Woodburner closing down
Kitchener store outfitted homes for 40 years with fireplaces, stoves
KITCHENER — For 40 years, The Woodburner has been outfitting Waterloo Region homes with fireplaces and stoves, barbecues and patio furniture.
But the store on Victoria Street North is expected to close at the end of the month — although Les Sulpher, who co-owns the business with his wife, Sharon, says the website and phone line will be maintained in case customers need to get in touch.
The reasons behind the decision to close are personal. Sulpher has long dealt with health issues; now, his doctor says he needs to ensure he gets one of them under control.
At the same time, the 60-year-old says he’s got five children and 12 grandchildren that he’d like to spend more time with. “That’s why I’m retiring.”
Economics aren’t driving the decision. In fact, sales have been on the rise in recent years. “It’s a viable business,” Sulpher says. “But I have no buyer for it.”
He did find a buyer for the building at 396 Victoria St. N., though, and says the other commercial tenants in adjoining units aren’t affected.
“I’m sad for the employees,” Sulpher says. “That’s the hardest part.”
Until recently, the business had 10 full-time employees in sales, administration, service and installation.
The Woodburner opened in 1977; Sulpher and his wife purchased it in 1993.
“It’s funny how I acquired it,” says Sulpher, then a former Woodburner customer himself.
Deviating from a typical route one day, Sulpher drove by and noticed the store was closed in the middle of the day. On another day, he did the same thing. Still closed.
Without a lot of information to go on, Sulpher called around until he found a trustee in bankruptcy who confirmed the store had recently gone out of business. Sulpher said he wanted to buy it.
“I’ve always wanted to own my own business,” says Sulpher, whose working life had taken him to positions at NCR, the University of Waterloo, and Economical Insurance.
He’d grown up around his father’s small business in Ottawa. “But I’d never done this before, never run a retail store.”
Undaunted, he bid at auction for the business, and won. Nearly 25 years later, he’s pleased he did. “We’ve had a very nice living here.”
Over the years, a loyal clientele has come to the store for wood-burning fireplaces, stoves and inserts, along with natural gas, propane and electric models. It also carried a wide selection of barbecues and fire pits, as well as patio furniture and accessories.
“I think the customers appreciate that we’ve always tried to (provide) good value for their dollar,” Sulpher says. “I think we probably made more people happy than we didn’t.”