By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM – Northern Interiors, a furniture and decorating store at 46 Market St., has been purchased by Bicknell Corporation of Potsdam.

The new name of the store will be Bicknell Appliance and Home Interiors.

“It seemed like a good opportunity for us,” said Bicknell VP Rob Bicknell.

“We thought it would be worthwhile to move our TVs and appliances to the village, cut labor costs, and allow us to stock and sell more items at the Rt. 11 store,” south of Potsdam, where they have owned and run a building supply and home improvement business for years.

All of their TVs and appliances have been moved to Northern Interiors, and the combination with furniture and decorator items should increase traffic for all their offerings, Bicknell said.

“It should be better with the variety of items in the store.”

They will continue to offer furniture from the same U.S. and Canadian manufacturers the store has sold until now, “and maybe we’ll add other lines, with more price tiers, for a ‘good-better-best’ choice.”

Bicknell’s will also gain some heated storage space, which is important to store furniture and mattresses, to prevent things like cracking and other ill effects of cold.

The store will remain a downtown pickup center for J.C. Penney online and catalog orders.

Brian Pelkey, Bicknell’s appliance manager, is now in the downtown store, while the Northern Interiors staff, including interior designer Mary Valentine, will remain. Connie Bicknell will be overseeing the store.

Mark and Carol Cornett started the business just six years ago, in February 2006.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 to 3 Saturday.

The store phone number is 274-9500.