Though the store has only been known as Ricciardi Brothers for less than five years, its closing marks the end of 30 years of providing paints to Chestnut Hill. (Photo by Brendan Sample)

by Brendan Sample

After 30 years of providing Benjamin Moore paints to Chestnut Hill, the Ricciardi Brothers store on 8002 Germantown Ave. is set to close on Thursday, Dec. 20.

The reason for the store closing is reportedly tied to rising rents for the last two years. According to assistant manager Angel Berrios, sales have remained consistent for the eight years has been with the store.

Berrios said that while there was talk of relocating the store to a different location approximately two years ago, there are currently no plans in place to move the store or open another Ricciardi Brothers location in the Chestnut Hill area. The staff, however, will be relocated to other Ricciardi Brothers stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

During its three decades on the Avenue, the store has gone through three different ownerships, as it operated under the name of Old City Paints and Chestnut Hill Paints before switching to Ricciardi Brothers about four-and-a-half years ago. As an authorized retailer plus, the store “made an exclusive commitment to the brand and offered a comprehensive line of Benjamin Moore paints and stains,” according to the Benjamin Moore website.

While this closing marks the end of decades of service to the neighborhood, the staff remains grateful for their time spent in Chestnut Hill.

“My favorite parts of working in this area have just been dealing with the neighborhood people, taking in the atmosphere and locality and working with the different contractors,” Berrios said. Brendan Sample can be reached at brendan@chestnuthilllocal.com