Katherine Tool Store – Celebrating one year in business

It has been one year since Katherine Tool Store opened the doors to its 350 square metre store. 

Looking into 2018 the business is expected to go from strength-to-strength under the eye of business owners Bryan and Nora Willis. The store was born out of demand from the region after Bryan, by chance, fell into the business of fixing caravans some 30 years ago. 

Bryan and Nora initially began their first business, Alice Bolt Supplies, when Bryan found himself fixing caravans for travellers who towed their caravans to Alice Springs along the unsealed Stuart Highway. 

From the Alice to Darwin, they established stores to meet demands and found Katherine too needed a fastener store, which has since developed into the store you see today. 

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“After trading in Darwin for 26 years, and supporting Katherine with regular trips with the mobile Tool Van it was about time we established our presence in Katherine,” Katherine Tool Store manager Taneka Keeler said.

The new Katherine Tool Store was specifically setup as more of an industrial tool store, as opposed to a store for the DIY’er looking for budget-type tools.

“The quality of the products we sell comes long before price,” Miss Keeler said. “No one really likes having to buy tools twice due to low quality, some of our tools come with a lifetime warranty.

“We have got the serious tools for the serious trades, with our customer base being primarily tradesmen and the occasional serious DIY’er or retail trade.

“However, we are not a typical hardware store so we do not supply timbers. We supply primarily tools, fasteners and consumable workshop items that may be used within the automotive, construction, building, engineering and marine trades,” she said.

With stiff competition from the Darwin region, the point of difference for customers is its commitment to the Katherine region and the genuine desire of staff to help find solutions. 

“We will grow our business by listening to our customers and putting in products that they are telling us they want,” Miss Keeler said. 

“We’re very excited to be here in Katherine and welcome locals to come in have look and say g’day.”