Airdrie’s own Fulton’s Home Hardware Building Centre was recently presented with the Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year award, which recognizes the top Home Hardware location across the country.
The Airdrie-based Home Hardware beat out nearly 1,100 stores across Canada to take home the honour of being the franchise’s top location.
According to Mike Fulton, who owns the Airdrie location with his wife Colleen, this award has been something he has been working toward since first buying the home-improvement retail outlet on East Lake Boulevard in 2008.
“Winning that award is just the ultimate [achievement],” Fulton said. “From our perspective, it was the staff that made the difference.
“[This] was something we could present to the staff so they could be recognized for all of the hard work they have put in to make the store what it is today.”
Just to be considered for the award, participating Home Hardware stores have to be referred by area managers. After the referral process, locations are judged on more than 200 different parameters before a winner is chosen for the area – which for Fulton is Southern Alberta. The process repeats for the region, which for Airdrie’s Home Hardware is Western Canada.
The final step is to go up against winners from the other three regions, which include Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.
According to a Home Hardware press release, the dealers and staff in Airdrie are considered leaders within the franchise’s network.
“Fulton’s Home Hardware Building Centre truly embodies what the Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award stands for," said Kevin Macnab, president and CEO of Home Hardware Stores Limited. "Fulton’s is a distinguished ambassador for the [Home Hardware] brand and consistently provides a high standard of customer service and quality products.”
Fulton, before taking over Airdrie’s old Home Hardware location in 2008, worked in the manufacturing and wholesale side of lumber and building materials. He felt his knowledge of and experience in the industry was a perfect fit when he finally decided to slightly switch lanes and try something different.
Since he and his wife took over the business, the local Home Hardware has moved from a small location on East Lake Boulevard, to a full-service location on the south side of Kingsview Market.
Fulton continued to praise his staff, when asked how far the store has come since initially upgrading its location in 2012.
“To win an award like this, especially during a pandemic, is just so above and beyond normal operating standards,” he said. “We all know how hard it has been to operate.
“Our people have been through a lot, but they have maintained focus, kept a smile on their face and provided the service that is needed. It’s no easy task, that is for sure.”
Fulton’s Home Hardware Building Centre is located at 35 Market Boulevard SE.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
