ALLENSTOWN – The future of the one hardware store for miles around Allenstown is now coming to an end. The Aubuchon Hardware store has been a landmark enterprise for several decades and has served area residents with every need from nuts and bolts to shrubs and plants to pallets of wood pellets. It is now to be replaced by a McDonald’s restaurant.
Aubuchon Realty sold the Allenstown Aubuchon property in April 2023 to 77 Turnpike Street LLC of Gilford for $750,000, per the tax card. The building sits on a two-acre lot at the corner of Turnpike Street and Route 28 with 370 feet of frontage on Turnpike Street. With Hudson Quarry across the street, that is a very busy intersection and currently one without a traffic light.
When asked why his business name is the same as Aubuchon’s address, the new owner, Spiros Athanas, said that it was based on just that. He confirmed that the current lease expires sometime in mid 2025.
The town building inspector informed the selectmen on Oct. 21 that he had received a proposal from an engineering company to replace the hardware store with a McDonald’s restaurant. Recently the store manager stated that their lease runs out this summer but Aubuchon Corporation placed that property on its list of stores to be rebranded as Ace Hardware stores. He said that “right now, we are a tenant at will.”
Athanas said that certain factors led to purchasing this property. Several months ago, he had discussed this with Derik Goodine, the former town administrator, who was positive about a possible McDonald’s. Athanas had sold another property and, when Aubuchon Hardware became available, he decided it would be a good investment. He also said then that he was considering several options, one of which was a McDonald’s.
This February the planning board received notice that McDonald’s was ready to move forward with conversion of the property. The town called together town department heads to attend a Technical Review Committee meeting on Feb. 19 with McDonald’s representatives.
Preliminary site plan
They are planning a 38-seat restaurant with a double drive-through and an entrance on Turnpike Street.
Some of the impervious pavement will be replaced by pervious material to improve storm water drainage. A screen of evergreens will shield the abutters on the north side. A traffic study has been done but some officials were concerned about traffic entering from and exiting to Route 28. A follow up technical review meeting may be needed.
After that, there needs to be a meeting with the zoning board to review the site plan and decide on variances for signage and other details. A planning board review is next in the process. A spring 2026 opening is tentatively planned.
