Home Hardware is a cooperative of over 1000 independent Canadian hardware stores. In a typical store, you can find a wide variety of building supplies and tools. Some of the more popular types are paint, tools, wood, and roofing supplies. The names of the hardware stores can vary, but they all have the same basic purpose: to help you make your house a home. Here are a few tips for choosing the right hardware for your needs.

Home Hardware grew from modest beginnings as a family business in the 1950s. Gordon Hollinger had passed away by the time Hachborn bought the company. To retain the name, Hachborn commissioned a friend to brainstorm names for the company. He suggested incorporating the word “home” into the name. This was influenced by the annual sale “Happy Home Value” sponsored by the National Retail Hardware Association. The name was ultimately decided on: Home Hardware Stores Limited. This logo featured a back-to-back “H”, which could also stand for Hollinger Hardware.

Like Beavertails, Home Hardware is a Canadian brand. Its stores are common sights in towns across Canada, from Halifax to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Home Hardware is a privately owned wholesale company, with each dealer holding a single share of the company and equal voting rights. The headquarters team works hard to maintain a local, neighbourhood feel that reflects the community. The company is 100 per cent Canadian and proud to be so.

Beaver Lumber Stores Limited merged with Home Hardware in 2000. Beaver Lumber stores combined with Home Hardware accounted for nearly C$2.2 billion in sales. In 1999, Beaver stores were jointly owned by Molson Inc., and later converted to Home Hardware’s dealer-owner model. Home Hardware began publishing a home magazine called Home at Home. And in 2009, the company’s CEO, Gordon Hollinger, was named Retailer of the Century and a Member of the Order of Canada.

Home Hardware stores differ in their mission. Some are solely dedicated to selling building supplies and tools, while others are more focused on selling construction and party supplies. Some even rent equipment for party or construction projects. A major hardware cooperative, like True Value, provides brand name rental advertising and support for its members. Its motto is “Be the Helpful Neighbor”.

The largest home hardware retailer in the world, Home Depot and Lowes, are headquartered in the United States and Canada. In France, Kingfisher, Obi, and Leroy Merlin are the top three hardware retailers in Europe. Home Hardware offers over 20,000 products from leading brands. There are two main options for buying hardware – store pickup or home delivery. But what makes Home Hardware so special? The quality of its products and service is unmatched.

When Hachborn first opened his company, he began it with a single half-ton Ford pickup truck. A year later, the company expanded to three shifts at its King Street warehouse. By 1965, Hollinger Hardware began shipping to the Atlantic provinces. In 1965, Hachborn had an idea to combine purchasing power with other hardware companies. This concept later morphed into United Hardware Wholesales Limited. And in 1971, Hachborn dedicated himself to running the company.