While many businesses in Port Perry can boast being open for a few decades, few can say they’re well past their centennial. “Yeah, we’ve been around a few years,” current co-owner Marina Brock says with a laugh. “Our kids are now working here part-time, so Brock’s Department Store is actually in its sixth generation now, dating back to when my great-great-grandfather founded the store in the 1880s.” Today, the current fifth-generation owners are Marina and Juliana Brock. And while the store has a long history, it’s not afraid to adapt with the times.
Brock’s has undergone a few changes over its long and rich history. The store itself moved to a different location when fires took the original buildings over 80 years ago, though the current location is still a heritage site. Nowadays, it’s expanded into multiple storefronts, all connected inside so customers don’t have to go out into the elements. And along with those changes, Brock’s has shifted its focus to meet customers’ demands. “Today we focus on clothing and accessories for men and women, while carrying footwear for the entire family,” Marina says. “We mix the old with the new, carrying all the big brand names and some more local companies, made-in-Canada things where we can. We focus on stocking items that people and families can enjoy and afford.”
