Gandy’s Home Hardware was my first errand the day I moved to Kits. It was also my first welcome to the community. Gandy’s has been on West 4th for 65 years, but as surprised customers found out over the weekend, the store is temporarily closed pending financial reassessment. Unfortunately, the closing may turn out to be permanent.
Gandy’s is “working feverishly” to find alternate means to keep the store open, which means new financing, new investors, new ownership or whatever it takes.
Loyal customers have left notes of support on the door. I, for one, really hope they make it. It’s about more than hardware supplies, it’s about a really great team of people who make the Kits community warm and vibrant.
Stay tuned for more news. If you need to get in touch with them it’s:
Gandy’s Home Hardware, 2262 West 4th Ave., (for suggestions/help/questions) 604-733-8014, (for emergencies 604-767-1372) Gandyshomehardware@shaw.ca
Last modified: June 21, 2011
So So Sad! I love this store. The staff are always so helpful and it is so convenient for us kits kids!
Sad-some great people have worked there over the years and they contributed a lot to the community.
Not surprising though-retail has changed and management didn’t seem very engaged these past 5 years or so.
I loved this store- they always had what I needed. Hope they make it.
Convenient yes, but I always found the till staff quite rude. Barely looked up or said a word to customers.
This is very sad indeed. I went to this store quite often for various things. Good prices and the staff was always very friendly, no idea what Cheryl is talking about.
I was heartbroken to see the signs on the door of Gandy’s as I’ve shopped there for the 25 years I lived on Cornwall. If you Google Gandy’s as I did today, you will read fun stories of customer satisfaction going back years. This store packs a lot in a small space and for all those years, Jim Gandy and his seemingly eternally youthful staff were super helpful and friendly. I’ve bought stuff there I couldn’t find anywhere else, like a SMALL electric tea kettle — in May!
True, the helpfulness rating has dropped a bit in recent years (since the new owners?) but it remains a gem with a long line back in the community. I sincerely hope someone rescues this great spot! If not, we will miss you — thanks thanks THANKS!
I agree with Cheryl. With it’s poor customer service and disinterested staff, i have no trouble saying good by to this place
Awww. No! I found them friendly as well. I suppose there were variations over the years, and timing, but generally speaking i always felt good going in there. I’m sorry to lose them too. (fyi: In terms of others close by – there’s also the much larger HH on 10th a few blocks before Blanca en route to UBC. Still considerably less stressful than Can Tire or H Depot…) Hopefully they’ll find a way to come back and we do need a hardware store in the ‘hood.
Gandy’s was a place with character in this old and now forgotten community. The staff there were great and had personality. Unfortunately, newbies move in, character homes are torn down, Yaletownish condo’s go up and people expect concierge type of service where ever they go in Kitsilano. They forget that the rent of these businesses are grossly inflated and great financial sacrifice is made to bring in special tea’s and gluten free cookies for the special premium “I’m better then you diet.” I can only imagine what they were paying by the end. The space that housed Reitman’s now Bank of Montreal is paying 40k a month from what I’ve heard. The days of having a private business on 4th ave are coming to an end, and by xmas of this year you are going to see more mom and pop shops drop. Unless you have a serious bankroll and a corporate name behind you forget about it. I hope Gandy’s can come back or keep it running in the neighborhood. Until then, see you at the Home Depot…across town…East Van…..on Terminal. They probably won’t have your Matcha latte’s though. You’ll have to go to whole foods or Urban fare in Yaletown for that.
Service has gone down as the age of the staff has gone down. The twentysomethings who work there now give you Commercial Drive attitude. That doesn’t fly on the West Side.
Mom-and-pop shops’ staff have been taken over by sis-and-bro, and in general, twentysomethings have no work ethic.
I just wanted to let everyone know that Gandy’s is re-opening. We were able to sell to another local Home Hardware Dealer who has another store at 17th and dunbar. Jeff has retained the services of Jim who has worked there since 1968 and who really is an archive and face of the store.
Jeff will do this business proud, he is very astute and will be a gain for this community
Thanks
David
Great news! Can you please email me contact details for Jeff? I’d like to get in touch for a blog! It’s Taraneh@Kitsilano.ca
I just hope the cat in the back is ok