‘A lot of people share in the history of this business’: Wilson’s celebrates 100 years in Barrington Passage, N.S.

A photo of WIlson’s Home Hardware Building Centre. (Courtesy: WIlson’s Home Hardware Building Centre)

WIlson’s Home Hardware Building Centre in Barrington Passage, N.S., is celebrating 100 years of service.

Beginning as one small general store in 1924 to a group of five Home-branded businesses today, the Wilson family has served the community for four generations.

“Our roots are a general store. Then it morphed into a grocery store and then we took on the Home Hardware banner in '67 and I’ve just kind of continued to grow from there, said store dealer Mike Wilson.

“We just keep looking for opportunities to bring different goods and services to the community that we think can add value.”

A photo of Fred I. Wilson's original store. (Courtesy: WIlson’s Home Hardware Building Centre)

To mark the centennial, the Wilson’s team are holding special sales, Nova Scotia’s first drone light show and other family-friendly activities.

“When you watch your grandfather and your father lead a business and contribute to building a community, you learn that there's something very special about small-town family hospitality that's delivered in a very professional way,” said Wilson.

“I think you learn that real leadership is what people are looking for and how they want to be treated comes from a place of genuine care and you can't fake that. I think that's one of the things that that you know holds our business apart is that we show up every day really caring about a customer and really caring about our community and the people that work with us.”

In 2023, Wilson and his store were also awarded Best Home Hardware Building Centre for the Atlantic Region, according to a news release from Home Hardware Stores Limited.

“A lot of people share in the history of this business and the customers are a big part of the history as well,” said Wilson.

“In small town in Nova Scotia you get to know people by name and you work your tail off to not let them down and I think that's the difference you get when you come into our stores as opposed to maybe some of the larger boxes or some of the more corporate stores.”

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