Millbrook Home Hardware Celebrates Ten Years

Photo Karen Graham.
Mike Carnegie is flanked by Store Manager, Dave Britton, and wife, Nancy, as the Home Hardware store gears up to celebrate ten years of success in Millbrook.

 

Before coming to Millbrook, Home Hardware Manager David Britton had worked at many other Home Hardware stores in the area, so he knew what he was getting into when he stepped into his store manager role in Millbrook on March 3rd, 2011.

He soon learned that unlike Peterborough, the community was quite close knit.

The Millbrook location is one of several Home Hardware stores in the area under the banner of the Kawartha Home Hardware group, which includes three outlets in Lindsay, one in Bridgenorth and in Lakefield.  This last store was purchased in the spring of 2020 from Rona, and opened as a Home Building Centre in January.

The Home Hardware chain was created by independent dealers seeking to provide a Canadian hardware retailer with deep connections to the community.  Stores are owned by independent business operators, and many have been held by the same family through many generations.  Stores are owned by independent business operators.   This longevity is often also found in staff members who provide consistency and depth of experience to the customer experience.

Dave’s wife Nancy is a partner at work and at home.  Her role is effectively co-manager.  One of her favourite tasks is merchandising, and while the group has a dedicated staff member who performs this role for the stores, Nancy prefers to do this herself and she has developed quite a flair.  Mike Carnegie stayed on from the former Pro Hardware store at this location when Home Hardware took over, and is often found in the paint department.  An avid gardener, Becky Davey is a knowledgeable resource for customers.   The most recent staff addition is Amber MacNevin who joined the firm in 2017 replacing 20 year veteran Doreen Payne upon her retirement.

Millbrook has been good to Home Hardware; sales have climbed every year since the store opened.  With a year end of February 28th, the operations for the most recent year completely captures the impact of the pandemic on the store’s performance.  Despite periodic closures and restrictions, the store has benefited from the pandemic-inspired home improvement boom, resulting in their best year ever.

This performance could not have happened without the support of the community, which has kept the business growing through thick and thin.  The appreciation goes both ways, as many customers are addressed by name as they enter the store.  Some now come in not for product but for a chat.  They have become friends.

Now that Lakefield has a Home Building Centre, Dave says Millbrook is next on the list for expansion within the Kawartha group.  He is constantly referring requests for lumber and other building materials to Peterborough stores, and would like to keep that business in the Kawartha Home Hardware family- more particularly, in Millbrook.  Growth in the area is expected to continue, and Home Hardware plans to be there to support it.  It seems that they have a formula that works.  KG

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