True Value Report
Rising to the challenge of staffing A MIDWEST TRUE VALUE STORE OWNER TELLS ITLIKE IT IS — FROM THE FRONT LINES OF STAFFING. BY TIM BURKE.
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oug Johnson is the owner of Johnson True Value Hardware, in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, a town of 1,500 with a colorful history in the heart of the golden Midwest farmlands in central Illinois. Abraham Lincoln himself regularly practiced law at the local courthouse, which is available for tours. Here is where Johnson purchased the former Farmers Hardware in 1996. “I had been behind the scenes in the auto dealership business for years after college and the entrepreneurial spirit got me looking to start my own business,” he said. The trajectory was slow but steady and in 2021 he moved to a new location in town, “and went from 4,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet — and business has been great,” he said. Now we know about Doug, his business roots, and the
26 July/August 2023 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER
The staff at Johnson True Value. From left: Doug Johnson, owner and manager; Abby Jones, customer care; Rene Hubal, assistant manager; and Andy Volle, assistant manager.
town; but what does the overall staffing picture look like for his hardware store? “We are a small closely knit group,” he explained. “Like many small businesses, as owner and manager, I wear many hats — but depend on everyone to share in as many hats and responsibilities as possible.” He has two assistant managers, and five parttime customer care team members. “We have had our share of student employees over the years. Last year’s crop of kids moved on and I waited until this spring to find replacements. With winter and uncertain economic times looming I tried to wait as long as possible to hire new employees,” said the owner. This spring kicked off above expectations, he said, so he recently brought on two high school age part-timers as trainees for the summer. He hopes they will continue into the next school year. “The team is a good cross-section of our community and customer base,” he said. “All of the employees are locals, varying in age from 17-84 years old, evenly split into men and women including the new hires.” Illinois instituted a big minimum wage act effective in 2020, he pointed out. It increased to $10 for
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