According to Tasse, the Niagara Falls store currently has 20 employees, including seasonal workers. Those numbers will fluctuate throughout the year, he said. Company-wide, Lee Valley employs 1,000.

In addition to woodworking and gardening tools, the store also sells things like cabinet fixtures as well as products he refers to as “discovery items” that the company sources through visits to trade shows across the globe.

As an example, he shows off a package of flat duct tape that the store carries.

“Everybody needs it,” he said. “This fits in your pocket.”

Other items include such things as a silicone jar opener and anti-slip disc. There’s even a bowl stabilizer that keeps a mixing bowl in place as you stir.

“Someone also said it’s good for pumpkin carving,” Tasse said.

Kiosks are set up throughout the store to place orders as items on the shelves, except the discovery items are there for display. Shoppers can also carry around a small clipboard and write down stock numbers and have the order filled for them.

“You don’t have to carry things around with you,” Tasse said, adding the store has 12,000 to 13,000 items on display or in stock.

“You can also go online at home and place an order and pick it up at the store,” Tasse said.

Thomas Still is the manager of the Niagara Falls store. Coming from a big box hardware background, he said coming over to Lee Valley has been “a beautiful experience” for him.

“I’ve got a great team behind me,” he said. “They’re full of energy. We’re ready.”

Business hours for the Niagara Falls store are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Niagara Falls store is located in the former Foodland location in the Niagara Falls Mall on Morrison Street.