C&R Appliances – new & used Scratch and Dent shop doing big business in a small town way!

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One-man show Cliff Rose is always offloading, repairing or tinkering.

Who doesn’t love a local-yokel story? A tale about a person everyone in town likes, knows, and trusts. A simple fellow whose word and handshake is enough for a deal? Someone with old-world ideals and business practices? Who should be offering products and services at a higher price, but is just a good guy and can’t help himself?

Cliff Rose, born and raised on Long Pond, is a veritable one-man show: the owner, repairman, technician, salesman, and all-around loved local-yokel of C&R Appliances Unlimited – a new, used and Scratch and Dent Appliances shop located in the Old Goodhue Lumber Building. You know, one of those places where there is a dent – sometimes a scratch that can barely be seen – causes the big stores to junk it as unsaleable?

Cliff’s friend Dave standing at the back of the open truck.

Sounds crazy, but the big chains actually “throw” these items away and folks like Cliff grab them for incredibly cheap – which is great news for regular people like you and I, or people who are frugal and thrifty.

Two decades ago, Cliff was working for a recycling company and was downright shocked when he saw what was being thrown away. Some of the appliances he was coming across that were to be tossed were better than what he had in his own house! So with this in mind, C&R Appliances was born. Cliff is usually so busy in the backroom, unloading new inventory or repairing something, that locals like Betsy will come in, put some wood in the wood stove, brew some coffee and “hang out.” By hang out, I mean manage the shop! He has no permanent employees – family and friends, stop in to chat and just help out. In fact, Betsy puts in some solid hours, so she has a place to sew.

That’s a small town business model, that you rarely if at all see any more. Locals pulling together to help one another out, because…well, that’s what people do, right?

Finding a perfectly new refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, etc. for 50% or more off the regular price is pretty common at C&R. And if steep discounts like that aren’t enough for you, there are appliances that are used, broken and thrown away that Cliff reconditions. Since he paid very little for the used items and only invested a few hours of labor and some parts, you get solid appliances backed by Cliff’s know-how – which he backs up with a 90 day guarantee. So whether new or used, it’s affordable.

One can find beauties like these stainless steel refrigerators for up to 50% off from what you would see at chain stores – with no difference but perhaps a scratch.

On top of that, if Cliff doesn’t have something you are looking for – he’ll find it. He is out looking for new stock daily, and can often find you what you are looking for within a day, and sometimes the same day! He offers the same service whether you are the owner of rental properties and need a twenty dishwashers or just a regular joe looking for a microwave.

Not only does C&R Appliances offer appliances, but Cliff repairs them as well. However, Cliff is so busy and as I mentioned, he is a one-man show, you will have to deal with repairs at a small-town speed. Having said that, if you want to save an arm and a leg and have patience – you can wait a day or two – then, it’s a no-brainer. Go with the small town!

I asked Cliff why he would be way out in the “boonies” instead of places with high traffic like Dartmouth and New Bedford and his reply was a simple, practical one “I was born and raised here. I’m raising my son Tylah here. Besides, the shop is close to the pond – I can do some jet skiing or speed boating.”

So what kind of things will you come across on a visit? How about a 4 piece kitchen set – Bisque electric stove, 15 cu.ft. refrigerator, a dishwasher and microwave for $600? Not a misprint! $600! Best of all, since Cliff dismantles, cleans, and repairs every single item before it goes on the showroom floor you get the 90-day guarantee. He knows the appliance inside and out and is confident enough to back it up. “Nothing goes out on the floor unless I would put it in my home.” That’s a darn good measuring stick. Simple business maxims like that are why C&R has been so successful for twenty years, solely on word of mouth and no advertising.

Cliff’s son Dave Barlow is reconditioning a newly arrived machine.

This is why in that twenty year time frame, Cliff’s customer’s children grow up to become new customers.

So if you want affordable prices on appliances and repairs by people like you and I, with no sales pitches, by a local, small business then there is no better place than C&R. In a small town like East Freetown, word gets around fast – there’s no hiding from reputation built on honesty and quality service or dishonesty and poor service. Your neighbors are your customers. You’re in a boatload of trouble if you do the wrong things, and inversely if you are doing the right thing, everyone will know about it. Luckily for those of us in the South Coast, Cliff has been doing the right thing for twenty years.

Just ask around – or head in and warm yourself near the wood stove. Ask for Betsy, Cliff or whomever is brewing the coffee that day.


Here’s a fine example of one of the deals C&R Appliances offers on a set:

4-piece kitchen set: microwave, dishwasher, stove AND refrigerator: $600!

C&R Appliances Unlimited
182 Middleboro Rd
East Freetown, Massachusetts 02717
Phone: 508.876.3772 or 774.849.4888
Open weekdays from 9-5 and Saturday from 8-2.
Facebook: facebook.com/Co130631



About Joe Silvia

When Joe isn't writing, he's coaching people to punch each other in the face. He enjoys ancient cultures, dead and living languages, cooking, benching 999#s, and saving the elderly, babies and puppies from burning buildings. While he enjoys long walks on the beach, he will not be your alarm clock, because he's no ding-a-ling.

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