Wisebuys

Canton NY, a small town of 6,000 people is the first location for a new regional discount chain called WiseBuys serving central and northern New York. Under the direction of Joe LaChausse, a retail veteran with 14 years' experience in the supermarket business and 10 years with BJ's Wholesale Club, WiseBuys looks to fill a niche in communities previously served by Ames, even using a few of the defunct chain's locations. What's more, former Ames executive Joe Ettore is chairman of the new chain.

However, the new chain differentiates itself with a bigger assortment of domestics, said LaChausse, president and ceo, a department where it is working with one vendor. WiseBuys is also more expansive on food and has a partnership with Payless Shoes, which has an in-store boutique.

WiseBuys was formed to proactively address the recent loss of Ames Department Stores throughout northern New York," said WiseBuys Stores, Inc. founder Thomas Scozzafava. "Ames represented a vital retail destination in the larger, key shopping centers and filled an important role of providing a variety of affordably priced and much-needed merchandise. It is our goal to replace and expand on the concept of Ames." The store will offer discounted and branded merchandise such as clothing, footwear, domestics, home entertainment equipment, toys, hardware, furniture, appliances, sporting goods and housewares at every day low prices. The company has also been pursuing former Ames locations in Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Lowville and Potsdam. They announced in late june 2004 that a new store would open in the former Ames in Hamilton NY.

2007 update: Seaway Valley Capital Corporation acquired both WiseBuys Stores, Inc. and Patrick Hackett Hardware Company in 2007 and is merging the operations of the two retailers under the "Hackett's" brand. Former Wisebuys stores are being converted to the Hackett's format. WEBSITE