Banks buys Island paint company

Tim Banks has purchased Northumberland Paints Inc. and in the process has expanded its staff, part of a continuing effort to anticipate the arrival of Home Depot and Rona hardware chains on P.E.I. “Islanders are loyal and Northumberland Paint has loyal customers,” Banks said in an interview. “The staff are Islanders. It’s an Island product. Far from popular belief out there, we are expanding. We took all the existing staff and are adding more. They are very knowledgeable and have excellent customer service.”

The former site of Northumberland Paints on Allen Street in Charlottetown was found to have chemicals leeched into the soil, so Banks hired Jacques Whitford to remove the contamination.

“We just received a certificate from the Environment Department saying the site is clean,” said Banks.

During the sale, he was approached by Reliable Motors saying it was interested in the adjacent former Northumberland Paints property so the land was sold to it and will became part of an expanded lot for the car dealership.

The retail operations of Northumberland Paints move to a new House of Excellence store on the site of the former West Royalty School on the corner of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Lower Malpeque Road.

Banks said the House of Excellence will feature Benjamin Moore products that now include flooring and decorative products.

“It’s much more than just paint now,” said Banks. “With Benjamin Moore and Northumberland Paints we will be able to offer a range of products for customers.”

The carpet portion of House of Excellence has moved to Southport Home Hardware, said Banks. The manufacturing portion of Northumberland Paints has moved to the Sherwood Industrial Park off the Sherwood Road.

Banks said the move to join Northumberland paint and the Benjamin Moore system is recognition that competition is expected to arrive in the form of Home Depot and/or Rona, a Quebec-based hardware chain that is looking to expand in the east.