Kitchener landmark ‘Budds’ closes its doors today
Posted Jan 5, 2016 02:36:35 PM.
Last Updated Jan 5, 2016 03:48:52 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Kitchener landmark is closing its doors today.
After 51 years in the business (and a nearly-90 year run for the family business), the owners of Budds are retiring.
Howie Budd says today, he and his family are thinking of the ones who started the business back in 1926:
“My earliest memory of Budds is listening to my father talk about the store every day when he came home for dinner, and waiting for the opportunity to go to work with him one day and be a part of what his life was.”
It’s an emotional day for the family, including Howie’s brother, Stan, and son, Jeff.
“There was so much tradition and respect for the business, even since we were going to school,” says Stan.
“From the day I could walk, I would always follow my dad around, and my uncle and grandfather. I remember going on buying trips to Montreal with my dad. I never thought of doing anything else my whole life,” Jeff adds.
“And here we are.”
The family says they think of the customers throughout all these years, too.
“Many of them have grown up in our store from being infants to being grandparents, and it’s nice to have that interpersonal relationship with the people that are a part of our success,” says Howie.
Now that Howie and Stan are retiring, Jeff plans on keeping the wholesale end of the business running.
Howie says whoever the family sells or leases the building to next will have to be committed to improving the city’s core:
“We’ve been here for 89 years, and we were not going to walk away, leaving this building to somebody who would not complement the resurgence of the downtown.”
