The employees of Penner’s Home Hardware in Niagara-on-the-Lake said goodbye to a dear coworker of theirs the day of her final shift this spring — while sporting some unusually funky footwear.
Judy Doerksen, who worked more than 30 years in various departments, acquired a collection of novelty socks during her time as an employee at Penner’s.
“People noticed that, so I guess the managers decided to ask all the staff to wear novelty socks on my last day,” Doerksen told The Lake Report.
Along with festive footwear, Doerksen was greeted with cake and a personalized apron from colleagues as a parting gift on April 11.
Throughout her final shift in the paint department, where Doerksen worked for the last few years, customers and NOTLers stopped by to say goodbye and wish her well.
With a constant inflow of people coming in just to share words with Doerksen, her impact on the community was on display all day long.
After more than three decades at the iconic hardware store, a lot has changed in the time Doerksen has been working in town.
Doerksen recalled her first days working in the receiving department, in the days before barcodes on items, when goods had to be checked off a packing slip.
“And we made our own price stickers,” Doerken said.
What never changed, though, was Doerksen’s commitment to customer service.
Doerksen cited advice from her husband, John — her longtime manager.
“He taught me that retail isn’t so much about selling, it’s about helping people buy and helping them fulfil their dreams,” she said.
Doerksen recalled a specific time a customer came in looking for a toaster, with her husband at home bedridden and not a lot of time to spend looking for the perfect appliance.
“I popped over to the grocery store and picked up a loaf of bread. We tested some toasters right there on the spot. She was so thrilled with that,” Doerksen said.
The woman remained a lifelong customer after that, she said.
Looking back at her time working at a town staple, Doerksen is most thankful for these community connections, she said.
“People come in with all kinds of problems,” she said.
“We don’t always have all the answers individually, but we work as a team, and together we help find solutions. That’s what I’ll remember most.”
Now, at 69, Doerksen is excited to spend more time at home with family, watching her grandchildren play and baking — something she really enjoys.
Doerksen said just how thankful she was to work with the Penner family for all these years, and through a leave of absence after her husband contracted COVID-19 in 2020.
“The Penner family were just absolutely wonderful in their support of us. They were just unwavering.”
