New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Ask anybody in the town of Middleboro where they go when it’s time for some fresh paint, and the answer is pretty much unanimous; Wilmot’s Decorating Center.
The name might not be familiar to those in the Greater New Bedford area, but with the opening of a new store on Ashley Boulevard in the city, it soon will be.
The new Wilmot’s Decorating Center, located at the iconic former site of Patnaude’s Aquarium in the North End, boasts a beautiful, warm showroom to show off the Benjamin Moore line. Equally as important are the friendly, knowledgeable Wilmot’s experts on site to make the experience as smooth as the paint.
“It just feels like home,” said New Bedford store manager Ryan Barker on a beautiful spring morning as he capped a newly blended gallon of paint. “The location is great, and we can’t wait for the people of New Bedford and SouthCoast to get to know us.”
The original Wilmot’s has been in business for over 45 years, and second-generation owner Scott Houlihan said the time was right for a second store.
“We think it’s a great spot, great location to grow, and we think people in New Bedford, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, all around this area are really going to love doing business with us,” he said.
The New Bedford location is one of Benjamin Moore’s “stores of the future,” a warm, inviting space that offers beautiful natural light to see the lines of paint in the truest way possible.
“We have a designer on staff at all times, and we’ll walk you through anything you want to check out,” Ryan said. “It can be a nerve-wracking thing for people, and we can help make it a lot easier. We’ll help you through it. We want that ideal solution that you want.”
When a customer comes to Wilmot’s with questions, the designer will go over what kind of room, what the overall style of the house, and they zero in on the right color and right product.
Said Scott, who grew up in the business: “We want to be dream makers.”
There’s a sense of “we’re all in this together” with Wilmot’s, from the many contractors and painters that already use Wilmot’s exclusively to the customers who come back from generation to generation.
One customer in the Middleboro store had this to say in an online review:
“FABULOUS service at Wilmot’s. Just had carpet installed in my bedrooms and John did an amazing job! I am extremely happy with everything from start to finish! Scott was very informative about the carpet in his store and helped me pick the right carpet for us! I have always purchased my paint and supplies from Wilmots and want to mention how helpful they ALWAYS are with helping pick colors and the right supplies! I can not say enough good things about Wilmot’s. Shop local :)”
“We really pride ourselves on that concept of customer-first,” Ryan said.
Any accessories a painter might need are available at Wilmot’s, but nothing else – no candy bars, no Christmas trees, no microwave ovens.
“We want you to come here and be focused on getting the paint right with nothing else to distract you,” Ryan said. “What can I say? I guess we’re just into it. We love paint.”
While there’s an old-school vibe to the service, there’s plenty of new-school tools available to make sure the experience is easy and perfect. All of the Benjamin Moore paints are mixed to perfection and with speed. At Wilmot’s, they make sure everything’s right – and done fast.
“We’re really eager to build relationships and embrace this area,” Scott said. “People are going to love the Wilmot’s difference.”
Wilmot’s is open Monday thru Thursday 7-6, Friday 7-5 and Saturday 8-3 , and there’s plenty of great parking in the rear of the building.
1193 Ashley Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02745
Phone: (508) 985-0042
Email: wilmotdec@verizon.net
Website: cwilmotsdecorating.com/sb.cn
Facebook: facebook.com/WilmotsNewBedford
