Glenboro Home Hardware open for convenience shoppers
This past weekend, Glenboro Home Hardware has extended their hours, days of operation and stocked the shelves with a variety of basic grocery items. “We wanted to fill the void of convenience shopping since D & A Foods closed last spring,” said Trent Thornborough, Proprietor of the local building centre.
The extension of services took a bit of shuffling inventory around, the addition of an office upstairs, an addition of another cash register station designated for contractors close to the loading dock at the back of the store, and the expansion of a wide range of basic grocery items.
Carrying convenient grocery items is not completely new to the store. Three years ago, they became a merchant for M & M Food Market as an express store. When Dave and Ardith Springer retired and closed their store last spring, they contacted Trent and Lisa (Thornborough) to see if they would be interested in taking over the Spenst Bros. products, (pizzas, hamburgers, farmer sausage, etc.), and Kuipers Family Bakery items. “There are a number of people who had standing orders with Kuipers so we took over that as well as Spenst Bros. feeling that both went well with the M & M products,” explained Trent, who added that now they will be ordering more than in the past due to the extended hours and demand.
Until this past weekend, all the food items were located in the building (the former Co-op) across from Home Hardware, however now all items are in the hardware store on the west side of Broadway. The building across from the hardware store will be utilized as a warehouse as well as a display site for windows, doors, siding, roofing and larger displays such as patio furniture, etc.
There have been a lot of changes and Trent spoke of how the staff have been supportive and positive of all the changes. “They all stepped up to the plate with helping organize the new stock and move everything from across the street. I’m pretty proud, grateful and confident when I say what a great staff we have!”
When asked if the entire store will be open on Sundays or just the convenience grocery section, Trent smiled answering; “If it isn’t nailed down it can be sold!”
Another addition soon to be offered will be fresh gourmet coffee at the brewing station near the groceries at the north west corner of the store. As customers were coming and going, Trent stopped to greet all, then commented that the only qualm he has is that his office will be upstairs away from the hustle and bustle of the store. “I’m really questioning that and am going to miss seeing people as they come in and out and being right there to help them. I hope they will come upstairs to the office and poke their head in say ‘Hi’.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Shelves were filled with grocery items over the weekend at the Glenboro Home Hardware building on the west side of Broadway Street.
