GUELPH – Cousins Tim Huck and Brad Madigan, owners of Powerline Electronics in Guelph, have announced their plans to retire after 40 years in the business.
“We’re getting old,” said Huck. “If we stay much longer, they’re going to have to bury us here.”
The business, which boasted a mere 700 square feet at its conception, began as Base Electronics, a chain electronics store in 1984.
It quickly evolved into the independent Powerline Electronics in 1992, which to this day boasts 17,000 square feet.
“It’s just getting to be time,” said Huck. “We never took it that serious, and we never listed the property or anything. But once a month or so, somebody would come in and say, will you sell this property?
“After a couple years, we started listening and got a good offer. So, we thought, ‘yeah, maybe it’s time.’”
Reflecting on the last 40 years, Huck told the Advertiser one of the hardest parts of the business was keeping up with constantly changing products.
“This stuff (electronics) changes so fast. It’s even hard for us to keep up with it, let alone the general public … you just get something figured out it seems and then there’s a new version of it, or a new method of it,” said Huck.
“I got a couple of cottages and a couple properties to work on.”
Madigan added, “I think we just need to get there first, or at least myself, and then we’ll figure it out.”
The duo hopes to shut the doors for the last time on March 31, however they are prepared to stay “a few extra weeks” if need be.
Huck would also like to remind patrons that gift cards, warranty and store credits will be honoured until the store closes.
