Located on Highway 9 in the Town of Schomberg, The Fireplace Stop, has been a staple in delivering warmth and comfort for over 36 years. This family operated business, with Andy Leonard, the President of the company, is an industry icon with a reputation that has been built on more than three decades of satisfying customers that they have had the opportunity to serve over this time.
‘We have been in business since 1987, it’s a family company that was started by our father. My sister Kelsey is the Office Manager and I am one of the lead sales people and my brother Scott, is one of our lead installers. We have sold fireplaces, outdoor fire features, barbecues and HVAC for 36 years now”, says Andrew.
So why Schomberg?
“Schomberg has always been our main location; and being so close to the highway corridor it has allowed us to service our cottage country customers exceptionally well as well as give us continued access to South Central Ontario.”
Andrew states that The Fireplace Stop is located in a growing area, but says that the location is not as critical as having a good relationship with their customers. “I think too, that the company has also been successful, because of the strong rapport that we have established with our designers, architects and builders and I would say that ‘our team’, is the biggest difference maker”, he adds.
As for a change in customer demographics, Andrew says that over the past few years he has noticed that there definitely have been some demographic changes. The industry has also become more targeted to specific needs than ever before, with influence of challenging building designs and customer demand for European designs and elite heat management systems. Brand performance though still remains very important. On the same token too, there is actually more diversity in the products that we offer now. As an example, instead of offering old, antique looking Cast Iron Stoves over the years, you have companies like Stuv, who are making these stunningly beautiful products with guillotine doors and all varieties of modern and traditional architecture. It has been very satisfying watching where our company started, to where our product line has evolved to now. Our dealership is very fortunate to partner with many of the top major manufacturers that are part of the industry and I believe that something that we do differently from other companies, is that we work from the premise of always putting the customer first. Our customers are almost buying a custom fireplace every time they visit The Fireplace Stop and they are purchasing a product in which we have taken their needs and then aligned them with the product that we believe is the best fit. You could say that our strategy is to always prioritize the customer first!”
Andrew talked about a project in King, Ontario that The Fireplace Stop recently completed and what makes it so special?
“That was a project that was a partnership with one of our building partners in the area and a builder that we have shared a great relationship with over the past few years. That specific project featured the Maestro Collection by DaVinci Custom Fireplaces with a two-sided 36-inch wide, 58-inch high, see-through fireplace. It is really unique, because this is one of the only fireplaces in the world that you can choose to have heat when you want it, or no heat when you don’t but still have the same amazing fire! When you can have a fireplace that can offer neutral heat to a room, you can basically use it 365 days of the year and when you do need some supplemental heat, you do have that option. Actually, the customer doesn’t really need the fireplace to provide a lot of heat, but if they do decide that they want some, they do. have that ability. It’s a special product for a special home, because having a fireplace that you can have facing indoors and outdoors is a tremendous concept. There is actually a trend now within our industry which is heat management, and, in this case, it’s making that fireplace available for use as often as you would like. If they manage heat correctly, you give people a reason why they can use their fireplace, instead of reasons why they can’t! The build also has a second fireplace in a sitting area in the front of the house, The Fireplace Xtrodinair Pro Builder 42” Cleanface, which offers one of the shallowest and nicest looking fires with a heat management system that allows the customer to put a television above the fireplace if they like, without needing a mantel! It’s a very special unit… good value, but it also comes with some of the same elite features that are usually found in some of the highest-end fireplaces.’
WRITTEN BY: LARRY SIMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDI SOLOWKA
RESOURCES: THE FIREPLACE STOP, SCHOMBERG
