HHIQ Q4 2025 by Hardlines Inc.

RETAIL REWIRED: THE AGE OF AI PLANNING nside the data-driven revolution trans orming promotions pricing and pro t

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Rebecca Dumais rebecca@hardlines.ca

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REBECCA DUMAIS, EDITOR

A THE POWER OF BALANCE IN A SHIFTING MARKET

s 2025 draws to a close, one theme has become impossible to ignore: balance. e industry is balancing a ordability with innovation, local loyalty with global pressures, and instinct with intelligence—both human and arti cial. is issue of HHIQ dives into how leaders across the channel are walking that tightrope.

In “Meet the Buyers,” senior purchasing executives open up about the complex calculus of sourcing. Whether it’s RONA’s expansion into exclusive brands, Castle’s lumber buyers leaning on gut instinct, or TIMBER MART and BMR blending stability with agility, it’s clear: data matters, but trusted relationships and a sharp eye still carry weight. Buyers today are being asked to do it all—manage tari s, navigate shi ing supply chains, and still deliver the right mix of products at the right price.

Meanwhile, the farm supply sector is undergoing its own transformation.

With Peavey Mart’s exit, retailers from UFA to Home Hardware are stepping in to ll the void for both large-scale farm operators and urban homesteaders. From resilient sourcing strategies to new farm catalogues, dealers are investing in livestock care, gardening,

and backyard chicken-keeping products. It’s a reminder that hardware retail doesn’t just serve projects—it feeds communities.

Pro Corner explores another underleveraged growth engine: equipment rentals. For years, many dealers treated rentals as a customer service perk rather than a pro t centre. But as specialists like Cooper Rentals expand aggressively, independent dealers are realizing that rentals can drive loyalty, boost sales, and deliver returns that rival traditional product margins.

And perhaps the most forward-looking story this quarter: AI in retail.

From Home Hardware pilots to independent dealer adoption, platforms like MarketingBudget.ai are helping retailers rewire everything from yer planning to promotional strategy. Instead of drowning in spreadsheets, category managers can focus on strategy.

Taken together, these stories show an industry in motion. If balance is the word of the year, then adaptability may well be the watchword of the next.

Also, we look forward to meeting our industry peers once again at our 29th Annual Hardlines Conference, which takes place October 21 and 22 at the Fairmont Ban Springs in Ban , Alta. rebecca@hardlines.ca

If balance is the word of the year, then adaptability may well be the watchword of the next. “ ”

NEWSROUNDUP

CASTLE’S DEALER GROWTH CROSSES CANADA

Castle Building Centres Group has had active growth recently, acquiring new dealers in Ontario and the Prairie provinces, plus the expansion of an existing dealer’s business in the Maritimes.

e group ended May on a strong note with the addition of Barbe Aluminium et ls on Montreal’s North Shore, in SteMarthe-sur-le-Lac. Martin Barbe and Sonia Daoust Barbe founded the business over two decades ago. e married duo’s team includes their daughter and son-in-law.

Since then, Castle added a new member in Orillia, Ont. Brent and Sarah Johnston saw an opportunity when a long-time local building centre closed its doors. Together they have launched Johnston Farm & Building Centre.

e group also welcomed a dealer in Western Canada in June. Sky Vision Lumber Inc. has two stores, in Calgary and Cross eld, Alta. Founder and owner Rajesh Goyal operates the business along with general manager Mandeep Singh.

In Saskatchewan, Country side Building Center joined Castle this month. Located in Stenen, a village with a population of about 80, it’s a new venture for brothers Nathan and Jeremy Penner, custom builders who’ve supplied and installed building products for nearly 20 years.

On the other side of the country, Targetts Windows & Doors, a Castle member in the Fredericton, N.B.area, now has a second location in the nearby community. Owners Nick ebeau and Jody Hanson have joined with a third partner, Zac Corey, who will also take on the role of chief operating o cer. ebeau remains CEO and president, with Hanson continuing as vice-president and advisor.

Targetts Windows & Doors, a Castle member in Fredericton, N.B., has taken over a new location in the nearby community. It’s just one of the ways Castle members are expanding their footprint throughout Canada.

Two other signings are both in the Greater Toronto Area. A ordable Construction Supplies was founded in 2015 by Serge Deo, which began with one location in

PEAVEY MART IS MAKING A COMEBACK WITH A HANDFUL OF STORES IN ALBERTA

Earlier this fall, Peavey Mart made a surprise announcement that it would “relaunch.” espite efforts to reﬁnance or ﬁnd a new home for the Peavey brand, the Red eer, Alta. based chain had closed all of its plus stores by April of this year. Then the latest rumour emerged of the opening of a select group of Alberta stores, owned by a group of investors. ocations were to be reopened in pruce Grove, estlock, Camrose, and acombe this fall and include a familiar lineup of products as

were in the stores before they closed. Peavey Mart stores will reﬂect the needs of customers by providing reliable and relevant products, focusing on high quality, unique, and locally sourced items that highlight the Canadian entrepreneurial spirit, said the company in a release.

Peavey Mart, a division of Peavey ndustries, had almost d stores and was growing into a national presence before being hit with ﬁnancing difﬁculties. At the time, other

Mississauga and expanded into Hamilton last year. House of Flooring in Mississauga, Ont., was founded a decade ago by Javed Iqbal, and expanded into retail with his sons, Javed Khuram and Ahtesham Javed. ey’re now entering the building materials sector, to target pro contractors.

retailers, including Home Hardware tores, BMR Group, and Canadian Tire, all sharpened their focus on the farm and ranch market.

The revival will bring back the Peavey Mart that people know and love—a Peavey Mart focused on the needs of the farmer, rancher, acreage owner, and homesteader, with a strong emphasis on providing value for dollars spent in our stores, the Peavey release continued. More information will be released in the coming weeks, and we invite you to celebrate with us as we look forward to providing the service and selection of hardware and a whole lot more that customers have relied on for decades.

PROS, HOME BUILDING ARE SPOTLIGHTED AT HOME HARDWARE HOMECOMING

Eomecoming, the Home Hardware dealer trade show, celebrated its fourth iteration at Toronto’s Enercare Centre, Sept. 11 and 12. e event featured about a third more vendors than last year.

Beaver Homes & Cottages was a centrepiece of the trade show. Home Hardware sta were o ering a virtual reality option to dealers. e viewer wore a headpiece and manipulated two controllers to “walk through” one of nine available models. Plans and complete house kits are available from participating Home Hardware Building Centres and Home Building Centres, and this is Home Hardware’s response to the housing crisis. is show put the Home Hardware Pro marketing front and centre. Not only has Home Hardware been putting on travelling Pro Road Shows for more than 20 years, but you can expect to see an expanded Pro team as part of Home

Hardware Store Ltd.’s 2026 strategy.

Expansion in major appliances from Home Hardware is also in the o ering for 2026. is section of the show took up a larger space than usual, with key brands such as GE Appliances and LG. A kitchen and bath showcase was also prominent.

Home Hardware also presented its Burford, Ont.-based paint plant prominently. A few days before the show, it had named its 2026 BeautiTone Colour of the Year: Muse. e shade is a “deep, moody green,” said Kristen Gear, lead design and colour specialist for Home Hardware.

One of the ways that Home Hardware is attempting to solve a national problem has been dubbed a “National Readiness Program,” said Dan Cassidy, director of hardlines merchandising for Home Hardware Stores Ltd. e wild res and oods that have hit Canada in recent years are not likely to diminish, Cassidy said.

In response, Home Hardware is presenting a department of preventive power products, which includes solar panels, household energy storage (batteries), portable generators and power stations, wind power, and more. Some of this is currently presented under Home Hardware’s Omni brand. And some of it is carried under Home Hardware’s well-known Benchmark brand. Cassidy said that this cluster of products will be expanded in 2026.

BRIEFLY

TIMBER MART PLANS

RELOCATION OF LANGLEY DC

TIMBER MART will relocate its Langley, B.C., LBM distribution centre to a newly purchased 45,000-square-foot facility in the same city. Situated near the TransCanada Highway, the new warehouse will be “a great asset for our members in B.C.,” CEO and president Bernie Owens said in a release. The property will be retroﬁtted to suit the group’s business needs and is expected to open in the second half of 2026.

HOME HARDWARE LAUNCHES FARM CATALOGUE

Home Hardware Stores Ltd. is expanding its range of products for farm and ranch. The assortments are being supported by the retailer’s “Farm Assortment Catalogue,” which was launched in June. It highlights existing agricultural products along with new items that have been added to the lineup. They range from livestock feed, stall mats, and fencing to feed pans, buckets, welding wire, and farming attire.

HOME DEPOT FINDS

MILLENNIALS PREPARE EARLY FOR HALLOWEEN

Halloween is big for Home Depot, extending the dominance the retailer has been solidifying in the category since it debuted its 12-foot Skelly monster in 2020. The company says Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) plan Halloween much earlier than preceding generations. Almost two-thirds of Millennial Canadians start planning their decorations before October, with 44 percent decorating in September or earlier.

HOME DEPOT CANADA BREAKS GROUND ON ITS FIRST NEW STORE IN A DECADE

The Home Depot has announced that it will open its newest Canadian store in Fort McMurray, Alta., in May 2026. It’s the market leader’s 183rd store in this country. e last time Home Depot opened a store in Canada was on April 12, 2015, in Vaughan, Ont. e Fort McMurray store will be Home Depot’s 28th store in Alberta. It’s also the most northernmost Home Depot store in Canada, expanding the retailer’s presence in the province’s oil and gas industry.

Located at Quarry Ridge Drive, this newest location will be 80,000 square feet in size, which is smaller than most other Home Depot stores in Canada. ey typically weigh in at 100,000 square feet or more, plus another 30,000-square-foot garden centre. Features will include an optimized, exible checkout and customer service area, specialty showrooms with merchandising displays and layouts, a large garden centre, tool rental centre, and storage area for customers’ online order pickups.

“We look forward to continuing to grow in Canada,” said Vinod Nalajala, presi-

dent of e Home Depot Canada. “Fort McMurray is a dynamic community in the heart of a region experiencing momentum from the forestry, construction, oil and gas sectors.”

Over the past decade, when new store openings and adding new members have been the growth mandate of so many other home improvement groups, Home Depot Canada has until now held fast with its store count. Instead, it has focused on driving more sales out of its existing store footprint and through digital sales.

Strategies have included creating bricksand-mortar shopping environments that are “low touch” and encourage as much self-service as possible and expanding Home Depot’s services to pros and contractors. During Covid, it expanded its décor and home products assortments and ramped up its o erings of high-turnover consumable products, along with focusing on streamlining its supply chain.

As with past openings, the retailer has made e orts to connect with the local community. In this case, its charitable arm, the Home Depot Canada Foundation, has partnered with a local Wood’s Homes, a provincial mental health centre that provides treatment and support for children, young people, adults, and families with mental health needs.

Home Depot is providing a $10,000 grant to this agency and its Stepping Stones Youth Services program, which provides a short-term, secure haven for young people in Fort McMurray.

BRIEFLY

BMR NEWEST MEMBER IN OUTAOUAIS REGION

BMR Group has expanded its network in the Outaouais region of Quebec through the acquisition of a new location by BMR member Émile Charette & Fils. The former Comptoir agricole alette has been ofﬁcially rebranded as BMR Express Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette. Émile Charette & Fils was founded as a general store in 1956. In 1993, it was taken over by the family of Josée Levert, who remains its owner.

HOME HARDWARE DEALER CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Osoyoos Home Hardware in British Columbia’s Southern Interior celebrated 40 years in business last month. Owner Frances Sologuk paid tribute to the staff, the customers, and the community. he also reﬂected on what a business means in a small town: “We care about you, we care about our community, and we care about our staff,” Sologuk said.

DOLLARAMA HAS STRONG SALES

Dollarama reported its second-quarter results. Sales increased by 10.3 percent to $1.72 billion, from $1.56 billion a year earlier. Comp store sales in Canada increased by 4.9 percent, over and above 4.7 percent growth in the corresponding period of the previous year. The retailer added 27 net new stores in Canada during the quarter.

AD GROUP SEES RECORD SALES GROWTH

Afﬁliated istributors A , which includes A Building Supplies – Canada, announced that member sales rose by 25 percent to a record U . billion in the ﬁrst half of . A consists of 13 divisions operating in three countries: Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

The Fort McMurray store will be Home Depot’s 28th in Alberta. It’s also the northernmost Home Depot store in Canada.

LOWE’S, HOME DEPOT PURSUE PROS WITH LATEST ACQUISITIONS

n Aug. 20, Lowe’s Cos. announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Foundation Building Materials of Santa Ana, Calif., one of the largest GSDs in North America. e price is approximately US$8.8 billion, and the deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

e acquisition of Foundation is a counterpunch by Lowe’s to Home Depot’s acquisition of a major GSD. Home Depot announced on June 30 that it would commence a tender o er to buy all outstanding shares of Gypsum Management and Supply Inc. (GMS) for a total of approximately US$4.3 billion.

Lowe’s agreement to acquire FBM has interesting Canadian implications. It would put Lowe’s back into this country a er it exited entirely in February 2023. At that

time, the company completed the sale of RONA, Dick’s Lumber, and Réno-Dépôt to Sycamore Partners, a New York-based private equity rm. It seemed that Lowe’s was done with Canada.

Lowe’s was in Canada for 15 years. It opened its own stores in this country in 2007 and then purchased RONA inc. for $3.2 billion in 2016. It subsequently endured a period where it was reportedly unhappy with its Canadian holdings before unloading the company to Sycamore Partners for $400 million, a seemingly low price—compared to the original purchasing price. Since then, RONA has closed some Lowe’s stores and converted the rest to RONA+.

In North America, FBM is a large GSD, with a network of 370 locations, including in Canada, and serving some 40,000 pro customers. It generated some US$6.5 billion

CANADIAN TIRE PURSUES LOYALTY EXPANSION AND HUDSON’S BAY REBRANDING

anadian ire orp. reported healthy nancials or the second quarter o scal . Quarterly revenues of $4.2 billion represented a 5.2 percent increase from a year earlier. In Canadian Tire’s Retail businesses, both overall sales and comp sales rose by 6.4 percent, while retail revenues rose by 5.3 percent compared to the previous Q2.

During the quarter, CTC’s loyalty strategy continued to play a key role in its performance. “Loyalty spend is up across every income level we track,” CEO and president Greg Hicks told analysts on an earnings call. Not only did the Triangle Rewards program increase its active membership base by 6.0 percent last year, he noted, but “more of our

members are shopping across our banners.”

Hicks pointed out that 14 Canadian Tire Retail stores have been given a refresh so far this year, with more planned through the balance of 2025. That includes a focus on the essentials and lower-ticket categories. For example, stores are currently revamping their hand tool departments to respond to consumers’ inclination to make smaller purchases.

The quarter also saw the announcement that Canadian Tire and WestJet would combine forces to offer an enhanced loyalty program, which will leverage the strengths of Triangle and WestJet Rewards. “We expect these partnerships to be in market for the ﬁrst half of , said Hicks.

in revenue in its latest scal year and had about $635 million in adjusted EBITDA. FBM yards in Canada, formerly known as Winroc, are represented by 27 outlets across the country. FBM had purchased the Canadian operations from Superior Plus, a Toronto-based gas distributor. e price for that 2016 deal was US$325 million.

He also observed that the Buy Canadian sentiment remains strong. “While it’s tough to quantify, we have no doubt that patriotic purchasing is real and working in our favour. Simply put, Canadians are visiting us more.”

At the same time, Hicks gave an update on CTC’s plans for the intellectual property it acquired from Hudson’s Bay Co. as part of the latter’s liquidation process. The acquisition includes the brand identity of the former HBC—now renamed Rupert Legacy—and its iconic stripe motif.

Hicks said that response from Canadians to the deal has been “overwhelmingly positive,” but that Canadian Tire is proceeding carefully. “When it comes to stewarding the stripes, we’d rather be right than fast.

“That said, Canadians can expect to see some updates and fun initiatives starting in Q4 of this year, with our meaningful product presence rolling out in the back half of 2026.”

ZELLERS GETS A REBOOT WITH CANADIAN OWNERSHIP

The Zellers retail brand has been revived. e rst store is in North Edmonton at the Londonderry Mall. It occupies approximately 60,000 square feet on the main oor of the former Hudson’s Bay, which was closed in June.

In a release, the mall’s landlord, Leyad, states, “the newly reimagined Zellers will o er a wide range of stylish clothing lines for women, men, and youth, alongside contemporary home décor—blending the brand’s rich heritage with modern design and value-driven o erings.”

Zellers was the former discount department store banner owned by Hudson’s Bay Co. e banner had been terminated 30 years ago but enjoyed a minor revival during the Covid pandemic when HBC re-introduced the banner in pop-up form in multiple locations, including Toronto and Kingston, Ont.

When HBC led for creditor protection back in March, Canadian Tire Corp. stepped

in and acquired the venerable retailer’s brands and images, but the Zellers assets were not part of the deal. e new Zellers store at Londonderry Mall occupies about half of the space formerly used by HBC. e owners behind the relaunch of Zellers are the same group that owns Designer

EXPECT MODERATE INDUSTRY GROWTH AHEAD: SPECIAL REPORT

The retail home improvement industry experienced crazy sales growth through Covid. But the fallout represented a year of correction for most dealers and retail groups nationwide in 2024. That’s the conclusion of the latest research by the editors of Hardlines in this year’s Hardlines Annual Retail Report. This year’s Retail Report has determined a real slowdown in sales across all regions, with a glimmer of hope that things are picking up through the rest of 2025. The retail home improvement market in Canada experienced negative growth in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of negative overall growth by the industry. Nevertheless, the industry

remains well above pre-Covid sales levels, when 2019 sales were $45.5 billion.

The exclusive study, presented in a whopping 150-slide PowerPoint deck, examines the overall growth of the industry, based on the responses of hundreds of dealers across Canada. In addition, we’ve examined the annual reports of major public retailers and analyzed and weighted the sales of the buying groups and co-ops that make up the industry in Canada.

Hardlines Inc. studies and measures sales and business conditions and trends related to hardware stores, building centres and home centres, and specialty big box stores. In

Depot, which was actually formed by HBC in 2004 as a discount division. at business was later sold to INC Group, which has maintained 10 locations across the country. According to its website, INC also owns such retail banners as Fairweather, International Clothiers, Les Ailes, and Pinstripe.

addition, Canadian Tire is part of our coverage and due to its unique format, constitutes a retail category of its own.

The retail hardware and home improvement industry comprises about 7.0 percent of all retail sales in Canada, making it an important—and all too often overlooked— part of the economy.

This industry encompasses the sector’s large retail chains, as well as buying groups, co-ops, and strong regional players. Hardlines has been tracking the retail home improvement industry in Canada since 1997.

To learn more about this report, go to our website: hardlines.ca/publications/annual-retail-report.

HBC reintroduced the Zellers banner in pop-up form in multiple locations, including Toronto and Kingston, Ont.

BY REBECCA DUMAIS

REWIRING RETAIL

How AI is reshaping planning, promotions and pro t

In an era of rapidly evolving consumer behavior and razorthin margins, retailers aren’t just trying to keep up—they’re trying to see around the next corner. Increasingly, the secret weapon helping them do that isn’t a splashy new campaign or a viral product. It’s arti cial intelligence.

At the centre of this transformation is MarketingBudget.ai, a platform founded by retail tech veteran Rahim Kassam— who was also a co-founder of CrossCap, which powered planning for brands like Walmart, Sephora, and Sobeys. Kassam’s latest venture tackles one of retail’s most stubborn and long-standing challenges: how to allocate the right product to the right space, at the right time—not by gut instinct, but by data-driven precision.

It’s not about replacing people. It frees your category managers to focus on strategy, instead of fighting with spreadsheets.

One of the most visible pilots of the platform took place at Home Hardware, under the leadership of Chris Parsons, their former senior director of marketing.

“I managed a budget north of $50 million,” Parsons explains. “Everything from print yers and paid media to e-commerce and research. And this tool changed how we built our annual operating plan.”

THE AI THAT THINKS LIKE A RETAILER

For decades, building a yearly yer or category plan required cross-functional meetings, clunky spreadsheets, and more memory-jogging than any planner should have to endure.

With MarketingBudget.ai’s NeuroLink platform, retailers can now input historical

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sales data, layer in competitor performance, and instantly generate optimized marketing calendars, category allocations, and yer recommendations. It doesn’t replace the planner—it supercharges them, turning months of guesswork into minutes of high-level insight.

It’s not about replacing people, Parsons clari es. It “frees your category managers to focus on strategy, instead of ghting with spreadsheets.”

e system works much like ChatGPT or Gemini for retail planning, allowing you to ask direct, strategy-focused questions like what the competitors ran in Week 20, what categories should get the front cover, and how did certain yers perform last quarter—and why?

It can even adjust plans on the y: remove

Annual planning chart. rompt entered: ’m planning the rst wee s o and I need your recommendations on how I should allocate my space. Please use my competitor’s data rom and to provide recommendations. need you to provide a table with rows or the categories columns or the wee s and the percent allocations or each wee .

apparel, bump up seasonal tools, or shi inventory strategy by region—all while accounting for seasonality, pricing dynamics, and local trends.

FROM DATA COLLECTION TO REAL INSIGHT

Parsons puts it bluntly: “Retailers don’t have a data problem, (it’s) an insights problem.”

Every retail team tracks sales—but few can say why sales changed. AI changes that. It dives deep into promotion history, inventory patterns, and competitor movements to connect the dots.

One example: Home Hardware discovered a major yer underperformance wasn’t due to store setup or creative. It was because Home Depot had a nearly identical item priced $30 cheaper in the same week. Before AI, that intel might never have been caught—or surfaced far too late. With NeuroLink, the insight was immediate, enabling teams to negotiate smarter, adjust pricing strategies, and prevent costly mistakes from recurring.

“We had so much to learn in our rst year of business and always felt Sexton’s support along the way. The entire team is approachable & willing to help. As a newer business, we have never once felt insigni cant. From the President to Sales to Accounting, we know Sexton is just a phone call away and that responsiveness to all members is their biggest commitment. Sexton Group acts as an extension of our own team with a personal investment in our success. We would not be where we are today without the Sexton Group.”

Devon and Kelsey Brooks, Brooks Building Supplies

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INSIGHTS FROM THE FRONT LINES

According to Randy DelMastro, director, strategy and insights at Home Hardware, AI has transformed how quickly and condently his teams can act.

“ e tool allows us to quickly compare category space allocation across competitors in real time to help understand our performance,” he explains. “We also use this to help us allocate space for the next planning cycle—especially on key strategic priority categories we want to grow. e tool gives us a quick, high-level snapshot on how we did

comparatively with price on exact or similar items. And with customer queries, di erent team members can quickly propose scenarios to support decisions or provide insight into outcomes.”

AI isn’t just a support tool—it’s reshaping roles. “We’ve expanded the use of the tool to pricing, merchandising, and loyalty teams,” DelMastro adds. “ e feedback from team members has already led to improvements. Yes, roles are shi ing, but in a way that elevates strategy over routine tasks.”

And when it comes to speed? “ e single biggest bene t is how fast you can get

Top: Comparing retailer strategy charts. Bottom: Product market analysis charts

insight,” DelMastro says. “ at speed challenges some long-standing instincts in retail, but it also builds con dence in the data.”

REAL RESULTS FOR REAL RETAILERS

Dealers are already seeing the on-theground impact of this tech evolution—particularly through a tool called NeuroLink, which connects AI intelligence directly into store-level operations.

“What I like is how practical the reports are,” says Ryan Buck, dealer/owner of Buck’s Home Building Centre. “ ey line up with the days that matter, like truck days and yer breaks. I can spot stockouts before they become a problem and adjust my orders. I’m looking forward to leveraging NeuroLink’s AI insights to plan my orders for next year.”

Joel Pletch, dealer/owner at Walkerton Home Hardware, adds: “NeuroLink gives me a clear view of how our promotional items are performing in the market. I can see which items are moving, where stock is getting tight, and how we stack up against competitors. It’s helping me make smarter buying decisions week to week.”

And for Tyler Nowochin, dealer/owner of Nowco and Rimbey Home Hardware stores: “NeuroLink is the next evolution in retail. It has given us access to data that was otherwise unavailable—like competitor sales volumes and in-stock positions for our promotions—in a clear and consumable format. is technology allows us to stay competitive in our markets when we are ghting for every penny the consumer spends.”

FLYERS, FRONT COVERS, AND DIGITAL BALANCE

“ e instinct is always to put big-ticket items like patio sets on the cover,” says Parsons. “But a lot of the stores are under 5,000 square feet. ey don’t even have the

space to showcase those items properly.”

By shi ing large-format goods to onlineonly deals—and saving yer space for fast-turning SKUs—Home Hardware was able to increase both store pro tability and online conversions.

Because the AI measures channel performance per item, it can recommend where each product belongs: in-store, in print, or in pixels.

WIN-LOSS REPORTS— EVERY WEEK

One of the most popular features? e weekly “win-loss” report. Retailers can now track:

• Where they beat the competition in promotions

• Where they lost—and why

• Which categories are trending up or down

• What items are gathering dust in inventory limbo

DelMastro explains: “In our environment, we stabilize central promotional pricing because of the wholesale model. Individual dealers act with agility. We use the win/loss to help explain performance and longer-term pricing decisions.”

“I used to get that kind of post-mortem

once a quarter,” Parsons adds, of his role at Home Hardware.

Now, he says, users can get them in 24 hours and have time to change their plan before it’s locked.

at feedback loop—fast, speci c, and actionable—is changing the entire rhythm of retail marketing.

AI-driven insights aren’t only internal— they’re also strengthening external partnerships. “Win/loss insights give us data to help strengthen our negotiation position,” says DelMastro. “It creates a more transparent, fact-based conversation with vendors and co-op partners.”

A SECRET WEAPON FOR AGENCIES

“Most brands don’t know why a campaign worked—or didn’t,” says Parsons, who now serves as vice-president of marketing at Hale, a London, Ont.-based marketing agency. “Maybe it wasn’t the website speed or the checkout process. Maybe the competition just ran a better o er. With this platform, I can tell my clients exactly what happened.”

For CPG and DTC brands alike, real-time market positioning is becoming the new table stakes.

WHAT’S NEXT: PERSONALIZATION, AUTOMATION & AI CO-PLANNERS

Looking ahead, the roadmap is rich with evolution: automated yer creation, segmented campaign wireframes, and even hyper-personalized promotional planning by customer type or region.

Soon, AI co-pilots won’t just tell you what to promote, but also how, where, and to whom—all in real time.

MarketingBudget.ai is already making waves beyond home improvement— expanding into industries like grocery, where margins are even tighter and timing is everything.

Parsons’ new book, Retail Rewired, a deep dive into the operational shi happening under our feet, is available on Amazon.

Because in the age of AI, retail isn’t just changing.

It’s being rewired.

Parsons’ new book, Retail Rewired, is available on Amazon.

Above: Promo recommendations and percent allocations. Right: Prompt type selections.

THREE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS THAT COUNT

AGE: 36

Danielle Brown

HOMETOWN: Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, N.L.

OCCUPATION: Red Seal Plumber

EMPLOYER: Memorial University

Danielle Browne was the rst female plumber in Newfoundland. She says there might be “about ten” nowadays. She is striving hard to see that number increase.

Danielle has worked as a Red Seal plumber for Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L., for the last 14 years.

“When I joined Memorial, I’d had my ve years of commercial construction and it’s not what my ADHD brain likes,” she says. “I love what the university brings: service and maintenance. It’s such an old campus and I’m always busy working on something cool.”

Danielle got her training at the College of the North Atlantic in Bonavista, N.L., three hours north of St. John’s. “I did my ninemonth block there, taking two advanced plumbing courses.”

Danielle is a well-known in uencer and advocate for women in the trades. She works alongside carpenters, millwrights, electricians, and engineers at the university. ey even have glass blowers and welders on sta .

She goes by the Instagram nickname of @thelittlestplumber. “When I go to these trade shows in the U.S., they usually say to me: ‘You’re not so little!’ I’m ve foot six inches tall. en I have to tell them it’s based on a famous Canadian TV show, e Littlest Hobo.”

AGE: 29

Sasha Kassis Shannon Tymosko

@thelittlestplumber @sasha the carpenter @lady.voltz

HOMETOWN: Fort-Coulogne, Que.

RESIDENCE: Ucluelet, B.C.

OCCUPATION: Owner, Wildside Construction

Sasha Kassis rst set foot on a construction site about ten years ago in Edmonton. “I got into construction once I had gured out that working indoors would be the cause of my misery.”

“It wasn’t necessarily a passion at rst,” says the owner of Wildside Construction on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

“I went through so many moments where I just wanted to quit. I was sick of the toxic lifestyle, I was sick of the bosses I was getting. For the rst couple of years, the pay wasn’t good—asking for a raise was almost impossible. And then I just decided to quit—and start nding some more bosses.

“And then I realized, okay, some people do pay fairly. Some people will treat you right.

“When I went to work for Wiener Construction, it made me believe there’s actual potential in the construction industry. ey treated people great, there was great crew morale, barbecues every Friday. We even had Funky Fridays. It was just day and night compared to all the companies I had been working with. And that’s when I was like, okay, I want this!”

As well as a tireless advocate for women in the construction business, Sasha tries hard to be an enlightened boss. “As an owner, it’s my responsibility to not set unrealistic deadlines on time and stu . Employees need to change. Bosses need to change.”

AGE: 36

HOMETOWN: Keswick, Ont.

OCCUPATION: Fourth-year Electrical Apprentice

UNION: IBEW Local 105

A week before this interview, Shannon was laid o from her gig at the Hamilton Airport. “I’ll have to go back to the union and look for work,” she said. “I’m going to take a little break.”

Originally, she went to school for a semester of accounting. She then worked at a youth shelter and also took a child and youth worker program at Humber College. She worked at a payday loan company while going to school.

But Shannon was in her late twenties when she found out what she really wanted to do.

“My best friend, Matt, bought a house. With the help of YouTube, we renovated his basement and did his bathroom. I enjoyed this.”

rough her local YWCA, and Mohawk College, Shannon got her training in electrical—and has never looked back.

“I have a true passion for this educational piece. Apprenticeship is a potential career path that young people need to know about.”

Shannon believes that young people need and deserve a hand up. She writes on Instagram: “If you have the courage to reach out for help, I promise to meet you with compassion, empathy, and support. I believe that seeking help takes immense bravery. And I’m committed to providing you with all the time and resources I can to help you achieve your goals.”

ACT THE BALANCING

FROM THE EDITORS OF HARDLINES

How Buyers Weigh Risk, Reward, and What’s Next

Emerging brands vs. trusted suppliers. Gut instinct vs. predictive analytics. With global disruptions reshaping supply lines, industry buyers reveal how they’re making the tough calls—and what excites them for the year ahead.

Isabelle Giguère

CATEGORY DIRECTOR:

TOOLS & HARDWARE

RONA inc., Boucherville, Que.

In the current climate of evolving consumer priorities, what trends are you seeing most inﬂuence your purchasing decisions—sustainability, smart tech integration, or affordability?

A ordability is increasingly important to our customers. We’ve seen a rise in customers looking for more value. Our recent launch of our new private brand Valu+ has been exceptionally well received, o ering the best everyday value on essential products like power tool accessories, hand tools, hardware essentials, cleaning products, and many more categories. ere’s also strong interest in products that combine sustainability with practical functionality. A good example is high-performance batteries and tools designed to last longer and work faster, which is exactly what professionals are looking for. e technology not only helps them work faster and more e ciently but also extends the lifespan of the product, reducing frequent replacements.

How do you balance risk and reward when considering new or emerging brands versus long-established suppliers?

My team and I have extensive experience, supported by strong partners who enable us to take calculated, high-impact risks. A great example was the 2024 rollout of the 100 Dewalt Shop-in-Shop experience, as well as the launch of our exclusive Tilley Tu workwear line, RONA’s rst venture into this category.

In other cases, we approach new brands and categories with a “test and learn” mindset, starting small with a subset of stores to evaluate nancial performance, while staying close to our operators who provide immediate feedback, allowing us to learn

fast and quickly adapt based on customers’ response and operational t.

It’s all about balance. Over the past two years, we’ve partnered with top vendors in an e ort to make RONA the number-one destination in Canada for customers with the top brands, latest products, and widest selection. Now, we’re introducing exclusive lines to strengthen customer loyalty.

What role does data (POS analytics, customer feedback, predictive modelling) play in your sourcing strategy, and where do you still rely on gut instinct or vendor relationships?

We rely heavily on data to track results, forecast trends, and identify new opportunities. Technology makes it easier for us to make quick decisions, freeing up time to better understand customers and connect with both our operators and vendors.

My team and I spend a day each week visiting stores, which allows us to bring data to life and tell the story. We gather feedback from our pro and commercial customers through our outside sales force team along with our over 200 a liate dealers.

Rigour in tracking results and acting on them is crucial, not only for my team but also for our vendors, who are equally attentive in an evolving market where past performance doesn’t guarantee the future.

How are supply chain disruptions and shifting global manufacturing landscapes inﬂuencing your lead times inventory planning, or vendor relationships?

Strong planning, close vendor collaboration, and accurate forecasting are key. We’ve adapted by building greater exibility into our planning, diversifying sourcing, and increasing collaboration with vendors to anticipate potential delays. Working closely with our vendor partners and forecasting team proactively rather than reactively is key. Covid gave us the experience to navigate any situation (although who wouldn’t say ‘no’ to some stability from time to time?).

What innovations—whether productbased or operational—are you most excited about in the next 12 months?

I’m excited about how we transform our in-store environment to support our customers’ needs with new reasons to shop in-store while capturing online sales penetration is increasing. I’m also excited about AI helping us streamline processes, and bring new products that will transform our industry to build and renovate more e ciently, more intelligently, and more sustainably!

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Kelvin Johnston

SENIOR BUYER, COMMODITY LUMBER AND PANELS

Castle Building Centres Group, Mississauga, Ont.

In the current climate of evolving consumer priorities, what trends are you seeing that most inﬂuence your purchasing decisions?

e biggest thing that our stores are seeing from the consumer is that some consumers are saying that they don’t want to look at American products—as far as composite decking. So that whole grocery thing, where customers don’t want to look at American products, is spilling over to the LBM side, too. And we want to provide our members with options, so that they can say, “Oh, we have this Canadian rm. Or we have this one here, from Indonesia.” And this isn’t me telling anyone who to buy from. But when the consumer walks in and says, “We need options,” we need to have some options available to our members.

How do you balance risk and reward when considering new or emerging brands versus long established suppliers?

A new vendor would have a shorter leash than an existing vendor. So, if a new vendor comes in to see us and says, “Oh, I have a new product line in the same category,” we will sometimes reply with: “I’ll sign you as a vendor, but don’t screw up, right?” Simple logic. One thing that might be counter to that is that some of

these long-term vendors, they’re all getting eaten up by the bigger guys. Well, the problem is now that you lose that relationship you do have. Now you’re with a large multinational. If there’s a problem on accounting or nancing or rebates, good luck trying to nd somebody to answer a question.

What role does data play in your sourcing strategy? Or do you still rely on gut instinct and vendor relationships?

My wife used to ask me, how did you decide on what to buy? What data did you use?

And I’m like, “I’m an old school lumber guy!” It’s a gut feeling. Now I use lots of data, lots of information. And I talk to lots of people. But AI is not going to take my job away. Sometimes you have to go out there and start buying when nobody else is buying. When the market is awful. And you go out and start buying because that’s the bottom. Or close to it.

How are supply chain disruptions and shifting global manufacturing landscapes inﬂuencing your lead times, inventory planning, or vendor relationships?

I would say the supply chain disruptions that came with Covid are sorted out now, especially on lumber. But I would say the

of this and threats of that. So we are, as a country, looking for other options. Where else can we buy or sell our products? I was reading about a guy that was 10 percent European on his aluminum sales. Everything else went to the U.S. Now he’s 80 percent Europe and doesn’t foresee himself going back to the United States to sell his aluminum. He’s got the attitude that he can do business with Europe. He

The biggest thing that our stores are seeing from the consumer is that some consumers are saying that they don’t want to look at American products. “ ”

biggest supply chain disruption right now is because of the current U.S. government’s threats of tari s and duties, and threats

can do ne. He can run his business and make his money. And it won’t be threatened by 50 percent tari s next week.

Why JRTech? #988

“As a retail store owner, I can’t recommend JRTech’s Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) enough. These digital price tags have revolutionized our retail operations, customer experience, and have saved us time and money. By optimizing pricing and reducing labour time in picking orders and replenishing inventory, we have seen increased profitability. As well, our staff now has more time available to perform other tasks such as customer service. Customers expect synchronicity between our store locations including online. This can be tough to manage without the use of ESL’s. Consistent pricing allows us to avoid price haggling, and at the same time, the tech savvy in-store experience helps maintain or even improve customer loyalty and satisfaction. In summary, JRTech’s ESL’s are a game-changer. If you want efficiency, accuracy, and a competitive edge, I suggest taking a serious look at implementing them.

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Karine Laramée

DIRECTOR, MERCHANDISING

BMR Group, Boucherville, Que.

In the current climate of evolving consumer priorities, what trends are you seeing most inﬂuence your purchasing decisions—sustainability, smart tech integration, or affordability?

At rst glance, I would say that a ordability has become an important deciding factor for DIY and pro consumers, so it strongly in uences our purchasing decisions. We have streamlined several product ranges to concentrate our volumes and o er better prices without a ecting product quality, because sustainability remains an important criterion, and we are concerned about our ecological footprint.

How do you balance risk and reward when considering new or emerging brands versus long-established suppliers?

For my categories of plumbing and electrical, product reliability and compliance are essential. Established suppliers guarantee stability and performance, but emerging brands o en bring innovation and agility, enabling us to better meet the expectations of a constantly evolving market. We integrate them through pilot projects in certain markets, closely monitoring the results, with the aim of diversifying our o ering without compromising the integrity of our product selection, to build a complete portfolio that meets consumer needs while also creating excitement.

What role does data (POS analytics, customer feedback, predictive modelling) play in your sourcing strategy, and where do you still rely on gut instinct or vendor relationships?

Data plays a central role in our strategy: POS analytics help us adjust our product range, customer feedback guides our choices, and predictive modeling optimizes our inventory levels. at said, in sensitive areas such as a complete category reset, the choice of an innovation, or complex negoti-

supply sources. We are working even more closely with our partners to improve transparency and responsiveness. For plumbing and electrical supplies, this agility has become essential to maintaining continuity and quality in the services we o er to our customers.

Established suppliers guarantee stability and performance, but emerging brands often bring innovation and agility. “ ”

ations, our instincts, and the relationships of trust we have built with our partners remain essential.

How are supply chain disruptions and shifting global manufacturing landscapes inﬂuencing your lead times inventory planning, or vendor relationships?

Disruptions and changes in the global manufacturing landscape have profoundly altered the way we plan. Delivery times have become more volatile, prompting us to increase our stocks of sensitive products and diversify our

What innovations—whether productbased or operational—are you most excited about in the next 12 months?

We have several innovations in development, but the one I am most excited about is the launch of more than 75 new products under our own private brand, Fixel, in the plumbing and electrical categories. As I mentioned earlier, in a context where a ordability has become a decisive factor, this brand and the products we o ers have been designed to provide reliable and a ordable solutions tailored to market needs. is is a concrete response to growing demand!

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John Magri

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Sexton Group Ltd., Winnipeg, Man.

When choosing between what trend is leading the way—sustainability, smart tech integration, or a ordability—John Magri says it’s a mix of all three.

“But sustainability is leading the way in many of our members’ decisions. Many are drawn to brands that prioritize eco-friendly practices, like biodegradable packaging, ethical sourcing, and carbon-neutral shipping. Also, now more than ever, the country of origin plays a role in how we evaluate a product,” he said, adding that to stay ahead of the game, it’s critical to have smart technology.

Customers look for features like appcontrolled locks, adaptive lighting, and energy-e cient HVAC systems, not just for convenience, but to help reduce energy. A ordability is also a major factor.

“Our members are more cost-conscious than ever. Even in construction and renovation, I’ve noticed a shi toward eco-friendly upgrades, especially with provinces o ering grants and incentives,” he said. “What’s interesting is how these priorities overlap. Personally, I may choose an appliance not just because it’s high-tech, but because it helps cut down on energy costs. Or I’ll go for a budget-friendly brand that may use recycled materials. Builders and contractors seem to be doing the same, looking for modular, value-engineered solutions that balance innovation with budget constraints.”

When balancing risk and reward he says he evaluates new or emerging brands versus established suppliers, choosing to take a balanced, strategic approach.

“Emerging brands o en bring fresh innovation, whether it’s cutting-edge tech,

sustainable materials, or aggressive pricing models. ey’re usually more agile and open to customization, which can be a real advantage if they’re rst to market with a new product or solution. I’m mindful of the risks: limited track records, supply chain issues, and limited in the eld and/or a ersales support,” he said. “On the other hand, established suppliers o er stability. eir consistent quality, global logistics, and strong warranties/a er sales service make them ideal for core materials. However, they can be slower to innovate, and their pricing may also re ect a brand premium.”

To stay competitive, he pushes for innovative partnerships, leverage loyalty, and compares o erings against newer vendors.

“Ultimately, in our strategy, we pair the reliability of established suppliers with the innovation of emerging brands. I also trust my instincts with current and developing relationships. e end goal is to diversify without destabilizing the category,” he said.

New product or sourcing strategy decisions require research.

“It’s the backbone of how I track trends and national or regional demands. I evaluate supplier performance and ultimately rely on member feedback. at said, I still rely heavily on gut instinct and vendor relationships in key areas. Long-standing suppliers have proven their reliability during di cult times, and those relationships o en unlock better programs,” he said.

When exploring emerging products where information is limited, Magri leans on industry experience, peer recommendations, and direct conversations.

“I follow a hybrid strategy. I use data to validate my instincts, and rely on relationships to ll in gaps where data falls short. It’s about blending information with personal experience, and that balance has helped me make some of my best sourcing decisions,” he added.

Magri, who has been sourcing products for more than 30 years, believes the

building supply industry is undergoing a transformation.

“We’re seeing a powerful convergence of sustainability, digital innovation, and continued consolidation. On the product side, carbon-neutral materials are gaining traction. Recycled and reusable input materials are also becoming mainstream,” he said, adding there has been a signi cant shi toward nearshoring and regional manufacturing. “Production is moving not just from China, but more recently from the U.S. to countries like Mexico and even returning to Canada. is transition is shortening lead times and strengthening supply chain resilience, helping manage costs more e ectively.”

Magri says that supplier relationships are also evolving from traditional transactional deals to more vendors leaning into strategic partnerships.

“What excites me is how these trends are converging. Imagine building a home, whether it’s constructed on-site or modular, and delivered, using regionally sourced materials and enhanced logistics. It’s not just more e cient; it’s smarter, greener, and more responsive to local needs. is is not just a shi in process; it will be a complete reinvention of how we buy and build.”

Randy Martin VICE-PRESIDENT OF PROCUREMENT

TIMBER

MART, Calgary, Alta.

In the current climate of evolving consumer priorities, what trends are you seeing most influence your purchasing decisions—sustainability, smart tech integration, or affordability?

All three trends are in uencing our purchasing decisions. Sustainability is a concern for more eco-conscious customers, while technology integration is another trend we’re seeing where consumers want—and almost need—the convenience of tech-enabled products. And lastly, given our current economic climate, a ordability of products is a trend we can’t ignore because it’s so crucial to our dealers’ business and the purchasing motivation

we review and analyze all potential new vendors to ensure they are o ering relevant and competitive products—and at the same, we’re careful not to jeopardize the volumes we have with some of our longterm vendor partnerships. We also want to ensure that we’ll be an important customer of theirs and that they’re able meet our dealers’ volume requirements regionally and/or nationally. We also look at which of the competitors they are currently selling their products to. Our goal is to always o er products and options to our dealers that are current, competitive and meet the needs of their customers —regardless of if they come from new or existing vendors.

What role does data (POS analytics, customer feedback, predictive modelling) play in your sourcing strategy, and where do you still rely on gut instinct or vendor relationships?

As a buying group we rely heavily on our dealer’s feedback—that is where the rubber meets the road for us as we strive to ensure

As a buying group we rely heavily on our dealer’s feedback—that is where the rubber meets the road for us as we strive to ensure they are meeting the needs of their customers. “ ”

of their customers. In the end, consumers will always make buying decisions based on value.

How do you balance risk and reward when considering new or emerging brands versus long-established suppliers?

We always ensure that our strategic supplier relationships are maintained, and yet also understand the need for evolution and the importance of meeting the needs of our dealers, which o en includes forming new vendor relationships. As a buying group,

they are meeting the needs of their customers. We consult with our dealers and our vendors to ensure our dealers have access to current and relevant products with competitive pricing so they can o er those same things to their customers.

How are supply chain disruptions and shifting global manufacturing landscapes inﬂ uencing your lead times inventory planning, or vendor relationships?

Supply chain disruptions are no longer a surprise, but rather, have become the new

normal. We have learned a lot since the pandemic. As a buying group working for our dealers, it’s important that we partner with vendors that value our dealers’ business and will be reliable regardless of a shi ing global manufacturing landscape or supply disruptions.

What innovations—whether productbased or operational—are you most excited about in the next 12 months?

I think we will continue to see building material products evolve to meet environmental and energy codes, as well as more “smart” technology being integrated, like applications for products which ease product functionality or expand on it to meet consumer needs. I believe we will also see a rapid increase in the use of AI. Our industry is just beginning to understand the value proposition of AI in many areas and this understanding will develop quickly given that AI is being accepted in so many facets of our lives.

Jordan a e eld

SENIOR CATEGORY MANAGER

Orgill, Collierville, Tenn.

Global economic pressures have tightened consumer purse strings, something Jordan Wake eld, senior category manager at Orgill, is acutely aware of. In the hardware industry this year, the rst thing he points to is a ordability.

“Right now, a ordability and value remain the strongest drivers. We see this as being fuelled by the rise of DIY culture and home renovation projects, where homeowners and contractors alike are looking for cordless, versatile tools that o er the best value without compromising reliability,” he said, noting the increasing cost of buying or building homes. Consumers are watching spending closely, making a ordability in tool purchases ever more critical.

“Households are gravitating toward reliable yet budget-friendly options for their tool purchases, especially since mortgage costs are consuming a growing share of their spending power,” he said. “At the same time, smart technology is rapidly gaining traction within the category, with connected features such as app integration, intelligent battery systems, and real-time diagnostics becoming more common— appealing to professionals and tech-savvy users seeking e ciency and precision.”

Wake eld believes sustainability, while still secondary to price and technology, is growing in importance as consumers show more interest in ecofriendly options, longer tool lifecycles, and recycling initiatives.

Within the tool category, the choice between new brands and established suppliers

isn’t either-or. Established suppliers bring reliability, consistency, and trust—sometimes at a higher cost.

“New brands that are looking to establish a place in the market might bring fresh designs, better pricing and higher margin potential, but you might have to balance these bene ts with suppliers that might not o er the same level of support or brand recognition as some of the more well-established vendors. Most o en the best approach is a balanced one, leaning on established suppliers for stability while testing new ones in smaller ways. Retailers can take advantage of innovation and value without putting customer trust at risk.”

Data and technology remain central to Orgill’s assortment strategies.

“We rely on resources such as POS analytics to track sales velocity and seasonal demand and customer feedback to identify assortment gaps and help anticipate shi s in categories like cordless power tools or automotive accessories. ese insights help us make more con dent decisions on inventory and new product adoption,” he said. “At the same time, gut instinct and vendor relationships also play an important role. When a trusted supplier recommends a new line or when market data is limited for emerging brands, we draw on experience, industry knowledge, and the strength of the partnership. It’s all about balancing the data that we can access (which can o er some clarity and reduce risk) with the established vendor partnerships that we have to help guide us in the decisionmaking process.”

Orgill also bene ts from its relationship with Central Network Retail Group (CNRG). “Because CNRG operates hundreds of retail stores of all di erent formats, we have access to the real-world data they collect. Because CNRG stores serve as a retail laboratory for us, we can also use these locations to test assortments and perfect them before rolling them out to all of our customers,” he said.

e past ve years have brought supply chain disruptions—from the pandemic to tari s and geo-political issues.

“ ey have certainly introduced a degree of volatility into merchandise and supply chain planning. Supply chain disruptions and changes in the global manufacturing landscape have made lead times less predictable, requiring us to take a more proactive approach to inventory planning,” he said. “Distributors and retailers are keeping higher safety stock for key items and investing in additional inventory while building stronger relationships with vendors to maintain a closer pulse on any potential disruptions (i.e., ERP transitions, warehouse moves or moving sourcing to a new country).”

Flexibility has become essential: adjusting orders, prioritizing fast-moving items, and navigating delays. “While these challenges create uncertainty, they also reinforce the value of strong vendor relationships and careful planning in maintaining consistent product availability for customers.”

Serving a diverse customer base from hardware stores to pro-focused LBM dealers, Orgill cultivates assortments and vendor relationships. “Having a wider network allows us to be more agile and responsive to global supply challenges, changes in demand patterns, or shi s in consumer preferences,” he said.

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BY MICHAEL M c LARNEY

A A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT RETAIL INNOVATION IN EUROPE

How hard can it be to develop an effective LBM drive-through for a store’s back end? We found a store in Portugal that takes drive-through to a whole new level. And we visited other home improvement retailers there that are innovating in ways that Canadian dealers should know about.

day spent in Lisbon, Portugal, touring some of that country’s best home improvement locations resulted in eye-opening insights into ways to do things better.

Delegates from around the world gathered in Lisbon earlier this year for the annual Global DIY Summit. e store tour, held the day before the conference, gave the international retail leaders a chance to see new ideas in everything from racking and endcaps to how to separate your contractor business from your DIY customers.

Front and centre upon walking into the store we are met with a display of HVAC products, with a focus on energy conservation—an overriding concern throughout Europe that is way ahead of North American sensibilities.

LEROY MERLIN

Leroy Merlin was the second stop—and the third. The retailer is part of Adeo Group, a giant home improvement retail group. he first store we visited is very oriented. But another Leroy Merlin is located directly across the highway from this store. The differentiator for that location is its focus on pros and contractors.

The snack counter at the front of the store offers a range of sandwiches in addition to snacks and drinks.

Our mission, our vision, is to make home a positive place to live in.

—Gil Deas, director of two Leroy Merlin stores in Lisbon “ ”

When the products are loaded, the customer’s car licence number is fed into the store’s system. When the customer reaches the exit, the system uploads the order and they can use self-checkout to pay and exit.

Bath vignettes get lots of attention at this store, including the use of vertical space to highlight as many model bathrooms and accessories as possible.

Right across the highway sits another Leroy Merlin store. This is the pro location. It generated 21 million euros ($33 million) in sales in 2024 and expects to reach 25 million euros ($39.3 million) this year. The store works closely with its counterpart across the street to fulfill orders using cross doc ing and cross-selling to provide customers with whatever they need in one stop.

The store’s drive-through was the area that had delegates snapping pictures and taking notes. The winding track allows a car to move through the LBM area, pull over, and load materials as needed from the various bays. These include plywood and lumber, drywall, and concrete blocks.

LEROY MERLIN PRO

Obramat’s strategy, store manager Luis Filipe explains, is to focus on pros in the construction and renovation markets, especially smaller trades.

One of Europe’s most talkedabout banners in retail home improvement is Obramat. The chain, which is growing into various countries in the EU, is a brand of France’s Adeo Group. The newest store, in a suburb of Lisbon, is almost 100,000 square feet in size, with 150 staff—and a big focus on lumber and building materials. Construction materials are an important part of the store’s mix. Much of Obramat’s building materials and bulk products are featured on endcaps through the store’s centre aisle.

Core categories like tools, electrical, sanitary, paint, and plumbing remain the store’s focus.

—Luis Filipe, store manager of the Lisbon Obramat “ ”

We aim to be the business partner of the professional.

The average ratio of pro to DIY at Obramat stores is 70:30.

But this store, still new in the market, has yet to get the full support of the local contractors. “So far, this store is 60:40, because professionals take a long time to adapt,” says Filipe.

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” It’s important to remember that in different parts of Europe people live in different ways. “

Tiles are an important part of Portugal’s history and culture. This translates into how they decorate their homes, and this store offers a large selection.

—Chris Bargate, CEO of Brico Depôt Iberia

This banner is part of the B&Q Group, one of the major home improvement retailers in Europe. While B&Q is strongest in the UK and Ireland, this Brico Depôt chain has 28 stores in Spain and three in Portugal.

Maxmart carries only 15,000 SKUS, with an emphasis on basic building materials, convenience hardware, consumables, and essentials. This was by far the most utilitarian and no-nonsense store we saw that day. It was also very busy.

Maxmat has 33 stores in Portugal. This banner, which focuses mainly on the retail sector, is all about low-cost retail. Its mandate is to be the discount price leader. ne way it eeps costs down is through staffing this store has only people wor ing the oor.

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BY SARAH Mc GOLDRICK

A CANADIAN HARDWARE RETAILERS PIVOT TO MEET AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

The demise of Peavey Mart created a demand for a new source for farm supplies in some areas o anada. ardware retailers are stepping in to ll the gap.

s the nal Peavey Mart doors were shuttered in April of this year, a gap in serving the agricultural community was created. At its height, Peavey Mart had 90 locations across Canada o ering a mix of hardware and farm supplies, including feed, tack, and homesteading resources.

Some hardware retailers in the industry have stepped up to ll the void, o ering expanding agricultural product lines for

made it more di cult for producers to meet the nancial obligations of running a farm operation. It has also put the brakes on expansion for many operators as they reevaluate business strategies.

UFA vice-president of product strategy and supply chain Mark DiGioacchino says with the recent addition of trade disruptions, his company has seen a slight increase in delay on demand for higher-ticket purchases, with some project pur-

The landscape surrounding tariffs is evolving rapidly. hile they haven t significantly disrupted our supply chain, they have prompted us to diversify our sourcing strategies. “ ”

both the commercial farm operator and urban homesteader. But with this change in the Canadian agricultural product supplier landscape, so too have come a host of economic concerns, including supply chain challenges and unpredictable tari s.

Paired with drought conditions across most of the country, these challenges have

chases being postponed due to potential economic uncertainty.

He said the tari s have also made it more di cult to predict product sourcing.

“ e landscape surrounding tari s is evolving rapidly. While they haven’t signi cantly disrupted our supply chain, they have prompted us to diversify our

sourcing strategies. We are actively exploring alternative sources and carefully evaluating how these options may a ect our members and customers,” he said. “We’re assessing alternative suppliers and markets to reduce dependency on any single region, and are continuously working closely with our partners to build in exibility and cost mitigation protocols.”

Sourcing products means many operations are relying on their suppliers to help them nd products from countries other than the United States. DiGioacchino says his company has seen an increased interest in sourcing from Asia and Mexico, where supply chains are proving to be more agile and cost competitive.

“Traditional sourcing areas, such as China and Southeast Asia, continue to be signi cant, while countries like India and Mexico are experiencing increasing engagement.

at said, our unwavering commitment to quality, reliability, and ethical sourcing standards remains unchanged. We continue to focus on building strong, long-term relationships with suppliers who share these values, regardless of their geographical location,” he said.

DiGioacchino adds that managing the supply chain relies on maintaining fundamental relationships. He said UFA has

UFA has strengthened the supplier engagement model to emphasize transparency, collaboration, and shared forecasting, which includes more frequent communication and joint planning sessions.

for smarter purchasing, are better positioned to weather volatility,” he said, noting that it’s also crucial to establish strong relationships with suppliers and invest in scenario planning so businesses are not caught o guard by sudden shi s in pricing or availability. “ e supply partners that are engaged in a relationship seem to be more interested in providing solutions when problems arise; they are partners that value long-term success.”

ough it may be di cult to look ahead right now, DiGioacchino said that UFA is putting strategies in place to maintain supply chains.

who actively support us in various ways and share an interest in UFA’s successful growth. In line with this, we are proactively exploring new vendor partnerships that align with our cooperative values and longterm growth strategy,” he said.

In an evolving economic landscape, DiGioacchino says there are lessons to be learned in customer service and supplier relations. He said it’s essential to listen

The supply partners that are engaged in a relationship seem to be more interested in providing solutions when problems arise; they are partners that value long-term success. “ ”

strengthened the supplier engagement model to emphasize transparency, collaboration, and shared forecasting, which includes more frequent communication and joint planning sessions.

“ is approach has become an integrated part of our process, as we seek vendors

closely to customers and maintain a clear understanding of your organization’s identity and position within the marketplace to make e ective supply chain decisions.

“Businesses that can pivot quickly, whether by adjusting inventory strategies, diversifying suppliers, or leveraging data

“In the short term, we’re focused on maintaining continuity and responsiveness—ensuring our members and customers have what they need when they need it. Over the next year, we’re investing in technology and analytics to improve forecasting and inventory management,” he said. “Looking ve years out, our strategy is centred on building a more resilient, digitally enabled supply chain that supports growth, sustainability, and member value. at includes everything from automation and AI to strategic partnerships and infrastructure upgrades.”

Home Hardware Stores Ltd. has been a trusted source for farm supplies in rural communities across Canada for more than 60 years. e company was founded by Walter Hachborn in 1964, in the heart of rural Southern Ontario in the small town of St. Jacobs outside Waterloo, an area that is home to a diverse agriculture community, from modern farm operations to Mennonite and Amish communities.

With such a strong rural presence across Canada, the company has learned to diversify its product o erings and curate its store assortments to meet the unique needs of each individual community.

Home Hardware has expanded its agricultural supplies division. This includes enhanced products online and a Farm Assortment Catalogue.

It recently shi ed gears yet again, expanding its agricultural supplies o erings, including producing a Farm Assortment Catalogue for its farm products.

Scott Bennett, director of merchandise strategy and execution for Home Hardware Stores Ltd., says the company is seeing a shi in demand for farm products.

“We’re seeing a strong demand across a wide spectrum of farm products ranging from essential homesteading items to larger-scale agricultural tools and supplies. In particular, livestock care products like feeders, stall mats, feed pans, and fencing are in high demand, along with general farm maintenance tools and durable workwear,” he said.

and troughs. He adds there is also growing interest in feed tailored to the speci c needs of various livestock, ranging from poultry to cattle.

“Products supporting small-scale and self-sustaining farming, such as backyard chicken coops, gardening supplies, and

It’s clear that both commercial farmers and homesteaders are seeking dependable and accessible solutions to support their operations. “ ”

Bennett added there is a noticeable trend of customers taking an interest in gardening, backyard chicken keeping, and DIY food production.

“As a result, we’ve tailored parts of our assortment to meet the needs of these urban homesteaders, including products that are space-e cient and easy to use in smaller-scale settings. is trend aligns well with Home’s broader product o erings and values around community resilience and sustainable living,” he said.

One area, he notes, seeing the biggest demand transformation is animal feed. He said farmers are investing in high-quality feed, as well as the tools that support ecient feeding, such as feeders, feed pans,

composting tools, are also seeing increased interest,” he said. “It’s clear that both commercial farmers and homesteaders are seeking dependable and accessible solutions to support their operations.”

Bennett said that Home Hardware recognized a critical need to ll the gap le in many Canadian rural and agricultural communities with the closure of Peavey Mart.

“We worked closely with our dealer network and suppliers to quickly identify where demand was highest and expanded

our assortment accordingly. Our new Farm Assortment Catalogue re ects this strategic pivot and includes a wide range of products sourced to support both small and large-scale farming,” he said, noting the company has also enhanced its online experience with a new farming supplies page to make these products easily accessible for all Canadians, regardless of their location.

Looking ahead, the company said it’s continuing to plan for further expansion in the farm supplies sector. He said the organization sees it as a long-term growth category.

“Our expansion e orts will continue to be guided by feedback from our dealers and customers, many of whom are in farming communities. We’re committed to ongoing assortment enhancement, building stronger partnerships with Canadian suppliers, and investing in both in-store and digital experiences. is is not a onetime initiative; it’s a sustained strategy to support the evolving needs of Canadian farmers,” he said.

BY JOHN CAULFIELD

PROFITING FROM RENTALS

Pro dealers, especially, have an opportunity

Windsor Plywood’s building supply outlet in Qualicum Beach, B.C., is this pro dealer’s only branch that specializes in tool and equipment rental, a program that Windsor Plywood inherited when it acquired this store in 1989.

Windsor Rentals, as the program is known by, is incorporated into the store, shares a service counter, and takes up about 25 lineal feet of display space. Aside from an on-sta mechanic who handles maintenance and repair, Windsor Rentals has no exclusive employees. A planned renovation and expansion of the store later this year will give more display space to Windsor Rentals and separate its equipment from the store’s for-sale products, says Sean Machan, the store’s manager.

Windsor Plywood seems typical of how pro dealers in general o er rental equipment and tools more as a customer service than as a pro t centre. As such, dealers might be missing some opportunities for growth

and better investment returns. Achieving those goals, though, would require a greater commitment to sta and inventory that the pro dealers we spoke with aren’t yet in any hurry to make.

STAFFING THE DEPARTMENT

Let’s start with sta ng. e dealers we contacted for this article say they are doing just ne without having any employees assigned

has o ered since the store opened its doors in 2022, is generating su cient revenue to support that person. ( e program is currently averaging $4,000 in rental revenue per month, says co-owner Kevin Bolibruck, who expects his Castle store to reach the higher revenue threshold by 2027.)

Orgill, the hardlines distributor, has o ered dealers a rental equipment program for 20 years. at program—which accord-

Orgill’s Ken Duck says gross rental profits for the dealers in its program can run anywhere between 76 percent and 84 percent before factoring in overhead. “ ”

primarily to rental. At least one—Niagara Building & Design Centre in Welland, Ont.—plans to add a dedicated associate once its rental program, which Niagara

ing to the company has attracted a great deal of interest from Canadian dealers— includes comprehensive training where dealers are instructed on best practices.

“We have found that a successful rental equipment business typically requires dedicated sta to run the department,” observes Ken Duck, Orgill’s programs sales manager. While he concedes that dealers just launching a rental program can get away with using existing sta for a period of time, eventually “there will have to be someone whose job it is to take care of the department, even though it may not be their only job in the store.”

Pro dealers must also remember that their rental programs are competing against larger companies with outlets that specialize in renting equipment and tools to pros and consumers alike. One such competitor is the acquisition-minded Cooper Equipment Rentals. e compact equipment specialist (with 81 branches in six provinces) likes to sta its stores with “local people” who understand local customer needs.

“We want to maintain personal contact,

with both the customer and employee speaking the same language,” explains Mike Wijayasundar, Cooper’s regional manager. He adds that Cooper’s competitive formula for success hinges on serviceability and exibility, so “listening to customers” is essential to any rental transaction.

BMR in Bobcaygeon, Ont., generates about $10,000 per month in rental revenue during winter months and considerably more during hotter seasons.

REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

Cooper’s branches handle the maintenance and repair of the equipment and tools they rent. e way pro dealers maintain what they rent varies. For example, Barr’s BMR in Bobcaygeon, Ont., uses an o -site mechanic and, in a pinch, a couple of Barr’s employees who are mechanically adept, says Mitch Barr, the store’s manager.

One of Niagara Building Centre’s drivers doubles as its rental equipment

repair guy, says Bolibruck. And Devon Chamberlain, an accounts receivable specialist, oversees maintenance and repair of rental equipment at Chamberlain TIMBER MART in Gravenhurst, Ont. Chamberlain’s rental program generates between $15,000 and $20,000 in annual revenue. And while it depends on the item, the store hopes to get four or ve good years out of its rental equipment and tools before they need to be replaced.

Cooper owns all the equipment it rents and relies on its vendors for parts. Most of the pro dealers interviewed own what they rent, too. e exception is Niagara Building Centre, which typically leases equipment from vendors like Hilti (which has its own Tools on Demand rental program) for three years, and then purchases the product for eventual resale.

Orgill’s Duck says gross rental profits for the dealers in its program can run anywhere between 76 percent and 84 percent before factoring in

overhead. And while ROI on rentals is based on initial cost and rent frequency, Duck says that most dealers should reasonably expect a three- to ve-time return on smaller, more general items. Similar returns on larger equipment with higher upfront investment costs o en take longer to realize, he says.

A MIX OF VENDORS

Dealer-member buying groups generally don’t get involved in supplying for-rent tools or equipment. Consequently, dealers with rental programs nd themselves

familiar (Bluebird, Milwaukee Tool, Toro, Ditch Witch, Bosch) and specialists like Electric Eel and Mi-T-M. Wijayasundar says that each of Cooper’s branches deals with more than 150 vendors, sometimes several for the same product. But, he adds, “over the years we’ve found that we’re not pioneers. It’s more important to provide the best customer service.”

Cooper’s rental stores, which in Toronto can exceed 7,500 square feet, have the space needed for a robust rental assortment. But Wijayasundar is also quick to note that no dealer’s rental program is boundless. “You can’t be everything to everyone,” he says.

Pro dealers’ rental assortments are more modest, con ned by available space and determined by customer demand. e equipment Chamberlain TIMBER MART rents includes AttiCat insulation blowers, air nailers, gas-powered soil compactors, ceramic tile saws, drywall board cutters, guillotine oor cutters, generators, PAM Fasteners screw guns, sca olding, concrete power saws, and rotary hammer drills. It keeps its rental equipment inside two 10x12-foot sheds in its yard. Its most popular rentals are cement mixers and oor nailers. Chamberlain says its rental mix has “evolved” based on changing customer requests.

Rental equipment takes up about 400 square feet of outside space at Niagara Building Centre, which also displays some rental stu inside its store. Niagara focuses on

Cooper Rentals is one of the market leaders that pro dealers compete with. It has 81 stores in six provinces—some of which exceed 7,500 square feet. “ ”

needing to purchase products they rent from a combination of branded vendors, like Bostitch, Hilti, John Deere, Bobcat, and Makita; and specialized suppliers such as Pro Quip, Rent-E-Quip, and G.C. Duke.

Orgill’s mix includes names that are

small-engine equipment like power washers, dehumidi ers, and so forth. Jackhammers, oor sanders, and one-person augers are particularly popular, says Bolibruck. He notes that the program takes vendors’ advice about what to rent, and there’s a whiteboard in the

store where customer requests are written and, o en, met.

Machan says that his computer tracks the rental frequency of its equipment, and that pros are mostly likely to rent stu like aerators and log splitters. He notes that Windsor Rentals has been moving more toward battery-powered equipment and away from gas-driven products.

Barr’s BMR devotes one-third of its 4,000-square-foot store plus outdoor space to displaying rental products. Its mix includes articulated li s (a popular rental, says Barr), backhoes, mini excavators, power washers and augers, shovels, leaf blowers, and generators. Lately, it’s been staying away from wood chippers because of potential jamming problems. Other dealers say they avoid rental products that are expensive to x.

Kevin Bolibruck, co-owner of Niagara Building & Design Centre in Welland, Ont., takes vendors’ advice about what to rent, and there’s a whiteboard in the store where customer requests are written.

MARKET STUDY A MUST

Cooper’s Wijayasundar says his company sees growth potential in what he calls “specialty rentals,” which would include “pump and power” and trench-safety-related products. Pro dealers, on the other hand, seem to be content letting customer demand guide their programs’ expansion. “What we have right now is pretty good,” says Bolibruck, who echoes how other dealers assess their rental mix.

Orgill’s Duck, however, suggests that what’s missing from many dealers’ rental programs is a market study, which he asserts is a “foundational block for building your o ering.” A rental market study (which Orgill will perform for dealers in

its network) rates a speci c area and positions the dealer accordingly to either capture market share or pick up margin dollars where opportunity exists. e study’s primary purpose, Duck says, “is to identify those opportunities and present the retailer with a blueprint for how to take advantage.”

One expectation that pro dealers say they have for their rental programs is that they lead to more sales eventually. In its description of rental services on its website, Barr’s BMR states “we can also o er a variety of supplies that you might need such as aggregate topsoil, cement, and lumber to make sure your project is fully supplied.”

Bolibruck con rms that his store’s rental program “absolutely” brings in business the store otherwise wouldn’t get. at occasionally includes the purchase of a tool or equipment that a contractor had previously used as a rental and liked it.

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Russ Permann

Russ Permann is president and CEO of Taiga Building Products Inc., Burnaby, B.C. In this newly-published podcast he talks to Hardlines editors about the e ect of tari s on the building materials business, the likelihood of a recession, and the prospects for the rest of the year. He also talks about his company’s investments in technology, AI, and what guides his company’s investment decisions: customer experience.

David Ian Gray of Vancouver-based DIG360 is a retail strategist and expert. In this podcast, Gray talks with Hardlines editor Rebecca Dumais about the changing retail landscape including the impact of tari s on Canadian businesses, the fall of iconic brands Hudson’s Bay Company and Peavey Mart and charting a path in uncertain economic times.

Peter Turkstra

In this episode, Peter Turkstra, third-generation owner of 11-store Hamilton, Ont.-based Turkstra Lumber, is interviewed by Pro Dealer editor Steve Payne. Peter talks about the headwinds that all dealers face in 2025, starting with the tari issue, which he describes as a “gong show.” Peter also talks about how municipal development charges have climbed steeply.

Plus many more podcasts to choose from!

The Hardlines Podcast Series has been made possible through the support of:

BY GEOFF M c LARNEY

DOGGED DETERMINATION TURNED THIS STORE INTO A CONTRACTOR SPECIALIST

Jordan Wolfs was a travelling turnaround artist for RONA, dispatched to one store after another to help get it on its feet. But when he got the opportunity to return to one of his projects, he left behind an urban ﬂagship and turned two small-town locations into pro destinations.

oming back felt like coming home—I was excited to reconnect with our pro community and deepen those business relationships that make all the di erence.”

at’s how Jordan Wolfs describes his return to RONA Squamish, where he had initially spent a two-year period beginning in 2008 overseeing its transition to RONA. “I started with RONA in 2006 as part of a travelling renovation team, helping to build new stores across Canada,” he recalls.

Ten years later, Wolfs assumed management of RONA’s agship North Vancouver location. But something was missing. “I soon realized that my true passion lay in working directly with contractors and professional customers.”

He returned in the fall of 2023 to the Squamish, B.C., store, which he now operates in tandem with the neighbouring Whistler location, aiming to create a destination for pro customers.

“Our connection with the Whistler store is unique within the RONA network,” he explains. “Not only do I manage both locations, but RONA Squamish serves as the delivery centre for Whistler. We share customers, sta , and transportation, allowing us to provide seamless service to the construction community.”

As part of the Squamish store’s reinvention as a pro hub, it joined the RONA banner in 2023, a er ve years as a Lowe’s store. Pros now make up 94 percent of the store’s customer base. To serve them, Wolfs has expanded the power tool selection and maintained links with the trades.

e store sponsors the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, through which it supports scholarships for graduating high school students, who are encouraged to consider careers in construction.

At the same time, “monthly lunch and learn sessions with different vendors” support the sta in their product knowledge, so that they in turn can support the customer. “ ese are great practical training opportunities for our team, who may learn how to lay tiles or pour concrete.”

And while RONA Squamish’s contractor customers are hard workers, that doesn’t mean the mood is all business. e store doesn’t neglect the truly important things in life either.

“On a more light-hearted note, we create annual calendars with photos of our contractors and their dogs, which we post in our store every month to celebrate their birthdays—and those of their dogs.”

Right: Jordan Wolfs (left) recognizes Mike Mohr for 30 years of service. Below: RONA Squamish Mother’s Day event.

Castle is the fastest growing member-owned, Lumber and Building Materials buying group in Canada!

Our members make up a growing network of independent retailers nationwide who are the pillars of their communities and understanding their unique needs is what we are all about. The Castle business model offers members an unwavering commitment to their success along with the freedom to build their own story.

Find out why more and more independents are making the move to Castle. We Build Communities.

“As new owners, we wanted to be part of a group that was a good fit and can see that Castle’s cultures and values align with ours. They genuinely care and want us to be successful and that’s a big thing to us.

Being part of the Castle group adds depth and scale to us as independents, it’s a great business model that gives us autonomy, but also purchasing power and greater profit potential.”

Boris Nincevic Co-Owner, Leathertown Lumber

Jaana Reinikka

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER BRITISH COLUMBIA & ALBERTA 780-722-1870 | jreinikka@castle.ca Western Canada

George Braun

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

MANITOBA, SASKATCHEWAN, NORTHWEST ONTARIO 204-771-1908 | gbraun@castle.ca

Robert Legault

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WESTERN & CENTRAL QUÉBEC 514-208-4158 | rlegault@castle.ca Quebec

Richard Hamel

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER EASTERN QUÉBEC & NORTHERN NEW BRUNSWICK 418-520-6244 | rhamel@castle.ca

Terry Mulock

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NEW BRUNSWICK, NOVA SCOTIA & PEI 902-471-3985 | mulock@castle.ca Atlantic

Brian Warr

Find out why more and more independents are making the move to Castle. We Build Communities.

Lillian Diaz

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR 709-770-5607 | bwarr@castle.ca

Lyndon Deyo

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ONTARIO - NORTHERN / EASTERN 613-805-7271 | ldeyo@castle.ca Ontario

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ONTARIO - SOUTHWEST / CENTRAL 905-757-4918 | ldiaz@castle.ca