Fincham’s Harness Shop closes after four decades in Nobleton

December 20, 2017 · 0 Comments

After 40 years at their Nobleton location, Brian and Lauryn Sinnott of Fincham’s Harness Shop are looking for new adventures. The couple, seen here with long time employee Mike Crump, are planning to retire and the shop will effectively close at the end of the year. They will be hosting a special few days on December 21-23, to welcome customers to drop in and have a coffee and a treat as they say goodbye to many long time patrons.

By Brian Lockhart

It is with at least some mixed feelings that Brian and Lauryn Sinnott are closing the doors at Fincham’s Harness Shop at the end of the year.
After all, the shop has been a fixture in Nobleton for over four decades and they have made a lot of friends and acquaintances over the years. However, the Sinnotts have decided it’s time to retire and move on to some new adventures.
After taking over the business from a former owner in 1977, they relocated to the current location on Highway 27, nine months later and have been there ever since.
The shop isn’t just a retail location for purchasing horse related items, it’s a real craft shop where they make custom leather items and repair equine related bridles, saddles, and just about everything that people in the industry need.
The shop is loaded with specialty tools and machines used to work with leather.
“It’s not the kind of job where you can just hire someone,” Lauryn explained. “There’s not a lot of people who can do this sort of work. There’s a need for it but there’s not a lot of people who are skilled at it.”
Brian started off with the previous owner and learned how to work with leather and develop a skill with the special nuances of crafting and repairing different items.
“We originally came here from South Africa and got jobs here on a horse farm,” Brian explained of their start in the business. “Part of my job was to go into Fincham’s to get supplies and I became very friendly with the owner. I always liked doing things with my hands so we took it over and he showed me the ropes.”
They have developed a special relationship over the years with people in thoroughbred horse racing as well as those involved in show competitions and their customers return for the quality of the work and friendliness of their customer service.
“We have a lot of customers who are involved in jumping, dressage, and down at the Royal Winter Fair,” Brian explained.
Brian demonstrated how they use many tools to shape and finish leather to either repair an old item or fashion a brand new one. Many customers request speciality or custom items including everything from dog leashes to custom-sized luxury leather bags.
After so many years in the business, they decided it’s time to try something else. They have two long-term employees who have already made plans to move on.
“It’s the right time to retire and we’d like to do some travelling,” Lauryn said.
The shop will close to new business at the end of December, however, they will still be busy through to the end of April finishing up current projects and completing orders.
They are hosting a special few days at the end of the year to say goodbye to their loyal customers and welcome them in for a coffee and treats on Dec. 21, 22, and 23, in the shop.
After four decades of serving the region and the industry, those final few days will no doubt bring in many old friends to wish them well in their retirement.