‘It’s been so good:’ Family-owned Home Hardware closing after decades in business

The Buzash family built the Home Hardware on Rochdale Boulevard from the ground up.

Now, they’re closing the doors for good.

Only a few items remain on shelves that are ready to be collapsed and hauled away. Leftover stock items that are typically carried over from year to year like Christmas decorations and gardening supplies sit in separate sale sections.

Co-owners and siblings Monte Buzash and Laurie Minke have been operating the store for decades.

“I started working from the time I was 14,” said Buzash. “I came down on the bus after high school.”

Buzash remembers his first jobs were setting up bike racks and working the floor.

“I remember my first paycheque was $12.75,” he said with a laugh. “I think that was for three hours of work.”

After many years of working together, they’re finally closing the doors of the establishment.

“I’m retiring and looking very forward to it,” Minke said. “I’m going to do some travelling and spend some time with our grandkids and kids. It’s going to be very enjoyable.”

The business was previously operated with an additional brother, Lyle Buzash, before he retired. With Minke retiring, it will only leave Monte to operate the store.

“I didn’t want to take it all on myself. It’s just too much,” said Monte. “I’ve put in a lot of years here.”

Laurie Minke shows the empty shelves in the Home Hardware on Rochdale Boulevard. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

Home Hardware was built in 2001, but the store’s history goes well before they began construction at the current location.

Buzash remembers putting in 20-hour workdays building the store at the current location. They had two previous locations before choosing to build their own store.

The Buzash family has been operating hardware stores for the past 40 years. The first store was purchased by the family on Rose Street from the former owner of Regina Hardware Limited. After two years, they moved to a location on Broad Street where they stayed for 15 years until their parents, Andy and Eda Buzash, retired.

The same family business mentality they learned from their parents has carried over into how they operate their business now.

“It’s a family atmosphere, really,” Monte said. “Once you start working here, you don’t work for us, but you start working with us.”

Many of the employees who have worked there over the years have been family and close friends of the family.

There are lots of fond memories in the store, according to cashier Kaitlynn Pellerin.

“I love all my co-workers and all the parties we had,” she said. “Every Christmas, we used to make pudding shots and drink them at work.”

Pellerin, who has worked at the store for the past eight years, says it’s tough to see the store empty out.

“It’s very sad, but I’m glad for them,” said Pellerin. “They are going to have a great time in retirement. I’m happy for them.”

Bailey Stangel was first introduced to Monte when he coached her softball team many years ago. Since then, she and her sister both have worked at the store.

“It’s sad,” Stangel said. “I can remember coming here as a kid before me and my sister ever worked here and it was just a fun place to come.”

Over the years, many memories have been made in the building.

According to Minke, the cement pylons in front of the building have got good use, with the building being hit on three separate occasions. At the back of the store, a popcorn machine sits ready to be hauled away. The popcorn sales were something that they used to raise money for the Z99 Radio-a-Thon.

The building has already been sold, which is why the owners are liquidating all the inventory. They have no idea what will happen to the building itself.

Minke said it’s “bittersweet” to see the store clearing out.

“I will miss it for a while,” she said. “But it’s kind of a nice closure, knowing I can do a lot more things with the grandkids.”

Monte will be returning to work after officially moving out of the building at the end of the summer.

“I’ve got two kids to put through university, so I’ll be getting a job,” he said.

Minke said the community’s support has been immense from the time they opened to their closure.

“It’s been so good. They congratulate me for retiring and for us moving on,” said Minke. “They know it has to be done.”