Sudbury firm acquires family hardware store

Wilson Hope Group is once again expanding its portfolio of companies.

In September, A&J Home Hardware announced it was being acquired by the Sudbury-based construction company.

“After more than 50 wonderful years, the Michel family is passing the torch at A&J Home Hardware,” the company wrote in a Sept. 25 social media post.

“Starting Oct. 1, the Wilson Hope Group will proudly be taking over, and they’re just as dedicated to continuing the Michel family’s tradition of friendly service and community care.”

Located in the South End of Sudbury, A&J was co-founded by Arnel Michel in 1973, and ownership was passed down to three of the family’s children — Brigitte, Valérie and Marc — in 1995.

Well known for its friendly, knowledgeable staff and having a wide array of inventory, the store has previously been recognized with Home Hardware’s prestigious Proud of My Home Award, which celebrates stores that meet the chain’s high standards in retailing, merchandise presentation, staff performance and overall quality of the store.

In 2024, the store made headlines locally when it adopted Brock the cat as its chief pest control officer.

Launched in 2017, Wilson Hope Group began as a construction company, but in recent years has begun adding other local businesses under its umbrella, including a second construction company serving Thunder Bay, a sod company, a vending business, and a marketing firm.

A&J is the second Home Hardware in the Wilson Hope portfolio. Last fall, the company purchased the Home Hardware store in Capreol, north of Sudbury.

That was followed by the launch of Mezza, a modular home construction company.

Wilson Hope Group is operated by partners Kyle Hope, Tyler Wilson and Jay Quesnel, whose approach to business involves investing in local, family-owned businesses to strengthen the communities in which they operate.

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