We are so pleased to introduce you to Jackie Drake, otherwise known as The Welder’s Wife in our Community Spotlight.  The Welder’s Wife is a family-owned and operated business located in the front of the existing Beaverton Metal Works building, just off Highway 12 and the corner on Concession 4 in Beaverton.

“Our Welding Shop has been in Business since 1965. People are always amazed when they walk through the front door, as it’s much larger than expected. We take pride in keeping a little history of the business incorporated into our building. We love the ‘WOW’ factor we get from our customers, new and returning. We have completely transformed the inside of the building to take you back in time and provide a unique and fun shopping experience!”

Have You Seen This Girl?

When you drive along Highway 12, you will see this girl (on the right) that just recently got a fresh coat of paint.  Jackie mentioned in an Instagram Post, “She was becoming very worn out after 9 years of running along the highway.  It was 9 years ago on July 2nd, I made the tough decision to leave my postion as an Educational Assistant for the Durham Board of Education to fulfill my dream of opening up my own Cottage Decor Store, which was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

“It was to flow in conjunction with my husband’s business of working with the cottage trade and somehow my little business has evolved into a whole lot more.  It’s now Home & Cottage Decor and Collectibles.  For those who don’t know me, I strive to be different and unique from others.”

We were thrilled to have an opportunity to ask Jackie a few more questions about being a local business owner.

When you first had the vision of The Welder’s Wife, how long did it take before you put your dream into action and how much preparation/organization was involved?

Starting a business doesn’t happen overnight.  We had talked and discussed opening up a store for a few years and once we had our Vision, we worked at it over the winter months and brought our Vision to life.

How much has The Welder’s Wife grown since it first opened in 2012?

The Welder had initially given up the front part of his Welding shop, the space that used to hold his Oxygen tanks etc.  After the success of our first year, he offered up yet another part of his space, and we completely transformed it into an old time feel, with a porch roof, and barnboard walls, all items we sourced out and re-used to make it a very unique space to browse and shop.  Our final stage, maybe, was a third room which was also part of the exiting welding shop, this space was transformed just before the pandemic hit. I like to call it more of the Man Cave Room. It has a collection of antique and vintage items, some very unique pieces that catch the eye of many shoppers.

What is your favourite thing about running a local business and if you had any words of encouragement or advice to give to someone who may be thinking of starting their own business what would they be?

I absolutely love designing the space and selecting unique and different decor pieces to catch the eye of customers. My most enjoyable job as a small business owner, is making people smile and watching them enjoy their shopping experience.

My advice would be, “You have to love what you do.  Be ready to commit yourself 100% and work hard to achieve your goals, and be unique.”

What does Jackie like to do in her free time?

In my free time I love to spend time with my family, travel and watch sunsets over the lake.

We also run Beaverton Self Storage and my son also runs a small business from here called Hicktown Mini Bins. I often think we should call us “Shops on the Hill!”  Jackie is also extremely creative and highly enagaged with her followers on Instagram.  We encourage you to follow her at: thewelderswifebeaverton.  You will not be disappointed.

For more information on The Welder’s Wife please visit their website at:  thewelderswife.com.

The Welder’s Wife is located at:

1420 Hwy 12 and Concession 4
Beaverton, ON
Phone:  705-426-4641