By Stephen Tait
Staff Writer
April 15, 2008 03:00 am SALISBURY — If you can't handle the green, get out of the kitchen. Bill Richard, owner of Richard's Maytag in Salisbury, says the biggest thing in kitchen appliances and remodeling these days is customers seeking out appliances that will help save money and the planet at the same time. "Definitely people are going with more energy-efficient equipment," he said. "They are looking for refrigerators that are more efficient than last year or yesterday." Today's refrigerators, he said, cost about $3 to $4 a month to operate — or about $36 to $48 a year. Richard said compare that to a decade ago when it cost about $20 a month — or about $240 a year — and that is at least a $200 per year savings. "It is nothing to save $200 a year in electricity today," he said. Even stoves are getting in on the action, Richard said, with a combination of electronic controls and self-cleaning stoves that are more energy-efficient. The electronic temperature control devices allow for a more consistent temperature, which saves energy. The self-cleaning stoves come with tighter seals, which helps trap heat better than the older models without that technology. "Ninety-five percent of our stoves are self-cleaned," he said, "which means they have tighter seams and less heat escapes." Meanwhile, the store, which is located at 155 Bridge Road, continues to compete against the big box stores, a chore that is helped by technology. Richard says the computers in the store are used to access the big box stores' Web sites to see what the lowest sale price is for a certain appliance model. "We will either match their price or beat their price," he said. "We will meet it right then and there." In addition, Richard said his store and his employees are a part of the local community. There for 25 years, Richard said many of his employees have been working at the store for 10 or 15 years, which gives customers a familiar face with which to conduct business. Richard also said the moneythat comes into the store stays in the Newburyport area. Last year alone, he said, his store donated more than $10,000 to local charities. "We are the same people who donate to the local bands, cheerleaders and football teams," he said. "We are the same people you see at the football games. When the money comes in here, it is a circle."
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Photos
Energy-efficient appliances, like these new washer and dryers, have been popular items at Richard's Maytag in Salisbury. Staff photo