On a weekday afternoon, customers pop into The Source – Halco Electronics to wish owner Don van Nood and long-time employee, Ryan Urquhart, well as the two prepare to close the long-established Haliburton store this month.
They officially end their lease at 160 Highland St. March 31 but will likely start winding down the week before.
They are selling stock as well as business furnishings.
Van Nood has owned the shop since opening the May 24, 1999 weekend. This year would have been 25 years.
Bell announced Jan. 18 it was winding down operations at The Source, transitioning 165 stores to Best Buy Express, with the remainder closing.
Van Nood said it didn’t make economic sense to continue – and he could not find a buyer – so decided it was finally time to retire.
“The economic climate was not conducive to continuing, and The Source closing their shops at the same time made it uneconomical to continue. That was part of it.”
After a quarter of a century as a Highland Street mainstay, the proprietor said it was the end of an era. “As far as the world of electronics goes, we’ve worked with Radio Shack, then Circuit City, then The Source by Circuit City, and then Bell, and right now we’re working with Best Buy. It’s been a long run.”
He added they will miss their longtime customers, of whom many have become friends. There are also some aspects of the business they won’t miss, such as a 2018 robbery. Van Nood joked he won’t miss the downtown traffic and gridlock coming to, and going home from, work. He is looking forward to spending more time with two young grandchildren.
Urquhart has been with the business for 25 years, joining as a high school co-op student. Van Nood said he is like a son.
“It’s emotional… it’s going to be a change for sure,” Urquhart commented.
