Barry Eidt wins Best Young Retailer

ARTHUR – Barry Eidt, co-owner of Arthur Ace Hardware, won Hardlines Best Young Retailer at this year’s 31st annual Outstanding Retailer Awards in Whistler, BC.

Chosen from nominees from across Canada, the prestigious award goes to retailers under the age of 35.

“The response has been overwhelming,” said Eidt, 29.

“It was always on my radar, [with] the growth that I’ve been going at, I was probably going to be at least nominated,” he said.

“I was thinking that [being nominated] could have been way down the road. Like five years down the road.”

Eidt is general manager and co-owns three Ace Hardware locations with his father, Doug. His parents started with the first store in Mitchell when Eidt was 13 years old.

The award winner told the Community News he was naturally drawn to the store “right off the bat.”

“I was always hanging around the store and then I started working there in high school,” he said.

Through college Eidt took on a bigger role, which landed him his current job after graduating from the business management program at Conestoga College.

The Eidt family opened the second store in 2019, and opened the Arthur location in December 2022.

“My thank-yous are to all my employees and my customers,” said Eidt.