New owners of Dean’s Home Hardware continue with community tradition

Dean Smales has been a well-known personality in the Port Sydney area for 34 years. That’s how long he’s been at the helm of Dean’s Home Hardware.

Certainly, 34 years is a good run. Smales has decided to retire and has sold the business.

The new owners also own the Home Hardware Building Centre in Orillia. Recently, a fundraiser barbecue was held to send Smales off into retirement with good cheer and thank him for supporting the community through the years. “It was a good turnout, which is a good indicator of how much he meant to the community,” said Chris Locke, one of the three new owners of the business.

The proceeds from the event were donated by the new owners to the Port Sydney Firefighters’ Association for equipment purchase, equipment that helps save lives, noted firefighter and Association president Ryan Elbe who was thankful for the donation.

Locke noted that there is a staff member at the store who is involved with the fire department as a volunteer firefighter and said the donation was made based on staff’s recommendation. “Our store in Orillia is known for its community involvement and we certainly have every intention of continuing that sort of activity here.”

What about the name?

Locke said the name of the business will remain the same. “There’s three of us—that would be too much of an argument to figure out whose name goes up instead,” he laughed. He said Dean’s has become a household name and “we don’t want to mess with that.” He said their intention is to continue with the great customer service and community involvement Dean has been known for through the years.

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