As Peavey Mart prepares to permanently close its doors, local businesses are stepping up to meet the needs of the community, particularly farmers and pet owners who have relied on the Memorial Avenue store for feed and supplies.
Brent Johnston, owner of O’Connor Hardware and Feed on Highway 12, just outside of Orillia, has seen a steady influx of customers since the announcement of Peavey Mart’s closure.
“We’ve been picking up the pieces for the farmers that normally go to Peavey Mart,” Johnston said. “It’s been busy, but we’ve been stocking up to keep up with the demand.”
Despite being a smaller store compared to Peavey Mart, O’Connors is well known for its selection of farm supplies, bird feed, and essential products for animal care.
“The store is not near as big, but we are known to have a little bit of everything. Farm supplies are our specialty,” Johnston noted.
Orillia Home Hardware has also expanded its inventory to accommodate the needs of former Peavey Mart customers.
According to co-owner Bill Ecklund, the store has introduced a wide range of farm feed and accessories, including supplies for chickens, horses, cows, ducks, deer, goats, lambs, and rabbits.
“We were able to quickly pivot and bring it all into our Orillia store,” Ecklund said.
In addition to feed, Orillia Home Hardware has dedicated a section of its store to farm accessories, such as feeders, poultry waterers, and kits.
“We’ve taken out a section of our seasonal area to bring in some farm stuff,” Ecklund said, adding the feedback from customers has been positive.
Orillia Home Hardware, located on King Street, is working to raise awareness of its expanded inventory through social media, hoping to reach not only local residents but also customers from surrounding areas.
“We want people to know that if they need something that we aren’t carrying, just to come into the store and talk to us because we can get it,” Ecklund said.