OCN staff writer
Morris Kimmel, who founded Westboro Flooring and Decor in 1962, has died.
The family business, now led by his son Steven Kimmel, has developed a reputation as a leading provider of carpets, flooring and interior finishes for the new home building industry, and the company has actively supported and participated in industry associations, especially the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA).
The company’s first location was on Richmond Rd. in Westboro, staffed by only Kimmel and a few employees. The business today includes a 25,000 sq. ft. main showroom and warehouse and a second distribution centre on Colonnade Road, and has more than 60 employees, many of whom have worked with the company for more than 25 years.
Kimmel contributed extensively as a volunteer to the Jewish community, and received the Shem Tov Community Volunteer Award (presented by the Ottawa Citizen) for 2011.
The business has supported several local charities including the Ottawa Heart Institute, The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Westboro also supports the Ottawa Senators, Ottawa Jazz Fest, West Fest, and the Ottawa 67s.
Kimmel was born in Montreal and moved to Ottawa in 1953, when he was 23.
