Maggio Flooring winds down in Brockville after serving community for more than 50 years
A staple along Highway 29 for decades, Maggio Flooring and Decorating Centre in Brockville announced on July 12 it would close immediately so that owner Alice Maggio could retire.
On Saturday, Alice and her two daughters reminisced in the store over decades' worth of photos and the first newspaper ad from June 4, 1977.
"We are very grateful to a community that supported Maggio Flooring for 54 years," said Shelley Maggio. "I grew up here. There is a picture of me standing beside my dad putting in a piece of turf beside the old building when I was maybe four years old!"
Her father Joe Maggio, who passed away in 2019, started the company behind their home in the 1960s. Shelley remembers working in the store growing up.
An undated photo of Joe Maggio, founder of Maggio Flooring. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)
"My dad's big thing was always to read the back of the samples of everything to learn the product, and of course that was like eating dry toast for a 14-15 year old. It wasn't exactly exciting stuff," she said with a laugh.
Her sister, Catherine Maggio-Howley, also grew up with the business.
"I would say we grew up together because I was born in '68 and he started the business in '68 so I've had my finger in it," Maggio-Howley said. "I've been an employee here on and off mostly part time since I was 14."
She has fond memories of when the original building was put up behind their family's home on Church Street.
"When dad would come down the street with the van at the end of the day, he'd stop at the end of the driveway and even if there were no kids in sight, every one of those kids would be out there and we would all get in or on the van and hold on the back and ride it up the driveway," she said.
Catherine Maggio-Howley, left, Alice Maggio, centre, and Shelley Maggio reminisce over photos of the business. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)
Closing the business after a 54-year run was not an easy decision according to Shelley Maggio.
"After my dad passed, (my mother) tried to keep it going for as much as she could but she's ready to take some time off and get out from underneath a little bit of worry and concern," she said.
Her mother, Alice, was glowing as she discussed the company's reputation.
"I can't explain it. The people have been great, that's all I can say," she said. "Eastern Ontario, Athens, Delta, Prescott, Cardinal, Morrisburg, Iroquois, all around us he has done work in their homes for years."
Alice says her husband could still remember every job he had done.
"They told him, 'We've had that carpet,' and Joe knew exactly what carpet he put in 20 years ago," Alice said.
Maggio Flooring owner Alice Maggio, showing off the 2019 Elizabethtown-Kitley business of the year award. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)
Joe Maggio was also a Shriner, who loved helping children, with Maggio Flooring sponsoring many sports teams over the decades.
"My dad was just really keen on being able to help anybody that he was able to help and if anyone came to him in need of anything, he'd give them the shirt off his back," said Shelley. "He wanted to be involved in the community."
"People are very saddened and so are we," added Catherine. "It's a very bittersweet time but absolutely the right time.
"It's time for mom to be able to take it easy. She's looking forward to retiring from this business and moving forward and enjoying spending time with all of our kids and just doing what she wants to do," she added.
Alice also thanked the family for all of their support in helping run the business since 2019.
"I have my family, the girls and all my grandchildren and sons-in-law," she said. "My brother-in-law, Jim, has helped me tremendously getting through all of this. He ran the store for the last year and a half and I can't thank him enough as well as all the fellas that have stuck by me."
And she already knows what her future holds.
"A nice glass of wine would be great," she said with a chuckle. "I wish he was there to have that drink of wine with me but we must move on."
The team is finishing their last few installations, with liquidation planned in the upcoming weeks.
Carpet rolled up in the Maggio Flooring warehouse. The company is closing after 54 years in business. (Nate Vandermeer / CTV News Ottawa)
"I just want to, from the bottom of my heart, say thank you. We have absolutely loved being part of your lives," added Catherine.
"We have had some fantastic employees over the years, fantastic customers over the years, and just really, truly a testament to the successful business that my dad built," she added. "I'll miss it."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.