A Life of Showing Up
At 77, Albert Breault still starts most days before the sun comes up. He’s usually awake by 4 a.m., and by 7 he’s at Breault’s Castle Building Centre, unlocking the doors and getting ready for the day ahead. It’s a routine he’s followed for decades, but to hear Albert tell it, it’s never really felt like work.
“I’ve never worked a day in my life,”. “I go to play every day.”
That mindset says a lot about the kind of business he’s built, and the way he’s chosen to live. For Albert, this was never just about lumber or materials. It was about people, and about building something that mattered to the community around him.
Starting with Very Little
When Albert first arrived in Kirkland Lake, he had very little. “A borrowed suitcase,” he recalls. What he did have, though, was a willingness to work and a drive to learn.
“I came here to relieve a meat manager… and I never left,” he says.
He worked as a meat cutter and took advantage of his carpentry certificate, becoming the biggest contractor in town, which eventually led to opening a building supply store.
He took on whatever jobs he could find, always working more than one at a time, picking up experience wherever he could.
“I just wanted to learn,”. “I didn’t care how I got there.”
Over time, that work led him into construction, full time, and eventually into building something of his own. It didn’t happen overnight. There were setbacks along the way, including fires that forced him to rebuild more than once. But stopping was never really an option.
“You just keep going,”. “That’s all you can do.”
More Than a Store
In Kirkland Lake, Breault’s Castle Building Centre has become known for more than what it sells. It’s a place people rely on, and Albert is clear about why.
At the heart of it all is a simple belief: “We don’t just think local. We think community.”
That belief shows up in the way he runs his business every day. He gives back through the store, supports local organizations, and, when needed, steps in to help people directly. One moment that stands out is a woman who came to him facing the loss of her home. The repairs she needed were far beyond what she could afford. Instead of turning her away, Albert got involved, working with engineers and finding a solution that brought the cost down to something manageable.
“As far as I was concerned,” he explains, “she wasn’t losing her house.”
It’s part of a broader approach Albert has always believed in. He donates 1.5% of all cash sales back into the community, using those funds to support a range of local initiatives.
And for Albert, that’s not above and beyond. It’s simply how things should be done.
The People Around Him
He’s also quick to point out that none of this happens alone. He speaks with pride about his team, his family, and the community that has supported him over the years.
“I didn’t do this alone,”. “You can’t.”
Inside the store, that belief is reflected in the culture. It’s a small team, but one built on trust, respect, and a shared sense of purpose. Customers feel it when they walk in. Some come for materials. Others come just to talk and ask for my advice. Either way, they’re met with the same energy.
“I want my staff to be happy,” Albert says. “Life is too short.”
Connection Through Castle
That same mindset is what has kept him connected to Castle for more than 25 years. To Albert, it’s not just a business network.
“Castle is like family,”. “It’s people helping people.”
He credits Castle with helping him stay competitive while remaining independent, offering both buying power and a network of members who share ideas and support one another. For Albert, that balance matters.
“It helps you grow, but you still get to be who you are,”.
Still Building
Even now, Albert isn’t slowing down. He’s planning a new flooring store in town and exploring opportunities in modular home construction, always looking for ways to better serve his community and keep the business evolving.
But when he talks about success, his focus shifts away from growth or expansion.
During his time away from the store, it’s the simple things he enjoys most. “Moments by the water, sitting on the dock being rocked by the waves, watching the sun go down, gardening, cooking, and spending time with his partner, Lise”, are the ones he describes with warmth in his voice.
“I like to stay busy,” he says with his determined spirit, “But I also like to enjoy it.”
And when he reflects on everything he’s built, the answer is simple.
“I’m proud of what I built and the difference it’s made,” because for him, “it’s not about what you built,”. “It’s about who you helped along the way.”
In Kirkland Lake, that legacy is already clear. It’s easy to see, not just in the business he built, but in the way he continues to show up for the people around him, every single day.
