Nestled up a winding lane off the Moira Road in Co Antrim, Denis Wilson of Glenavy has been a go-to store for all agricultural, DIY and manufacturing needs in the community for over 45 years.
The family-run company has become more than just an acclaimed hardware store since it was established in 1977 and is known as a hub for community support and expert knowledge.
Darren and Emma Wilson have been evolving the store's offering since they took the business over from Darren's father in 2017.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Darren said: "My father started the business in 1977. At the time, he had a dairy herd at the site here and he was also a school teacher who then started the business on the side.
"As the business built up, he had to drop something so he decided to stop teaching and a few years after that in 1985, he decided to stop dairy farming. The cattle went and all the focus went into the shop.
"We lived on site here and it's been the family home for 200 years so I guess I grew up in the business as a child and went full-time after leaving school at 18."
Emma added: "When I first came in, I was looking after the workwear a little bit and the accounts. As Darren's parents headed towards retirement, I took different bits and pieces on and I look after all things operational these days - whatever that may look like.
"Everyone has to come to work every day but we do try and make it as enjoyable as we can. There is a real family vibe and it's something we have tried to keep, even during Covid when it was more difficult.
"There's always laughter coming out of the tea room and that's the bit that makes you happy.
"We want to do what we can and do it really well but we want to have fun along the way."
The couple have worked hard to diversify Denis Wilson's while staying true to the traditional values that the community know and love, with Denis himself still keeping a watchful eye.
"My father is now 71 - he is what he calls retired but he's still here every day and enjoys still going out in the van and doing deliveries," Darren laughed.
"He's a real people person and loves talking to people, so he enjoys getting out and seeing the customers."
Darren and Emma are constantly aiming to keep the business moving with the times to open their respected service to a whole new customer base.
Darren continued: "Our last big move was that we invested very heavily in an online platform which meant we had to change our software system completely.
"Behind that we've built a new web team of about six people so far and the proper launch of that was 2019, which was just in time to carry us into the lockdown.
"This side has really expanded for us in that time and we are just working towards trying to be modern while keeping the family and community side as well.
"The last two years have been the fastest change for us in the 45-year history so far - if you go back four years, we hardly had a computer in the place, everything was done by pen and paper."
"We tried many different things in that time to see what worked and what didn't. It's even been interesting just to see the change in people's attitudes from that of complete fear to coming back in-store and taking their time, which is great to see," Emma explained
"It definitely has been challenging but we are just one day at a time working through it and doing our best."
Their business goes beyond the retail aspect of being an independent company as Dean Wilson's has also spent the last 45 years building a positive relationship with the area.
Darren said: "We've always done our best to support our local community. We sponsor a lot of our local teams, Glenavy FC and the local gaelic club, and also a number of smaller sports and community groups in the wider area that we like to try and help when we can.
"Because we've had the same guys on the counter, they've built up good relationships with everybody. I think a lot of local people will come in because they know the person they deal with and know them on first names terms, quite often know their family, so there's a bit of community there that brings people in.
"I think that's where local business can win over the likes of the big guys.
"Local shops have so much more to offer in terms of the personal service and I think it's important for people to know that what you put into local business comes back around."
Looking towards the future, they hope to continue to grow and support more local projects that will, in turn, benefit the community that has supported them over the last four decades.
Emma added: "In terms of the shop, we'd like to roll out work across all of the premises just to make it more attractive. People just love coming in and having a wander about looking at things and we just want to make that as nice as we can.
"People always tell us they have driven past and wondered what is up the lane and they are so impressed when they come in. I love hearing that and surprising people so we just want to continue to build on this physical space and the community offering."
