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NEWSROUNDUP

Kent launches private-label lines at latest show

TIMBER MART’s approach to building culture from within

Castle

Peavey

AD

“

” The thing I love most about being a Dealer is supporting those around you in your community.

100% Canadian. 100% Dealer-owned and operated.

When you join the Home Hardware family, you become part of a tight-knit community that’s free from the pressures of external shareholders. Gain access to a trusted brand with personalized resources dedicated to helping your unique business thrive, plus a coastto-coast Dealer network ready to back you every step of the way.

REBECCA DUMAIS, EDITOR

THIRTY YEARS OF REINVENTION—AND THE VOICE THAT TRACKED IT

Every industry has its defining moments.

For Canada’s home improvement sector, 1994 was one of them.

The arrival of Home Depot and Walmart didn’t just introduce new competitors—it fundamentally changed how retail would operate in this country, accelerating the shift toward big-box formats and forcing every player to rethink their strategy.

But just as those forces were reshaping the market, something else was quietly taking shape.

In early 1995, Michael McLarney left traditional trade publishing and launched Hardlines from his basement, using a fax machine and a simple idea: the industry needed faster, sharper information.

Michael’s boisterousness and gregarious nature evolved into something important—and something bigger— the unofficial voice of Canada’s home improvement industry. Not bad for a basement startup.

Over the next three decades, that voice has tracked an industry defined by constant change: consolidation, shifting alliances, and an increasing focus on the pro and commercial customer.

Through it all, independent dealers have remained the backbone—adapting, specializing, and competing in ways that go far beyond price.

Today, the pace of change is only accelerating. Major players are doubling down on the pro market, buying groups are evolving, and new partnerships continue to reshape the landscape.

If there’s a throughline from 1995 to now, it’s this: success belongs to those who adapt early and stay close to their customers.

When we quote Michael’s famous tagline, “Hardlines was there,” his presence is what shaped 30 years of business. That was the instinct behind Hardlines at the start—and it’s just as relevant today.

rebecca@hardlines.ca

If there’s a throughline from 1995 to now, it’s this: success belongs to those who adapt early and stay close to their customers. “ ”

NEWSROUNDUP

KENT LAUNCHES PRIVATE-LABEL LINES AT LATEST SHOW

Kent Building Supplies turns 50 this year. The home improvement chain, which is headquartered in Saint John, N.B., traces its origins to the original Irving General Store, which opened in 1976 in Bouctouche, N.B. It expanded beyond its home province by the early 1990s.

Through the years, expansion was accelerated by acquisition. In 2004, it bought Schurman Building Supplies, then P.E.I.’s leading home improvement retailer. In

2016, it acquired Nova Scotia’s Central Building Supplies banner and converted those stores to the Kent banner.

Today, the chain, which is still owned by J.D. Irving Ltd., has 48 stores, three truss plants, and a drywall facility. It serves both DIY and pro customers across its various store formats and has intensified its focus on the contractor customer in recent years.

Kent is also a member of the Independent Lumber Dealers Co-operative and the European-based A.R.E.N.A. Alliance.

Kent Building Supplies showcased its new EraHome private-label line at its Halifax trade show, part of an expanded push into proprietary kitchen, bath, and décor products.

As it kicks off its 50th birthday celebrations, Kent general manager Patrick O’Neil spoke to CTV’s Your Morning Atlantic about the retail giant’s plans for the occasion. “Not all companies make it that long, and we intend to keep growing and helping Atlantic Canadians build Atlantic Canada,” he said.

“We’ve got promotions planned, contests, staff events, we’ve got some great commercials,” O’Neil said of this year’s milestone. “We’ve got one running right now. We’ll have a new one in the second quarter and the third quarter.”

Another new thing is Kent’s expanded private-label offerings. At its annual trade show in Halifax in February, proprietary brands were a big focus. One, called “EraHome,” represents a range of kitchen and bath cabinets and décor products. Another, branded “Made 4 Supply,” includes hand tools, seasonal tools, storage, and portable heaters and generators.

While Kent has seen changes since 1976, some things stay the same. One of them, O’Neil said, is its tradition of handing out free lollipops to kids in its stores. “We do that for our future customers.”

TIMBER MART’S APPROACH TO BUILDING CULTURE FROM WITHIN

For TIMBER MART CEO Bernie Owens, hiring is less about filling roles and more about strengthening culture. His core philosophy is simple: organizations should look inward first when developing leadership.

Owens shared that philosophy with Hardlines at the recent TIMBER MART National Buying Show, held at the Toronto Congress Centre. He believes promoting from within sends a powerful message to employees.

Internal advancement shows that growth is possible, encouraging engagement and long-term commitment. When employees see a future inside the organization, they are less likely to look elsewhere. That sense of opportunity becomes a retention tool as much as a development strategy.

“There are roles that require external hiring,” Owens acknowledges, particularly in specialized functions like legal. But generally, he views internal promotion as a cultural investment. “Any organization should be focused on hiring from within.”

Employees who already understand the company’s values, pace, and expectations enter new roles with context that outsiders must build from scratch. Leaders can focus training on closing skill gaps rather than onboarding someone to an unfamiliar environment.

Owens also points out the risks of relying too much on external recruitment. A polished interview doesn’t always translate to workplace performance. Internal candidates bring known strengths and areas for development, as well as a demonstrated commitment to the organization.

That commitment ties directly into TIMBER MART’s broader culture, one built on accountability and empowerment. Owens describes an environment in which employees are trusted to make decisions and are responsible for the outcomes. Removing unnecessary management layers allows teams to act quickly while staying aligned with company goals. In his view, a flatter structure promotes ownership and reinforces mutual respect.

“I’m a strong promoter of the notion that if you promote from within, you’ll foster loyalty,” he adds.

BRIEFLY

WINDSOR PLYWOOD OPENS NEW STORE IN LANGLEY, B.C.

Windsor Plywood has opened a new store in Langley, B.C. It measures 15,000 square feet, which is double the Langley store’s previous footprint. “The larger space has been a welcome change and will allow us to better support our customers through both the products we carry and the services we offer,” said Matthew Anderson, the store’s owner and manager.

BMR ADDS 10 AGRIZONE STORES IN ONTARIO

BMR has signed 10 stores belonging to Midwest Co-operative Services Inc. These locations have become Agrizone agriculture supply centres. They are in the Southwestern Ontario communities of Harriston, Durham, Hanover, Mount Forest, Markdale, Wiarton, Chelsey, Mildmay, Teeswater, and Belgrave. Midwest Co-operative Services is in Teeswater, Ont.

RONA MAKES CHANGES TO AFFILIATED DEALER SUPPORT TEAM

Within its affiliated dealer support team, RONA inc. has named Bernie Gauthier VP, business development, RONA affiliated dealers. François Fournier has been promoted to VP, operations, RONA affiliated dealers. The company expects these changes to allow it to focus on its growth strategy while continuing efforts to be a partner of choice for dealers.

CANAC OPENS BIGGEST STORE YET

Canac held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony recently for its new Laval, Que., store, which opened in January. Sitting on a 45,000-square-foot property, the store is the chain’s largest to date.

BRIEFLY

H CANADIAN DEALERS FLY SOUTH FOR ORGILL MARKET

TIMBER MART NAMES NEW ONTARIO LBM PURCHASER

ome improvement retailers gathered earlier this year in Orlando, Fla., for the hardware wholesaler’s 2026 Dealer Market. Over three days, retailers browsed promotional buying opportunities, attended educational sessions, and met with Orgill’s retail services teams.

Once again, Hardlines welcomed Canadian independents attending the market to a special event just for them. This year’s Canada Night reception was held at The Pub, a British-American gastropub a short walk from the convention facility. The event was sponsored by a selection of exhibiting vendors at the show.

In a release, CEO and president Boyden Moore noted the challenges facing dealers today. “We have seen a few years of headwinds in the industry, and sales growth has become much harder to achieve.” The

Orgill’s 2026 Dealer Market in Orlando, Fla., focused on practical support, planning, and navigating a slowergrowth landscape.

Dealer Market, he added, lets Orgill work face-to-face with retailers to build a plan for achieving their goals, “and to demonstrate how we can support them every step of the way.”

David Mobley, Orgill’s executive vice-president of sales and services, told Hardlines the wholesaler’s goal is to help retailers navigate “the environment we’ve had the last couple of years in our industry, where growth just isn’t robust like it had been during the pandemic.”

“Independents don’t need hype,” Moore concluded, but rather “a partner who understands their business.”

TIMBER MART has appointed Kevin Plett as the group’s Ontario LBM procurement manager. Plett is responsible for negotiating building material programs for the organization, as well as assisting in its flyer program and national buying show. Based at TIMBER MART’s office in Vaughan, Ont., he reports to Randy Martin, the buying group’s VP of procurement.

FICODIS BUYS TYTAN GLOVE AND SAFETY

Ficodis Group, based in Montreal, has acquired Tytan Glove and Safety, an Ontario supplier of personal protective equipment and safety services. With the addition of Tytan’s distribution centres in Guelph, Ont., and Edmonton, Ficodis says the acquisition strengthens its nationwide footprint, enhances its ability to deliver rapidly to jobsites, and deepens its occupational health and safety offering.

CANADIAN TIRE AGREES TO SETTLEMENT ON FALSE ADVERTISING

Canadian Tire agreed to a settlement on false advertising in Quebec. Fines totalling $1,287,550 plus costs will be levied on the retailer after charges were laid on 74 counts of violating Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act. The law requires that a product advertised as discounted must have been offered at the regular price for a meaningful period. Between April and October 2021, no such higher price was offered on particular products that were heavily discounted in three Montreal-area Canadian Tire stores and online.

NEWSROUNDUP

D CASTLE ENDS THE YEAR STRONG, ADDING NINE DEALERS TO ITS FOLD

ealers switching among banners and buying groups is an ongoing phenomenon, one that typically heats up toward the end of the year. But migration to Castle Building Centres Group has been particularly active coming into 2026. The Mississauga, Ont.-based buying group added nine additional stores across seven different dealers from the end of November to the first week of the New Year. The signed stores are spread across the country, with two in British Columbia, one in Alberta, two in Quebec, and four in Atlantic Canada.

Castle’s run of signings started in B.C. in late November, when Takaya Supply Co., located in Coquitlam, joined the group. Takaya Supply is a full-service LBM dealer and a Squamish Nation member-owned company. At the beginning of December, the group announced the signing of a hardware store in Cumberland, B.C., on central Vancouver Island. Called the Ilo-Ilo Hardware Store, the opening was planned for this spring. More stores were added soon after, this

time in Quebec. There, Castle signed Les Distributions M. Dion Inc. in Salaberryde-Valleyfield. Next came a new member in Sherbrooke, Concept Habitat Inc. Then, on Jan. 7, Castle announced it had signed Golden City Supply in Calgary.

Only days later, the group shared one more signing, Shauny K’s Affordable Building Centre in New Minas, N.S. The store was formerly known as Happy Harry’s.

There has been activity within Castle’s commercial division as well. Encore Drywall Material Supplies and Groupe Beauchesne, which recently partnered to form Leonek Corp., have acquired Coastal Drywall Supplies Ltd. This dealer has locations in Dartmouth, N.S., and Hanwell and Dieppe, N.B.

Encore joined Castle in the summer of 2024. It has yards in Vaughan and Trenton, Ont. Groupe Beauchesne, meanwhile, joined the buying group in February 2025. Beauchesne has five yards in Quebec—three in the Montreal area and two in the Quebec City market.

PEAVEY MART RELAUNCHES—WITH MORE OPENINGS PLANNED

With new owners and a new head office address, Peavey Mart relaunched in the late fall with four locations in Alberta. The stores are in Spruce Grove, Westlock, Camrose, and Lacombe.

The Peavey Mart stores are owned by a group that secured the rights to the Peavey Mart name and associated intellectual property from the defunct Peavey Industries LP in April 2025. The company has secured a 40,000-squarefoot distribution facility in Red Deer County to support its ongoing operations and distribution requirements. A new team has been assembled at the head office to support the relaunch.

With the historical success of many loca -

tions in Prairie markets, the ownership group will target openings in other previously held markets, including two stores in Saskatchewan, with planned March openings in Assiniboia and Yorkton. Another Peavey Mart store will open in April in Red Deer, with the goal of opening up to 12 locations.

“We know that the closure of Peavey Mart stores left a gap for many customers,” said Doug Anderson, CEO of Peavey Mart. “Our investors and ownership group recognize the importance of Peavey Mart in the Canadian retail landscape, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to relaunch the brand in these communities.”

BRIEFLY

RONA EXPANDS PRESENCE IN KELOWNA, B.C.

RONA has announced the signing of a store in Kelowna, B.C. The store, which previously operated as Mara Lumber, has been renamed RONA Highway 33. It will add 6,000 square feet to its current 10,000-square-foot retail space. In addition, RONA reopened its corporate store there, renamed RONA+.

HOME DEPOT CANADA PARTNERS WITH INSTACART

Home Depot Canada has made a deal with Instacart, the grocery delivery company, to offer same-day delivery in as fast as an hour from about 176 of Home Depot’s 182 stores in this country. Home Depot joins over 100 retail banners on the platform, giving its customers access to thousands of home improvement products.

B.C. BUILDING MATERIALS DEALER JOINS AD

AD Building Supplies – Canada has signed a new member. Urban Design Building Materials of Langley, B.C. has joined the group. The outlet, founded in 2014, serves Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

NEW ZELLERS OWNERS CONFIRM PLANS FOR NATIONAL EXPANSION

The opening last fall of a Zellers store in Edmonton marked the reboot of a venerable Canadian retail banner. Following the launch of the first store, called Zellers 3.0, the owners are now pursuing new leasing opportunities across Canada as part of a phased national expansion strategy. The brand is focused on securing locations in every major Canadian market.

A AD CANADA SHOWS SOLID GROWTH WITH NEW MEMBERS

ffiliated Distributors posted strong results from its members in 2025, with combined sales reaching US$100 billion. That represented a 20 percent increase, and a record for the buying group.

The increase was due largely to acquisitions. However, growth was also strong on a like-for-like basis, including healthy performance for members north of the border, where same-store sales in local currency increased 5.0 percent.

AD is a large North American contractor and industrial products wholesale purchasing co-operative that operates in a range of channels. In Canada, those segments are: AD Industrial & Safety, Plumbing and Heating, Electrical, and Building Supplies – Canada. AD Canada’s headquarters are housed in its 50,000-square-foot warehouse in Mississauga, Ont., which supports all Canadian members.

Building supply stores in Canada comprise the AD Building Supplies – Canada division. That division was formed on July 1, 2022, when an existing buying group, TORBSA, merged with AD Canada. At the time, TORBSA president Paul Williams moved over to AD to head up the new Canadian building supplies division, reporting to AD Canada president Rob Dewar.

Under Williams, recruitment is led by Stephane Gaumond and Dave Kellam, both of whom are directors of business development. It now counts 67 locations.

Williams observes that AD Canada brings a unique offering to the marketplace, given that the group is “truly member-owned and -governed,” he said, citing “the transparency with our membership and our relationships with our supplier partners.” He added that “operational

HOME DEPOT, LOWE’S EARNINGS FALL AMIDST MIXED SALES RESULTS

The two largest home improvement retailers in the U.S. reported earnings declines last year. However, the pro business was a major driver of sales growth for both companies.

The Home Depot said its Q4 earnings fell to US$2.6 billion from $3.0 billion in Q4 of 2024. Sales came to $38.2 billion, down $1.5 billion or 3.8 percent from a year earlier. Canadian comp sales were negative in local currency. Home Depot is opening a new Canadian store next year, the first in over a decade. The 183rd store in the country will open in Fort McMurray, Alta.

Sales for the year rose by $5.2 billion or 3.2 percent to $164.7 billion. Earnings declined

to $14.2 billion, compared to $14.8 billion in fiscal 2024.

“Our dedicated, unified pro team, including a pro customer experience manager, continues to elevate the pro experience in our stores,” said senior executive vice-president Ann-Marie Campbell. “As a result, we’ve seen increased engagement, higher pro sales, and continued growth in our ProXtra loyalty program.”

The company bought SRS Distribution in the previous fiscal year and closed the acquisition of Gypsum Management & Supply Inc. partway through fiscal 2025.

strategy adds profitability to our members’ bottom line.”

Dealers of all types are facing new challenges, said Williams, which make forging greater retail alliances even more important. “We’re seeing dealers across Canada access and re-access their current relationships, especially given the tough economic times ahead.”

Rival Lowe’s Cos. reported Q4 earnings of $999 million or $1.78 per share, down from $1.99 per share a year earlier. As with Home Depot, that decline came despite higher sales, which rose to $20.6 billion from $18.6 billion. Comp sales rose by 1.3 percent, boosted by pro sales.

Earnings for the year declined to $6.66 billion from $6.96 billion in 2024. Sales rose to $86.3 billion from $83.7 billion.

Like its competitor, Lowe’s also made a big move into the gypsum business in 2025, acquiring Foundation Building Materials in October. Brandon Sink, executive vicepresident and CFO, reminded analysts that the company took $149 million in charges in Q4 due to its FBM and Artisan Design Group acquisitions.

BY REBECCA DUMAIS

BEYOND POINTS: REBUILDING LOYALTY THROUGH

Retail has invested heavily in efficiency over the past decade. Self-checkout. Automated emails. Loyalty points. Algorithm-driven promotions. Technically, it all makes sense.

REAL RETAIL EXPERIENCES

Chris Parsons, VP of marketing at Hale and author of Retail Rewired, says dealers should ask themselves: Are we designing stores purely for operational efficiency—or are we designing moments customers remember?

According to Chris Parsons, VP of marketing at Hale and author of Retail Rewired, something essential in retail has been lost along the way: the human experience.

In this conversation with HHIQ, Parsons challenges dealers to rethink personalization, loyalty, and what customers are actually asking for when they walk into a store.

Chris, what pushed you to turn your retail observations into a book?

PARSONS: Frustration—and curiosity.

As a consumer, I started noticing how disconnected many retail experiences felt. I’d go into a store, use self-checkout, weigh my own vegetables, scan everything myself, bag it myself, and then at the end the machine would ask me to rate the experience.

And I’m thinking: rate what? I didn’t speak to a single associate. I did all the work. The only interaction I had was with a screen.

It made me step back and ask: is this really the direction we want to go? Is efficiency replacing experience?

That tension is what pushed me to formalize my ideas and write Retail Rewired

The book isn’t anti-technology. It’s pro-experience. It asks how we use technology to elevate service rather than erase it.

You’ve spoken about selfcheckout as a flashpoint. What’s the broader lesson for dealers?

PARSONS: The broader lesson is that convenience without connection has limits.

Self-checkout is efficient. It reduces labour pressure. It speeds up transactions during peak periods. But when that becomes the only experience, we’ve stripped retail down to a transaction.

Retail has always been about relationships. Local dealers built their reputation on knowing customers by name, remembering their projects, and offering advice.

When a customer does everything themselves and then receives loyalty points as a reward, that’s not loyalty. That’s compensation.

Points aren’t emotional. Experiences are. Dealers should ask themselves: Are we designing stores purely for operational efficiency—or are we designing moments customers remember?

Efficiency is important. But it shouldn’t replace engagement.

You’re critical of how the industry defines personalization. What’s missing?

PARSONS: We use the word “personalization” very loosely.

Adding someone’s first name to the top of an email is not personalization. Sending an offer based on a product someone viewed online is not personalization—especially if that customer has already purchased that item somewhere else.

Let’s say I research a barbecue. I might buy it online. I might buy it in-store. I might buy it from a competitor. But if you continue emailing me barbecue promotions for three weeks because your system only knows I viewed the product, that’s not personalization. That’s automation without awareness.

True personalization would require a unified view of the customer across channels. That’s extremely complex. It involves data integration, privacy laws, cross-platform collaboration—possibly even credit card data partnerships.

Until we solve that, what we’re really offering is targeted messaging—not personalized experiences.

And there’s a difference.

So, if personalization at scale is difficult, where should dealers focus instead?

PARSONS: Focus on personalized experiences— not personalized emails.

Think about customer behaviour patterns inside your store.

If you know a specific customer shops every Saturday morning at 8 a.m., what could you do differently for them? Could you reserve a preferred parking spot? Could you have a team member ready with coffee and a quick hello?

If you know a mom shops midweek with two kids who are restless and impatient, could you assign someone to assist her through the store? Help load the cart. Make the experience easier.

That small gesture creates emotional goodwill far beyond a 10 percent discount.

Why JRTech? #988

“As a retail store owner, I can’t recommend JRTech’s Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) enough. These digital price tags have revolutionized our retail operations, customer experience, and have saved us time and money. By optimizing pricing and reducing labour time in picking orders and replenishing inventory, we have seen increased profitability. As well, our staff now has more time available to perform other tasks such as customer service. Customers expect synchronicity between our store locations including online. This can be tough to manage without the use of ESL’s. Consistent pricing allows us to avoid price haggling, and at the same time, the tech savvy in-store experience helps maintain or even improve customer loyalty and satisfaction. In summary, JRTech’s ESL’s are a game-changer. If you want efficiency, accuracy, and a competitive edge, I suggest taking a serious look at implementing them.

, President,

Retailers o en assume loyalty is built through price incentives. In reality, loyalty is built through friction reduction and thoughtful gestures.

Personalization doesn’t have to mean complex data integration. It can mean recognizing patterns and responding intentionally.

Dealers operate on tight margins. How can they justify investing in experience over efficiency?

PARSONS: It’s not either-or.

Technology should enhance the human layer, not eliminate it.

Self-checkout can exist—but there should also be visible, accessible sta . Digital promotions can exist—but they should complement in-store service.

FLE

Points are ne. But points alone don’t create attachment.

Attachment is created when customers feel understood.

How does technology fi t into that more human-centered model?

PARSONS: Technology should support memory and insight.

It can identify repeat visits. It can ag purchase frequency. It can highlight common buying combinations.

But the output shouldn’t always be an automated email. Sometimes the output should be an in-store action.

For example, if your system identi es that a contractor purchases drywall every two weeks, could you pre-stage the order?

Retailers need to ask: Are we improving the customer journey—or just our own margins? “ ”

e nancial case for experience is retention. Acquiring new customers is expensive. Retaining existing customers is more e cient.

If a small operational adjustment increases repeat visits, that compounds over time.

Dealers have an advantage here. National chains struggle to localize experiences. Independent retailers know their community.

Experience becomes a di erentiator.

In your view, what has loyalty become—and what should it be?

PARSONS: Loyalty has become transactional. Spend X dollars, earn Y points. Redeem points for future discounts. at model works at scale, but it doesn’t build emotional connection.

Loyalty should be about recognition and relevance.

Do we recognize how this customer shops? Do we understand their habits? Do we make their visit easier, more enjoyable, more e cient?

Could you streamline pickup? Could you proactively ask about upcoming projects? at’s where technology and humanity intersect.

e goal isn’t to automate interaction. It’s to inform it.

You’ve mentioned that retailers often optimize for themselves rather than for customers. What do you mean by that?

PARSONS: Many operational decisions are driven by cost control and e ciency. Reduce labour. Automate checkout. Standardize processes. ose decisions make sense internally. But from a customer perspective, the experience can feel stripped down.

When customers are doing more of the work, they begin questioning the value of the retailer.

Retailers need to ask: Are we improving the customer journey—or just our own margins?

e most sustainable strategy balances both.

What mindset shift would you like to see in the dealer channel?

PARSONS: I’d like dealers to challenge themselves to nd one experience enhancement for each key customer persona.

Instead of asking, “How do we increase basket size?” ask, “How do we reduce friction for this customer?”

Instead of asking, “How do we automate this?” ask, “How do we elevate this moment?”

ose questions change the conversation. Independent dealers have agility. ey can experiment quickly. ey can adjust based on feedback. ey don’t need a corporate approval chain for every change. Small gestures, executed consistently, build brand equity.

Your book explores these ideas. Who should read it?

PARSONS: It’s for anyone in retail leadership who feels the tension between technology and service.

ere are insights for marketing teams, store managers, operations leaders, and owners.

It’s practical. It’s grounded in real observations. And it’s meant to spark internal discussion.

We’re at an in ection point in retail. e choices we make now about automation, personalization, and experience will shape customer expectations for years.

I enjoy engaging with dealers directly. e best ideas o en come from operators who are testing concepts in real time.

Parsons’ new book, Retail Rewired, is available on Amazon.

Paul Cormier

Dealer owner, RONA Edmundston Rénocentre Cormier, Edmundston NB, since 2025

RONA provides all the tools and support I need to help my hardware store stand out in the market. It’s clear today that affiliated dealers are a key driver of growth for the company, and our regional expertise is highly valued. With this new leadership, RONA is the preferred choice.

BY REBECCA DUMAIS

BUILT ON GROWNTRUST, WITH HEART

Inside the transformation of BMR Avantis Montmagny and how the co-op’s leaders made it happen

When Avantis Coopérative accepted the Marc Robichaud Award at Hardlines’ 2025 Outstanding Retailer Awards, the recognition reflected far more than a single year of performance. The award recognized a retail operation built on decades of community roots, co-operative governance, and a leadership culture that places people at the centre of the business.

At the heart of that achievement stands BMR Avantis Montmagny, a flagship renovation centre owned by Avantis Coopérative and managed by store manager Dany Boucher, whose team has overseen one of the most significant retail transformations within the co-op’s network.

Strategically located at 111 Boulevard Taché East in Montmagny, Que., the store has evolved into a major regional destination for contractors, DIYers, agricultural producers, municipal buyers, and commercial customers.

important fixture in the region’s construction and renovation market.

Operating under the banner Ed. Gendreau inc. Matériaux de construction, the business served contractors and residents during a period of rapid development across the Côte-du-Sud region of Québec.

In 1969, a CN train derailment destroyed the original hardware store. Instead of abandoning the business, the owners rebuilt and relocated to the current site on Taché Boulevard. The relocation proved pivotal. Over the following decades, the store would grow into one of the region’s most significant building supply centres.

By the late 1970s, the store had joined the Unimat network and later transitioned to the Unitotal banner. Product assortments were expanded and contractor relationships strengthened. A major turning point came in 1988, when the Coopérative agricole de la Côte Sud acquired the business.

Personalized and local service remains what truly distinguishes the Montmagny store.” “

It’s also one of the busiest renovation centres in Avantis’s retail division. The Marc Robichaud Award recognizes retailers whose leadership extends beyond sales results. It highlights stores that demonstrate operational excellence, strong community involvement, and a workplace culture that builds long-term loyalty among employees and customers alike.

For Avantis Coopérative and the Montmagny team, those principles have been woven into the store’s identity for more than half a century.

A COMMUNITY STORE

The story of the Montmagny location begins more than 60 years ago, when local entrepreneur Édouard Gendreau established a hardware store that quickly became an

Under co-op ownership, the store evolved into a full renovation centre, adding a décor department and expanding its role as a comprehensive supplier for homeowners and professionals.

Over time, the co-op evolved, eventually becoming Groupe Dynaco and later Avantis Coopérative following the 2018 merger of six agricultural co-operatives.

Throughout those organizational changes, the Montmagny store remained one of the co-operative’s most important retail assets.

THE CO-OPERATIVE MODEL

Today Avantis Coopérative serves more than 15,600 members and operates across agriculture, retail, and agribusiness sectors throughout Québec.

Its ownership structure shapes how the organization makes decisions and distributes value. Unlike corporate chains that report primarily to shareholders, a co-operative answers to its member-owners. Profits are reinvested locally and returned to members through patronage dividends based on purchases.

“Because the co-operative belongs to its members, they share equitably in a portion of Avantis’s profits through the patronage dividend,” says Céline Boisvert, vice-president, marketing communications at Avantis Coopérative. “Members also share decision-making power through their voting rights and can influence the organization’s direction through the board of directors, which remains attentive to their concerns.”

That model influences everything from long-term investments to day-to-day retail operations. Within Avantis’ retail division, the organization’s strategy centres on delivering renovation and construction services and products tailored to its communities’ needs.

The Montmagny store has become a prime example of how that philosophy translates into operational success.

A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION

In September 2022, Avantis launched the largest transformation project in the Montmagny store’s history.

Following an extensive review of its regional operations, the co-operative decided to consolidate its retail presence and invest heavily in modernizing the Taché Boulevard location. The plan included closing the CapSt-Ignace store in October 2023 and converting the Montmagny Cascades Street location into a liquidation centre in spring 2024.

The centrepiece of the strategy was a $5 million renovation and expansion project designed to increase capacity and improve the customer experience. Over

an 18-month renovation period, the sales floor expanded from 11,600 square feet to 16,500 square feet.

Storage space also expanded significantly, increasing to 24,000 square feet from 17,000. An additional 12,000-square-foot warehouse was developed at the former Cascades Street location to support the main store’s operations.

The lumberyard now covers 70,000 square feet, with an additional 25,000 square feet at the Cascades site. Together, the upgrades significantly strengthened the store’s ability to serve both professional contractors and DIY customers.

KEEPING CONSISTENT FOR CUSTOMERS

Large renovation projects can challenge even well-established retailers.

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Maintaining customer trust while a store undergoes major alterations requires careful planning.

Avantis addressed that challenge by placing customer experience at the centre of the renovation process. “During the work, we implemented a personalized support system for customers,” says Boisvert. “Staff were positioned in the parking lot to guide traffic, and an employee welcomed customers at the entrance to direct them through the store.”

Inside the building, employees were encouraged to walk customers directly to products rather than simply pointing them toward an aisle.

That approach helped offset the inevitable confusion caused by frequent product relocations during construction. “We also set up a temporary store in part of the building at the start of the project,” Boisvert explains. “That allowed us to isolate the area where construction was taking place and limit the period when work was happening directly around customers.”

The strategy helped maintain sales momentum throughout the renovation period.

THREE TEAMS MERGE

The physical renovation was only part of the transformation. The project also required combining staff from three different locations into a single team.

Employees from the Cap-St-Ignace and Cascades stores joined the Montmagny workforce, bringing together individuals with different habits, routines, and workplace cultures. “Several team meetings were held when the project began,” Boisvert recalls. “By the third meeting, a genuine camaraderie had taken hold and the rivalries between certain individuals had started to fade.”

The management team saw the shift as a defining moment. “At that point, Dany and his management team felt they had succeeded in bringing the three teams together as one large team,” she says.

Construction work paused during the spring 2023 peak season to ensure contractors could continue receiving uninterrupted service. Even with nearly a year and a half of renovations underway, the store continued to grow.

Today, the Montmagny location processes the highest number of transactions across Avantis’ network of 25 renovation centres.

SERVING A UNIQUE CUSTOMER BASE

The Montmagny store serves an unusually diverse customer base that includes contractors, agricultural operations,

municipalities, and homeowners.

That mix requires a broad product assortment and a highly responsive service approach. “Personalized and local service remains what truly distinguishes the Montmagny store,” Boisvert says.

The store’s reach even extends beyond the mainland. “We serve customers from Île-aux-Grues by sending a truck across to deliver products directly to homes on the island.”

Employees frequently provide support that goes beyond the expected. “It’s really the level of care for customers that makes the difference,” she says. “Employees will even recommend trusted installers or contractors for work, such as plumbing or garage-door installation.”

Many contractors working with the store today are second- or third-generation customers whose families have relied on the business for years.

PUTTING COMMUNITY AT THE CENTRE

Community engagement is a defining element of the store’s culture. Through the co-operative’s Coopère-Don philanthropic initiative, the Montmagny location supports numerous local causes.

One of the most prominent beneficiaries is

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the Hôtel-Dieu de Montmagny Foundation, which raises funds for regional health-care services. For four consecutive years, the Montmagny store has recorded the highest donation totals among all Avantis locations.

Employees regularly participate in fundraising activities, volunteer initiatives, and local events.

The co-operative structure reinforces that community focus. Because members live and work in the region, Avantis’ investments tend to remain within the local economy.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

Looking ahead, Avantis is investing heavily in both infrastructure and talent development.

“Avantis continues to invest in its infrastructure to improve services and provide a renewed and enjoyable customer experience,” says Boisvert. “At the same time, we are constantly investing in the development of our talent.”

Leadership development programs now include a structured Vision Pathway for managers; alongside specialized training delivered through HEC Montréal and various trade schools. The co-op also recently launched a pilot initiative called “Supercoéquipiers de l’expérience client.”

The Montmagny store is one of the participating locations. “This project supports managers in deploying the Empreinte de

confiance program,” Boisvert explains, “with employees acting as ambassadors of the Avantis customer experience.”

The goal is to ensure every interaction reflects the co-op’s service values.

A FORMIDABLE CULTURE

For Avantis Coopérative, the Marc Robichaud Award represents more than recognition for a successful renovation project or a year of strong sales growth. It highlights a retail philosophy built on relationships, shared ownership, and long-term commitment to community.

At BMR Avantis Montmagny, that philosophy is visible in how employees support one another, how customers are welcomed into the store, and how the co-op invests in the region it serves.

What defines the Montmagny store is the culture that created it—and the co-operative vision that continues to guide its next steps.

BY MICHAEL M c LARNEY & STEVE PAYNE

IN THE BEGINNING

When Canadian retail got turned on its ear, Hardlines was there and has been tracking the changes, challenges, and victories in the retail home improvement industry for three decades.

Hardlines World Headquarters. How may I direct your call?

— Michael McLarney

In 1994, two major events occurred that would forever alter retail in Canada. at was the year both Home Depot and Walmart came to Canada. Walmart’s arrival became the precursor to the demise of most mass merchants in Canada, including Sears, Zellers, Woodwards, and others. Home Depot, meanwhile, brought a whole new kind of retail to our shores: the large-format “category killer,” or big box.

But the retail home improvement industry had already been preparing for this moment. Independents who watched the devastation these big boxes were wreaking in the U.S. took note. John Kitchen at Lansing Buildall had developed a full contractor-oriented strategy to combat these giant retailers, which in their early days in Canada were focused on the growing DIY market. Retailers like McDiarmid Lumber in Winnipeg and Totem Building Supplies based in Calgary paid attention and were among the ra of strong regional independents that survived, at least until consolidation in this country took o in the ensuing decades.

Some dealers employed another strategy: to ght re with re. Kent in Atlantic Canada opened its rst big box in 1992, while Molson, through its Beaver Lumber division, re-booted its Aikenhead’s Hardware stores as big boxes, modelled a er Home Depot. By 1994, RONA too had built its rst big box store. In Alberta, Eagle Hardware & Garden, which had arrived in Canada from Washington state and built two stores in Edmonton, departed with its tail between its legs in 1994, selling to Revelstoke Home Centres. Revy became yet another big box operator in Canada.

Above: Hardlines founder Michael McLarney establishes the first “Hardlines World Headquarters” from a home basement office that barely fits two people. Right: Ever the shameless selfpromoter, McLarney, with colleague Beverly Allen, gets a celebrity boost at the Canadian Hardware Show from actress and comedian Mag Ruffman, circa 1997.

Home Depot’s arrival in Canada was marked by its acquisition of the ve Aikenhead’s stores in 1994.

In early 1995, Michael McLarney envisioned a new method of communicating with the industry, leaving MacleanHunter’s Hardware Merchandising, a traditional print trade magazine, to form Hardlines from his basement. is weekly newsletter, sent using then-cutting-edge fax technology, formed the basis for what is today a range of products, including

Hardlines Daily News, a range of monthly e-newsletters, and two print trade magazines (including the one you hold in your hands!).

e rest, we’d like to think, is history.

In the following pages, we o er a look at the industry’s evolution. It’s a selective and hardly conclusive list, but all as seen through the pages of Hardlines.

YEARS OF STORIES 30 FLE

1995

On Feb. 13, we introduce our very rst groundbreaking issue of Hardlines, the fax newsletter. (Well, we thought it was groundbreaking—your overly proud Editor.) In it, we report that Castle Building Centres Group, under new general manager Pro Wylie, has made a supply deal for hardware with Cotter Canada, which manages the True Value banner in Canada. “ e deal allows for all Castle dealers to have access to Cotter’s full range of programs, via individual membership in the True Value banner,” we report.

In the same issue, we supply the industry with its rst-ever Hardlines typo. e second lead story refers to new nancing arrangements for hardware wholesaler Sodisco-Howden. e headline calls the company “Howden-Sodisco.” ese little glitches will become an unexpected but time-honoured tradition at Hardlines, thanks to our Editor’s scattered, dyslexic tendencies.

On Nov. 7, we report that Beaver Lumber signs with Ace Hardware in the U.S. for hardware supply, adding another nail in the co n of Sodisco-Howden under the bad boy of retail, Ralph Trott, Beaver’s president and CEO. Ace was to supply 12,500 SKUs to Beaver stores. at deal would end prematurely, ve years later, a er Home Hardware’s 1999 acquisition of Beaver.

At the end of the year, Stephen Bebis quits as president of Home Depot Canada. He had spearheaded growth over two years, including the assimilation of Aikenhead’s, purchased from Molson. Home Depot has 19 stores when he leaves. Annette Verschuren would be appointed to replace him. Bebis goes on to start Golf Town, a big box sports retailer focused on, yes, golf.

Years later, Bebis will join the Hardlines Conference onstage with our golf-challenged Editor, who asks Bebis about the importance of tassels on golf shoes. “No, Michael. No tassels,” our guest replies with some bemusement.

At the end of 1995, Stephen Bebis quits as president of Home Depot Canada. He had spearheaded growth over two years, including the assimilation of Aikenhead’s, purchased from Molson.

The very first issue of Hardlines, the fax newsletter, was sent out in February 1995.

1996

Our June 10 issue reports on the 100th anniversary of Schurman Building Supplies. With ve building centres, two furniture stores, and an interior design outlet, it dominates the market in Prince Edward Island. We quote general manager Mike Simms on the company’s strong growth despite a so national economy at the time. Schurman will be sold to Kent eight years later. Simms will move with it and eventually head Kent until his retirement at the end of 2025.

On October 8, we issue a Hardlines fax extra (precursor to our Hardlines Breaking News online), with the headline, “Cotter and Irly sign distribution agreement.” e story reports on Winnipeg-based Cotter Canada’s addition of IRLY Distributors to its list of customers, along with an expansion of Cotter’s True Value banner. IRLY would fold into TIMBER MART a few years later, while Cotter Canada would be renamed TruServ Canada in 1999.

1997

Feb. 17, we start running Hardlines Classi eds. is comes about through our relationship with Wolf Gugler, an executive search specialist who le a large rm to go out on his own at that time. With Gugler’s help, Hardlines Classi eds becomes a crucial hiring tool for the industry, while Gugler makes a name for himself as the go-to headhunter in hardware and home improvement.

e second annual Hardlines Conference is held Sept. 17, where we introduce the Canadian market to a couple of giant U.S. players. Ron Beal, at the time VP and general manager of Orgill, talks about the success of the Memphis-based wholesaler. We somehow manage to get Greg Wessling, a senior VP and head merchant at Lowe’s Cos., to speak at the conference. Two southern gentlemen whose companies would make their mark in Canada a decade later.

Ron Beal (above right), the VP at Orgill, speaks with Sodisco-Howden’s Frank Foran at the second Hardlines Conference.

1998

Delegates at the 1997 Hardlines Conference learn about Lowe’s from that company’s head merchant, Greg Wessling.

On June 1, we report on Cotter Canada’s signing of a major player in Atlantic Canada. Chester Dawe Ltd., with three stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, “is adding the True Value store program a er almost a year of negotiations. With $25 million in sales, Chester Dawe is one of the largest dealers on the Rock.”

However, it was rumoured that Chester Dawe general manager Phil Budden reads the news in Hardlines before the ink had dried on the deal and scraps the agreement as a result. Eight years later, Budden will sell the company to RONA. TruServ will be re-structured as a dealer-owned organization a decade later, under CEO Bill Morrison.

Bill Morrison, head of TruServ Canada and later Ace Canada, will become a good friend to Hardlines.

1999

e buzz throughout the summer of 1999 is the rumour that Home Hardware Stores Ltd. would acquire Beaver Lumber Company Ltd. from Molson Inc. But your intrepid Editor has a cottage rented to take the family away. He ends up going into town every a ernoon “to get milk and bread” but is in fact heading for a local pay phone on Main Street to check the Hardlines voicemail for any calls. Despite the inexplicable amount of bread and milk that piles up, the vacation is a success and the Beaver deal is announced soon a er, on August 21. It will close Nov. 4, following approval from the Competition Bureau.

Wayne Sales will become president of Canadian Tire following the departure of American heavyweight Stephen Bachand.

Always a sucker for any band with the name “angels” in it, Hardlines hires the Wayward Angels to rock and roll at one of its early networking events.

2000 2000

In January, we report that the departure of Stephen Bachand, president and CEO of Canadian Tire Corp., involved a package so generous that quarterly results took a hit.

A $4-million payout impacts company shares in Q1. However, the company thinks it’s worthwhile. “Both sales and shareholder value increased by more than $1 billion since Bachand took over,” we report. Another American, EVP Wayne Sales, would replace him.

A month later, Walter Hachborn is named Outstanding Retailer of the Century in a brilliant piece of marketing savvy (we wished we had thought of it!) that garners national media coverage and brings signi cant attention to Home Hardware and this industry.

Hardlines begins hosting networking events early on, including several social events for women in the home improvement industry. ese soon evolve to be inclusive for all. One of our hippest ones is held in May at the Rancho Relaxo restaurant on College Street in downtown Toronto, featuring the country rockers Wayward Angels and organizational guru Estelle Gee.

June 25 showcases our worst headline of the year: when Arthur Blank, co-founder of e Home Depot (with Bernie Marcus), comes to Canada and is introduced to Hardlines, courtesy of Home Depot Canada president Annette Verschuren. We report on that meeting as follows: “Home Depot draws A. Blank in Canada.” Ouch!

“We have had seven major expansions since joining Sexton Group in 2010. We couldn’t have done that without the tight-knit team of professionals at Sexton Group pointing us in the right direction. I’m often asked at conferences and meetings if I feel the pricing is competitive. I say “YES.” You don’t expand seven times in 10 years without competitive pricing programs. That’s why I am a Sexton member.”

Albert Pike, Pike’s Building Centre

YEARS OF STORIES

2001

Home Depot opens its rst store in Atlantic Canada. When Home Depot came to Atlantic Canada, the U.S.-based big box chain brought competition in many forms, not just low prices. e stores were traditionally open on Sundays, something that many parts of Canada, including the Maritimes, were not accustomed to.

Kent prepares for Home Depot’s arrival by holding a “family and friends” event on a spring Sunday at its biggest store in Moncton. Hardlines is there, camera in hand. As luck would have it, Kent general manager Stu Valcourt is standing by the door and recognizes your Faithful Editor instantly. He swoops down, ings his arm around this newshound’s shoulder, saying, “No photos allowed here.” Valcourt unceremoniously gives your intrepid Editor the bum’s rush—right out the front door.

May 14, 2001, RONA announces it is buying Revelstoke Home Centres, including its big boxes, giving the Quebec-based retailer a major beachhead in Western Canada. e deal takes Revy out of ILDC, reducing that buying group’s topline sales by half. However, ILDC counters the departure, in part, by signing Totem Building

Supplies, formerly the largest member of TIMBER MART.

2002

2002

McMunn & Yates is a major independent dealer in Western Canada. Following the death of co-founder Terry Yates (and a frequent caller to the Hardlines World Headquarters in the early days of the publication to share his thoughts), Yates’s son Jason continues to grow the company through acquisitions and start-ups. ese include the 2013 buyout of a key competitor, McDiarmid Lumber, with four locations in Winnipeg and one in Keewatin, Ont. Today, that chain, a member of ILDC, has 22 stores from Northwestern Ontario to Saskatchewan.

Bringing the industry together has always been a mandate of Hardlines. ese included hosting breakfast meetings to kick o the now-defunct Canadian Hardware Show at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

In mid-May, Hardlines hosts its rst-ever Hardlines Meet the Buyers Seminar. e buyers, from some of Canada’s key retail companies, including Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and Sodisco-Howden, appear before about 150 vendors to share insights into how to approach buyers in the emerging digital age.

Asked to host the industry breakfast preceding what would be the final Canadian Hardware Show, Hardlines gives the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the high tech we used to gather our news.

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2003

Toward the end of the year, Barrie Sali, the president and CEO of Tim-BR-Marts Ltd. (as the group was branded at the time), announces his retirement. Sali had started in 1970 as general manager of the buying group, which at the time had 18 members and $1 million in sales. In 2003, the group represents more than 150 stores, with

2005

On Jan. 3, we report that RONA buys Totem Building Supplies, a major regional chain in Alberta, from Jim orogood. e cash deal costs RONA $100 million. At the time, orogood tells Hardlines, “Maybe I’ll go buy a golf course.” He ends up buying two.

We report on the latest developments at some of the nation’s largest buying groups in our Nov. 14 edition. In the wake of the collapse of Matreco, an umbrella group which was the result of the merger of regional buying groups Homecare, and then AWARD, into TIMBER MART to make it a national buying group, one partner is disgruntled. Groupe BMR, then headed by Yves Gagnon, had been supplying hardware from its own distribution centres to the other groups. at arrangement falls apart a er the retirement of Gagnon’s good friend Barrie Sali, who had run TIMBER MART for the past 35 years.

2004

Sodisco-Howden accepts a purchase o er from CanWel Building Materials in November. e deal, worth $65.2 million, nds a new home for the national hardware distributor a er years of nancial di culties. CanWel has 2003 sales of $540 million, while Sodisco-Howden’s sales reach

Totem Building Supplies is a significant, if costly, big step for RONA inc. as it expands its dealer base

2006

Our April 17 edition of the Hardlines weekly o ers another embarrassingly bad headline. We report on the move of former Canadian Tire president Mark Foote to a new role at a major grocery chain: “Mark Foote hoofs it over to Loblaw.”

2007

On Sept. 17, we report that Castle Building Centres Group has launched a new commercial buying group: Commercial Builders’ Supply (CBS). An early—and savvy—focus on the growing pro and commercial dealer business. “ ese would be dealers who are heavily into things like gypsum, insulation, and roo ng, and who do between $20 and $25 million on about 50 SKUs,” says Castle’s James Jones at the time.

On Dec. 17, we report that Lowe’s had entered the Canadian market with three stores in Ontario.

Lowe’s bad map: this was in the presentation to shareholders and puts Toronto up around Thunder Bay. A portent of how they will screw up later?

2009

is from our Nov. 30 issue: “Federated Co-operatives Ltd. will partner with the Saskatchewan Roughriders football team next year, supporting the sports club’s 100th anniversary with the introduction of a range of private-label products.

“According to Rod Baergan, director of merchandising for FCL’s general merchandise division (which includes hardware and building materials), the sponsorship will extend to about 15 private-label products such as mugs and hats, all available at Co-op locations across the West. e most notable product, however, and the one modelled personally by Baergan, is a foam-padded ‘watermelon’ hat, suitable, of course, for wearing at any Roughriders game.”

Hardlines hosts its second annual Hardlines Dealer Conference, sponsored by Johns Manville. It’s held in association with the LBMAO’s Canadian Home Improvement Show on Feb. 11 and 12, 2010. “ e purpose is to help dealers sell smarter: two information-packed mornings that will help dealers build their business and increase their pro ts. Dynamic keynote speakers and targeted breakout sessions will cover a range of topics vital to the growth of the retail home improvement dealer.” ose speakers include Bill Morrison, then president and CEO of TruServ Canada, and John DeFranco, then lead merchant at e Home Depot Canada.

In our Nov. 8 edition, we do a story on the sale of Winnipeg-based TruServ Canada to RONA inc. is adds signi cantly to RONA’s a liated dealer base and gives the Quebec-based retailer a strong foothold in Western Canada. “TruServ serves more than 650 independent dealers across Canada, consisting of 250 stores under the True Value, V&S, Country Depot and other specialized banners, and 400 non-bannered stores,” we report.

In the second quarter of the year, we launch our rst print publication. Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly print trade journal for decision makers in home improvement retail. Four times a year, dealers, buyers, and executives across Canada will receive the latest news, information, and research to help you make the decisions that will build your sales and increase your pro ts.” We are equally proud that you are reading it still today!

proudly touted as “the new

YEARS OF STORIES 30 FLE

2012

In June, Hardlines establishes its Quebec o ce with the hiring of Geo McLarney, our bilingual associate editor, who lives in Montreal. e timing is good, as la belle province is by now becoming a target of retail groups across the country seeking to build their presence in Canada’s second-largest home improvement market.

Target decides to pull out of Canada. e giant U.S. department store retailer has put its operations in Canada into receivership, with plans to shutter its stores here within just a few months. Target arrived in this country to much fanfare through the takeover of 133 Zellers stores in 2013. But only two years later, the company realized it had misread the Canadian consumer, stating it doesn’t foresee pro tability here for another six years.

2012

2016

been

Calling it “the biggest deal in the history of Canadian home improvement retailing,” we report in our May 24 edition that Lowe’s had purchased RONA. e $3.2 billion deal had been in the works in one form or another for ve years. Lowe’s made a friendly, albeit controversial, $1.8 billion takeover bid for RONA back in 2012. But that o er was made just ahead of a provincial election in Quebec and got much resistance from the Quebec government, given how deeply embedded the RONA brand is in Quebec culture—which perplexed the executives at Lowe’s.

e deal is a heartbreaker for former CEO Robert Dutton. He had devoted years trying to realize his vision of a strong, Canada-wide network of dealers to compete against companies like Lowe’s.

e year ends on a sad note, with the death of Home Hardware cofounder Walter Hachborn. Our eulogy to him starts this way: “It is nothing less than the end of an era. Walter J. Hachborn, founder of Home Hardware Stores and the man who brought the co-op hardware model to Canada, has died. He passed away on the morning of December 17 at the age of 95. Yet his legacy looms large over the Canadian retail landscape. ough Hachborn had not been involved actively with the company for many years, his imprint on it—and on this industry—endures.”

To this day.

June,

Our publisher Beverly Allen retires after two decades of service to the home improvement industry.

In April, we break the news that WSB Titan, the giant gypsum supply dealer, had been sold to a U.S. company, GMS. In June, we report that Peavey Industries, based in Red Deer, Alta., under the leadership of CEO Doug Anderson, completes its acquisition of TSC Stores in London, Ont. In June, we announce the retirement of a key member of the Hardlines team. Beverly Allen, a xture at Hardlines Inc. for more than two decades, came aboard in the company’s second year to take over managing the company, securing its solid nancial footing that ensured the years of growth to come. Within a few short years, she expanded her talents to manage sales for our weekly newsletter, the annual conference, and this magazine. As the publisher, she was to guide the company to become the industry’s trusted voice for retailers and suppliers alike. She will be replaced by the inimitable David Chestnut, who quickly moves into the publisher and vice-president roles at Hardlines. (And we nally have someone

Sylvain Prud’homme, president of Lowe’s Canada.

2019

David Chestnut brings his sales and golf talents to the Hardlines World Headquarters.

e big news in 2019 centres around executive personnel changes.

Sylvain Prud’homme’s surprise departure from Lowe’s Canada leaves the industry speculating about succession, and Tony Cio takes the reins as interim president. en, in December, we report that IT chief Tanbir Grover, just days a er his well-received talk at the Hardlines Conference, has le his position as VP, eCommerce and omnichannel. Sta ng changes at Orgill also catch readers’ attention. In December, the distributor reassigns CEO responsibilities from chairman Ron Beal to Boyden Moore. As CEO today, Moore continues to drive the Memphis-based hardware wholesaler’s growth— including its presence in Canada.

Tanbir Grover to this day is one of retail’s leading tech execs.

Boyden Moore remains at the helm of Orgill Inc.

is is a year most of us would like to forget. Covid-19 comes crashing onto the world, forcing changes in how the world operates. at includes how the industry goes to market. Hardlines goes into hyper-drive to document, in real time, how Canada’s retail home improvement industry adapts to the changes in the marketplace.

We o er our paid-subscription agship publication, Hardlines Weekly , free to anyone in the industry during this time so they can keep up on what’s changed. Our editors are producing up to three times as much content every week, keeping track of how the industry is adapting to legal and health challenges that a ect what—and how—to sell. It’s an exhausting but exhilarating time.

2021

In the midst of the Covid pandemic, dealers struggle to keep up with demand as people stay home and, well, invest in their homes. e year is also marked by a ra of defections among dealers as they look for new ts for their buying group a liations. TIMBER MART welcomes new Quebec members in February, April, June, and November. It picks up dealers in the Toronto and Ottawa areas, as well as one in British Columbia.

BMR Group continues its growth outside of Quebec. It welcomes a dealer in Shippagan, N.B., in January and one in Kemptville, Ont., in April. It also gets a new CEO in 2021. Alexandre Lefebvre takes over in March from Pascal Houle, who has been named CEO of BMR’s parent company Sollio.

e rash of changes in dealer alliances re ects the turmoil the entire industry has endured over the past two years of dealing with Covid. e upside has been strong retail sales over the past two years, a trend expected to moderate only slightly in 2022.

We start the year reporting a new look for an important regional chain, UFA’s Farm & Ranch Supply stores in Alberta. e 34 stores have been getting a refresh, store by store, that began in 2016. e latest outlet to get a makeover is in Lethbridge, a key market for UFA. While increasing SKUs and widening aisles, the new look includes repatriating some storage and warehouse space and turning it into retail selling space. “We’ve actually increased our retail selling space,” says Glenn Bingley, who is, at the time, vice-president, agribusiness and supply chain at UFA. Bingley would retire in 2025.

RONA inc. dominates headlines this year, as the e ects of its takeover by a U.S. private equity rm, rst announced near the end of 2022, continue to reverberate. Sycamore Partners completes the acquisition of the former Lowe’s Canada business in February 2023, resurrecting RONA as a stand-alone rm. With the connection to Lowe’s in the U.S. severed, RONA inc. begins to phase out the Lowe’s banner.

Also in 2023, big changes occur at a couple of buying groups: In June, TORBSA merges into AD Canada (A liated Distributors). e deal created a new division: AD Canada – Building Supplies, headed up by TORBSA president Paul Williams. Members include key independents such as Crown Building Supplies based in Surrey, B.C., and Target Building Supplies in Windsor, Ont.

In October, Sexton Group’s parent company sells a majority stake to a private investor group. e group, led by PFM Capital, acquires a 51 percent stake in the Sexton Family of Companies.

With the connection to Lowe’s in the U.S. severed, RONA inc. begins to phase out the Lowe’s banner.

TORBSA merges into AD Canada (Affiliated Distributors). The deal created a new division: AD Canada – Building Supplies.

At Home Hardware Stores Ltd.’s May annual general meeting, CEO Kevin Macnab announces his intention to retire.

nor a successor is announced, but in November the company would reveal that Ian White would take the helm. Like Macnab, whose CV spanned tenures at Marks & Spencer and Toys ‘R’ Us, White is an outside recruit. He had served previously as president of Parkland Canada, the Calgary-based rm that operates gas stations under banners such as Esso, Ultramar, and Chevron.

Both Home Depot and Lowe’s in the U.S. make major acquisitions that put them rmly in the commercial GSD space. Our recap of these events: “Home Depot said at the end of June it would acquire Gypsum Management & Supply Inc. of Tucker, Ga., in a deal valued at US$5.5 billion. In August, rival Lowe’s announced its purchase of Santa Ana, Calif.-based Foundation Building Materials in a US$8.8-billion transaction. Both acquisitions closed in the fall.” at means Lowe’s is back in Canada through its ownership of FBM/ Winroc locations; Home Depot is competing directly against independents through its ownership of numerous contractor-oriented dealers, including Slegg on Vancouver Island, Watson in the Greater Toronto Area, and Rigney in Kingston, Ont.

On Jan. 1, a new buying group comes into existence. Sexton Group has allied with Évolution Distribution, a regional distributor and buying group headed by Geneviève Gagnon. e new entity, EvoX, will marry the strengths of both companies to o er a new option for Quebec dealers. Gagnon becomes the head of EvoX.

Also in 2025, the death and resurrection of Peavey Mart occur. In January, Peavey Industries says it would close almost two dozen stores, mostly in Ontario. Within a week, it con rms that approximately 96 of its stores would close. e farm-oriented retailer had experienced a rocky time since the pandemic, which unfortunately coincided with its 2020 takeover of the Ace banner licence in Canada. But it isn’t a nal bow for Peavey. By the end of August, a group of investors, including its former CEO, Doug Anderson, will announce it would “relaunch” the banner.

IN CONCLUSION

Names we used to report on but are no longer with us: Growmark, Consumers Distributing, Lumberland, Schurman. Regional wholesalers that have disappeared: C.N. Weber in Ontario, G. Henderson in Winnipeg, Smith-Barregar in Surrey, B.C., and Thornes in Saint John.

Peavey’s resiliency re ects the adaptability of the entire Canadian retail home improvement industry. On the one hand, some of the best retailers in the country are exempli ed by major banners like RONA, Canadian Tire, and Home Depot. However, despite years of change and consolidation, the majority of the market is still represented by independent dealers, operating within the likes of Home Hardware, TIMBER MART, Castle, Sexton, Canac, AD, BMR, and RONA. e industry continues to display its resiliency as dealers adapt to local market changes and national banners reinvent their businesses to keep up with the changes in retail—and in the world—that have been huge over the past three decades. Now, although the tools we use may have changed, the stories, the people, and the stubborn resilience of this industry remain exactly where they belong: at the heart of Hardlines.

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Chop Chop Butcher Block Cutting Board

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Housewares

Umbra Bellwood Coat Rack

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Final Touch Margarita Tasting Set

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Final Touch LED Ice Bucket & Cooler Lights

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Final Touch Bubbles Stemless Sparkling Wine Glasses

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Umbra Cubiko Wall Planter

Umbra’s Cubiko Wall Planter provides a modular display for indoor or outdoor greenery. It includes four pots mounted on a lightweight frame that can be installed vertically or horizontally. Each pot features its own drainage tray, and spacing can be adjusted to accommodate plant size. Built from durable materials, it suits a range of environments. www.umbra.ca

Salton Nordic Cordless Kettle

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BY STEVE PAYNE

PRO DEALER OF THE YEAR

The 2025 Outstanding Retailer Award for contractor specialist was awarded to JAMIE ADAMS and his wife, TASHA BIRTCH, last fall. The Castle Building Centres Group owners have stores in the Southwestern Ontario towns of Woodstock and Shakespeare

—Jamie Adams ” “

I always say we take our jobs seriously but not ourselves. If you don’t like coming to work, it’s going to reflect in your performance. Most of our staff really enjoy what they do.

ADAMS BUILDING SUPPLY

Woodstock and Shakespeare, Ontario

CO-OWNERS

Jamie Adams and Tasha Birtch

BUYING GROUP

Castle Building Centres Group

FOUNDED IN 1963 by Bill Allen as Allen Building Centre PURCHASED IN 2002 by Jamie Adams

Jamie Adams and Tasha Birtch met in the fall of 2003 at work. She was a trainee dental hygienist who couldn’t actually practise until she passed the board exam and got her licence. Jamie hired her to work at the contractor desk in the interim. They got married three years later.

Tasha is still working two jobs—at the building supply yard and as a dental hygienist. Of the latter, Adams jokes that it’s the one “real” job in the family.

“Someone has to pay the bills because I just put all of our cash into growing the business,” he says.

The building of a new store, which

opened in 2023, cost the couple plenty. But it had to be done. The old location, in downtown Woodstock, Ont., was cramping the business’s growth.

“We definitely thought our new location [in the suburbs of Woodstock in a newlydeveloped area] would give us more visibility,” Adams says. “We have more customer traffic—the parking was better, the access was better, there’s just more space. We can put more products into the store.”

Along with the satellite store in Shakespeare, Ont., 30 minutes north, the couple’s business is turning into a powerhouse in southwestern Ontario. There are rumours of a third store in the Niagara

peninsula. But Adams wasn’t quite ready to announce that at press time.

The newly enlarged space in Woodstock has created some interesting possibilities for the business.

One of them is an installed sales program, which began last year. “We hired an installed sales manager who has become our director of kitchen and bath sales,” Adams says. “He has really grown the program.”

The new kitchen and bath area is positioned where the Woodstock store formerly had the seasonal area—at the front of the store. No wonder sales have grown so satisfactorily. It’s hard to miss the new section when entering the store.

WORKING WITH BMF AND ORGILL

One of Canada’s premier store designers worked with Jamie and Tasha on the look of the new store. Burlington Merchandising & Fixtures (BMF) was founded by Rob Wilbrink the same year that Jamie met Tasha, in 2003. Wilbrink has a passion for building supply store design. He had worked for RONA previously, and before that for Lansing Buildall in Toronto, learning the elements of a great home improvement retailer.

BMF counselled Adams and Birtch to introduce project selling in the new store. It’s not a new idea—having been pioneered

over 30 years ago. But it’s a great approach for a store that has the size to merchandise projects thematically by selling centres.

“They allow people to come in and get a sense of different kinds of projects. In other words, we are not handing them a brochure. But the cool spinoff is that now our pro customers are sending their clients in, and we’re doing the selling for the customers of the pros as well.

“And it’s constantly evolving, but what we’re finding is that the previous approach, having sections of hardware, puts us in competition with Home Depot, Canadian

Tire, Walmart, and RONA. These companies have rows and rows of hardware. But we are now maximizing our sales by selling the whole project rather than by selling parts and pieces.”

In starting from scratch on the design of the new store, Adams knew that the new store would be around 10,000 square feet.

“That was the sweet spot for us. We knew we were going to be relatively pro-focused going forward. And we wanted to make it attractive for retail, as well.”

“So we worked backwards. We went to BMF and talked about what we wanted to do with the display area of the store. The selling centres take up about a third of the retail store.

“And then we worked with Orgill [the store’s hardware distributor]. We told them the departments and the kind of linear footage we had in mind. We asked them for their recommendations. They really responded. It was a very collaborative effort between multiple groups.”

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THE DOUBLE DRIVE-THROUGH

The new store has a double drive-through, which the old, downtown store did not. Adams says it’s an advantage for the amount of cedar that the new store is stocking.

In a recent issue of PRO Dealer magazine, Paul Tagarelli, Auto-Stak Inc. president, talked about the development of a feature of most modern building supply yards.

“The drive-through started with a question,” Tagarelli told PRO Dealer. “How can we make better use of existing buildings and create something more efficient for the customer?”

The parking lot is for customers, with three or four acres unencumbered by piles of lumber, which are the only alternative to a drive-through lumberyard. Auto-Stak says that using a drive-through can reduce the required space to less than one-third of traditional footprints.

The warehouse is the model of efficiency, even using the top level of the racking to merchandise glass fibre insulation. Gone are the sprawling, rain- and snow-soaked, open-air lots of the past, where workers spent half their day chasing inventory.

“Auto-Stak works perfect for us in that regard, as far as keeping it all in a condensed space, having it nice and organized, and really making everything pickable. We’ve

got a 20,000-square-foot warehouse. We had to figure out how to use that space as well as possible. And Paul is pretty awesome at that.”

AN OUTSTANDING RETAILER

The Outstanding Retailer Award that Adams and Birtch won is a fiercelycompetitive category: Pro Dealer of the Year. This is the second year in a row that Castle Building Centres Group has had the winning entry as a member. (Last year, the coveted award was won by Don Clement, president of Mission Building Supplies in Edmonton.)

One sentence was discussed at length by the judges. “Success doesn’t come from selling the most. It comes from being the most trusted,” the entry said.

Adams said that is because of his staff.

“We have an incredible group of people working for us. Some of them have been here almost as long as I’ve been here. When they come here, they don’t tend to leave. We try to be very work-life balanced.

“Our staff have some leeway. When you need to take your kids to the dentist, it’s not a problem. We work it out. Everybody covers for each other. It’s a very good culture for the most part. And I think we take care of them. We pay them well. We have lots of fun staff events. You’ve got to make work fun a little bit, too.

“I always say we take our jobs seriously but not ourselves. If you don’t like coming to work, it’s going to reflect in your performance. Most of our staff really enjoy what they do. They’re really good at building customer relationships and earning trust.”

In his acceptance speech for the award, Adams said: “We have a habit of not saying ‘no’ to our customers. ‘No’ is not in our vocabulary. Sometimes customers push us to the limit, but we find a way. Put yourself in their shoes—they’ve got a problem to solve. Our attitude is that we’re here to solve the problems of our customers.

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FOR ALL INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT

David Chestnut, Publisher, david@hardlines.ca

BY GEOFF M c LARNEY

DIAL N FOR NAPOLEON

The 1981 novelty song “867-5309/Jenny” led to a wave of prank calls to homes with that phone number. Jim Klassen and Mirjana Komljenovic lived their own version of that ordeal—and ended up as ambassadors for their barbecue’s manufacturer.

“I

t was almost by accident in a way,” says Mirjana Komljenovic. “The one thing we just don’t know is why it happened. Nobody seems to be able to answer that question. But it did happen.”

All Komljenovic and her husband Jim Klassen wanted was a new part for the Napoleon barbecue the Summerland, B.C., couple had long been proud to own. “Jim just wanted to upgrade a part on the sizzler,” Komljenovic recalls, “so he called Napoleon to ask them about it. That’s when it happened – something happened – and it just switched over.”

Soon after that call, Klassen received his first call from someone looking to reach the barbecue manufacturer. “Then I started getting more. As the weeks went on, I fielded maybe 50 calls.

“It was the spring,” he adds, when people were getting ready to make purchases for their outdoor spaces. “With the time difference, some calls came in at four or five o’clock in the morning.”

Somehow, say the pair, Google Maps had listed Klassen’s personal number as the phone number for Napoleon, and other search engines began to follow suit.

and its Canadian heritage, they had only good things to say to their misdirected callers. They reached out to Napoleon to find

When anyone called, we’d say: ‘Yes, get a Napoleon! It’s a great company.’ ” “

Fortunately, Klassen says, he’s the type who will “talk to anyone.” And since the couple were loyal customers of the company

a solution and made contact with Garry Scott, vice-president, marketing, and the situation was ultimately resolved.

In recognition of their outreach efforts, Napoleon appointed them as its first honorary brand ambassadors and presented them with a new barbecue. The company flew out a delegation to present the couple with a certificate and a private barbecued dinner.

Komljenovic says one reason the story had a happy ending is because their original call to Napoleon was for an upgrade, not a complaint. “So, when anyone called, we’d say: ‘Yes, get a Napoleon! It’s a great company.’ ”

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LEARN MORE TODAY

You built more than a business. You built a community.

Your name means something locally. Your relationships matter.

Castle doesn’t replace that. We reinforce it.

Stronger purchasing.

Stronger partnerships. Stronger independence.

Because thriving independents build stronger communities.

Western Canada

Jaana Reinikka

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

BRITISH COLUMBIA & ALBERTA 780-722-1870 | jreinikka@castle.ca

Darren McCooeye

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER MANITOBA, SASKATCHEWAN, NORTHWEST ONTARIO 204-771-1908 | dmccooeye@castle.ca

Scan QR Code or visit www.youarethebrand.ca

Richard Hamel

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER EASTERN QUÉBEC & NORTHERN NEW BRUNSWICK 418-520-6244 | rhamel@castle.ca Quebec

Mélanie Belley

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WESTERN QUÉBEC 514-809-6443 | mbelley@castle.ca

Terry Mulock

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NEW BRUNSWICK, NOVA SCOTIA & PEI 902-471-3985 | mulock@castle.ca Atlantic

Brian Warr

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR 709-770-5607 | bwarr@castle.ca

Ontario

Lillian Diaz

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ONTARIO - SOUTHWEST / CENTRAL 905-757-4918 | ldiaz@castle.ca

Lyndon Deyo

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ONTARIO - NORTHERN / EASTERN 613-805-7271 | ldeyo@castle.ca