Perth store offers one-of-a-kind selection
Posted Feb 4, 2010 By Chris Must
Email
Print
Tweet This
Click to Enlarge
EMC Business - Where else could you find anything from "Beswick and Royal Doulton to a two-ton milling machine?"
Chris Must, Perth EMC
Cardon, a new Perth-area business specializing in industrial equipment and tools, also has a selection of unusual items like this ship's gyro compass. From left are Carol Russell, Jason Russell, Suzy Royle, and Don Russell. The business's two resident cats are also a hit with most visitors.
The owners of Cardon, a new business located just off Highway 7 at Drummond Centre, say their establishment has a little bit to offer just about anyone.
Although the primary focus is on machinery and tools for wood and metal workers, the business also carries a mixture of antique items, surplus, and used books.
The company is named after Don and Carol Russell, who run it along with son Jason and daughter-in-law Suzy Royle.
Jason looks after purchasing, Suzy is the store manager, Don looks after packing and shipping, and Carol takes care of bookkeeping, paperwork and administration.
Cardon will reach its one-year anniversary Feb. 11. Jason said the idea for the business grew out of his previous employment as a woodworker. "I was always acquiring new equipment for the woodworking business that I had," he said. "So I wound down the woodworking, this building came up for sale, and we bought it and opened the store."
The building was formerly home to Rick's Marine, and more recently Lake and Trail.
Don said the eclectic mix of machinery and tools alongside antiques and books means that husbands and their wives can go on separate shopping excursions within the same store. "We've had a lot of ladies come in, and they feel very comfortable coming here," he said.
"One of our principles in purchasing is that we really try to severely limit what's made off shore," said Suzy. The tools and machinery on hand are primarily high-quality items made in North America or Europe.
Some items are also considered "old stock." Tools made 30 or 40 years ago that have sat on warehouse shelves ever since without ever being unpacked will appeal to the discerning buyer. "A lot of times things aren't made today the way they used to be made," said Suzy.
Don note the store currently has a selection of wood files that were made in France 50 years ago.
Even used tools can be a better buy than new ones. "We find that good quality used tools are going to last a lot longer than new, cheaply made imported tools," said Suzy.
When it comes to antiques, Cardon has sold or still carries some unusual items. Currently available for sale is a ship's gyro compass, still mounted in its original binnacle, dating back to either the First or the Second World War. The gyro compass, which came from a collector of military and scientific antiques, is available for $1,200.
Another curiosity is a "training dummy" made in the same size and shape as a real rifle, used to train army recruits.
Many visitors to Cardon are also fascinated by the selection of 1940's medical charts.
As well, added Don, "we had the most amazing child's sleigh I've ever seen." Unfortunately, that item has already been sold.
One lucky record collector recently picked up a copy of the Rolling Stones' 1978 album 'Some Girls' in its original, hard-to-find, cover for just $5. Suzy noted it was later discovered that the album cover was a real collectors' item. An elaborate die-cut design, with colours varying on different sleeves, it featured The Rolling Stones and select female celebrities in garish drag, as well as a bunch of lingerie ads. The cover immediately ran into trouble when Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Liza Minelli (representing her mother Judy Garland), Raquel Welch, and the estate of Marilyn Monroe threatened legal action. It was withdrawn and the women's likenesses removed. The version of the cover most owners of the record ended up buying was heavily revised. The revised cover removed all the celebrities whether they had complained or not and replaced them with the phrase "Pardon our appearance - cover under reconstruction."
"If it's good quality, good price and good condition, we'll buy it!" said Jason. "We sell things that, for the most part, you can't find anywhere else."
Although there is always a selection of such interesting items, Jason said 90 per cent of what the business carries and sells has an industrial focus. Customers include hobbyist woodworkers and metal workers, collectors, industries, and machine shops. Some customers come in regularly from Ottawa and Kingston, and, through word-of-mouth, people have come from as far away as Sarnia.
Rare tools of interest to jewelers and watchmakers can be found, and, said Jason, "we sell them cheaper than anybody else."
"I had no idea of the power of word-of-mouth," said Suzy. One customer found out about Cardon because a previous visitor, from England, had mentioned the store on a British website, which the second customer in turn found while surfing the internet.
Jason said that in addition to used and old stock items, the store also acts as a distributor for two Canadian-made lines of new woodworking equipment, Oneway and General.
If a customer comes in looking for some hard-to-find item and can't find it in stock, said Jason, the store will take their name and phone number and let them know if it does come in.
"Every time you come in, there's something different," said Suzy.
blog comments powered by Disqus
