A staple of the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood, Dudley's Hardware Paint & Decor is planning to shutter its doors just short of its 90th anniversary this year after a string of vandalism incidents. 

The shop — located at 511 Church St. — has been open since 1934 thanks to its consistently reliable selection and knowledgeable staff. 

In a post to a community Facebook group on Tuesday, the shop's owner-operator announced that the business would officially shut down this year following repeated incidents of vandalism and harassment. 

"Due to the complacency of this neighbourhood to allow this 'noise' to continue in Barbara Hall Park and on the steps of the 519 every day, the fate of Dudley's has unfortunately been sealed. This will be our last year," the post reads. 

Toronto store that's been around for almost 100 years says it's closing over vandalism https://t.co/677f6pCOP0 #Toronto

— blogTO (@blogTO) July 18, 2023

"We cannot continue being targeted by these protected 'community members.' I've been vocal for the last 15 years about the issues affecting the neighbourhood and they've landed on deaf ears," the shop's owner wrote. 

While many loyal customers were quick to mourn the loss of the neighbourhood establishment, others highlighted the declining safety of the busy strip and the lack of resources dedicated to adequately dealing with the minority of individuals in the area who break into local businesses. 

"Dudley's has been in a fight with the community centre next door for years because of their programs that have arguably attracted a certain element to the neighbourhood that is connected with frequent break-ins and vandalism. It got a lot worse during the pandemic, and Dudley's has been very outspoken about the problems they've been facing," one person wrote on Reddit.

Now, the business is planning on peacefully protesting the "complacency" of the neighbourhood and local representatives.

"Our intention is to peacefully sit down and block the intersection until any politician from any level of government arrives and tells us what concrete steps are being taken to make our community safe again. They talk and talk and still no action. The politicians need to listen to our concerns and act now," a flyer in promotion of the protest reads. 

"Save Dudley’s. Take back the park. Take back the street. It's time to have an old-fashioned sit down at Church and Wellesley and refuse to move until the politicians talk to us. We have done it in the past to fight for our rights," one person commented. 

The peaceful community protest is set to begin at 12 p.m. at the intersection of Church and Wellesley on Saturday, July 22.