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Bruce’s True Value finds a new home

On May 2, 2007 Ponoka lost Bruce’s True Value Hardware Store to a devastating fire. One year later, owner Bruce Blackmore will be celebrating a new home.

On May 2, 2007 Ponoka lost Bruce’s True Value Hardware Store to a devastating fire. One year later, owner Bruce Blackmore will be celebrating a new home.

After the fire Blackmore was adamant to stay true to the downtown and stay in the core of Ponoka.

The store was forced to move from its convenient 50 St. location to a temporary spot on 51 Ave. The new store will be moving back to 50 St. to what used to be the Community Savings building.

Owner Bruce Blackmore had been looking for a permanent location since the fire and is pleased with the one that became available.

“It wasn’t a question of decision as whether or not to move,” he said. “It was a decision of where to move. We were renting the property for the year and the opportunity for the old Community Savings building came up and I decided to take it,” he said.

Blackmore believes it’s a good area to have a business and that the new spot will be beneficial to his business.

“It’s a nice looking building and it’s a great location,” he said.

Blackmore had been looking for a building in the downtown area because he thinks it crucial to stay downtown.

“It was important to me to stay downtown as a business and contribute to the strength of the downtown,” he said. “It’s important to have as many businesses as we can to increase the downtown.”

Blackmore believes that the degradation of a town can be caused by a lack of economic strength.

“Too many towns lose their downtown and the more we lose here the more we’ll fall behind,” he said. “It’s important for businesses to be together because it contributes to a thriving downtown.”

Blackmore thinks that his business is a good contribution to the downtown and that it offers different products and items.

“The store has some unique offerings and special shopping niches and that helps bring people from a long ways,” he said.

Although Blackmore has faced challenges with the destruction of his first building and finding a new location, he is pleased with the efforts made by the community to help get him up and running again.

“It’s been a hard year, that’s for sure,” he said. “All the trades have been extremely helpful. They’ve made time out of their schedules to help me get started running and to get this location open.”

Blackmore was touched by the amount of support and encouraged by his customers and friends.

“Treat your customers as your friends and as soon as something goes wrong it’s great to see that they are there right behind you,” he said.

Blackmore is planning to open on May 1 and have the grand opening on May 2.

The fire caused one million dollars in damage and required more than 30 firefighters from Ponoka, Lacombe and Hobbema to put out the blaze.

Blackmore is looking forward to moving from his temporary position and settling into the new location to continue serving his customers from there.

“It’s like I’m just renting an apartment right now,” he said. “And now I’m moving home.”