One year after a devastating fire destroyed Kawartha Home Hardware in downtown Lakefield, the longtime local business says construction of its new store is about to get underway.
In a video posted on social media Wednesday (October 8) at the vacant 24 Queen Street property, general manager Garnet Hinds thanked the community for supporting the business over the past year and said the rebuilding project is close to moving into its next stage.
“It’s been a year tomorrow since our fire,” Hinds said. “I’m just here to thank everyone for the support we’ve gotten over the last year — it’s been pretty amazing — and to let everyone know that we are inches away from digging our new hole.”
Hinds said there had been some activity at the property a couple of weeks earlier when sample holes were dug, but the business is now ready to move ahead with construction.
“We’re ready to get going now,” he added. “We’re ready to move forward.”
It was shortly before noon on October 9, 2025 when a fire broke out in the upper portion of the historic building at the corner of Queen and Burnham streets, which contained several apartments above the Home Hardware store. The flames spread into the store below, with heavy smoke blanketing much of downtown Lakefield as firefighters from across the region battled the blaze.
All of the building’s human occupants escaped. One Kawartha Home Hardware employee who lived in an upstairs apartment suffered smoke inhalation after reportedly returning to the building to rescue a pet and was taken to hospital before being released. Two pets died in the fire.
The fire caused extensive structural damage and the building was ordered demolished because of urgent safety concerns. Controlled demolition began on October 12, less than three days after the blaze. While initial reports suggested the fire started in a kitchen, the cause was never confirmed as the building was deemed too unsafe for fire officials to conduct an investigation.
The loss of the building also disrupted the surrounding downtown. Queen Street and part of Burnham Street were closed while firefighting and demolition work continued, and neighbouring Lakefield IDA suffered significant smoke and water damage. Queen Street reopened to traffic on October 24.
From the first days after the fire, Kawartha Home Hardware’s owners made it clear the business intended to remain in Lakefield and rebuild at its original location.
In November 2025, Kawartha Home Hardware Group of Stores general manager and co-owner Frank Geerlinks told kawarthaNOW the company hoped to build a new “cutting-edge store” at 24 Queen Street that would complement the character of downtown Lakefield.
“We will not leave the Lakefield market,” Geerlinks said at the time. “We’re a part of the community, number one, and number two, it’s a very good market for us. We can’t leave that. Lakefield is the first store we had, so it’s near and dear to our heart.”
In the meantime, the business established a temporary store directly across Queen Street from the fire site.
The pop-up at 25 Queen Street, in the former Cheesy Fromage location, opened on December 10, just over two months after the fire. At around 2,000 square feet including a garage used for retail, the temporary space is considerably smaller than the approximately 8,000-square-foot store that was destroyed.
Despite the limitations of the temporary location, Hinds said Wednesday the community has continued to support the business.
“I know our little store hasn’t exactly been the cream of the crop, if you will, but you guys have more than been there to support us and make it work,” he said.
The aftermath of the fire saw an immediate outpouring of support across Lakefield, with local businesses and organizations collecting clothing, gift cards, food, and other assistance for the apartment residents who lost their homes and belongings.
Businesses also rallied around Kawartha Home Hardware and other merchants affected by the disruption to the downtown core.
That community response was something Geerlinks highlighted a month after the fire, telling kawarthaNOW that the experience had reinforced his appreciation for Lakefield.
“Man, there are good people there,” Geerlinks said. “People have been jumping in to help.”
Now, a year after the fire left a conspicuous empty space at one of downtown Lakefield’s most prominent corners, Hinds says that space is about to begin transforming into the permanent home of Kawartha Home Hardware once again.
“Thank you again,” he said in the video. “And here’s to a new year.”
