COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

It wasn't just the heirlooms that drew attention. Curious residents stopped to talk and take advantage of the opportunity to get one final guided tour of the historic building Sharing his knowledge of the building was a satisfying way to say goodbye to his family's legacy that dates to 1936.

Bill's grandfather, William W. Tough immigrated from Scotland when John Penman brought him to town to work at Penman's as a millwright. William eventually landed a job at Mr. Brook's Hardware Store on Grand River Street North in the 1930's and when Mr. Brook's became ill, William bought the store in 1936 and changed it to Wm Tough's Hardware During the 1930's, Wm Tough's Hardware was not the only business to occupy the space. It was a shared store front with F P Blackhurst Menswear and J.P. McCammon Furniture & Undertaker. Yes, that's right, one stop shopping in the 1930's meant you could buy the tools to build your own coffin, buy the suit to be buried in and hire the undertaker to conduct your funeral, all in one convenient location (talk about giving Amazon a run for its money)!

By 1950 the name changed to Wm Tough & Son Hardware as William's son (Bill’s father) David became the second generation to buy into the business The space was condensed from three commercial units to two - Wm Tough & Son Hardware and J.P. McCammon

Furniture & Undertaker and it would remain that way until 1970 when Tough's Hardware expanded to fill the entire commercial space. The upper floor space was used to house the Imperial Order of Odd Fellows (think off shoot of the Masons) and were not converted to residential units until the late 60s or early 70s. Bill's father, David Tough, owned and operated the hardware store after William died in 1961 up until Bill and Sheila took over in 1987.

David was still involved in various capacities until his death in 1999.

Bill’s lifetime of memories at 30 Grand River Street North are far too many to share in this story From sweeping the floor as a kid to his first job the summer he was 12 years old, Bill spent countless hours watching and learning the ropes of the business so it was no surprise he would one day inherit it “I cleaned shelves for my grandfather in the 1950s and was paid 25 cents. I went to Taylor’s Cigar Store for a chocolate bar and a bottle of pop. I would return the pop bottle and get two cents back and then I would buy candy,” Bill remembers.

Asked what he considered to be the biggest change in business over the decades is the consumer’s mentality shift from ‘fix it’ to ‘replace it.’

“When I was a kid, everybody fixed everything. You’d buy the little pieces to fix your kettle, now adays you throw it away and get a new one. Everything is so disposable.” To that point, when bills grandfather and father operated the store in the 60s, it was full service. They sold product but also repaired things too – such as lawnmowers, appliances, basically anything that could be broken could be fixed.

As the Toughs head into a new era away from retail, yet still settled in the town that holds such familiar history, Bill and Sheila’s next steps are less hectic than the entrepreneurship road they travelled for so many decades.

“We just want to stay in good health, carry on living as we continue with volunteer work and do a bit of travelling,” said the couple.

Congratulations on a well-deserved retirement. Tough and Son Properties will always remain connected to the history of Paris’ downtown.