Since 1964, Home Hardware has been a Canadian icon. Throughout the years Home Hardware has stayed true to their roots, supporting local charities and the environment around Canada. Now, with over 1,080 stores, Home Hardware is fierce competition for any rival. In the 1960s, hardware retailers across Canada were feeling the pressure put on them by larger “big-box” hardware retailers. Retail giants such as Woolworth’s, Woolco, K-Mart and others were expanding quickly throughout Canada and beginning to sell hardware products.

These retailers were able to sell their merchandise at extremely low prices due to their buying power. With the closure of over 1,000 retail outlets in the early 1960s, hardware business owners realized that the only way to compete would be to band together into a co-operative.

The co-operative concept became a reality in 1964 when 122 independent Ontario hardware retailers gathered together in Waterloo, Ontario to purchase Hollinger Hardware Limited of St. Jacobs, Ontario. This co-operative gave these small business owners the power to compete through volume purchases, greater marketing power and better supply chain efficiency.

The concept of the co-operative is mostly attributed to Walter J. Hachborn. Walter started his career working at Hollinger Hardware Limited in 1938. After the death of the previous owner in 1948, Walter took on more responsibilities and soon after purchased Hollinger Hardware Limited with two other partners, Henry Sittler and Arthur Zilliax.

Following the initialization of the co-operative concept, Home Hardware was born in 1967. Home Hardware currently has four different types of stores, all independently owned across Canada. Recognized by over 80% of the Canadian population, Home Hardware has become one of the most successful Canadian brands. The brand has now expanded to over 1,080 of their Home Hardware, Home Hardware Building Centre, Home Building Centre and Home Furniture stores and is Canada’s largest independent home improvement retailer with over $5 Billion in annual retail sales.

Home Hardware: This is the original Home Hardware retail store. These stores contain many home improvement goods, tools, paint, plumbing, heating and electrical supplies along with kitchen and housewares, lawn and garden, automotive and more.

Home Building Centre: These stores contain many products for home renovations and construction. From tools to paints to lumber, Home Building Centres have everything a builder needs, no matter how big or small the project.

Home Hardware Building Centre: These stores are a combination of the wide variety of products offered by the Home Hardware stores, as well as the building supplies offered by Home Building Centre stores.

Home Furniture: these stores are the latest addition to the Home Hardware line-up. These retail stores contain a wide variety of furniture for homes, thus greatly increasing the offerings from Home Hardware.

In July, 2010, Home Hardware Stores Limited received top honours from the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) when it was presented the Safest Large Fleet Award at PMTC’s annual conference. With more than 75 per cent of the miles it covers considered ‘long-haul’, the Home Hardware fleet runs approximately 17 million kilometres a year while serving stores coast-to-coast from the company’s four distribution centres. The 132 power unit and almost 500 trailer fleet was previously deemed the Safest Large Fleet in 2005 and 2008.

Sources:
• www.homehardware.ca
• www.thewaterlooway.com