The Olde Hide House is set to close after decades of business

The Olde Hide House in Acton, Ont. is closing its doors for good in the new year.

It’s well-known for its selection of hides and leather goods from couches and jackets to winter gloves.

“We've been buying the leather gloves here at the Acton Hide House for years and now that its the end of the era we are stocking up on them,” said a shopper on Wednesday.

Some of the items inside the store on Oct. 30, 2024. (CTV News/Krista Sharpe)

The building where it sits has a 165-year history while the retail portion has been around for 44 years.

“I have travelled all over the world and I’ve had people come up to me when I say where I am from and they say, ‘its worth the drive to Acton,” Halton Regional Councillor Clark Somerville said, referring to the store’s slogan.

Close to a dozen employees will be out of a job once the store closes. Staff said they haven’t been told a definitive reason for the closure.

“I have worked here for 32 years. I am on my 33rd year. It’s very emotional. It has been a big part of my life and a big part of Acton. I am sure I am going to miss all my customers,” said Elizabeth McHugh, an employee.

The building itself is a unique and beautiful wooden maze.

It started as a raw hide warehouse in 1899 then it became a tannery before evolving into a retail store. At one point there was also a restaurant.

“I worked here in the restaurant that was here, Jack Tanners Table as a kitchen manager. Started there in about 1981,” said Councillor Somerville.

The Hide House was also a flight line store at one point.

It was once considered a family business but was sold to out-of-towners many years ago.

The building shares its parking lot with the Acton Go Station – a sign of the changing times.

“Our retail landscape has lost a lot of great businesses over the years, and we're losing another one,” said Somerville.

The store is now in the hands of liquidators. Any leftover inventory after the store closes in January is expected to be put up for auction.

According to the store’s website, there will be a liquidation sale that starts on Nov. 1.