Our story
Valpys is proud of it’s history and excited for the future
The past
1890 – Business begins with George P. Valpy and his wife Marie establishing the shop in Trinity Square.
1900 – Relocation to Grande Rue.
1901 – Birth of their only child, Phyllis.
1935 – Build a house along Grande Rue called Rochebey, with an adjoining hardware store.
1953 – Phyllis and her husband, William de la Rue, take over the full running of the business.
1960 – The de la Rues built the Valpys shop that we recognise today in part of their garden and used the former shop as a storage area.
1974 – Phyllis and William retired and with no children to pass it on to, it was sold to a building firm.
1980 – Colin and Sheila Torode take over the shop.
1994 – First of three extensions built.
2001 – Second of three extensions built.
2014 – Third extension built.
2015 – The second generation of the Torode family takes on the running of the business.
The present
With a team of more than 20 staff covering the four main divisions of the business – sales, repairs and spares, delivery and installation, and office/management – Valpys has been blessed with many dedicated and diligent colleagues, both past and present. Each key member of the team brings enthusiasm and expertise to their various roles, which has enabled the company to thrive over the years and be well-placed for many further exciting developments in the years ahead.
The current Valpys team has a positive mix of experience and newer arrivals with fresh ideas. Kim and Marilyn in the office will be familiar to regular callers, having racked up 60 wonderful years of service between them. The sales team has a wealth of experience, with each member bringing their own strengths and skills to collectively provide a great service across the huge range of products in store.
The road-based team of service engineers and delivery and installation engineers have the ability and willingness to meet the challenges faced in their problem-solving roles.
The future
‘We have a loyal customer base that have been coming to the store for years and with social media and a new website under development we are hoping to be more accessible to even more of the Bailiwick’