Arthur Russel Goudie
Inducted In
1972
A.R. Goudie was founder of one of western Ontario’s largest family-owned department stores, Goudies, Ltd. He was among the first in Canada to encourage employees to be shareholders.
A charter member of the Ontario Pioneer Community Foundation, he donated the Dry Goods and Grocery Store to Doon Pioneer Village.
A native of Hespeler, he began his career as an apprentice to the Forbes woollen mills. He later travelled for the Ontario Button Company.
In 1909, he became manager and vice-president of Weseloh-Goudies, Ltd. When the store was destroyed by fire in 1918, Mr. Goudie rebuilt it as Goudies, Ltd.
He served as Ontario and national president of the Ontario Retail Merchants Association. An active supporter of many community organizations, Goudie’s generosity made possible the building of the A.R. Goudie Eventide Home in Kitchener.