From an appliance-rental company in Alberta to a company selling all types of home gadgets, Richmond-based Trail Appliances is celebrating 50 years in business.
As part of its celebrations, the company is giving away $50,000 in appliance credits - $10,000 packages to five "Everyday Heroes."
Trail Appliances was started by Jackson Broderick in Calgary in 1974 as an appliance-rental business.
When Jackson's children, Mike and Peter Broderick moved to B.C. six years later, they landed in Richmond and began selling appliances during the day and delivering them by night.
Now part of the company’s third generation, president James Reynolds, said what has remained consistent over all these years has been the customer focus.
“We're here to serve others, primarily the customer, secondarily the staff,” he said. “So three generations… but that commitment to the customer has never changed. Serving back to other people in the community that serve, that's really important to us.”
In the business for 21 years, Reynolds, Richard and Jason Broderick, representing the third generation of the family, took over operations about a decade ago. Currently, Trail Appliances has around 600 employees, 10 showrooms and three outlets across the province.
Continuing their community-based legacy, the idea behind the Everyday Heroes 50th anniversary initiative was to recognize people who serve the community but don’t necessarily get recognition, explained Reynolds. The hope is for many people to step up in the community and nominate their unsung heroes.
“We really consider we're in the customer service business. We just happen to sell appliances,” he said. “What about the unsung heroes that don't get the recognition? Instead of us just going out, people within the community can nominate people they know.”
In addition to supporting the Richmond economy via job creation, Trail Appliances also engages in donations and community sponsorships like the kids fund in Christmas, said Reynolds.
This also includes charity to the BC Children’s Hospital, BC Cancer Foundation, children’s sports clubs and other community organizations.
Consumers shift to more and higher-end appliances
Looking at the appliance industry in broader terms, a lot has changed in the past 10 years. However, the biggest change has been the evolution of the kitchen becoming the heart of the home, said Reynolds.
Before, people were focused on getting appliances for their functionality and good value, but the kitchen has now become a place where people get together.
“Now that's where you hang out, right? That's where you make your morning coffee. That's where your friends come over on Friday night,” said Reynolds.
Another major shift has been the amount of money people spend on their appliances, with more and more customers shifting to high-end products that look good and have advanced features.
Additionally, the number of appliances people buy has also increased. Appliance packages used to be five pieces, but have now grown to between 10 to 15.
“Used to be fridge, stove, hood fan and a dishwasher,” said Reynolds. “Now they're putting in steam ovens, built-in coffee makers, warming drawers. They're putting in a second laundry room, two dishwashers instead of one – because they entertain so much.”
Diversity is also playing a key role, as it is very common in the Chinese and Indian communities to have a show kitchen and a working kitchen, meaning double appliances.
“But now it's become normalized in our communities, where it's not just the Indian and Chinese cultures,” said Reynolds.
“Tons of people are just putting it in because they started doing it for resale. So when I entertain I've got my show kitchen, and then I've got my dirty kitchen in the back where I actually do the cooking.”
The technology featured in newer appliances has also increased significantly, some even using artificial intelligence.
Consumer trends have certainly shifted to more expensive and numerous appliances. However, Reynolds said the current climate of the appliance industry has been a little softer in the past two years.
“With interest rates being high, and B.C. specifically, we're so connected to the housing market,” he said. “So fewer renovations, fewer new home builds – it softens the business quite a bit.”
Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time the industry has faced difficult times, as the company faced and managed to pull through economic recessions in the 1980s and in 2008.
“So for us, we just make sure we drive efficiencies, keep spending where we need to, cost-cut where we need to,” said Reynolds. “(This is the) third time we've been through it, so we're pretty comfortable with it now.”
Nominate a 'community hero'
Members of the community are encouraged to nominate and share stories of those who have made a difference for Trail Appliances' Everyday Heroes giveaway. This could include anyone from dedicated teachers to influential organizations.
The province-wide initiative will give a $10,000 appliance credit to five individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the community.
To nominate someone, applicants should detail their nominee's name, contact information, their community contributions and why they deserve to win. Winners will be selected based on their impacts on a Trail Appliances panel.
Nominations to the Everyday Heroes event will be accepted until Dec. 31.
For more information on Everyday Heroes, go to the Trail Appliances website.
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