Aug. 5, 2018 was a sad day on Burnside Road. It was the day that our local Home Hardware store closed its doors for the last time. After over seven years of serving our local community, it could no longer absorb the losses from theft which had increased exponentially since tent city moved into the neighbourhood or the loss of business from the opening of American big-box store, Lowes.
We are saddened that today’s consumers seem to prefer the big box store atmosphere over outstanding personal customer service and the cozy, warm feeling created by Terri, the store manager at Home Hardware. Each year she would celebrate the anniversary of the opening of their store by providing cake, cookies and coffee all day long as well as having give-aways. She even thought to supply hot coffee and cookies to warm the customers when they came in to buy snow shovels and ice melt during the cold, snowy weather this past winter. This is the type of service that existed when we, the baby boomers were growing up. The type of service that is rare in todays hectic, rushed world and yet Terri, who is much younger than we, brought these things to her store and to our neighbourhood because she valued her customers.
We would like to thank Terri and her amazing group of employees who always had a smile on their faces and were helpful, (sometimes above and beyond the call) friendly and just plain fun. We will miss our old fashioned hardware store but most of all, we will miss seeing the great people who made it so special.
Cindy & Bruce Jones
Saanich