Service comes first at Smoky Lake Home Hardware

By Irene van der Kloet

Three years ago, a commercial building in Smoky Lake on Wheatland Avenue and West Railway drive was sitting empty. Allen and Barb Franchuk saw an opportunity to start a Home Hardware store at that location. They brought in a crew to help set up the store and opened it three months later. Allen and Barb have not always been Home Hardware owners: They lived and worked in Calgary before starting a Home Hardware store in Lamont. Two years later, they decided to open a regular Home Hardware store in Smoky Lake as well, focusing on serving residential customers.

The store is family-owned, with Sam Boughton – Allen’s son-in-law – as the store manager. Sam also came from Calgary and saw a better opportunity in a small town to raise a family, and likes the idea of working in the family business. Allen comes on days that Sam is off, and Barb looks after the books for both stores. “We were very impressed with how well we were received in this town, both by the public and business owners. We have been busy from the start, the business community helps each other out, and people have been tremendous”, Allen says. “We want to know what the town and county want and tailor it to their needs,” Sam adds. Both Allen and Sam value service to the public, and they emphasize that they can bring in any Home Hardware product, even if it is not on display in the store. “We can bring in appliances; we don’t have many on display because there isn’t enough room,” Sam says,” and we can also bring in flooring, doors and windows, to mention a few examples.” If items don’t move in one store, they will go to the other store. “Lamont is a different community from Smoky Lake,” Allen says,” it is closer to the city, and people look for different products, whereas Smoky Lake is more in the country, there are lots of lakes, and people have cabins. That requires other products.” Sam is excited about the fishing gear such as rods, tackle, lures, and lines that they brought in at the clients’ request. They even have live bait and a freezer full of frozen bait. Most of their products come from the warehouse in Wetaskiwin, but they also try to find local sellers. They get their garlic from a grower in Claresholm, their Cornucopia Gourmet Popcorn comes from Castor, and their “Dear Dog Treats” are from Fort Saskatchewan.

Sam mentions: “I had been contacted for these dog treats for some time, and then I am in a parking lot in Fort Saskatchewan, and this guy approaches me with ‘Do you have a dog? I sell dog treats’ and gave me a sample bag. It was the same guy!” As for servicing appliances, Home Hardware has repair depots, but they are far away, so Sam contacted a local business. With permission from Home Hardware head office, they were able to contract Deuces Small Engine Repair, just outside Smoky Lake, for small engine repair. All their efforts are geared towards growing the store and serving customers the best they can.