The downtown areas of many Canadian cities are undergoing rapid densification, driven mostly by condo towers. Running a successful hardware store in the city has always been a challenge because of higher real estate costs and limited space. Home improvement stores which are still thriving in downtown environments have become rare.
One such store is Cook Street Castle in Victoria, B.C. Owned by Vicki Hagel, it has a unique urban feature; it is located on the first floor of an apartment building. It even has a drive-through lumberyard.
(This is an excerpt from a larger article in the latest edition of our sister publication, Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly. HHIQ has been mailed to 11,000 dealers and store managers across Canada. If you’re not getting your own copy—it’s free to retailers and retail head offices—click here!)