LONDON BUSINESS PROFILE
48
yourBusiness
M
offatt & Powell is a family owned
company that has introduced a
new look to go along with our 55
years of experience. With the nationally
recognized RONA brand we are able
to offer our customers a wider product
selection, more financing options, and better
customer service. Our traditional strength
as a competitive supplier to the new home,
farm and industrial market place remains a
core commitment. No charge professional
services including engineered floors and
trusses, fence, deck and all types on interior
renovation assistance will always be found
at M&P Rona.
Moffatt & Powell Limited was a partnership
formed in February 1956 by J. Keith Moffatt
and Melvin Powell in the village of Watford.
The core business was selling lumber, cement
and coal. This trade had a sound footing
established by Hiram Moffatt (Keith’s father)
who had been operating the J.H. Moffatt
enterprise at the same location since 1939.
With a staff of four, including the two
owners, the business flourished in small
business quarters serving the farming and
building communities in Lambton County
and Sarnia. In November 1960, a new
showroom and warehouse facility was
constructed at the present location, 494 Front
Street in Watford. The Company continued
to expand with the opening of a new and
larger retail home centre and lumberyard
on April 15, 1968, at 540 Albert Street in
Strathroy. The successful operation of this
Branch funded the third location on Hwy. 8 east of Mitchell on November 1, 1973.
On January 1982, a merger was
concluded between D.M. Powell Limited in
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Strathroy and Moffatt & Powell Limited. This
increased the total number of stores to 5, with
the Caradoc Street location in Strathroy and
the anticipated opening of a branch at 1290
Trafalgar Street in London. Immediately after
the merger, the Goderich and Exeter locations
were acquired from the Conklin Home Centre
Company.
David Powell purchased the shareholdings
of Melvin Powell in Moffatt & Powell Limited
and today is the partner of J. Keith Moffatt.
On March 1984, Moffatt & Powell
Limited purchased the assets of the Harold
Warwick Lumber Company at 126 Tillson
Avenue, Tillsonburg. This gave the Company
additional geographical coverage. With
stores strategically located in and around
London, the economic hub of southwestern
Ontario, we are well situated to serve the
needs of our contractor, farmer, commercial
and do-it-yourself (D.I.Y.) customer base.
Business conditions in 1991 resulted in the
closure of the Exeter store. The London store
lease expired in 1992 and was not renewed.
The current Head Office and store location at
1282 Hyde Park Road was opened in 1996.
Business conditions in 2001 also resulted in
the closure of the Goderich Store.
2010 The Powell family purchased the
Moffatt shares in Moffatt & Powell, enabling
Nancy Powell Quinn and D’Arcy Quinn to
join David Powell in ownership.
August 2010 Moffatt & Powell changed its
buying group to RONA and quickly acquired
its 6th location - Exeter Rona at 265 Main
Street North. n