Pellerin Paints is a proud family business that has been providing professional service in the North Bay area for seven decades. And with the third generation taking the reins, says Richard Pellerin, it has a strong future.
“As the youngest son of my father, Alcide, who established the painting business in 1957, and the youngest brother to Rheal, who established the paint store in 1977, it makes me extremely proud to have my three sons by my side to continue this beautiful Legacy and family business that we have.
First Published: Fall 2025 Edition – Centre Spread Family Business Feature
“Not only do we work together but we hang out together and have a fantastic relationship. I am a very fortunate man,” he said. “This will be passed down to my three sons and I wish that it may continue and be passed down to their children for a fourth generation.
The first storefront for Pellerin Paints on Main Street.
Alcide and his brother Amedee started the business in 1957 as the Pellerin Brothers and within a couple years they were hiring additional painters to satisfy a growing list of clients. One of the biggest jobs was their contract at the Canadian Forces Base North Bay, and when mixed with government housing complexes and private work, they had as many as 18 employees strictly in the paint contracting field.
Ray joined the business in 1966 when Amedee left, and they continued to build a solid reputation painting, wallpapering, commercial airless spraying and line painting for parking lots.
“My dad pulled me out of school in grade 10. I did not want to be a painter – I loved school and I was good in school – but he said, ‘No, I need you on the job site.’ I was 16 years old when he pulled me out.”
Within a decade, opportunity knocked and they opened a storefront on Main Street.
“I got approached by one of the paint companies we were using back then, which was Crown Diamond Sico. They made me a proposition to open up a paint store,” Ray said, describing how the business evolved. Now retired, he still meets with Richard for a morning chat most days.
“My father was totally against it. He didn’t like the idea of the store because he said a lot of people tried to open up a paint store in North Bay and weren’t successful.”
Brothers Richard and Rheal re-enact the passing of the Pellerin Paints family business baton.
“The paint company said, ‘We’ll give you five years to pay for the stock – no interest, nothing. If it doesn’t work out, we’re going to lick our wounds and walk away,” he said, adding it eventually worked out for all involved.
“We had the best of both worlds – having the paint store (for customers who wanted to do it themselves) and the contracting.”
Richard said their success has to do with providing professional service in the field and the best products in the store – as well as backing up their work.
Richard Pellerin and his three boys, Patrick, Mathieu and Justin.
“When we do a quotation on a house, our policy is we want nothing down. You pay us nothing until we are finished and you’re happy. If you’re not happy, you don’t pay. That gets me a lot of jobs,” Richard said. “They all say, ‘Do you want me to pay half?’ I say, ‘Nope. When you’re happy, you pay me.’ That assures them – they feel comfortable. This is our policy: you’re going to be happy when we leave.”
“Through all the years we’ve been in business, we’ve never had a customer say, ‘I’m not paying you because I’m not happy.’ We’ve never lost a job due to customer dissatisfaction,” he said.
Patrick, 35, the oldest of Richard’s boys, took over as store manager when his Uncle Norm ‘Moose’ Degagne passed away.
“I am very happy and proud to be partnered up with my father. I started here as a painter and when my uncle passed away, I moved up and had some big shoes to fill,” he said, with his Dad adding that Norm “worked hard to establish this business to where it is today. Norm was loved by all.”
Justin, 28, and Mathieu, 25, round out the family equation.
Pellerin Paints celebrated their 45th anniversary with a spread in The Nugget in 2002.
“It makes me extremely proud to work for my family business and I hope that one day maybe my kids will be working here,” Justin said, with Mathieu repeating the sentiment: “I am also very proud to work for my family business and put my heart and soul in every paint job that I do.”
Ray said they could have sold the business to another big company or cashed in on their Fisher Street property and retired wealthy, but it is better this way.
“We were offered $1.9 million just for the building. It’s the only location in North Bay with its own traffic lights,” he said.
“I’m very proud of the fact that they’re doing successfully well,” Ray said, describing how he shows up on the job sites sometimes to see his nephews in action. “I go sometimes on the job sites just to see them work, and it really hits me. They’re doing very well, and I’m very proud of them.”
Writer, photographer and proud father. My mom's family is from the Soo with its Algoma Highlands, dad hailed from Cobden in the Ottawa Valley and I spent my teen years in Capreol. Summers were at the beach on the Vermillion River and winters at 'The Rink.' Born in East York but Toronto never was my thing. Ever since a kid looking out the window on long trips, I imagined living on the highway in a little house with a big yard and trees growing all around me.
