The Story......

Of course there are screws, nails, hammers, paintbrushes and garden hoses, but most people entering Donevan’s Hardware come to see the proprietor. Charlie Donevan has been behind the counter for well over 90 years. He started as a delivery boy at age eight and suspects he was filling shelves at age six in his father’s hardware store, which his grandfather opened on Gananoque’s main street in 1872. In 2024, just short of his 100th birthday, Charlie got a call that the next world needed his help badly and it was time to move on, after 95 years to his beloved community.

For many decades, Donevan’s was the place to go whenever repairs were needed on the cottages and seasonal mansions out on the 1000 Islands. The place was so busy Donevan's had plumbers, electricians, even welders on staff to advise and service customers. And of course Charlie could answer most of his customers’ questions. He cut back some of his time in the store to earn a degree in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University.

The questions he answered are more about Gananoque’s history and geography and there was little that stumped him. His grandfather James owned one of those 1000 Islands and Charlie was there when anthropologists uncovered evidence that indigenous peoples occupied the island 10,000 years ago. He’s had an interest in the history and geography of the Gananoque area ever since.

Charlie and his wife Kay, with the help of many volunteers, operated the Landon Bay Campground and trails on the St. Lawrence River for 40 years. During camping season he worked in the store until noon, turned the store over to his employees and then managed the campground, including all maintenance.

The directors donated their 225-acre property to the federal government in 2000 as an ecological preserve, which is now part of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, one of 610 from around the world recognized by UNESCO.The Frontenac Arch is an ancient granite ridge, rich in minerals, that connects the Canadian Shield to the Adirondack Mountains.

You could find Charlie behind his hardware counter six days a week, but the hardware business has changed big time since Donevan’s hay days. Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, even Dollar stores have come to town to absorb many of Charlie’s customers.

So Charlie reduced his large store by half and shared it with a studio for local artists. He doesn’t charge the artists rent for the space because their creations bring in regular traffic, most of which wander into the hardware half of the store.

Gananoque participated in a national campaign of communities creating large outdoor murals to salute their features as part of the Canada150 celebrations. In Gan – as the locals call it – 400 school children each painted a four-inch-square ceramic tile that were combined to make an eight-foot by eight-foot mural. Charlie Donevan is the principal person in the mural. He’s wearing his famous beaver-fur top hat, sitting in a rowboat that sits on a flatbed railway car.  The mural depicts much of  Gananoque’s industrial history, which was home to Canada’s shortest railway line. The 8-kilometre-long 1000 Islands Railway ran from the river’s edge north to the Grand Trunk Railway, now CN.

The mural now adorns the TD Bank bldg on the north side of King St. A bench with plaque was erected in Charlie's honour. You can now sit and "chat with Charlie."

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Joel Stone, the founder of Gananoque, started the general store in 1795. Ownership eventually came to James Donevan. Charlie Donevan, Pictured here on the Canada 150 Mosaic Mural in his St Lawrence skiff, is grandson of James Donevan, and was been working in the family business now for over 95 years. His daughter, Mary, now runs the store. We are proud of the services we continue to provide. We have our own line of unique handcrafted up-cycled jewelry and stained glass made from our attic silverware, china and glassware. We have quality local artisan giftware and handmade jams, honey, maple syrup, and chocolate. 

Donevan's Hardware lives on with Hard (to find) Ware!

Our specialty is teaching Stained Glass Mosaics.

Learn to make your own, or purchase your favourite from stock.

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 We can even come to your home

and do "House Parties" in your

living room.

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Custom designs are welcome. 

Come talk with us.