Tops Tools is a family business in that special, old-school kinda way. It’s just a father and a son doing what they do best.

“Pretty soon here, I’ll let my son take over the whole thing and do all the hard work so I can go enjoy Florida,” said Brian Topolinsky.

Without missing a beat, his son, Justin, chimed in.

“Well, I already do all the hard work anyway, so I don’t think much will change,” said Justin with a laugh. The pair have that unique father-son vibe that makes a store feel less like a business, and more like you’re walking into a family home; one that just also happens to sell power drills, nail guns, and grinders.

For the better part of the last two decades, the elder Topolinsky has been running Metal Roofs Niagara. As the name implies, they specialize in the installation of metal roofs.

“You’re going to pay a little bit more for a metal roof compared with shingles, but in the end you’re getting a much better roof that will last a lot longer,” explained Brian.

With the roofing business trucking along smoothly, Brian purchased a large storefront in Port Colborne along Main Street. The former building was a flooring business before Brian purchased it, which meant it had plenty of extra space.

“After I moved in, I looked around and realized I had all this floor space that I wasn’t doing anything with, so after talking with my son, that’s when we decided to expand,” said Brian.

Looking at the ongoing housing and construction boom, Justin said the obvious choice was to use the space for a retail shop specializing in tools, fasteners, and all the other supplies that any carpenter, contractor or home builder might need.

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