Posted August 10, 2019

By Melissa Eggehorn

Contributing Writer

Among family-owned businesses in Marlborough that have stood the test of time, endured changes in their respective industries, and/or have overcome challenges and impacts of large chain store competition, some stand out. Three such businesses in particular have been fixtures in Marlborough for decades. These include Monnick Supply, Trombetta’s Farm and Bouvier Pharmacy, homegrown business where extra attention to customer service is their trademark.

Paul Montalbano grew up sweeping the floors of the original Monnick Supply at 759 Waverly Street in Framingham. He is now part owner of this second generation family-owned and operated business. The name Mon + nick comes from the combination of the names of the two original founders and brothers, James and Nick Montalbano. The business began in 1948 as a little paint store, grew into a hardware store, and now operates in two locations.

It was back in 1993 when the family opened a second store in Marlborough. Twenty years later that store moved to its current Route 85 location at 135 Maple Street. When asked about how the move and transition to the new location went, Montalbano said, "Moving 30,000 items and preparing a new space to be retail ready was not an easy task.” 

It may have been a hard move, but it has paid off. "Since we own the property, the building is much easier to manage and maintain, and overall it has been a good change for us,” added Montalbano. "Our clientele has changed a bit. When we were in the plaza (where Savers is currently located) we would get more general shoppers just stopping in to browse. Now customers come in mainly for specific items.”

Paint continues to be the most in-demand product that the store provides. "We have highly knowledgeable people behind the counter and can literally offer one-on-one seminars at our customers’ convenience,” said Montalbano. Lawn and garden supplies and outdoor power equipment are also in high demand at Monnick Supply.

"An exciting new expansion that we just rolled out is that we now sell and service Ferris and Bad Boy brand commercial power equipment along with continuing to supply the Stihl brand,” said Montalbano. This machinery primarily caters to landscape companies and property managers who want commercial lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and other items. Monnick Supply employs service technicians who handle small engine repairs, and maintains an inventory of parts to support the service/repair department.

Asked what he feels makes Monnick Supply unique or outstanding, Montalbano replied, "We really strive to offer a high level of customer service. For example, a woman brought in a new lawnmower that she had purchased at a well-known chain store. It required some assembly and did not work when she got it home.  By contrast, when we sell a lawn mower, we assemble it completely and make sure it works before you take it home.”

For more information visit www.monnicksupply.com.

Visit Trombetta's Farm at 655 Farm Road on any given day of the week and there will most likely be a Trombetta family member somewhere on the grounds. Charlie and Theresa Trombetta purchased the property in the 1960's for a carnation growing operation. The farm was eventually passed on to their son, Charlie, and is now run by a third generation of Trombetta’s, including Charlie, Jr., Tony, and Laura (Trombetta) Barsamian.

Over the years, the business evolved away from carnation growing to become a family-fun destination and is now known as Marlborough’s "go to” place for homemade ice cream. Today,  Trombetta’s is actually three businesses in one, with a full service garden center, indoor miniature golf and the ice cream stand. 

"We have had to switch things up over the years as with most businesses,” said Barsamian, who has been a part of the business since 1978. Reflecting back on the four-plus decades she has been involved in the family enterprise, Barsamian said, "We have the best customers. Many have come here for decades with their families.” 

Barsamian recounted how the Trombetta's were strictly flower growers until the 1970's when the market changed and the business had to adapt. They began selling homemade ice cream in 1978 to help diversify. In the 1980's, Trombetta’s branched out once again by opening an  indoor mini golf facility, thereby turing the farm into a fun place for families to enjoy. "It's a nice place to spend time with family or friends, rain or shine, to come play mini golf and have ice cream,” Barsamian said.

Ice cream and hard-serve, low-fat, frozen yogurt continue to be among the most popular offerings at Trombetta’s but Barsamian noted some other areas of growth within the business. "We are expanding our indoor plant section. Succulents and carnivorous plants are very trendy right now so we are developing space for those. We are always looking to chat with our customers and see what they are interested in.”

Another service that has become increasingly popular and yet many in the community may not be aware of is ice cream catering. "We are able to bring our homemade ice cream to weddings, corporate events, outdoor events and farmers markets,” said Barsamian.

While Trombetta’s has long been a fixture in Marlborough, the success has not come without sweat and struggle. "Many people see an established business and think it's easy, and it just is not,” 

Asked how she might advise someone new in business or who may be thinking of opening a business, she said, "It is a lot of hard work. If I could give advice to a new business owner, I would say if you have a business dream, just go for it, follow that dream like my father did.”

For more information visit www.trombettasfarm.com.

Founded in 1900, Bouvier Pharmacy, located at 515 Lincoln Street, is another family-owned and operated  local business that has stood the test of time. According to fourth generation owner, Brian Bouvier, the business has grown significantly, both in services provided and in employees, since he took over in 2015.

The services provided by Bouvier Pharmacy have changed over the years based on demand of customers. Today, Bouvier especially caters to clients trying to manage more complicated health care along with those who are of retirement age or in assisted living. 

"There is a big gap in pharmaceutical needs between a totally healthy person needing no medications, and those living in skilled nursing facilities,” said Bouvier. "The people in the middle of this gap are really struggling, and they are in need of increased medication management assistance. The system is broke and people do not know where to go. We try to bridge that gap with our services.”

Lead Pharmacy Technician Meredith Bouvier added, "What sets us apart at Bouvier is that we truly are a partner in healthcare. The business was founded on these principles of helping people with their medications in 1900. The big pharmacy chain stores really aren't good at this and they don't have the same mission. It seems that medication is like a factory to them and some of those chains still sell cigarettes. That's just not our philosophy of helping people get better.” 

For Brian, part of the process of being a partner in healthcare is collaborating with nursing facilities, doctors, and other professionals. The pharmacy takes extra measures to sort out complicated medication needs by calling all prescribers for a patient and reconciling all prescriptions. "It's a very psychological process to get people organized in their medications,” said Brian. He noted that a customer could have a prescription from a doctor after a hospital visit, plus another prescription from their primary care doctor, and perhaps another prescription from someone else. "For some people it gets very complicated to manage and becomes confusing. This can turn into a dangerous situation for some people.” 

Bouvier Pharmacy continues to offer medication management programs such as special Medicine-On-Time packaging that helps people keep track of daily dosages of medication. The pharmacy also offers delivery options and other assistance in organizing and managing more complicated dosing of medications.

In addition, the business is the primary pharmaceutical services provider to the assisted living facilities in Marlborough. Currently, two additional assisted living facilities are under development in Marlborough and Brian hopes to provide services to them as well. During a time when insurance companies are making health care much more difficult for consumers, he says the goal of his pharmacy is simply to help people.

"We are the oldest continuous run (retail) business in the city,” noted Brian. The pharmacy employs about twenty-five people, and a few months ago, filled its one-millionth prescription. "It took us 118 years to reach that benchmark,” he said. "It is predicted that we will reach our two millionth prescription within the next three years. A busy day for my grandfather was filling twenty prescriptions. Today we can fill five-hundred.”

The pharmacy recently purchased a robot that holds and dispenses medications much more efficiently.  This will allow the business to take on new customers and larger clients such as assisted living facilities that need larger volumes and more services. The robot was given the honorary name Violet, after Brian's great aunt who was the second pharmacist employed in the family business and the first female pharmacist in the state. 

One area of the business that is seeing continuous growth, along with challenges and changes is the Medical Equipment Department, managed by Brian’s cousin, David Bouvier.  The pharmacy offers a large variety of medical equipment and home care products. Brian mentioned that people are increasingly in need of these types of products and that it can be very difficult to get these items covered by insurance. 

"We want to continue to provide the kind of genuine care and service that was established when the pharmacy was founded,” he said. "If we are serious about helping people, sometimes it won't be as profitable as we hope, but we stand by those values.”

For more information visit www.bouvierpharmacy.com.

Shown in top picture below, Paul Montalbano’s Monnick Supply, sales of commercial power equipment is on the rise. In middle picture, sitting by the patio adjacent to a fireplace and an indoor mini-golf course are third generation members of the Trombetta family business, Tony Trombetta (left) and brother, Charlie, Jr. In lower picture, shown (l-r) Meredith, Jillian and David Bouvier are fourth and fifth generation family members who are keeping the tradition alive at Bouvier Pharmacy.