FERGUS – Locally owned and operated since 1923, Dixon Home Hardware is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year.
To kick off the celebrations, the Dixons will be hosting some events this weekend.
On July 21, there will be a Milwaukee tool demo from 11 to 4pm. The following day, an anniversary ceremony will take place at 11:30am, and a hot dog barbecue will be provided from 11am to 1pm.
‘Dad would be proud’
Jason Dixon, currently co-owner of the Home Hardware in Fergus with his brother Jeff, mentioned the business has close to 100 prizes for the raffle thus far.
Jason added he is proud of what his family has accomplished over the past centenary.
“I’m sure our dad would be proud here, too, if he was still around,” said Jason.
Jim Dixon passed away last February at age 76.
He said he often thinks about how many other businesses have come and gone since Dixon’s opened 100 years ago.
“It is a testament on what our great grandfather, grandfather and dad did to get [where we are now],” he said.
“They had the right recipe to keep it going, and it’s pretty impressive, when you consider the amount of places that have come and gone in the last 100 years, that it’s still going.”
The Dixon history
Walter Dixon bought a lumber and planning mill in Arthur in 1923.
He expanded the business to include a millwork shop in Fergus ten years later.
In 1943, during the Second World War, Walter’s son Merlin joined the company, which, during this time, was located at 475 St. Patrick Street in Fergus.
Up until this period of Dixon hardware history, the business mainly offered lumber, wood and windows. It later added hardware and building materials.
Merlin’s son, Jim joined in the family business in 1966 at the age of 20 after serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, being part of the Canadian peacekeeping force.
In 1977, Jim relocated the business to its current location at 745 St. David Street in Fergus, where it operated as Dixon Homecare.
Over the next several years, additions and changes were made to the store. Sheds were added to the lumberyard to meet the needs of a growing community, and Dixon Homecare changed to become Dixon Timber Mart.
Dixon Home Hardware
Jeff and Jason Dixon, Jim’s sons, joined the company with their father in the 1990s.
It was not until 2004 that the Dixons became members of the Home Hardware family, making the business what it is to this day.
“It’s a small-town culture at Home Hardware,” Jason said, adding many bigger corporations do not necessarily have that feel to them.
“It’s got a really, kind of a small, close-knit culture and mentality. So, it actually works really good for us, because that’s kind of what we’re like here as well.”
Five years later, a new store was built, was followed by two new lumber storage sheds.
Throughout the past century, Dixon Home Hardware Building Centre has remained a local and family-owned-and-operated business
