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ANVIL ISLAND DESIGN

Company Profile

Hayley Willoughby, daughter of Jack Willoughby, took after her father in many ways. She began her Art career in 2017 and never looked back. Hayley worked alongside Jack and Barb here at Anvil Island Design that same year, helping with the day-to-day office work, as well as creating her own artwork style, experimenting on Jack’s aluminum designs. She now creates beautiful, unique custom pieces of Art for clients across North America and beyond.

Hayley and her partner, Blair LeFebvre, took over the operations here in 2021 when Jack and Barb were ready to enter the retiree life. Our long-time valuable team member Colin Scott (who is still deeply missed here) taught Blair how to operate the back end of the shop, while Hayley ran the shipping and office work.

The couple officially bought the company in 2022 and have loved every minute of learning and growing the business, making Jack proud and carrying on his name and his keen eye for design, symmetry, and style.

Hayley and Blair knew from day one they wanted to launch the company from being not only a wholesale operation providing Artwork to the 60 + stores and galleries but to open it to the public to purchase online, directly from the source.

“People will come into our gallery that we created here at our shop in Nanaimo, and are blown away with how beautiful everything is, but that they had no idea we even existed!”

We want this to change this year and are excited to become well known for the beautiful Westcoast metal Artwork that we create.

Jack lived a wonderful life of 70 years, 40 of which he spent with his bride, Barbara Willoughby. They created Anvil Island Design together and operated it successfully for 30 years. They were always surrounded by loving family and friends, enjoyed boating, travelling, and spent winters in their Palm Springs home.

Jack was going to continue creating artwork for a few galleries in California. He loved the mid-century modern style and started his own line of designs for the lively Palm Springs galleries he discovered there.

Sadly though, Jack became sick in the summer of 2022, and his beloved family had to say goodbye to him that September. It was devastating losing him so quickly without being able to fight the rare aggressive cancer he unknowingly had.

Our lives were turned upside down, and life hasn’t been the same without him. He is missed daily by so many, and we still have family and friends come and visit us at the shop to chat about Jack. ‘The Shop’ as everyone knows it as, was a sentimental social place where Jack loved to catch up with everyone who popped by.

After losing her Dad, Hayley was even more relieved that the company stayed in the family. They are proud to be creating their own designs that compliment Jack’s, and will keep carrying on so more people can enjoy Anvil Island Designs beautiful metal work in their home and garden for years to come.