The Wignells Story
Our story begins with a humble dream over 75 years ago when the late Kev Wignell sought out to bridge the gap between what man has been besotted with for over millions of years and harnessing it’s power to transform any space into a place of gathering around a truly unique, fireplace marvel.
Over four generations later and we still live and breathe the same ethos as the day our great grandfather first open the doors. With a collective of artisan curated fireplaces, industry leading wood and gas heaters, electric and ethanol fires, right through to our exquisite stoves, pizza ovens, even barbecues, and put simply, all the good things that bring people together – it’s what we live for.
We welcome everyone with open arms to help them create the perfect environment for their families and friends, with exquisite bone-warming fires and homely flavoursome feasts.
In 1949, our founder Kev Wignell, a fully qualified marine engineer, saw a high demand for good quality solid fuel stoves and fireplaces. Close to the heart of Melbourne, Kev and his brother would join together and open the first Wignells showroom, in what would be dubbed the “Paris” end of Smith Street, as Kev would affectionately call it as it was an easy destination for people coming into town. “You said Collingwood, they immediately thought of Victoria Park, the Collingwood Football Club, it was so easy for them to find.”
Formerly known as Kev Wignell Trading and with such an array of fireplace choices to choose from, it quickly became a Smith Street institution. Full of wood stoves, combustion heaters, pot belly stoves and insert fireplaces, some harking back to an era even older than the business itself. Travelling from far and wide, Kev Wignell Trading became a one stop shop for those looking for quality, cost effective, efficient cooking and heating systems with exceptional customer service.