George & Mary Warr
Mr. and Mrs. George and Mary Warr were both born in Twillingate. The couple met and married, and in 1908 opened a small general store on Pilley’s Island where George Warr Ltd. was established.
The store was relocated to Springdale where the family became involved in the lumber industry. They cut and shipped pulpwood overseas prior to the Second World War, operated sawmills and sold lumber locally. They also supplied wood to the paper mill in Corner Brook, employing up to 300 in this successful operation. Over the years the company took advantage of diverse opportunities and experienced growth.
In 1927 the company began operating a passenger and freight service from Badger until the TCH connected to Springdale in 1952. In the 1970s, the company constructed a new building to house the hardware and building supplies division. They later opened a second store in Baie Verte operating under the Dominion Hardware franchise. In 1989, the company expanded operations under the DO-IT-Centre franchise.
While George and Mary Warr spent most of their time building the business, their entrepreneurial vision continues through their family’s involvement. They operate and manage various divisions of George Warr Ltd. including retail and lumber operations, a supermarket and dry goods operation, freight and mail service, hardware and building supply stores, retail operations and senior cottages.
George and Mary were both community-minded and strong supporters of schools and the church. Their dedication was shared by their children, grand-children and even great-grandchildren whose corporate and community involvement is evident through their dedication to the organizations they support.
2008 is a significant year for George Warr Ltd. as the family business celebrates 100 years of business in the Springdale area. George passed away in 1923 at the age of 64, and in 1952 Mary died at the age of 85.