BOUCHERVILLE, Que. ― Lowe’s Canada is celebrating the 100th anniversary of RONA’s Bradford, Ont., store. Founded by James Spence as Spence Lumber in 1919, the business operated as a lumber yard until the trend of home renovation and DIY repairs inspired a move and expansion several decades later. In 1990, the store moved to its current site where it occupies 6,000 square feet of retail space and more than four acres of lumber yard. Soon after, it became a building supply centre in order to cater to the changing needs of the marketplace.
In 2008, Dennis Doidge and his business partner Ted Minty bought the Bradford business. They went on to create Doidge Building Centres in 2017 by bringing together other home improvement businesses they had acquired in Ontario over the previous two decades. Soon after, Doidge Building Centres became RONA affiliate dealers. Today, the Doidge Group remains an independent, family-run business with six locations in Ontario. “We’re proud to continue building on the store’s rich history in serving our community,” said Brad Bartlett, branch manager at RONA Bradford. “This important milestone couldn’t have been reached without our employees and customers over the years.”
