Today’s photo takes us up Highway 2 to Kent County, where I spied Thamesville Metal Products, home of Bulldog Steel Wool.
If you’ve ever refinished furniture, or needed to remove some surface rust you understand the usefulness of Steel Wool, one of the greatest inventions ever! 😉
According to their website, Thamesville Metal Products was founded in 1933, the factory looks every bit as old as that as well.
Another reason to loathe the big box stores (if you needed one) I went to the orange home improvement store recently as I needed some steel wool. I bought the no name made in China steel wool (the only brand they carry) and it was garbage. I set out to find some Bulldog Steel wool, and to support a semi-locally made product, and finally I found some at the Home Hardware on Seminole & George. Try to buy local when you can.
One last shot of this nearby building. If my eyes don’t deceive me, I would hazard a guess that this is the former Thamesville Passenger Rail Station. Any of you rail fans out there know anything about this station?
I’ve had the pleasure to go inside of .Thamesville Metal Products. Well worth your while. The process of spinning steel has not changes in many decades and this place is hanging on to that era. Unfortunately, it too is feeling the pressure from offshore.
Andrew, next time you need Bulldog steel wool, it’s no further than your local Canada Salvage on Ottawa street. And yes, buying local is always the sensible first choice.
Canada Salvage is another great store. It is very close to my place so I am a frequent visitor.
I can’t remeber why I didn’t buy it there when I needed it. I think I checked and they didn’t have the grade I needed at the time. Also for being a smaller local hardware store they actually keep very convienient too.
Yep. And I can only imagine what a struggle it is for places like Canada Salvage to compete against giants like Home Depot and Rona. The latter has price and selection down pat. They have purchasing power, and vendors wrapped around their fingers. But have you ever tried to find help in a place like that? You walk the aisles ten times until you find someone only to be told “not my department, I’ll page someone.” Then you are approached by a well-meaning associate who simply doesn’t know the first thing about refinishing furniture or staining a deck. Go to a place like Canada Salvage and you’ll get an old timer who knows the products and can get you on your way again. If service doesn’t matter, then by all means, Home Depot is a great place to get a cheaper gallon of paint, but to me service is what makes or breaks a small independent business such as a hardware store like Canada Salvage. It wouldn’t survive if it were otherwise. Like yourself, it’s also a great deal more convenient as well. And even with the Ottawa street parking situation, I can still get my car closer to the door than I can at any mall in the city.
John agreed. 7 times out of 10 I can park by the front door, otherwise there is ALWAYS a spot on the street in front of Lansperry Park, the next block over.
It’s funny too, beacuse on a lot of items, despite the big guys buying power, Canada Salvage beats their prices. Next time price small items like plugs and light switches and the associated wall plates. Canada Salvage has a significantly lower price, even if you include the quarter you dropped in the parking meter out front!
Well I can’t say I’ve had the same experience with regard to pricing on some of the types of things I buy there, but like I said in the Walmart blog entry, I really don’t care about saving a few nickels or dimes here and there when it comes to finding what I need and getting on with things. If I need a tube of silicone for a special job or a roller for a certain type of paint or a certain size boring bit, I just want to find the right tool/product to get the job started. As long as the price is within reason (and I find it usually is). Not saying that C.S. is more expensive across the board, mind you. Seems some things are a little more, others a little less. Probably works out in the end. It’s been a while since I’ve bought electrical supplies there but I do recall the prices were really good for those kind of odds and ends.
That’s a safe bet on the railroad station. Thamesville is on the CN main between Windsor, Chatahm and London. As you’re looking at the station, passengers on the left, express on the right. This is the street side, the operators bay window would be on the track side…..
Thanks Douglas. I figured as much. Normally these old stations don’t survive that well. Glad to see one still standing.
According to this website: http://home.primus.ca/~robkath/railgwr.htm The Thamesville Station was part of the Great Western Railway, and remains in “railway use” today.
I guess it’s probably a glorified storage shed. 🙂
There is no Ottawa Street parking situation!! Windsor does not have a parking problem. Not even close!!
Otherwise, you said only good things.
Shawn, did you skim before responding? There were no complaints in this discussion about the status of parking on Ottawa street. If anything, both Andrew and myself acknowledged how *easy* it was to get a close parking space. Ottawa street has a healthy mix of on-street parking as well as municipal and private parking lots. Been that way as long as I can remember. It’s part of what contributes to this district’s success.
Even if there was a parking situation – which there isn’t (wish I could use boldface for that) – you could probably walk from Parent to Windermere and back again without as many footsteps as it would take to park in the mall lot, walk in, and circle the concourse, and back out again. You also get the added benefit of not being accosted by people trying to sell tacky T-shirts in the middle of the pathway. 😉
John> I did read what you said — I didn’t mean to come on harsh — on street parking, and perceptions of on street parking are a pet peeve, and one of the most destructive forces in urban planning. I think it was the word “situation” that made it seem like a thing, when in reality, as you say, in Windsor you can park closer to your destination anywhere (except maybe the university) on the street closer than at the mall — ok, carry on & apologies!