The Wignells Story

Our story begins with a humble dream over 60 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.

OUR HERITAGE

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.”

SMITH STREET

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.

A NEW ERA

Today Kev’s son Rick carries on the proud Wignells name, the business now recognised as one of Australia’s leading retailers of quality heating and cooking systems. With two showrooms, one in Abbotsford and a new showroom in Blackburn, Wignells have carefully curated a collection of the leading brands of quality and on trend designed fireplaces and stoves.  We are proud to carry some of the most celebrated local and international brands on the market today.

HOME OF Cheminees Philippe

In 1982, Wignells introduced Europe’s leading fireplace manufacturer Cheminees Philippe to their ever-expanding range of exquisite wood fireplaces. Proud to be the sole Australian agent for Cheminees Philippe fireplaces and the World’s first lift up door fireplace. Importing for over 40 years now, our range continues to meet the growing demands of diverse, high quality architectural hearths, with our Australian distribution network consistently growing. We’re also proud members of the Australian Home Heating Association and proudly support Landcare Australia.
The Home Of Cheminees Philippe