essential, yet everything is beautiful and whimsical. Essentials is a mixed bag of purses, furniture, children's items, stationary, and books. For some, the mix is overwhelming, but I enjoy the eclectic style. Once you engage the staff, they are very helpful, but otherwise expect to have free rein of the store. Prices are in the medium to high range. The store also has a small branch in Amherst.

I have purchased a mattress, two chairs, and a sofa from Kamel Hassan. The staff is extraordinarily helpful without being pushy. They were particularly helpful when I needed a sofa with specific measurements. They found me the PERFECT couch that met my needs, and it was comfortable, well-made, and attractive. Sample fabrics abound, and the furniture is high quality, made in the USA. The best part is the price, which is very totally reasonable (not overly inflated, like so many furniture stores). In addition, if you live in Amherst, delivery is free and the delivery men are polite and professional.

The staff is expertly adept at choosing the right frame and mat for your art work. They are very professional and the results are extremely satisfying. It takes about two weeks from drop off until finish. The only downside is the price, which runs on the high side. Another plus: you can walk around the gallery and view the great selection of original art.

Mike, and crew, were excellent. They were courteous, prompt,conscientious, and hard working. The roof took approximately one day and the clean up was done before early afternoon. You would have never known they were there! When Mike realized that my neighbor's gutters were flowing down to my roof and ruining my tiles, he purchased and replaced the entire gutter independently, and without any additional charge. These guys are the best