The Brussels Post, 1979-10-04, Page 1
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INTAILIONSO
II/73
OLDFIELD'S PRO-HARDWARE STAFF The staff of Oldfield's
Pro-Hardware are looking forward to the weekend's expansion
'celebrations. They are from left, first (seated), Nora Stephenson, Jean
Oldfield, Darlene Oldfield. Back, Jack McWhirter, John Mann, Jim
Oldfield, Max Oldfield, Doug Sholdice.
(Photo by Langlois)
Brussels Post Post
8" fins
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE BRUSSELS POST',
THE BLYTH STANDARD AND THE HURON EXPOSITOR
WEEK OF OCTOBER 4, 1979
Oldfields has been 33 years
on Brussels main street
On Thursday, October ,4,
Friday, October 5 and Satur-
day, October 6, Oldfields Pro
Hardware store in Brussels
will be celebrating 33 years
in business on Brussels; main
street and will have a grand
opening in honor of its
newest addition--the former
J & K Shoes and Jeans store.
Max Oldfield first came to
Brussels in 1946 and started
a hardware store where
Mayer's Jewelery is now
located.
In 1948, Max bought the
first section of his present
store. from William Gillespie
who had been operating a
hardware store there since at
least the turn of the century.
Max said when he first
started his hardware bust-
ness in Brussels he had all of
three months' hardware
experience which he got at a
store in Dundalk. He worked
at that store just with the
idea of getting some experi-
ence until he could get a
store of his own.
He says he chose the
hardware business because
he had worked in the airforce
as a wireless mechanic,
repairing transmitters and
radios and he had always
been interested in mechanics
so one thing more or less led
to another.
"I think you do need a
mechanical inclination to
operate a hardware store,"
Max says.
In 1955, the front of the
Gillespie store was renovated
and a complete new front
was installed. When Old-
fields started in this store the
next door store was a grocery
owned by Lorne Eickmeier.
This store was later taken
over by C & G Krauter
Plumbing.
In 1964 the hardware line
was expanded to include
things like television and
radios and so the next door
store was purchased from C
& G Krauter Plumbing. It
was some time in 1964 or
1965 that the store became
part of the Pro Hardware
group. When they started off '
with the Gillespie store, Max '
said that there was enough
room but eventually so many
things were getting piled up
on the shelves and in the
back rooms that they
couldn't keep track of all the
merchandise and decided to
expand,
The Oldfields ran into that
problem again -this year and
decided on further expansion./
purchasing the building
which housed J & K Shoes
and Jeans from Ken Webster
in April of this year. At one
time the store had been the
Brussels Legion.
When he first got into the
hardware business, Max Said
he probably started off with
not more than.$5000 of stock
in trade, consisting mostly of
nth and'ntits and bolts and
the basics of hardware, along
with one refrigetator and a
Washing machine. At that'
time the store was also
equipped with a pot-bellied
stove and some customers
said they would quit coming
During their grand open-
ing of their newly enlarged
store Oldfields Pro 'Hardware
of Brussels will have demon-
strations of interest. The
store will stay open until 9
p.m. Thursday and Friday
and a draw for many prizes
will be trade on Saturday,
October 6.
On Thursday, October 4, a
representative from White
I Westinghouse will be there
from 9-5 to answer any
questions abOut appliances.
CKNX from Wingham will
also be broadcasting from 10
A.M. Until 12 1100i1 from in
front of the store oh Brussels
main street on Thursday:
The same day, ScissOrs
sharpening will be offered at
fa minimum charge from 9
'to the store if it was ever
taken out, because people
liked to sit around the stove
and talk. It made the store
a.m. until 5 p.m, On Thurs-
day evening, a demon-
stration on the use of Sharp
microwave ovens will be
given.
On Friday, October 5,
,representatives from Sun-
worthy wallcovering will be
at Oldfields from 1 p.m. till 4
tun. to answer any questions
about wallpapering.
On Saturday, October 6 at
5:30 p.m., a draw will be
made for prizes Which in-
elude a White Westinghouse
dishwasher, a $50 voucher
for Sunworthy Wallpaper, a
camera, a Mallory Lantern,
four gallons of Tretnclad and
Kern paint: two Totika toy
trucks; Dionite luggage, four
Sniffed toys, tWo fry p ans
and three ice bticketS, No
something of a meeting
place.
Things have changed a lot
(Continued on Page 5)
READY TO HELP Max Oldfield, right, has
been joined in his Pro Hardware business by his
sort Jim. Max's wife Jean and Jim's wife
s-liarleen are alto bn staff.
, purchase is necessary to
' enter the draws, Max Old-
field emphasizes. There will
also be a number of door
prizes.
Demonstrations of the
Moulinex food processor will
be given for the ladies on all
;three days and represent-
atives from Pro Hardware
Will be on hand at Oldfields
during the three day event.
The store will be open
, from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. on
Thursday, 8 a.m, until 9 p.m.
On Priday and 8 Lin. until 6
p.m. on Saturday:
, The prizes and refresh-
ments will be ideated on the
lower level of the share and
there will Also be many
tin-store spk,ials during the
three day event,