Ameublement Branchaud has enjoyed much notoriety in the Gatineau Valley for more than 60 years. It is probably one of the most important flagships in the region! Over the years, the company has expanded to Gatineau, Abitibi, Mont-Laurier and Buckingham, and has branched out into fields other than furnishings such as floor coverings and transportation.
This remarkable family story dates back to the 1950s. At age 22, Jean-Claude Branchaud was running his father’s grocery store in Bois-Franc. He then decided to begin selling household appliances. The response was immediate. Seeing the potential of the appliance and furniture sector, he decided to open Ameublement Branchaud in Maniwaki with his cousin Robert in 1959.
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The company never stopped growing
“It was a success right from the start,” said his son Joël, who is currently running the family business with brothers Louis and André. “It was a family affair, as friends and family members worked there. There was a need for that type of business. My father had keen business insight and was a great businessman.”
“In 1970, Jean-Claude Branchaud bought his cousin’s shares and decided to build a larger business in Egan-Sud, where the company head office now sits. Since that time, the business has never stopped growing. The company expanded for the first time to Amos in 1982. “We were selling mobile homes in Maniwaki back then, and our largest customers came from Abitibi. It was only normal that we would expand there first. We then made acquisitions in Val d’Or in 1998 and in Rouyn Noranda in 2001,” added Joël Branchaud.
“IT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR”
Gatineau, a lucrative market, is nearby
In 1987, Ameublement Branchaud came to Gatineau, its first foray into a major urban setting. “At the time, there was a handful of small furniture retailers but no major banners. We were victims of our success as soon as we opened, as our inventory couldn’t keep up with demand. My father was quite proud of this success.”
In 1996, Jean-Claude Branchaud fell ill and passed away five years later. His three sons took the reins of the business in 1996, as they had already been involved in the operation for several years. In the early 2000s, the new managers added Transport Branchaud to the mix and centralized the entire distribution operation in Maniwaki to keep operating costs low and to acquire good and reliable personnel.
THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION OPERATION IS CENTRALIZED IN MANIWAKI TO KEEP COSTS DOWN
The company is attached to its region
Joël Branchaud speaks about the Gatineau Valley with a great deal of pride. That explains the importance of keeping the company head office there. “It’s my stamping ground. I grew up in the Gatineau Valley and had to go to school out of town. However, I’d come back every weekend because I was playing hockey and because I like the country-like nature of our region. I like wide open spaces and love fishing. Administrative and operational decisions have been centralized in Maniwaki along with the distribution centre, and the entire staff contributes to the success of our companies.”
As far as the future is concerned, Ameublement Branchaud says it is always on the lookout for business opportunities to ensure its growth. In the short term, priority is being given to improving the online transaction site, which has grown in leaps and bounds during the pandemic. This technological evolution affects all of the operations of the business that has 175 employees.
Family succession is already taking shape, as four children of the current managers have shown interest in continuing the work of their fathers and their grandfather.
THE GATINEAU VALLEY “IS MY STAMPING GROUND”
Other success stories
Mélanie Auger, Architectural technologist
