TORONTO — The Canadian home improvement industry gathered this week to recognize its top retailers during Hardlines’ 2015 Outstanding Retailer Awards. The awards were part of a gala dinner that concluded day one of the 20th Annual Hardlines Conference in Toronto.
Hardlines celebrated the industry’s finest at the ORA Gala Dinner. Dealers from across the country were honoured in seven categories covering the range of hardware and home improvement retailing formats. This year’s winners consistently displayed good business sense, which translated into strong annual sales increases. But they also operate their stores with a personal touch that connects them with their customers and their local communities.
The winners of the Hardlines 2015 Outstanding Retailer Awards are:
- Best Hardware Store – Harris Home Hardware, London, Ont., Ron and Tracey Harris, owners;
- Best Building Centre under 15,000 square feet – Les Entreprises Nova Centre de Rénovation Home Hardware, Rawdon, Que., Pierre Lane, owner;
- Best Building Centre over 15,000 square feet – W. Filsinger & Sons RONA, Guelph, Ont., Wayne Filsinger, owner;
- Best Contractor Specialist Retailer – Contractor First by RONA, Calgary, Alta., Justin Erdahl, manager;
- Best Large Surface Retailer – RONA Golden Mile, Scarborough, Ont. Padam Dugal, manager;
- Young Retailer of the Year – Josh Beusekom, owner, Fort Macleod TRU Hardware, Fort Macleod, Alta.;
- Marc Robichaud Memorial Community Leader Award – L.B.H. TIMBER MART, St. Albert, Alta., Doug Lemieux, owner.
These dealers and managers were chosen from a list of nominees who were all outstanding in their own right. But the winners each displayed an edge that put them ahead of their peers and identified them as truly outstanding.
The judging was done by a panel of industry experts, representing all facets of the industry: retail, manufacturing, wholesale, and store design. The ORAs were founded more than two decades ago as a way to honour and recognize the finest retailers in the hardware and home improvement industry.
