From George Street to The Queensway: Brant Basics Celebrates a New Chapter in Peterborough
/By Scott Arnold
More than six decades after first opening its doors in Peterborough, Brant Basics marked a major milestone on Thursday as community members, elected officials, staff and customers gathered to celebrate the company's grand reopening at its new home on The Queensway.
Clive Katz and Trevor Katz, joined by Brant Basics staff, Mayor Jeff Leal and councillors Kevin Duguay and Leslie Parnell, take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the company's grand reopening celebration on Thursday (Photo by Scott Arnold)
The event brought together a steady stream of visitors who toured the newly renovated space at 701 The Queensway, took part in activities throughout the store and joined in a ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially marked the next chapter for a business that has been serving Peterborough since 1964.
For Trevor and Clive Katz, whose family assumed ownership of Brant Basics in 2023, the day was about much more than opening a new location. It was an opportunity to celebrate a long-standing local business while reaffirming its future in Peterborough.
"Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company," said Trevor Katz. "We never changed the name when we took it over three years ago because Brant Basics is a local company and will always remain a local company."
The move follows decades of operation at the company's downtown George Street location. While the business built countless relationships there over the years, the new space offers opportunities that simply weren't possible before.
Trevor Katz speaking to crowd on Thursday as Staff, customers and community supporters gathered throughout the afternoon to celebrate the grand reopening of Brant Basics at its new home on The Queensway. (Photo by Scott Arnold)
During remarks at the ceremony, Trevor Katz noted that the move has allowed the company's sales team to work together on a single floor, creating a more collaborative environment while expanding the range of products available to customers.
Visitors walking through the store on Thursday could see that evolution firsthand. Alongside the furniture showroom and office supply offerings Brant Basics has long been known for, the new location features expanded educational, arts and crafts, and children's product sections.
"We still have a large furniture component in the store, a large office supply component, but we've now created a new area that's more arts, crafts and education for the general community as well," Trevor Katz explained.
The new Brant Basics showroom features expanded product offerings, including furniture, office supplies, educational materials and arts and crafts products. (Photo by Scott Arnold)
The location itself was another important factor in the move.
"We liked the environment of The Queensway, the busyness of the street, close to Lansdowne Place, close to a few of the shops here," said Trevor Katz. "We thought it was a growing area as well, free parking obviously, which is always a good thing."
The new Brant Basics showroom features expanded product offerings, including furniture, office supplies, educational materials and arts and crafts products. (Photo by Scott Arnold)
Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal was among those who spoke during the celebration, congratulating the Katz family and highlighting the significance of seeing local businesses continue to invest in the community.
"When you get the opportunity to be at a ribbon cutting, to see a small business expanding, providing service to a community, it certainly goes to show you beyond the news cycle, there's a lot of great things happening," said Leal.
Leal also reflected on the company's long history in Peterborough, noting that the business continues to build on the foundation established by founder Mo (Morris) Cox and his family.
"One of the great lessons that I got in politics when I entered a few decades ago is that you truly stand on the shoulders of others," he said. "So Clive and Trevor, they're standing on the shoulders of Mo Cox and his family to continue to build this business."
The mayor also pointed to customer service as one of the key reasons Brant Basics has remained a fixture in the community for more than 60 years.
"One thing we know about the history of Brant Basics is providing customer service second to none," said Leal. "That's what separates retailers from good ones and other ones that don't provide that high degree of customer service."
Representatives from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce and MPP Dave Smith's office also attended the event, offering congratulations and recognizing the company's continued growth.
Clive and Trevor Katz were presented a framed certificate from Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brenda Whitehead during the Brant Basics grand reopening celebration. (Photo by Scott Arnold)
While Thursday's grand reopening celebrated a new building, both Trevor and Clive Katz repeatedly brought the focus back to the people who helped make it happen.
The brothers credited staff for organizing the event and helping guide the business through the transition.
"The staff have been unbelievable," said Clive Katz. "They've been unbelievable from the day we moved to helping us with this event. They're happy, they're engaged, they love the new environment."
He added that the enthusiasm employees have shown for new product categories and the updated store layout has helped create an atmosphere that customers notice as soon as they walk through the doors.
"We're a family and to have a happy family is everything," he said.
That sense of teamwork was evident throughout the afternoon as employees greeted visitors, answered questions and helped showcase the new space.
Brant Basics staff members greet visitors and help showcase the company's newly reopened location during Thursday's grand reopening celebration on The Queensway. (Photo by Scott Arnold)
