The Olde Hide House is leaving Acton, Ontario but mayor promises heritage building will remain

The leather clothing will disappear but the building is here to stay.

That’s the word from the mayor of Halton Hills who lamented the loss of the Olde Hide House in Acton but reaffirmed the building and local traditions will remain.

“The closure of this iconic landmark will leave a hole in our community,” Mayor Ann Lawlor said adding that the leather origins the business took its name from are forever tied to the community.

Lawlor said because of the history of the building Acton is still known by its nickname of Leathertown. She said traditions will be kept alive through events such as the Leathertown festival held every summer.

The store that spawned the well-known advertising slogan “It’s worth the drive to Acton,” the Olde Hide House has been a fixture at 49 Eastern Avenue since 1980.

At its peak, it attracted 300,000 visitors annually making Acton a tourist destination that led to overflow economic benefits to the community.

However, changing shopping and fashion trends shifted consumers away from leather goods and in recent years the business has declined leading operators to announce the store will be closing by the end of January.

As for the building, it was constructed in 1899 by the Beardmore Company for use as a warehouse. It became the largest tannery in the British Empire and a major employer in the Town of Acton.

By the 1930s it began to change hands and served other industries including one that made military uniforms. In 1969 it was back in the tannery business until its conversion into the large shopping showcase for leather goods.

Whatever its future holds, Mayor Lawlor said the building’s heritage designation recognizes its value. She said it is the only example of a late 19th-century Victorian industrial warehouse in Halton Hills.

“While the activity in the building may change, the designation ensures that the history of the Hide House and the Beardmore Tannery will live on,” Lawlor said.