Last Friday, the Toews family and staff at Killarney's Home Hardware celebrated 60 years of serving their community. The family legacy with the local hardware store started in 1965 when Ron Toews partnered with Norm Lyons, and from there the business grew to be what it is today.
Unfortunately, Ron passed away in February of 2024, and all who knew him recognize how tickled he would have been to see community come out to celebrate this milestone with his family. There's no doubt he would have had tales to tell of that first meeting with Mr. Lyons back in 1945 when he wanted to buy into the franchise.
By the time Ron and Tina Toews came onto the scene with their young family, the Killarney hardware store was well-known as the local Marshall Wells store. A photo dated 1945 shows the Marshall Wells store in downtown Killarney on the photo gallery at the 60th celebration.
When Marshell Wells closed their doors, the Killarney store flew the Alliance Hardware flag for a short time, before hoisting up the red, white and yellow banner of the Home Hardware franchise.
Ron's sons, Neil and Doug, took over ownership of the franchise from their father. And upon Doug's retirement in 2020, Neil's son Dylan bought into the family business, making it the 3rd generation of Toews to own the Killarney hardware store.
"Grandpa Ron formed a partnership with Norm Lyons, and that's the start of the business we know today as Killarney hardware," explains co-owner Dylan Toews. "It became a Home Hardware in the late 1980's and we've been a Home Hardware ever since."
"As far as we know we were the first franchise-owned Marshall Wells store in Canada," he adds. "I think all the others at the time were owned corporately. I think it was Norm's wife who knew someone who was involved with the corporate Marshall Wells and then it got connected to us that we were the first franchise owners."
The Killarney store has seen multiple changes over the past 60 years. Not only has the square footage of the store been expanded, but their product line has as well.
"I think 20 years ago we carried maybe 10 bags of dirt at a time and now when the spring and summer hits we have pallets and pallets of it, and other product," says Dylan. "We can't carry everything thing, obviously, but we try to carry a little bit of everything as best we can. If we don't have it in stock, we can usually order it pretty easily. Our truck is very regular from Home Hardware, we're very blessed with that. Big or small, if we don't have it, we can get it in really quick."
"It's a big legacy," shares Dylan Toews. "My grandfather just passed away a year and a half ago and we're missing him today. He would be very happy to see all of this. He was a big part of the community, and everyone adored him, and we miss him. But we've had strong community support all these years. Killarney is our home. My dad grew up here and I've grown up here. People continue to shop local and a big thank you to everyone for that!"
The Toews legacy continues strong as there are 6 members of the family who continue to serve their customers from behind the counter: Co-owners Niel and Germaine Toews, their son and co-owner Dylan, and daughter, Brooklyn. Niel's sisters, Bev (Krahn) and Brenda (Nichol) also continue working at the Killarney Home Hardware, something they've been doing since they were young girls, which is also what their brothers Doug and Niel did after school, after graduation and eventually into co-owners.
Bev Krahn is Ron's second child and remembers when her dad bought into the partnership with Norm Lyons. She was 3 years old at the time.
"It was a lot smaller and was called Marshall Wells when we came here. We went into business with Norm Lyons, who became like a grandfather to us. He and his wife lived upstairs above the store at the time," shares Bev. "They had a summer cottage and so once Norm retired, he would come back during the summer months and help out because dad always took us on a 3-week holiday every summer."
"Over the years, dad always had a project on the go," she adds. "He was never idle, not at home or at the store and we were all involved with that one way or the other, whether it was hauling wood or pounding nails or tearing something down, cleaning the floors, dusting, we've done it all!" she adds with a laugh. "And our mom, Tina, was involved as well. Yes, they were a good team!"
Oldest of Ron's children, Brenda Nicole, remembers her dad bringing home loads of watermelon from Winkler which led to him gaining the nick name, 'Watermelon Ron.'
"Dad had relatives in Winkler and he always thought the Texas watermelons were the best," shares Brenda. "And so, he was known as Watermelon Ron because everybody knew where to get a watermelon if they wanted one. And that was here! He would do it out of the goodness of his heart and he would go and deliver them too!"
"Dad always believed in Killarney's slogan, 'There's no better place' and he lived that every day," shares Bev. "He instilled that in us, and he instilled shopping local and supporting your community. Dad was a local member of the fire department for 10 years. He was on Council. He believed in supporting people, whether it was individually or groups or organizations. He was very generous. He taught us a lot."
"I'm just very, very proud of our whole family," adds Bev. "It's been awesome. Dad was our rock and the instigator of everything."
"It's so good that he got to see Dylan and Brooklyn work in the store and take over the franchise, knowing that it will continue in the family," adds Brenda.
Ron Toews laid the foundation for his children and then his grandchildren to own and operate the Killarney hardware store. Needless to say he would have been very pleased to chat with family and friends around the table outside the family-owned Home Hardware store on Broadway sharing cake and coffee, stories and pictures, and watermelon!