Home Hardware
From The Waterloo Way Wiki
Contents |
Introduction
Since 1967, 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 1,000, Home Hardware is fierce competition for any rival. 1
History
Hollinger Hardware Limited
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. 2 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.
Walter J. Hachborn
Walter J. Hachborn
The co-operative concept became a reality in 1964 when 128 independent Ontario hardware retailers gathered together in Waterloo, Ontario to purchase Hollinger Hardware Limited of St. Jacobs, Ontario. 3 This co-operative gave these small business owners the power to compete through volume purchases, greater marketing power and better supply chain efficiency.
Unvailing of Home Hardware
The concept of the co-operative is mostly attributed to Walter J. Hachborn. Walter started his career working at Hollinger Hardware Limited in 1938. 4 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. 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 1,000 of their Home Hardware, Home Hardware Building Centre, Home Building Centre and Home Furniture stores. 5
Current Business Solutions
Home Hardware currently has four different types of stores, all independently owned across Canada.
Home Hardware Logo
Home Hardware Logo
Home Building Centre Logo
Home Building Centre Logo
Home Hardware: This is the original Home Hardware retail store. These stores contain many home improvement goods, tools, electrical supplies and more. 7
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. 8
Home Hardware Building Centre Logo
Home Hardware Building Centre Logo
Home Furniture Logo
Home Furniture Logo
Home Hardware Building Centre: These stores are a combination of the wide variety of products offered by the original Home Hardware stores, as well as the building supplies offered by Home Building Centres. 9
Home Furniture: Home Furniture stores are the latest addition to the line of Home Hardware stores. These retail stores contain a wide variety of furniture for homes, thus greatly increasing the offerings from Home Hardware. 10
Home Hardware’s Sense of Social Responsibility
Hollinger Hardware
Community Involvement
Home Hardware’s strong presence in communities and involvement in local activities and events is a very large part of the company’s philosophy. With its corporate headquarters in the village of St. Jacob’s, Home Hardware honours its small-town roots by hosting the Home Hardware Dealer Market twice annually. 11 These hardware shows are not only a tribute to many important figures in the history of the company, but also serve as reunions that unite hundreds of Home Hardware dealers and employees from all across the country. 12 At these celebratory functions, ideas are shared, friendships are built, and serious business is conducted, all the while in a lively party atmosphere with entertainment and cuisine. 2007 CHL/NHL Top Prospects 2007 CHL/NHL Top Prospects
“Home Hardware is a vibrant part of Canadian communities… and we share a strong commitment to those communities,” Vice President and CEO, Paul Straus says. 13 The company is also a sponsor of the Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, an annual three-day event that features the top 40 hockey players of the CHL that are eligible to be selected to join the NHL. 14 This national event is broadcast live across Canada, generating positive publicity for Home Hardware by showcasing its involvement in Canada’s sport of choice.
Home Hardware further demonstrates its commitment to its local communities through its various celebrations. The company held a grand opening ceremony for its new store on Fischer Hallman Road in Kitchener, which included the city’s Mayor and the company’s CEO. 15 Home Hardware executives used the opportunity to cut the ribbon and congratulate the store manager and staff on the new retail location.
Serving as yet another example of Home Hardware’s care and concern for the members of its local communities, the company donated $1 million in 2006 to fund the redevelopment of various units in Waterloo Region’s two hospitals, to provide local patients with superior care through the use of advanced technology and highly-skilled medical staff. 16 According to Patti Haskell, Board Chair of the Grand River Hospital Foundation, “Home Hardware is helping us give the best care to the sickest patients and most complicated cases.” 17 Furthermore, an additional $500,000 was donated on behalf of the company to construct a new operating room in the Urology center at St. Mary’s hospital. 18
Strong Corporate Culture and Dedication to Staff
In addition to celebrating new stores openings, Home Hardware recognizes milestones in its history and in the lives of its employees. Walter Hachborn, Co-founder and President of Home Hardware Stores Limited, awarded Mike Stapylton for his service at the London Plaza Home Hardware store for over 50 years. 19 Hachborn communicated the fact that employees at Home Hardware are greatly respected and treated like family: “(Mike) is an important part of the Home family and I’m honoured to count him among my friends.” 20 These celebrations reinforce Home Hardware’s strong corporate culture of valuing employees and their hard work at the company.
Concern for the Environment
Over the years, Home Hardware has demonstrated its dedication to various environmental endeavors. In addition to providing funding to the Tree Canada Foundation, the company has collaborated with John Baird, the federal Minister of the Environment, to help children develop environmentally-friendly mindsets that guide their habits for the future. 21 During national Environment Week, Home Hardware visited elementary schools to encourage recycling and waste reduction from students and has also provided schools with more energy-efficient light bulbs. 22 When asked why schools were being targeted, Baird explained, “… It’s the kids leading the way by being environmentally responsible at school.” 23
Christmas Light Installation
Home Hardware is also the national sponsor of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program, providing 100,000 LED lights each year to illuminate Parliament Hill, Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence, and several other buildings and monuments in the country. 24 Through its involvement in this program, Home Hardware acts as a leader in demonstrating the fact that reducing energy consumption while maintaining the beauty of Christmas lights during the holiday season is very possible. In the past two years, Home Hardware has donated its lights to decorate more than 1000 cities coast to coast in Canada. 25
Philanthropy
Home Hardware is infamous in the local communities in which it operates for its caring nature and involvement in countless national organizations geared towards helping those less fortunate. The company organizes semi-annual food drives at its major distribution centers to support local food banks and also has a long-standing tradition of contributing to local agencies that supply Christmas gifts to families in need, in place of having staff gift exchanges at its stores. 26 Furthermore, Home Hardware also sponsors thousands of children across Canada each year in the Special Olympics and provides regular donations to the Sick Kids Foundation, the United Way, and the KidsAbility Foundation. 27
Through the above descriptions of the company’s dedication to help the environment, involvement in local communities, and generous humanitarian efforts, Home Hardware holds the reputation of being one of Canada’s highly respected corporate citizens. 28 Its high degree of social responsibility has led it to assume a leadership role, modeling how Canadian retailers ought to conduct business.
References
1. Home Hardware. About Us: Home of the Handyman http://www.homehardware.ca/en/home-of-the-handyman.php
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Times Colonist. Heart of Home Hardware http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/business/story.html?id=73ce8642-25eb-4ed9-bd84-9fb7c1467906&k=89631
5. Ibid.
6. Home Hardware. About Us: About Home Hardware http://www.homehardware.ca/en/about-home-hardware.php
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. Ibid.
11. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “Owen Sound Attack's Mike Angelidis Awarded Home Hardware Humanitarian Award” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_366.htm
12. Ibid.
13. Home Hardware. About Us: Home of the Handyman http://www.homehardware.ca/en/home-of-the-handyman.php
14. Ibid.
15. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “Williamsburg Home Hardware celebrates grand opening of new Kitchener location” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_358.htm
16. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “Home Hardware Stores Limited Contributes $1 Million to Waterloo Region Hospitals” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_475.htm
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “Local Home Hardware Dealer Celebrates 50th Anniversary. Home Hardware honours Mike Stapylton with Gold Hammer Award” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_362.htm
20. Ibid.
21. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “John Baird Recognizes Environmental Achievement of Frank Ryan Elementary School” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_583.htm
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. Home Hardware. About Us: Media Releases, “Home Hardware LED Christmas Lights to Shine on Parliament Hill and Along Confederation Boulevard” http://www.homehardware.ca/en/media-releases_371.htm
25. Ibid.
26. Home Hardware. About Us: Home of the Handyman http://www.homehardware.ca/en/home-of-the-handyman.php
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid.
29. http://www.communitech.ca/about_us/bod_johnbaker.shtml Retrieved from "http://www.thewaterlooway.com/wiki/index.php?title=Home_Hardware"
