Out of the dust of the defunct market of 1989 came this unknown person that started sending flyers out in your area. You saw more signs of his, both listed and sold, and before you knew it, “he is everywhere”. That may be your best recollection of where you first heard of Chris P. Richie, but believe it or not, there was a Chris Richie before that!

As the youngest child of 6, Chris was raised in a family business north of Sault Ste. Marie, at the foot of Lake Superior. He graduated from cutting grass, cleaning cabins, and pumping gas to waiting on customers in the store and restaurant, of course, all family run. From the earliest days, his parents instilled in him the basics of customer service and the time-tested rule that the customer was always right.

From the family business, Chris moved on to the retail world with Peoples Jewelers. He went on record as the youngest man to run one of their Mappins Jewelers stores. Bigger stores awaited in Southern Ontario with Brampton, Square One, and eventually Burlington, the company’s flagship store…being run by this kid from Northern Ontario!

At the age of 30, Chris made the decision to shift gears, despite his Dad’s concern, and enter the Real Estate Market, thus giving up the security of 14 years with Peoples Jewelers.

The early years in the business saw him selling homes in Brampton which quickly got mundane and repetitive. His country roots brought him to loving the complexity and diversity of working in Caledon and the surrounding area and it quickly became his passion. After working in a couple of smaller firms, Chris Joined a large RE/MAX organization in Brampton and quickly made Caledon his focus.

After several years there he took over a storefront location in Caledon East and put it on the map. Building it to 11 Realtors plus administrative staff the office was quickly recognized as being a dominant force in the area.

By 2006, Chris was looking for the next growth spurt for his personal sales and could not see managing so many people plus focusing on higher things. As a result, he sold that location to a RE/MAX office in Mississauga in order that the Realtors in the office saw little change or upset. With every expectation of opening a private name office, RE/MAX Ontario Atlantic stepped in and offered to allow him to stay with RE/MAX. RE/MAX OA did not want to lose Chris and the business that he brought to the table, let alone have him as competition!

Chris, and then assistant Sean Anderson, opened an office on the 2^nd floor of the same building and kept the, now well known, name RE/MAX In The Hills. This is unheard of and is the only situation in Canada that has two independently owned RE/MAX’s in the same building and only the second in Canada in the same area.

Well, the growth strategy worked and before long Chris and Sean teamed up with two others to become the strongest foursome in the Caledon market. With three support staff, who are always kept hopping, ‘THE RICHIE GROUP’ was formed and has become the force in Rural Caledon Real Estate.

So, the next time you think you are calling the “big wig Realtor” in your area, to help sell your property or buy a new one, remember you are also getting the “Small Town Batchawana Bay Boy”. One thing Chris states he learned long ago is how to put the needs of his clients first, and still stand by what Mom and Dad taught him as a child. The good principles, work ethic, and customer know-how have made him the successful Broker he is today.