HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-10-08, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2009.Family celebrates 80 years in business
McDonald Home Hardware in
Brussels celebrated its 80th
anniversary in September,
solidifying itself as one of the
village’s most enduring businesses.
The business, which now has its
fourth generation of family
employees on the job, celebrated its
anniversary last month and was
honoured by Home Hardware
founder Walter Hacborn for
renovations and updates the store.
The business was originally
founded in the spring of 1929 by
Duncan N. McDonald and John A.
Crerar and was known as Crerar and
McDonald Lumber and Coal. In
1942 Crerar sold his interest to
Duncan McDonald and in the same
year J.M. (Jack) McDonald started
working with his father. In 1944 he
became a partner and in 1957
purchased the remaining interests
from his father. At this time the
business was incorporated under the
name J.M. McDonald Lumber Ltd.
as it remains today.
The business has always occupied
the same location in Brussels, but
has greatly expanded over the years.
Now over 16,000 square feet of
showroom accommodates the wide
range of products carried in the store
and all of the lumber is stored
indoors in sheds on the property.
In 1964 the company became
shareholders in Allont Limited of
Toronto and in 1979 became part of
Home Hardware Stores Ltd. which
is owned and operated by
independent retail lumber and
building supply dealers.
Jennifer McDonald, current
fourth-generation employee says
that the history isn’t lost on her and
her brother Michael.
“It does feel great to be a part of
something with so much history and
for it to be in Brussels, where the
McDonalds have been for decades,
is pretty special too,” she said.
McDonald says she has heard
many great stories over the years
about the old days of McDonald
Lumber. For instance, she says,where the plumbing sectioncurrently is, was reserved for
customers’ horses, complete with a
bucket for horses to eat from.
Over the years numerous family
members have been actively
involved in the business including
Jack and his children Neil, Paul, Gail
and John.
The family experienced the loss of
Neil in 1992, Gail in 1996 and Jack
in 1997. In 1998, John and wife
Merilyn purchased the remaining
interests from Paul.
They continue to run their
business as a family with their
children Michael and Jennifer.
Current owner John McDonald
calls the milestone quite the
achievement and he is proud to see
his children, the fourth generation of
McDonalds working at the store in
2009 and beyond.
“It seems like a big achievement.
I’m the third generation and now my
children, the fourth generation are
working there,” he said. “Hopefully
they’ll take over eventually, but what
we have is a great thing.”
John is in his 37th year at the store
and he has no reason to stop anytime
soon.
“I think it’s like farming,” he said.
“I’ll probably be here in some
capacity until I die, as long as I’m
able anyway.”John says that having the businessunder the Home Hardware banner
has made him proud and that there is
a level of achievement that he feels
when thinking about the competition
that has been out there, especially in
the last eight to 10 years.
“Over the years, with the influx of
the Home Depots of the world and
the Wal-Marts of the world, it’s good
to know that we’ve kept going,” he
said.
“The McDonald family has been
here for over 80 years and so has the
business, so it definitely makes us
proud.”
John says that over the years he
has been involved with the Brussels
Lions and Optimists and he has
coached minor hockey, so their
responsibility to the community is
not one that he takes lightly.
“We’re in the rural community
because we love the rural way of
life,” he said.
Looking ahead, Jennifer says that
she just wants to see the services
McDonald Lumber provides now to
continue. John, however, thinks that
if everything goes well, expansion
could be in the cards down the road,
but for now, he is just happy to see
his son and daughter take over a
business he has worked so hard to
better over the years.
80 years and counting
McDonald Home Hardware in Brussels recently celebrated its 80th anniversary, receiving
special attention from Home Hardware founder Walter Hacborn for all of the renovations and
updates they’ve done over the years, as well as a plaque for 80 years of service. From left
Jennifer McDonald, John McDonald, Hacborn, Merilyn McDonald and Michael McDonald.
(Shawn Loughlin photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
The Wingham and District
Hospital Foundation is one of 15
hospitals in Midwestern Ontario
hoping to raise over $900,000 during
the eighth annual CKNX Health
Care Heroes Radiothon.
The one-day event is coming up
Saturday, Oct. 17 and will be
broadcast on AM920 CKNX, 101.7
The One and 94.5 The Bull.
Chair of the Radiothon organizing
committee Ron Lavoie of Seaforth
says despite the economic collapse
last fall area residents still donated
over $935,000 and he is optimistic
that number will be surpassed on
Oct. 17.
Hospital foundations from
Chesley, Clinton, Durham, Exeter,
Goderich, Hanover, Kincardine,
Listowel, Markdale, Mount Forest,
Palmerston, Seaforth, Southampton,
Walkerton and Wingham are
participating.
CKNX spokesperson Scott
Pettigrew says pledges can be called
in during the radiothon on Oct. 17
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 1-877-
227-3486.
Hospital fundraiser Oct. 17