The BayWest Hardware store is going to look a bit different from now on.
Hardware store owners Brian Higgins and his wife Sylvia Blenkin have sold the business to Frank and Vicki Hagel, the current owners of Castle Building Centre on Cook Street.
The BayWest store, located on the corner of Bay and Wilson Streets, was closed over the weekend to undergo signage changes before reopening yesterday (Tuesday) as the new Bay Street Castle Building Centre.
“Those businesses are so close together and both very similar in style, so this was a huge opportunity for us,” said Vicki, adding that there will be some changes in inventory, but the staff will remain the same.
“Our store has a funky, fun, but business-oriented vibe and that’s what we’re looking to reproduce over there.”
The sale will allow 70-year-old Higgins to retire after roughly three decades in the home renovation business in Victoria. He said he plans to spent more time with family.
“The sale was very timely for our personal situation and its time for me to not be overly concerned about day-to-day business,” said Higgins who has known the Hagels for 25 years.
“The building supply industry in Victoria is quite a close knit community. We all work together and we’ve all lent each other product over the years when we run out . . . I think they’ll add their own take on the business.”
