By Leslie Cholowsky, Editor, The Community Press
Bob Coutts, owner of Coutts Home Hardware in Forestburg, is busy planning the business’s 100th birthday, this June 11 through 13.
Coutts says his grandfather, J.D. Coutts, purchased the hardware store in Amisk in 1926, and in 1933, moved the business to Forestburg, where he bought out another independent hardware dealer.
The population of Forestburg at that time was 300.
Bob thinks it was because Forestburg had a high school, because Bob’s dad Stan and his aunt, J.D.’s children, would have been of an age where that was a consideration at that time.
Stan grew joined his father in business in 1942. He’d tried to enlist first, but contracted Rheumatic Fever, and spent about a year in hospital before returning home to start working full time.
Bob says, “He worked his way up to manager, and then J.D. retired in 1960.”
He says the Power Plant came to the region in the 1960s, and Forestburg bloomed.
The new, present location was built in 1974. Prior to that, the hardware store was where the Post Office and Library are today.
Stan had one son, Bob, and two daughters.
In 1976, Bob started work after school and weekends for a whopping $1.60 per hour. He, like his dad before him, started on the ground floor of the business.
By then, the population of Forestburg had grown to 831.
After finishing high school, Bob attended NAIT where he took a marketing management certificate, then spent some time working for Walter Woods Hardware Wholesalers.
At that time, the Forestburg store was a Link Hardware. Coutts says that the Link Hardware network in Western Canada and the Home Hardwares in Eastern Canada merged, and all became Home Hardware in 1981.
Bob returned to Forestburg in 1983 and started working in the store full time. Stan and wife Selma were ready to retire, he says, as Stan liked to golf and curl, and the pair liked to do some travelling.
But Bob says Stan still kept a small presence in the store back then. First Selma passed away, then Stan followed, in 1993, leaving Bob at the helm.
Check out the full 8 page flyer to commemorate the event (click here).
This year marks Bob’s 50th year in hardware, making him eligible for his Golden Hammer this fall.
He says things have changed so much since J.D.’s early days. “Back then we sold gas, we were the John Deere Dealership, and even sold dynamite to the mine.”
He adds, “I’m very proud of the legacy we’ve had. We’ve also had a very loyal customer base who has supported us.”
Over the past 50 years, Coutts says he’s had some amazing opportunities made possible through Home Hardware, including national commercials, and being on the Home Hardware national advertising committee. “There were 12 people on the committee for all the Home Hardwares in Canada.”
He says, “Home Hardware has been a great partner in this journey.”
He attributes much success to having had great staff over the years. Jim Anderson, like Bob, has just over 50 years at the store.
Bob says, “When you have good staff and they build good relationships with customers, that’s key. Having a strong customer base is what’s helped us stay in business this long.”
He remembers growing up a time when there wouldn’t be a single holiday go by without some emergency call that would send someone to the store. “Back in the day, there weren’t any other options, and my dad and J.D. understood that. If you got a call on a weeknight or holiday, you went. I saw Dad do that, and I’ve done it, too.” He says often it was as simple as someone needing batteries or an oven element.
At Stan’s passing the Forestburg Community Enhancement Fund was created by the family, to help support the village’s clubs and the cemetery association. It’s grown into a flow-through way to handle donations through the municipality earmarked for specific purposes in the village.
Coutts has contributed to the Golf Club, the Curling Club, and other facilities in the village. The business supports the concert series, and also sponsors the school’s sports banners.
Bob and Linda Coutts were honoured as community builders in 2017 by the Battle River Community Foundation, and the fund created in their name has grown to $125,000. The fund supports grants to Forestburg and area groups, and uses only the interest, as the principal lasts and grows by donations perpetuity.
Bob Coutts has been presented with the Home Hardware 2025 Proud of My Home award for public relations, and in 2025 was recognized by Flagstaff County, winning the Community Development Small Business Award. Bob has also received the Battle River School Division’s Friends of the Battle River award, as well as a Forestburg Community Service Award from the Village of Forestburg.
Coutts is planning a three-day celebration of the store’s 100th starting on Thursday, June 11, through to Saturday, June 13.
There will be huge sales, specials and door prizes all three days, with Beef on a Bun on Saturday, and an opportunity each day to win your purchase back.
Saturday will also feature a face painting station, cake, and special presentations from Home Hardware Corporate at noon.
Coutts is sponsoring a free Saturday swim at the Forestburg Pool, and $10 golf on Sunday at the Forestburg Golf Course that weekend to celebrate.
He’s also planning to donate $5 from each sale over the three days to the Battle River Community Foundation Bob and Linda Coutts fund and the Jack Kirschman Bursary.
Coutts worked with Home Hardware to come up with some special pricing on a lot of items, and he’s booked the parking spots in front of the store as he expects there to be some spillover, especially for the cake and presentations.
Read this and more, originally from the June 3 edition of The Community Press!
