Cashman, who previously ran a landscaping business from his River Road
residence, purchased the West Main Street store in 2002 for $240,000 and
says he invested another $750,000 in inventory to start the
business.Over the past two years, he claims the enterprise has been
dragged down by the difficult economy, losing accounts as other
businesses closed, as well as'petition from Seward's Ace Hardware, a new
store on East Main Street, and two new plumbing supply businesses.
The
store also took a blow from the major winter storm in 2012. "The winter
storm killed us," he says. "The working industry was paralyzed."New tool peeks into brain to measure consciousne
, his mortgage'pany, Business Lenders LLC
of New York and North Carolina, has filed a notice of its intent to
foreclose on the store property. "We paid every bill but the mortgage —
we fell three payments behind," he said.Cashman said he since has given
the lenders $30,000. He also said a $400,000 offer has been made to
purchase the property.Commingled with the store's main business
problems, to the extent it often surpasses them in Cashman's narrative,
is a zoning dispute with the town over a farming operation at his
residence that he says has sapped his finances through legal fees and
caused lost i'e for the hardware store.
The town filed suit last
year to force Cashman to correct what officials maintain are a host of
zoning violations at the property, all associated with a farming
operation that they say is not permitted in the zone. The alleged
violations include improper placement of fencing, the presence of farm
animals and manure, noise and smoke, the sale of firewood and, in
particular, the manufacturing of mulch.