07 Jul Shepherd’s Hardware Marks 100 Years Serving the North Okanagan
Member Spotlight · News
Shepherd’s Hardware Marks 100 Years Serving the North Okanagan
years of service
to Armstrong & the North Okanagan
Shepherd’s Hardware Ltd., operating today as Shepherd’s Home Hardware Building Centre, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025 — a century of serving Armstrong, the North Okanagan, and the Shuswap.
What began as a small-town hardware store has grown into one of the region’s most respected independent building supply businesses, while holding fast to the values that built it: service, trust, hard work, and community connection.
From humble beginnings to full-service operation
The story started on a spring day in 1925 with a single storefront purchase — and never stopped growing from there.
John “Jock” Duncan Shepherd purchases the P.T. Goulter Hardware store in Armstrong and renames it Shepherd’s Cash Hardware, serving local farmers, ranchers, and families from a small building heated by a sawdust burner.
Jock’s son Charlie joins the business, carrying the family legacy forward.
The Shepherd family sells the business to the Melvin brothers.
The business expands into lumber and building materials after the local mill closes.
Relocation to the current site at Mill Street and Railroad Avenue.
The business joins the Home Hardware banner while retaining local ownership.
Continuous investment in new warehouse and office space.
The Outdoor Living Centre opens.
Major lumberyard renovations completed.
Launch of a dedicated Commercial Supply division.
The Design Centre opens, serving kitchens, flooring, and bath fixtures.
Shepherd’s moves from paper recordkeeping to the Epicor Eagle point-of-sale system — modernizing operations without losing its personal touch.
Acres of operations
Sq. ft. retail space
Sq. ft. covered storage
People in trading area
A hundred years, decade by decade
Shepherd’s put together a scrapbook of photos, ads, and stories from each decade of the business. Tap any decade below for a closer look.
The slider plays automatically — click or tap any decade to pause and view it full size.
A small-town business at heart
Despite its growth, Shepherd’s remains a small-town business at heart, built on long-term relationships rather than transactions. The company employs one of the largest retail teams in Armstrong and invests heavily in staff training and development.
For generations of customers, the store has also become a true community hub — a place where the people behind the counter know your name and your project. Technology has kept pace with the times, but never at the expense of that personal touch.
“From a sawdust-heated hardware store to one of the North Okanagan’s largest independent home improvement businesses — Shepherd’s story is ultimately about people.”
Giving back, and being recognized for it
Shepherd’s supports numerous local causes across the North Okanagan and Shuswap:
- Armstrong Food Bank
- Cops for Kids
- Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation
- Annual Gingerbread Train Giveaway
Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year — 2024
That community commitment was recognized nationally in 2024, when Shepherd’s received the Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award, naming it Canada’s top Home Hardware store.
As Shepherd’s enters its second century, the company remains grounded in the principles that built it: service, trust, hard work, and community connection.
Shepherd’s Home Hardware Building Centre has served Armstrong and the North Okanagan since 1925.
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