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With 102 years under its belt, Wiener’s Home Hardware in Toronto, Canada, owner Melanie Van Bommel gives credit to customer service as the secret to longevity in the industry.
Wiener’s Hardware was founded in 1922 by Hyman and Ida Wiener. Hyman’s son, Gerry, came to work with his dad after he finished high school and in 1968, Gerry’s son Marty joined the family business as the third generation.
In 1998, Marty expanded the business into the building next door, almost doubling the operation’s size and allowing Wiener’s to carry more lines, better display products and provide better service to their customers. Now, the business is headed by Melanie, Marty’s youngest daughter.
Melanie says store employees also strive to give each and every customer the best service and guidance to find the products they need.
“At Wiener’s Home Hardware, we have always made it a top priority to know our community and help them with all their hardware needs,” Melanie says.
Over the last 102 years, the store has evolved but has remained a family owned business with an old-school family hardware feel. Even though the store is small, Melanie utilizes creative merchandising to take advantage of every inch of space, and she hopes customers get that small store feeling as they walk through the door.
“We look to help our customers, whether by providing them with the information they need to complete a project, selling them the right items or guiding them in the direction they need to find what they are looking for if we don’t carry the items,” Melanie says.
New and seasonal products are displayed in the store windows to use as much space as possible and catch customers’ attention. Some of the bestselling categories are paint, key cutting, housewares and seasonal products.
“We want to provide our community with all the products we can fit in the store!” Melanie says.
The store’s six full-time and one part-time employee play a large role in assuring customers’ needs are met. One employee has worked for Melanie’s family for over 35 years and two have been employed for 20 years now.
“We could not run our store without these employees, and they are a huge part of our success,” Melanie says. “I want my employees to feel like they are a part of the Wiener’s family when they are working for us. Their hard work is what makes us who we are, and it is important that they know that.”
The business stays involved in the community through charitable donations and sponsorships, including the Toronto Playgrounds Baseball. Melanie says the goal for the next five years is to continue helping the community with all of its hardware needs.
“I want our store to continue to provide great customer service and continue on the path that has made us successful for 102 years and four generations in the Annex,” she says.
Read more about other retailers with benchmark anniversaries in our Milestones section.
