Latest news with #hardwarestore
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
MR D.I.Y.: More than just a neighbourhood hardware store
KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Whether you are a talented Mr or Ms Fix-It around the house or just someone who does the odd maintenance chores now and then, MR D.I.Y. — everyone's go-to hardware store — has been a part of your life for the past 20 years. Yes, MR D.I.Y. is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Since opening its very first store on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in 2005, MR D.I.Y. now has 1,400 stores nationwide. What's more, it is not just a Malaysian household name... it is also an international one with 5,000 outlets across 14 countries. With a wide product variety across categories — at affordable prices, MR D.I. Y. will continue to support the communities it serves. MR D.I.Y. also impacts the community with its CSR initiatives that include education, disaster relief and outreach. With its expanding footprint, MR D.I.Y. also creates jobs for thousands of people here and abroad. Here are some must-haves from MR D.I.Y. that are really worth grabbing — from our POV: 1. Batteries 2. Anti-rust spray 3. Food containers 4. Garbage bags 5. Light bulbs 6. Fluorescent tubes 7. Mineral water 8. Door knobs 9. Spray paint 10. Clothes hangers 11. Super glue 12. Cling wrap 13. Wrapping paper 14. Electrical products like shavers, rice cookers, etc 15. Snacks 16. Local branded products 17. RM2/RM2.20/RM2.40 products 18. Official merchandise 19. Local Brand/Colour Series products 20. MR D.I.Y. recycle bag
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Beloved store shuts down after 90 years as crisis faces businesses nationwide
Frentz & Sons Hardware is closing after more than 90 years of business, becoming the latest victim of the growing retail apocalypse. Owners of the legendary Michigan store John, Mike, and Chip Frentz, confirmed the heart wrenching news in a Facebook post on July 17. 'While the reasons are personal, we can share that changing economic realities, rising costs, and the challenges of running a small business in today's environment factored into this decision,' the family wrote. 'At the same time, the three of us are now in our retirement years and are looking ahead to the next stage of our lives.' The hardware store had been a family-owned business since 1932 and a legendary store in the town of Royal Oak. 'We've always prided ourselves on having what you need, especially regarding the unique hardware and knowledge that older homes require,' they wrote. 'But more than that, we've been proud to know so many of you by name, help with your projects big and small, and be a trusted neighbor in the community we love so much.' The Frentz family did not announce the date the store would shutter, but they said they are in the process of putting the building and property up for sale. Facebook users were heartbroken to learn about the beloved store's closure, and couldn't help but look back at the fond memories they had of Frentz & Sons. 'My dad used to shop for our Christmas presents in your toy department. As I began to make and show my sculpture and other art I came to you countless times for tools and hardware and paint supplies,' a commenter wrote. '1962? I had saved $3 in my piggy bank. Mom and dad took me to Frentz to let me spend my first money on an Etch a Sketch. Vivid memory of the whole day,' a customer responded. 'I remember coming here in the 60s with my dad and meeting all the Frentz! Great store and wonderful people to work with,' another person wrote. 'Thanks for teaching a youngster, like me and I'm sure many others, about tools and how to do a job correctly.' 'I went in the store with my dad often in the 50s and 60s and I think that's why I still enjoy and feel comfortable in hardware stores,' a customer added. Others gave brief shout outs to Mike and Chip, and revealed they became friends with them after meeting them in the store. Several other customers admitted to being heartbroken, but wished the Frentz family luck on their upcoming endeavors. The Frentz family began their longtime hardware business in 1925, when Mike's father and grandfather opened their own store. While running the business, they would pass by a building in Royal Oak when traveling by street car to see relatives. Mike's father and grandfather discovered a building for sale during one of their trips, which would go on to become the hardware store's home. 'My grandfather was in his 80s at that time, so basically my dad took the business over when he moved to Royal Oak,' Mike told Royal Oak Schools, adding that he was only 21 at the time. While the business was still selling toys, Mike and his siblings would spend time riding tricycles when the business would be closed on Sundays. 'As I got into junior high, I started working a little bit... My dad would pay me out of the pocket for doing odd jobs,' Mike revealed. 'When I got into high school... I kind of started working more solid hours where I was scheduled and had a regular paycheck. I've been there ever since.' While Mike and his family are unsure of what the future holds, they plan to be around to serve customers with their hardware needs for as long as they can before the sale of the building is finalized. Frentz & Sons is not the only business to say its final goodbyes this year. The family-owned business Trees n Trends is planning to shutter its stores this year after 30 years. Trees n Trends has been offering 25 to 50 percent off discounts on products from all six locations and will continue operating until everything is sold. Joann shuttered all of its stores after filing for bankruptcy protection for the second time in two years earlier this year. The once-popular craft store was a family-owned business from 1943 until 2011, when it was purchased by Leonard Green & Partners. It went on to suffer financial difficulty for several years before shuttering its final locations in May. Outside of retail, Hector's Café and Diner in New York City served its final customers on July 18. The diner was a prime restaurant in the meatpacking district frequented by crew members from Law & Order. Its financial situation and changes in the neighborhood were too much for the business to handle, and its final blow was the city's decision to expand the Whitney Museum and build large offices and a 600-foot residential tower.
CBC
24-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Cape Breton community remembers builder known for making 'baby barns'
A Cape Breton community is remembering a man who was a community builder in more ways than one. Murdock MacLeod brought needed supplies to Cape North in the 1970s, with the creation of Cabot Building Supplies — the area's first hardware store. He was also part of a group that started the Cabot volunteer fire department in the 1950s to provide needed emergency services to people living in rural and remote northern Cape Breton. But over the last few decades, MacLeod became best known for making his "baby barns," said Kimber MacLeod, who built these small sheds alongside her grandfather at the family business. "He was quite the man, probably my best friend," she said. "I never met a harder worker in my life. It could be pouring rain outside. Nobody would want to go out and do anything. And you know, you'd look out and here's Grampy hammering away." MacLeod probably built roughly 300 to 400 barns for people near Cape North over the decades. He was in the process of constructing a new barn in February when he died of complications related to pneumonia. Kimber MacLeod said her grandfather died one day shy of his 92nd birthday. "He could throw one of them together in no time," she said. "He was a steady worker. He worked at his own pace, but he didn't take very many breaks. We couldn't keep up with him. "It's been rough going from having him by my side all day every day working together." Stephane Poitras, a local campground owner, first met Murdock MacLeod when he moved to the area seven years ago. "The guy's just a local legend," Poitras said. "Every time I saw him work, he'd always have a pouch and a hammer and everything was done by hand. I thought the guy was going to live well into his hundred years for sure because he's always active and always out and working every day and ... he never took a break. "If I can reach that guy's age and do exactly what he's doing at that age, I'll be very happy for sure." Chief of the Cabot volunteer fire department, Kyle Rambeau, said MacLeod helped build their station after the closure of a local gypsum quarry. "They got a water truck from the quarry, got together with some guys … and built the first fire truck with their bare hands basically. And, you know, just pieced together what they could to give some sort of emergency response at that time for the area." Members of MacLeod's family are now using the last of his baby barns to hold a fundraiser. Murdock's Last Baby Barn is a ticket raffle that will provide new uniforms and emergency equipment for Cape North's firefighters. Rambeau said using MacLeod's last piece of work to help support the fire crew means a lot to their membership. "We've never had a chance to kind of have uniforms and to kind of take a uniformed picture together," he said. "It would be good for pride among membership and just overall morale among the department." Kimber MacLeod said her grandfather would likely get a chuckle out of their fundraising plans. "He would say, 'What in the name of God are you doing that for?' But I think he would get a real kick out of it," she said. "He would have loved to have seen the ticket sales and know how much we could actually raise for the members. I think he would have really enjoyed it."
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
English city's oldest shop is forced to shut after 160 YEARS in business as Brits mourn ‘huge loss'
ONE of Britain's oldest shops has been forced to shut after 160 years due to soaring bills. WH Mogford & Son in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol has been serving customers in its 'Aladdin's Cave' hardware store since the 1860s. 5 5 Owner Paul Gillam, who has spent 30 years working at the shop, said it was time to close permanently due to rocketing bills. He told The Sun: 'It's a culmination of footfall dropping off, banks closing in the high street, people shopping online, and the cost of amenities, bills and staffing costs. 'It wasn't an easy decision. It's taken me a couple of years to come to the decision to close down. 'I'm disappointed for the regular customers but it's the right decision at this time.' Paul, 57, added: 'I will take a couple of weeks off then I need to find another job.' The shop, which serves a once bustling high street on the outskirts of Bristol, will pull down the shutters for the last time in September. One Bristol local, who grew up nearby, described the imminent store closure as 'terrible news'. Another replying to Paul's post on Facebook breaking the news, replied: 'Very sorry to hear this. 'I have known the shop my entire life. 'There will be many many saddened people when they hear this news. Popular bank with over 400 spots confirms it is shutting 18 branches in August – it follows 148 closures by rivals 'Mogfords has been a much loved and relied upon business in the village throughout generations.' Another said: 'You will be very much missed. My sons call your shop 'the shop that sells everything'." 'As a fellow business owner I am aware of the significant rise in operating costs over the last few years. I can't imagine how difficult this decision has been for you. 'On behalf of the local community a huge thank you and best wishes for your next 'chapter'.' 5 5 It comes as shops across the country struggle to survive in the changing consumer landscape. Both chain stores and independents have closed at an alarming rate, citing decreased footfall and rising prices as the reason behind the closures. RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Historic 'oldest shop' in English city is forced to shut its doors after 160 years of trading - with soaring bills blamed
One of the 'oldest' shops in Bristol has been forced to shutter its doors after 160 due to the crippling effects of soaring bills. WH Mogford & Son, tucked away in Westbury-on-Trym high street, has been a traditional hardware store since 1860s. And even in the two decades before its becoming a tool shop, it served as an ironmongers. But now, the time to close its doors for the final time has come around with its owner Paul Gillam making a saddening announcement to reeling customer on June 14. Taking to Facebook, Mr Gillam, who has spent the last 30 years tirelessly working in the shop, announced the store's 'long history' would be coming to an end. Giving an official closing date of September 2025, he revealed the business which he took over in 2004, was shuttering 'permanently' due to sky rocketing bills. 'I have come to this decision due to the continuing decline in customer numbers, the increasing costs of stock, staffing, bank and utility charges and the desperate state of repair of the rented premises,' he said. 'I would like to thank the many local customers who have supported us over the years.' Described as an 'Aladdin's cave of DIY, gardening and pet supplies', WH Mogford & Son gained popularity for selling individual items rather than multi packs, such as a single nail or one Rawlplug. During the pandemic, the team recalled how one gentleman would walk to the shop each week to buy 10 screws for 1p each, just so he could have a chat with staff. Mr Gillam had taken on various job roles over the years, before he eventually came to the helm of the historic hardware store after the previous owner, the last Mogford to ever own it, went into retirement in 2004. He ran WH Mogford & Son, which was previously dubbed by M Shed as the oldest store in the city alongside his daughter Sophie, who took over the book-keeping after her grandmother retired. One Bristol local, who grew up nearby, described the imminent store closure as 'terrible news'. He told MailOnline how his mother 'always said that for anything around the house, from torches to screwdrivers to pet food, if Mogford's didn't have it then no one would'. He added: 'I've always popped in there still for odd things. Friendly, helpful - a real old-fashioned shop in the best sense of the description.' Following the announcement, other locals and customers were quick to share their dismay at the shop's closure. 'Very sorry to hear this. Have known the shop my entire life, as grew up, and still live, in Westbury-on-Trym,' one said. 'My father used to sell the spare parts for Tilley StormLight paraffin lanterns to the tall slim chap, always thought his name was John Mogford, but not certain of that. 'There will be many many saddened people when they hear this news. Mogfords has been a much loved and relied upon business in the village throughout generations.' Another added: 'A huge loss to the village, you will be very much missed. My sons call your shop 'the shop that sells everything'. 'As a fellow business owner I am aware of the significant rise in operating costs over the last few years. I can't imagine how difficult this decision has been for you. 'On behalf of the local community a huge thank you and best wishes for your next 'chapter'.' A local chimed in: 'I'm sorry to hear about this Paul. I was born in Westbury-on-Trym in late 1940's & I knew Mogfords Ironmongers shop well until I left in my early teens. '[I] have returned to the local area on several occasions over the years and made a point to see it. 'The shop is like part of the furniture that makes the village and will be surely sadly missed.' Nearby Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol Zoo, which was the oldest provincial animal enclosure shut down its main centre after 186 years. The zoo, which was on the edge of Clifton Downs closed its main centre due to the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns. At the time, the society said: 'For many years, Bristol Zoo Gardens has faced various challenges. Namely, declining visitor numbers, the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and the challenges of meeting the changing needs of the animals.' According to the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquarium, 24 zoos were at risk of closing due to the third national lockdown.
