Did you know that the Jeays Hardware in Sandgate has been operating for more than 100 years now? Take a look back at some of the milestones of this local and family-owned business, as they celebrate their centenary this year.
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1922
Charles Joshua Jeays decided to start a business of his own, after working at Perry Brothers Hardware. Back then, he rented a small building along Albert St and launched it as Charles J Jeays Builders & Plumbers Supplier. His brothers Joe and Arthur also helped with the family business whilst the fourth brother, Albert, took care of the book work.
1932
The family moved into a larger space in Margaret St ten years later, when they outgrew their premises in Albert St.
1935
Charlie’s son, also christened Charlie but called by his middle name Albert, commenced full-time employment at the store.
1942
When the Second World War broke out, stock was hard to get and the family had to move to a makeshift location in Sandgate, and leased out their city building. There were no forklifts at that time, so they worked hard loading heavy bags of cement, timber and iron onto their delivery truck by hand.
1954
They outgrew the makeshift location and built a new one at Hancock St in Sandgate. A local builder, Charlie Krause, was selected to construct the building.
1960s
Jeays has been affiliated with the Mitre 10 cooperative since the 1960s, and was the last Mitre 10 hardware shop in Queensland to survive.
2022
Today, the business is operated by the fourth generation of the family, Charles’ grandsons Peter, Charlie, and Richard.
Peter, who’s been in retail for over four decades, worked in the business since he was a teenager. Back then, he would hand out flyers at the front of the shop and would receive around 50 cents for his work.
In May 2022, the Jeays celebrated in a typical humble fashion, with a dinner for the staff at a local Italian restaurant.