The Home Beautiful transitions to employee ownership, first of its kind in region

BELMONT — The Home Beautiful, one of central New Hampshire's largest home decorating centers, has transitioned to employee ownership. Owned by Bruce Hamel for 35 years, the company has 21 employees, 10 of which are now employee owners. Employee ownership ensures that the business will continue to be locally owned and preserve local jobs.

Searching for greater opportunities than he was experiencing in his corporate career, Hamel, a Gilford native, and his wife purchased The Home Beautiful in 1986.

The employee ownership model can also be a great way to attract new employees, and retain them. “When I interviewed at The Home Beautiful, Bruce shared with me he was preparing for retirement, and his desire to form an employee-owned co-op. His excitement about the co-op model and the love he had for The Home Beautiful was infectious, I couldn’t help but be excited about the idea,” said Kim Young, assistant general manager and employee owner. “We are not only employee-owners, but we are also a family, and the co-op has allowed us an opportunity that we wouldn’t get anywhere else,” Young added.

Hamel and the employees of The Home Beautiful worked closely with Rob Brown, director of business ownership solutions at the Cooperative Development Institute, who provided technical assistance that guided them through the process to transition to employee ownership.