Oldfield Hardware Store
438 - 440 Turnberry Street, Brussels, Ont.
( Built: 1891 Skene & Holmes Blocks ) ( Built: 1878 Little Bros. Block )
In 1948, Max Oldfield, an Air Force wireless mechanic, purchased this building and hardware business from William Gillespie. Gillespie ran the hardware business for many years, since 1905. One feature of the store was the pot-bellied stove around which customers would gather for a visit. The marks from “the chopping of the wood” for the stove are all that remain now. The original Wilton and Gillespie storefront sign hangs in the store.
When Max Oldfield started in the hardware business in 1946, his store was in the old Royal Bank building across the street. He bought the first section of his present store, the north store in the Holmes Block, in 1948 from William Gillespie. He says he chose the hardware business because his work as a wireless mechanic spurred an interest in mechanics.
Above Photo: Oldfield Hardware expanded from its original store in the north part of the Holmes Block north into the Little Bros. Block (the red brick building) in 1964 and then into the next store north, the Skene Block, in 1979.
When Oldfield began, he had no more than $5,000 in stock and only about 1,000 square feet of store space. In 1955, the front of the Gillespie section of the hardware store was renovated and a complete new storefront was installed. In 1964, Oldfield expanded the business and purchased the store next door from C&G Krauter Plumbing. The store grew again in 1979 with the purchase of the neighbouring building to the north that had housed J&K Shoes and Jeans.
At one time, traveling salesmen from one firm or another would visit the store. They handled the orders for merchandise. When long-distance telephone service arrived, orders were made over the telephone and could take anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes. Now, all orders for merchandise are made on the computer.
Left Photo: Wilton & Gillespie, in business from 1905-1945, was one of a long line of hardware merchants in the Holmes Block store starting with the Haycroft Bros. in 1880. Over the years the product lines on offer changed as well as the means of doing business. From the basic hardware-store stock offered in the early days, the business grew to include modern electrical appliances such as televisions and radios. At this time, the store became part of the Pro Hardware Group, and later Tru-Value. One advantage in belonging to such a group is being a part of a buying group. About 90% of the goods are now purchased this way. Radio Shack was added in 1980. Today, computer equipment is for sale alongside the hardware basics that have been the mainstay of the business for years.
A natural addition for Mr. Oldfield to make was a television repair service. He was kept busy with television sales during the day and spent many evenings repairing television sets.
The base of the hardware business has always been the area’s farmers and related businesses, as well as local industry. The store also sells fishing and hunting licenses and has a locksmith business. A Sears catalogue outlet is yet another service offered.
In 1995, Mr. Oldfield was given two Golden Hammer awards from manufacturers Stanley & Estwing, for 50 years in the business.
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