Paint & Decorating Retailer February 2025

NHPA Celebrates 125 Years Serving the Independent Channel Page 12

Mister Oswald

NHPA Celebrates 125 Years Serving the Independent Channel Page 12

Mister Oswald

OPENING DOORS TO INSPIRATION

Gel Stain

• Excellent adhesion to fiberglass and previously finished surfaces

• Concentrated to achieve beautiful, bold color

• Easy one coat application for a variety of projects

• Perfect for previously finished surfaces like cabinets and vertical surfaces

• Achieve intense, uniform color in a single application

• Use on floors, trim, interior doors, cabinets, furniture, and general woodworking

• Highly pigmented, thick oil-based stain

• Available in 24 popular trend colors

HEADQUARTERS

1025 E. 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400 NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org

COMMUNICATIONS

Lindsey Thompson lthompson@YourNHPA.org Managing Editor

Austin Vance avance@YourNHPA.org Manager of Marketing & Partner Relations

Jacob Musselman jmusselman@YourNHPA.org News & Digital Editor

Annie Palmer apalmer@YourNHPA.org Content Development Coordinator

Autumn Ricketts Lead Graphic Designer

Olivia Shroyer Marketing & Design Specialist

Samantha Mitchell Production & Design Assistant

Freda Creech Sales & Production Assistant

ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS

800-772-4424 | NHPA@YourNHPA.org

Katie McHone-Jones kmchone-jones@YourNHPA.org

Executive Director of Retail Engagement & Events

Jesse Carleton jcarleton@YourNHPA.org Training Manager & Editor

Renee Changnon rchangnon@YourNHPA.org Retail Engagement Specialist

Amy Hayes Operations Coordinator—Advanced Education & Training SALES

Greg Cole 317-775-2206 | gcole@YourNHPA.org National Sales Manager

Jordan Rice 217-808-1641 | jrice@YourNHPA.org Regional Sales Director

CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665

COMING IN MARCH

Free-Flowing Communication

When it comes to employee engagement, a key component is communication. Next month in Paint & Decorating Retailer, discover what retailers are successfully utilizing for employee-to-employee communication, in store and across locations, and how they are keeping all staff members up-to-date on company news and information.

PAINT & DECORATING RETAILER

(ISSN 1096-6927): Published monthly except December by the North American Hardware and Paint Association, 1025 E. 54th St., Indianapolis, IN 46220. Phone: 800-737-0107. Subscription rates: January through November issues, $50 in U.S., payable in advance. Canada $75 per year. All other countries $100 per year. Single copy $7, except July issue, $25. Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Paint & Decorating Retailer, P.O. Box 16709, St. Louis, MO 63105-1209. Returns (Canada): Return undeliverable magazines to P.O. Box 2600, Mississauga, Ontario L4T 0A8. PM# 41450540. Copyright © North American Hardware and Paint Association, 2024.

OUR MISSION

The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement, paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.

NHPA EXECUTIVE STAFF

Bob Cutter President & CEO

Dan Tratensek

Chief Operating Officer

David Gowan

Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President, Business Services

Scott Wright Vice President of Content Development & Publisher

NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Ned Green, Weider’s Paint & Hardware, Rochester, New York

EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN

Joanne Lawrie, Annapolis Home Hardware Building Centre, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

DIRECTORS

Alesia Anderson, Handy Ace Hardware, Tucker, Georgia

Jay Donnelly, Flanagan Paint & Supply, Ellisville, Missouri

Ash Ebbo, Clement’s Paint, Austin, Texas Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio

Michelle Meny, Meny’s True Value, Jasper, Indiana

Michael Sacks, FLC Holdings, LaGrange, Texas

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Bob Cutter, NHPA President & CEO

NHPA CANADA

NHPA CANADA

Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8

Travel a timeline through the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s 125-year history as the trade association for the independent channel and see how the association has shaped the industry.

When it comes to finding and keeping quality employees, three retailers share the unconventional methods they utilize to hire and retain staff in an uncertain and sometimes unstable labor market.

Meet this month’s Helmets to Home Improvement honoree, Alex Porter, a third-generation independent retailer whose passion for service bled from the military into his family’s operations.

Cyberattackers are constantly shifting tactics, and with growing supply chains and AI advancements, retailers of all sizes should be on the lookout for new threats in 2025.

CATEGORY FOCUS

Strong training and hands-on experience help the team at Ricciardi Brothers deliver exceptional support and expertise to their customers.

CONNECTIONS

How

to Reach

Dan Dan Tratensek dant@YourNHPA.org

FROM THE ASSOCIATION

A Legacy of Service

IT WAS NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO when a young California transplant with a head of thick, russet brown hair first learned of what was known at the time as the National Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and is now the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA).

I had been working as a newspaper reporter when a friend of mine told me about an opening on the association’s magazine staff. After building a career in journalism, I never would have thought that 30 years later I would be working as an executive with this association. Even harder to imagine is that long before I darkened NRHA’s doorstep, the association had been serving retailers for nearly 100 years.

This year, NHPA celebrates its 125th anniversary, and I am proud to have been here for more than one-fifth of its lifespan. I’m sure I might have continued a fulfilling career focusing on journalistic pursuits, but a reason I feel lucky to have made this unlikely switch is because of the nature of what makes NHPA’s history and role in the industry so important.

Since it was founded in 1900 by a small group of Midwestern retailers, NHPA’s sole purpose has been to provide support to small business owners who sell home improvement products.

“ NHPA exists to support, educate and advocate for independent retailers…there is no other organization in this industry that fulfills this mission .”

Most of you aren’t the Wall Street types who trade options behind a desk all day; you are helping to build your communities, you are paying fair wages and you are creating legacies for your families.

The ability to work for an organization that supports these pursuits and not be fettered by concerns for shareholder equity or stock prices is truly a blessing.

While 125 years in existence is a great reason to throw a party and spend time reflecting on the past, it’s also a great time to reflect on the value of this industry having a strong association.

NHPA exists to support, educate and advocate for independent retailers. That’s all we do. This mission applies to all retailers regardless of what brand products you stock, how big your operation is or where you are located.

There is NO other organization in this industry that fulfills this mission.

We do this by performing research on your behalf, by bringing together groups of retailers to share insights and encouragement with one another, by producing content and training programs to help you be more competitive and by speaking throughout the channel to make sure your needs are being met and your concerns are being heard.

NHPA has been doing this as a nonprofit for 125 years, and while I have only been here for a small part of that, I am proud of the time I have spent here and the work this organization has contributed to the industry.

As we light a very candle-heavy cake to celebrate NHPA’s birthday, we’d like to invite you to lean into YOUR association. Take advantage of the tools we have to offer. Participate in our programs and functions to ensure YOU will have an independent association still advocating for YOUR businesses for the next 125 years.

Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operating Officer

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A Merchandising Milestone

YOU PROBABLY KNOW by now that your association is celebrating a milestone birthday this year…125 years serving this great industry. This year also marks another milestone, celebrating the 50th anniversary of teaming up with the National Hardware Show (NHS) to provide advanced education to show attendees. In 1975, NHPA became one of the original association participants in Hardware Industry Week, the educational component launched at NHS that year.

But decades before NHPA—then the National Retail Hardware Association (NRHA)—brought industry retailers college-level educational curriculum through our first retail merchandising course with the City College of New York. Ten years later the association worked with Indiana University to produce the Turnover Handbook, helping industry retailers identify key products to include in their assortments and offering guidance on proper stocking quantities and variable pricing strategies with price sensitivity and velocity codes. After its publication, industry wholesalers sent their sales teams to association headquarters to learn how to implement the findings of this comprehensive program. Industry manufacturers also used it to develop displays and merchandising arrangements. It was truly an industrywide resource.

“Like everything your association has provided for the past 125 years, this program is rooted in our timeless, rich history of serving NHPA’s mission.”

Scan the QR Code for more information about NHPA’s FOMM Live! course.

During this time, the association advocated for effective salesfloor presentation of merchandising to head off the spread of discount stores and supermarkets that were teaching customers to “shop for themselves.” This brought about departmentalization best practices to help retailers provide a better shopping experience through enhanced salesfloor organization, which would improve inventory management.

In the early 1960s, NRHA launched a full-blown store merchandising program under the name Master Merchant. Using data from the Turnover Handbook, Master Merchant planners created basic stock lists tied to salesfloor designs, which included optimal departmental location on the salesfloor and best practices. By the early 1970s, NRHA offered a Merchandising Consultant Training Program for state and regional field personnel to consult with retailers on merchandising management.

While providing merchandising management resources goes back nearly 80 years for the association, much has changed through the advent of technology and the science of retail anthropology. That’s why there’s never been a better time to “level up” your merchandising management by attending NHPA’s Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! course March 18 and 19 at NHS in Las Vegas.

FOMM Live! teaches the time-tested and proven best practices of merchandising management—from visual merchandising and assortment planning for your specific market to category management and vendor relations—for both salesfloor associates and buyers. Students learn the philosophy of merchandising and why it works, as well as strategic and scientific aspects of merchandising using data from our upcoming Merchandising for Profit study that will be released this year at the show.

Like everything your association has provided for the past 125 years, this program is rooted in our timeless, rich history of serving NHPA’s mission, which is helping home improvement retailers, regardless of affiliation, become better and more profitable merchants. We’ll see you in Vegas!

Scott Wright Vice President of Content Development and Publisher

A Firm Foundation

Set your employees on the right path with NHPA Foundations of Retail courses. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/foundations

Meet Gary

Gary Pittsford has helped hundreds of family business owners with valuations, exit planning, estate documents, retirement income security and net worth protection. Gary served as president and CEO of Castle Wealth Advisors, which was acquired in 2021 by Creative Planning to form a new division providing services for corporations, LLCs, family limited partnerships and others across a range of industries. Creative Planning Business Services offers expanded services for business owners. Gary retired from Creative Planning in December 2023 and now functions as a consultant, continuing to work with business owners nationwide.

CONNECT

Email gary@castleconsultingco.com

LinkedIn Gary Pittsford

OPERATIONS

Expect Better Financial, Legal and Tax Advice

In my 50 years in the industry, I have always seen that most owners are well-educated on the products and services they provide to all their customers. However, owners need to work with their accountants, attorneys and financial advisors to make sure they are getting up-to-date information to make financial decisions every year.

You should meet with your corporate attorney every one or two years and make sure you update your corporate minutes and the corporate buy-sell agreement if you have two or more stockholders. If you have a buy-sell agreement, make sure the document covers all the important trigger points, which would be death, divorce, disability, personal bankruptcy, termination and retirement.

You should talk with your accountant at least two or three times per year about any new tax ideas that can help the business and stockholders. Talk with them about payroll compliance, tax withholding, employee benefits and new labor laws. Also, check to see if there are any new tax credits or deductions that could be used.

If your industry has benchmarking reports that could be helpful to your company, ask your accountant to review those reports and use that information when they prepare your profit and loss statements and balance sheets. These benchmarking reports will help you be more profitable and increase the value of your company.

Your business financial advisor is usually the quarterback of your business advisory team. This person should be a Certified Financial Planner and fee-only. Meet with your financial advisor at least two or three times per year and discuss your thoughts about future retirement, financial goals and protecting your net worth.

All three of your team members should be fiduciaries working on your behalf and providing you with excellent up-to-date information.

It is common for you to meet once a year with your accountant and financial advisor to review all year-end statements for the business and discuss the ups and downs of gross margins, total payroll, total occupancy cost and other important changes that occurred.

Most of you have spent at least 40 or 60 hours per week over the last 30 years growing your company. You should spend one or two hours per year with these advisors to make sure your business and personal affairs are well organized.

Every year I tell lots of people this type of specialized business planning is like open heart surgery. I have a family doctor, but he is not a heart surgeon. If I need open heart surgery, I am going to use a doctor that specializes in these types of operations. When I get done with the operation, then I will go back to working with my local family doctor.

This is an analogy that explains why it may be necessary for you to use a law or accounting firm different from the local providers you have now. Selling or transitioning your company after a lifetime of work is a highly specialized operation. For this type of complicated transaction, you should use the best qualified experts on your business advisory team.

Gary Pittsford Partner & Chief Valuation Officer (ret.) and Consultant Creative Planning Business Services

The Industry’s Marketplace

If you are interested in buying or selling an independent home improvement business, check out the NHPA Marketplace at YourNHPA.org/marketplace

Meet Deborah

Deborah and her husband are former second-generation retail store owners who know what it’s like to have to compete with big-box stores and online retail. During their time as store owners, they saw sales declining and were determined to do something about it. After remodeling the store and reengaging with customers through social media and community events, they began to see an increase in customer counts and sales. They use their experiences to help other retail business owners add value to their business now so they can harvest that value when they’re ready to sell. They are CEPA (Certified Exit Planning

Advisor)

certified through the Exit Planning Institute.

BUSINESS

STRATEGY

Are You Undervaluing or Overvaluing Your Business?

When we were preparing to sell our family-owned hardware store, one of our biggest challenges was understanding its true worth. Opinions within the family varied widely. Some believed the business was worth very little and thought we should simply liquidate everything. Others viewed the store as invaluable, something no amount of money could truly compensate for.

To determine the value of our business, we started with the fundamentals.

Inventory audit. We meticulously updated our inventory records, ensuring we knew exactly what was on the shelves and the value of each item. Pricing was also reviewed and adjusted to reflect current market conditions.

Fixture assessment. From shelving to office furniture, computers to equipment, we took stock of everything. Thankfully, we were provided a detailed checklist to help us capture all relevant items.

Financial review. We worked closely with our accountant to review current financials and create projections for future performance.

Armed with this information, we consulted a valuation professional who took our data and provided an accurate estimate of our business’s value. Don’t skip this step! Having a formal valuation made all the difference when negotiating with our buyer. It gave us the confidence to justify our asking price and ultimately secure it.

In our valuation process, we encountered something called goodwill, a concept we were initially unfamiliar with. Goodwill represents the intangible value of your business, the future earnings potential buyers are willing to pay for.

For us, goodwill was influenced by a number of factors. We were the only hardware store in town. A newly constructed frontage road made our store more accessible, enhancing its desirability. We were in a growing community. The number of years in business and a good reputation in our community also played a role.

These factors added value beyond the physical assets and inventory, increasing the overall worth of the business.

Real estate plays a significant role in business valuation, so it’s important to consider these questions: Do you rent or own the property? If you own, will you sell the property along with the business or retain it and lease it to the buyer?

In our case, owning the building gave us flexibility. We could sell the property with the business, boosting the overall value, or keep it and generate long-term rental income. We were able to lease the property to our buyers. For buyers who may not have the resources to purchase both the business and the property or simply just want to purchase the business, leasing the property can be an attractive option.

Whether you think your business is worth nothing or think it’s worth millions, it is critical to do your due diligence. By understanding your numbers, recognizing goodwill and considering real estate, you can arrive at a realistic valuation that positions you for a more successful exit.

Deborah Everson Owner Everson Retail Coaching & Consulting

OPERATION S

The Right Hue

Bright yellows and deep blues are dominating the trending color market for 2025. Learn more at PDRmag.com/2025-coty

DECODING

Design Trends

3 INTERIOR DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2025

IN 2025 the industry expects to see shifts in home design trends as homeowners cater their spaces to their needs. One of these shifts will be the return of color as homeowners look to align their rooms to fit their personalities.

60%

Fixr, an online home improvement resource, surveyed industry experts for its Interior Design and Color Trends Report 2025 , which shares trends the industry can expect for the new year.

55%

36%

of experts say homeowners will integrate nature into their interior design projects.

of experts say color-drenched rooms are the top color trend in 2025.

of experts say curves are a top interior design feature for 2025.

Natural elements paired with interior environments make the connection between indoors and outdoors. Fixr’s experts say nature-inspired color palettes have become increasingly popular with younger homeowners and see terracotta, deep greens and soft blues as trendy colors for 2025.

Color-drenching involves painting the walls, trim, cabinetry and ceilings the same color, creating a bold, unified look. Incorporating the same color in all aspects of a room creates a bold look that will stand out from other rooms.

Source: Interior Design and Color Trends Report 2025, Fixr

Curves are becoming more popular as homeowners move away from more rigid furniture and features. Rounded edges allow for more fluidity in home design, tying in with nature as they bring an organic feel to a space.

NEW PR ODUCTS

OUTREACH

Retailer Recommendations

Send an email to editorial@YourNHPA.org telling us about the products your customers love and why they are such a hit in your business.

PAINT ROLLER CLEANER

MONKEY RUNG PRODUCTS monkeyrung.com

The Spin PRO from Monkey Rung Products cleans and dries paint rollers up to 18 inches in seconds. It is small, lightweight, portable and durable with its reinforced metal tip. To use, attach the cleaner to a drill, insert paint roller, spin in clean water and spin to dry.

TAPE MEASURE

SPEC OPS TOOLS specopstools.com

CAULK GUN

SILIGUN siliguns.com

The SILIGUN Pro Compact 4-inch is a lightweight, drip-free caulk gun with a patented design made of ABS plastic weighing less than one pound. The gun has a built-in antidrip feature that fits all 10-ounce cartridges. The gun allows for use in tight spaces and delivers a 12:1 high thrust ratio.

The 35-Foot Elite Series Tape Measure from Spec Ops Tools can survive a 200-foot drop and features a dual-sided printed blade and high visibility black-on-white numbering to maximize contrast for low light or imperfect eyesight. The blade is coated in MIL-X hyper-tough nylon that protects against abrasion.

CLEANING CLOTH CROCODILE CLOTH

crocodilecloth.com

The Original from Crocodile Cloth is an oversized, multipurpose cleaning cloth that comes in 10-, 50- and 100-count packs. The cloth can tackle all kinds of messes found in industrial, manufacturing and construction environments. The cloths are packed in recyclable packaging, are alcohol-free and are hand and skin-safe. Each cloth is 15- by 10-inches.

TEALIGHT CANDLES

CLAPHAM’S claphams.com

Clapham’s 100% Canadian beeswax tealight candles are hand-poured using beeswax from the Peace River Valley on the Alberta/BC border. They provide a steady flame that radiates a spectrum of light similar to the sun and purifies the surrounding environment by releasing negative ions, which can bind with toxins and remove them from the air. Burn time is 4-5 hours on average per candle.

PAINT STAND PAINTLINE paintline.com

The SprayTwirlyHD from PaintLine is a rotating spray table designed for painting cabinet doors and other parts with stability, precision and ease. This height-adjustable, foot-operated spray table can handle a wide array of products at one time. The stand can be adjusted from 32 to 38 inches, can be spun with its foot-operated turntable and can rotate 360 degrees.

TOOL POUCH HOLSTERY holstery.com

The Joey Pro is a clip-on tool and hardware pouch made to easily access small items on the job site. It features a 1.75-inch spring steel clip to easily clip on and off belts, bags and pockets. This tool pouch features a sack armor liner that protects hands and the pouch from sharp tools, screws and nails. The pouch is available in two sizes and can be cinched tight so tools don’t fall out.

PAINT STORAGE BAG STOPLOSSBAGS stoplossbags.com

The Steward from StopLossBags is a reusable stand-up pouch that stores paint, keeping it fresher, reducing waste and saving money. Mix, dispense and store paint conveniently from touch-ups to project leftovers. The bags are designed for latex and oil paints and are formulated with a three-ply construction that prevents solvent loss with a gas barrier. Each bag holds 1 quart of paint.

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS OF POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE INDEPENDENT CHANNEL

COMPILED BY NHPA STAFF

For a century and a quarter, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has been serving the needs of independent home improvement retailers and providing resources to help them be better and more profitable. This year, NHPA is excited to celebrate 125 years as the

trade association for the independent channel, and this is your invitation to celebrate.

Follow a timeline of NHPA’s storied history and evolution, learn how the association has shaped the industry and celebrate the retailers, wholesalers, vendors and others who have made NHPA and the industry successful.

ASSOCIATION

Paint Meets Hardware

Walk back through the history of the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association, which aligned with NHPA in 2017, at PDRmag.com/paint-association

Stronger Together From the Start

During the latter half of the 1890s, hardware retailers in several states formed hardware associations and by 1900, there were 14 state organizations. Their main purpose was to convince wholesalers and manufacturers to support the traditional channel of distribution.

One retailer, Zachariah Miller, who was also president of the Illinois association, contacted his counterparts in other state associations. On March 12, 1900, nine of these associations met in Chicago and formed the Inter-State Retail Hardware Dealers’ Association, which included the state associations from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and North Dakota. Minnesota and Wisconsin would join two years later, and the association would undergo several name changes.

No matter what it was called, the association continually grew and evolved to serve and support independents with education programs, advocacy initiatives and networking events.

to take on challenges, create solutions, share ideas and discuss best practices.

NHPA has always pushed independent retailers to take the next step with their businesses and to rely on each other for solution sharing. It has championed the buying power of the independent channel with vendors and manufacturers and continues to deliver resources to help retailers grow their businesses.

The association is the only industry organization providing an exclusive opportunity for the independent channel to share ideas and learn from each other in the interest of continued growth.

From its inception, NHPA’s focus has been on helping independents across three main pillars.

• Educate. NHPA provides business owners with resources, online courses and college-level programs to educate themselves and their employees with education for staff at all levels.

• Advocate. NHPA serves as a collective voice for independent retailers across the industry, advocating on behalf of retailers by maintaining close ties with industry distributors and manufacturers.

• Associate. NHPA gives retailers across North America multiple opportunities to come together to meet one another, discuss challenges, create solutions and share ideas and best practices, learning together and from each other.

Shaping an Industry

NHPA’s mission has always been to help home improvement retailers, regardless of affiliation, become better and more profitable.

The association has supported retailers by providing business services, advocating on their behalf, offering educational opportunities and creating a nondenominational space for retailers to come together

Educate: Sharing Best Practices So We All Succeed

From the beginning, retailer education was a top priority for the association’s leaders, many of whom were retailers themselves.

In 1917, in an effort to get to know the association’s members so he could better service their needs, Herbert Sheets, who ran the association’s Member Advertising Services, collected information from 2,400 members. The information he gathered became the forerunner for the Cost of Doing Business Study and identified operational areas where retailers needed assistance.

In response, the association developed accounting forms to help retailers institute standardized accounting systems to better control credit.

NHPA also provided retailers with prospect cards and community survey forms to collect demographic information that allowed them to respond to local market needs.

Building on these offerings, in 1920, the association made a shift to focus even more on education. It developed store planning and merchandising services, including a monthly merchandising section in Hardware Retailer magazine that included lists of products to display and promote each month and suggestions for window displays, interior fixtures, signs and display trimming.

The How-to-Sell Manual and Hardware Retailers’ Sales Manual were early attempts at product knowledge training and led to the association working with City College of New York’s Midtown Business Center in the late 1940s to develop a retail hardware merchandising course, the first of its kind in the U.S.

The middle of the 21st century brought the DIY revolution to the industry and explosive growth for the association. The association responded by identifying eight industry needs that would become the blueprint for future programs and services: store traffic, increased sales, increased profits, trained personnel, modern merchandising, promotion, improved competitive position and better communications.

In 1952, the association built a small model hardware store, a merchandising laboratory of sorts, at its headquarters for retailers, merchandisers and manufacturers to test out new ideas. Throughout the middle of the century, the association produced management bulletins, an accounting and bookkeeping system and an annual Selling Guide Training programs for employees took center stage as retailers grew and expanded, and the first edition of the textbook for the Advanced Course in Hardware Retailing came out in 1957.

The association’s first training film, “Don’t Call Me a Clerk!” came out in 1963, and in the 1970s, Hardware Retailer became a major vehicle for communications for the association, sharing best practices and trends retailers relied on to be successful.

During the 1990s, the association added the Building Materials Product Knowledge course, developed the College of Hardware and Home Center Knowledge and Retail Management Institute and branched into consumer education with the Show-How brochure program. During this time, association education

would evolve along with technology and computing, and the association set up an internet website in 1996.

Since the early 2000s, education from the association has seen major updates and evolutions to match the needs of retailers. Currently, NHPA’s Academy for Retail Development

1900

On March 12, 7 state hardware associations meet in Chicago to organize the Inter-State Retail Hardware Dealers’ Association

1900 Fire destroys all association records and official papers

1901 Delegates change name to National Retail Hardware Dealers Association; first permanent offices established at Corner Hardware in Argos, Indiana

1901*

Publish

Volume 1, No. 1 of the National Hardware Bulletin in March as a 16-page pocket-size folder

1902

Publish first of three annual yearbooks, called The National Manual, which reports on the association’s achievements for the year

*1901: The first National Hardware Bulletin

offers resources for training and enriching individual employees, whether they are brand new to the home improvement industry or have decades of experience. The association also provides education through compliance training, roundtables, webinars and research like the Cost of Doing Business Study, Market Measure, Merchandising for Profit, Independent Retailer Index and case studies.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” says Scott Wright, NHPA vice president of content development and publisher. “When you look back through NHPA’s history, the content retailers needed from us a century ago like product knowledge training, selling skills and merchandising best practices are areas independent retailers still look to us to keep them competitive and viable today. Content delivery methods are very different today with the internet, but the subject matter that was important to retailers then is still very relevant today.”

Through the 1910s, the association supported the principle of price maintenance, urged passage of laws promoting truth in advertising, worked to pass laws against giving trading stamps and helped defeat a bill to allow banks to charge for processing checks.

After World War I, the association fought accusations of profiteering and reviewed hundreds of textbooks, which were teaching that the difference between retail price and factory cost was profit, leaving out the business costs retailers have to pay. These textbooks were revised to properly educate the public on the real story of retail profits.

In response to competitors’ business practices, the association adopted a Hardware Merchant’s Ethical Code in 1923, which encouraged the retailer “to be a man of character, truthful in his relationships, just in his decisions and fair in his conduct.”

In 1924, the association’s board of directors approved a resolution to form the Hardware Council, which would include wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers. The council’s purpose was to identify trade practices that could be changed to reduce costs to retailers.

Turning to consumer promotions to help move the channel forward, the association launched National Hardware Week in 1938. This national advertising promotion emphasized hardware stores’ broad assortment of merchandise, the local store’s importance in its community and the value of shopping in an independent hardware store.

Advocate: We’re More Powerful With 1 Voice

According to the association’s founding constitution, the object of the organization was “to promote the welfare of the retail hardware dealers of the U.S.”

The association wasted no time working on behalf of its retailers. In that first year as an association, officers addressed trade practices with the National Hardware Jobbers Association and manufacturers.

Retailers wanted manufacturers to stop selling to catalog houses or at least control the prices at which catalog houses sold their products to protect the margins of retail store owners. By 1905, over 300 manufacturers assured the association they would not sell to mail-order houses and if they did, the retailer would be given a fair margin of profit.

“Content delivery methods are very different today with the internet, but the subject matter that was important to retailers then is still very relevant today.”

—Scott Wright, Vice President of Content Development and Publisher

1904

The first advertising appears in the National Hardware Bulletin and National Manual is discontinued

1905 National Hardware Bulletin increases from quarterly to monthly

1908 Offices move to second floor of the Grossman Building in Argos

1912

The headquarters moves into its newlybuilt building in Argos

1917 Publishes Cost of Doing Business Study for the first time

1918 Membership reaches 38 states

Real-Word Learning

In 1952, NHPA built a small model hardware store at its headquarters. Learn more about this “merchandising lab of sorts” and how it supported the industry at hardwareretailing.com/model-store

The Lore of Hardware

When it comes to pop culture icons, he may not be mainstream, but Mister Oswald has garnered celebrity status and a loyal following in the hardware industry. He first appeared in the comic strip bearing his same name in October 1927 and would delight readers of Hardware Retailer magazine for over eight decades.

Mister Oswald was born from the creative mind of Russell Johnson, an artist and independent retailer himself. Johnson’s father owned a hardware store in Gibson City, Illinois, and Johnson took over the business after his father passed away, along with running a local shoe store owned by his brother-in-law.

In the early 1920s, Johnson began cartooning for one of the local newspapers, and his cartoons were seen by an editor at Hardware Retailer. In 1925, that editor invited Johnson to contribute cartoons to the magazine, which led to the creation of the Mister Oswald comic strip in 1927.

Johnson retired from retailing in 1963, but continued Mister Oswald for many years, handing over the reins to illustrator Larry Day in 1989. Day continued the strip in Hardware Retailer until 2008.

During his tenure as Mister Oswald’s creator, Johnson worked on the strip continuously for 62 years, a record for a comic strip done by its original creator.

A comic strip history buff, artist Rob Stolzer created a website in 2021 dedicated to Mister Oswald to keep his legacy alive.

Learn about Mister Oswald’s storied history, the life of Russell Johnson, how Larry Day kept a legend alive and where Rob Stolzer’s deep appreciation for Mister Oswald began at hardwareretailing.com/mister-oswald.

1924* National Hardware Bulletin becomes Hardware Retailer; headquarters move to Indianapolis

1927 Hardware Council publishes Trade Betterment report outlining ways the channel can reduce costs of distribution

1927* Russell Johnson creates Mister Oswald comic strip

In 1949, the association launched a nationwide public relations campaign, which expanded in 1954 with the creation of the Handy Helpful Hardwareman symbol.

In 1955, it affiliated with the Canadian Retail Hardware Association, expanding advocacy across the border.

Through the rest of the century, the association would stay involved in advocacy work, including addressing trade relations, pricing, wages and more.

Today, NHPA backs various organizations that support independents, keeps members abreast of the laws and regulations impacting the industry and promotes careers in the channel.

The association maintains close relationships with industry distributors and manufacturers on behalf of all its retailers.

“It’s easy to forget what a powerful force independent home improvement retailers are when they combine their voices,” says Dan Tratensek, NHPA chief operating officer. “Combined, independent retailers in this industry account for roughly $250 billion in annual sales—that is huge.”

Tratensek says NHPA represents all of those independent voices, and the association works closely with other organizations inside and outside the channel to make sure every voice is heard.

“It’s easy to forget what a powerful force independent home improvement retailers are when they combine their voices.”

—Dan Tratensek, Chief Operating Officer

1924: Moved to new headquarters in Indianapolis

*1968: Forty Years of Mister Oswald book, See Page 26

*1955: NRHA join forces with Canadian Retail Hardware Association

1951 Moves into own building on Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis

1952 Russell Mueller named Managing Director

1954 Develops Handy Helpful Handwareman symbol to designate independent home improvement retailers

1955* Affiliates with Canadian Retail Hardware Association

1961 Publishes Managing a Retail Hardware Store textbook

*

*1927: Mister Oswald comic strip from 1978

“One of the biggest things we can do to advocate for independent retailers is to make sure the rest of the channel understands their challenges and concerns,” Tratensek says. “That’s why we focus time and effort advocating for independents within our channel, talking to distributors, manufacturers and others to make sure they understand what our members need to continue to be a vibrant and growing force in the industry.”

Associate: Supporting Each Other When We Come Together

From its inception, the association made industry events and coming together as an organization a priority through its annual national convention. In the 1920s, the focus for the annual association conventions became more educational.

Over its history, the association has supported major industry events, including the launch of National Hardware Week. This campaign included an Independent Retail Hardware Association (irha) shield-shaped decal retailers could use to show they were part of the association.

Mid-century, the association created advisory committees of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers, uniting the industry for the betterment of everyone involved. The association was the original association participant in Hardware Industry Week, which accompanied the National Hardware Show.

Other ways the association brought the industry together was through the State of Independents Conference, the All-Industry Conference and annual conventions.

The association still strongly believes that “we are stronger together” and hosts events each year to encourage solidarity in the channel like the Independent Home Improvement Conference.

1963 Releases first training film

1966 Launches Retailers’ Choice Awards

1967 William Mashaw Named Managing Director

1968* Publishes Forty Years with Mister Oswald

NHPA Retrospective With John Hammond

During 38 years with the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) that included 13 years as managing director, John Hammond saw dramatic changes in the home improvement industry. He offers this snapshot of some industry milestones during his career and how the association responded.

Hardware Retailing (HR): When did you serve NHPA (then NRHA) and what were some of the highlights of your career here?

John Hammond (JH): I began my career at the association as assistant editor for Hardware Retailing magazine from 1970 to 1973. After that I actually went to work for a competing magazine, the Hardware Merchandiser. After a couple of years, I returned to NRHA in 1975, missing the satisfaction that came from working with an organization totally involved in every aspect of the industry. I moved up through the organization from editor to associate publisher to vice president and publisher until I was named managing director in 1995, a position I held until retiring in 2008.

HR: What was the biggest change in the home improvement industry during your time at NRHA?

JH: Consolidation. In the 1970s, the independent hardware industry was totally fragmented with about 475 full-line hardware wholesalers, nearly all of them regional. Manufacturers were the “channel captains” and controlled the way goods and services moved through the channel. There were hundreds of local distributor shows. At that time, NRHA had 36 state and regional affiliates. We developed and coordinated services on a national level and the affiliated associations delivered those services to individual store members. Services we provided included store

1970 Announces computerized accounting service for retailers

1973 Begins publication of consumer magazine

How To: the make it, fix it, grow it magazine

planning and design, in-store merchandising, employee training, insurance, legislative activities and managing retailer’s co-op ad funds.

By the early 1980s, national co-ops grew to dominate the industry: Ace, True Value, HWI (later Do it Best) and Servistar (later merged with True Value). In Canada, Home Hardware was the dominant player. The regional distributors began going out of business and those that survived banded into Merchandising Groups, such as Liberty, Sentry (later merging into Distribution America), PRO, ValTest and Allied. The national co-ops and wholesale groups created their own brands, store designs and training programs. They became the new “channel captains,” controlling the flow of goods and services to retailers.

By the mid-80’s, Home Depot had arrived and the big-box race was on. By the early 90’s, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Menards emerged as the dominant players.

HR: How did the association respond to those changes?

JH: We had to adapt to the rising dominance of the national co-ops and distributors. With the exception of our publishing operation, the wholesalers took over the traditional association role by offering most of the services we were offering. Local associations became obsolete and by the mid-90’s, only 19 of the 36 were left. By the time I retired, only three were left. We offered association group membership programs to the national co-ops and wholesaler groups where their retailer customers could access our programs, including our training, in return for a fee. Some of them took us up on it. We also expanded our custom publishing group by creating customized magazines for these organizations. We basically private labeled our services for these companies and then private labeled communication devices to market them. We also became a supplier for wholesaler catalog data management and created a department to manage a wholesaler’s catalog data.

By the time I retired in 2008, the industry was changing once again. On-line shopping had disrupted the channel. Amazon changed everything.

Forward-thinking retailers and wholesalers launched e-commerce sites. The consumer became the new “channel captain.”

HR: What was the biggest contribution the association made to the home improvement industry during your leadership

JH: The move from a fragmented to a consolidated industry meant more control over the flow of best practices and ideas. Distributors provided programs at a national level. As an association intended to include all retailers, regardless of affiliation, we provided a forum where retailers could discuss ideas and best practices with others outside of their wholesaler. We provided that forum through our magazine, at our convention and at distributor shows. Encouraging and facilitating this open flow of information has probably been the biggest contribution to the industry the association made during my time, and it continues to do so today.

“As an association intended to include all retailers, regardless of affiliation, we provided a forum where retailers could discuss ideas and best practices with others outside of their wholesaler.”

—John Hammond, Former NHPA

1976

Puts training and sales aids on microfiche

1979 Begins publishing Hardware Show News at the National Hardware Show

1983 Develops Retail Management Institute course

1984 Hardware Retailing becomes Do-It-Yourself Retailing

Business Services: Creating Solutions for Your Biggest Headaches

Early on, the association worked to create a national mutual fire insurance company. While the idea failed, it set the tone for the association to provide services that would help members be more profitable.

During the 1910s, the association ran a Price and Service Bureau, which gave members price and other purchasing

The Evolution of a Magazine

One of the key ways NHPA has connected with retailers is through its monthly print publication. And while it has gone through several names changes, whatever was on the cover's masthead, retailers could count on reading applicable best practices, practical takeaways and helpful resources within its pages. 1905-1923

Introduces “open university” continuing education program

information to buy products in the most efficient and cost-effective ways possible. Those member services and educational opportunities expanded exponentially in the following decades to include all aspects of store operations: research, information, accounting, inventory management, business planning, store design and employee training.

The first individual retirement account program for members came in 1975. Today, business services are still a key benefit to association members, who have access to the Retail Marketplace, small business loan programs, insurance programs and credit card processing.

125 and Counting

While the industry is dramatically different today than it was when NHPA was first formed in 1900, there is so much that remains the same, including the association’s focus, role and mission, which has basically remained the same for the entire existence of the organization. NHPA’s mission is: To help hardware stores, home centers, LBM outlets and paint and decorating stores, regardless of affiliation, become better and more profitable retailers.

“It’s always been the guiding principle to how we serve our retailer constituents,” says Bob Cutter, NHPA president and CEO. “It’s something all employees who work at the association understand and can recite because for the past 125 years it’s been our mantra, and it will continue to guide us forward into the future.”

The History of the Paint & Decorating Retailers Association

On May 18, 1947, the Retail Paint and Wallpaper Distributors of America (RPWDA) was announced in Chicago, Illinois, to represent retail paint and wallpaper distributors throughout the country. The following year, the first RPWDA trade show was held in Chicago.

While the mission to support the independents was continuous, the association name changed throughout the years before finally becoming the Paint & Decorating Retailers Association in 1996.

Decorating Retailer Magazine printed its first copies in September 1964, and in 1965, the association launched its first correspondence training program, a 15-manual course endorsed by Indiana University.

The association began offering key benefits to members, established the Marketing Institute and partnered with Better Homes & Garden to promote paint and wallpaper stores to consumers in the 1960s. In 1962 the name changed to the Paint &

2005 Name changes to North American Retail Hardware Association

2006 Begins Top Guns recognition program

2007 Do-It-Yourself Retailing becomes Hardware Retailing

Wallpaper Association of America (PWAA) and then again in 1972 to the National Decorating Products Association (NDPA).

In 1993, the association founded the NDPA Educational Foundation. In 1996, the National Decorating Products Association changed its name to Paint & Decorating Retailers Association (PDRA) and Decorating Retailer Magazine became Paint & Decorating Retailer.

During the early 2000s, the association combined its trade show with the National Hardware Show, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the magazine and published a consumer paint and decor special interest publication.

In 2017, PDRA announced an alliance with NRHA to increase support to independents. During this time, NRHA changed its name to the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) to reflect the new era for both organizations.

2008

William

Lee

Named President and CEO

2011 NRHA All-Industry Conference held at the National Hardware Show

The Life and Legacy of Mister Oswald

When it comes to pop culture icons, he may not be mainstream, but Mister Oswald has garnered celebrity status and a loyal following in the hardware industry. He first appeared in the comic strip bearing his same name in October 1927 and would delight readers of Hardware Retail magazine for over eight decades.

Mister Oswald was born from the creative mind of Russell Johnson, an artist and independent retailer. At the start of World War I in 1917, Johnson enlisted with the U.S. Navy and throughout his time kept his love of cartooning alive by drawing cartoons for Afloat and Ashore, a Naval paper published in Charleston.

After the war, Johnson returned to his job at Montgomery Ward in Chicago and took night classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, which had a cartoon arts program. In 1921, Johnson moved back to his hometown of Gibson City, Illinois, where he worked in his father’s hardware store. He drew advertising cartoons for the store’s window displays and created cartoons for one of the local newspapers. An editor for Hardware Retailer saw Johnson’s work in the newspaper and reached out to Johnson. In 1925, Johnson began a six-decade stint with the magazine and brought Mister Oswald to life. After retiring from retail in 1963, Johnson continued working on the Mister Oswald comic for two more decades. At the age of 95, he officially retired, passing the reins to illustrator Larry Day, who had been assisting Johnson with the comic since the early 1980s. Mister Oswald last appeared in the magazine in 2008. Johnson worked on his strip continuously for 62 years, a record for a comic strip done by its original creator.

Illustrator Larry Day reflects on his time penning the Mister Oswald comic strip after taking over from Russell Johnson in the 1980s.

Hardware Retailing (HR): How did you get connected with Russel Johnson and start creating Mister Oswald?

Larry Day (LD): I was an instant fan after seeing a copy of “Forty Years with Mr. Oswald.” My father brought home a signed copy from the local hardware store where Russell was signing copies. He wanted me to meet Russell, but I was a very shy 18-year-old. My younger brother tagged along with my father and had Russell sign me a copy anyway. When I opened the book, I was mesmerized. I devoured it. That someone with that level of skill who lived in our small rural farm town with that kind of drawing and draftsmanship floored me. Mr. Oswald was on par with the best cartoonists in the world where the ideas, pacing and characters were rich, funny, delightful and engaging, not to mention the history lessons and the familiarity of our small town.

I dropped my shyness and decided to meet him. Russell lived on Ninth Street, right across from the elementary school where I attended from kindergarten through fourth grade. He lived in a cute red brick two-story bungalow with a large porch and a dormer out the front. I never thought anything about it or who lived there the years going to school. It was just another house on the block. Little did I know a genius was hard at work inside.

The year was 1974, a year before heading to college where I would be studying commercial art. I decided to overpower my shyness and finally meet this local cartoonist. Russell was 81 and a bit hard of hearing. It took a while to answer my increasingly loud knocking. I was ready to leave when the door opened. I introduced myself and he said, “Come in, make yourself homely.” I instantly felt welcome.

That’s how I met Russell Johnson, the genius.

I don’t remember the actual year I started drawing Mr. Oswald. I think it was a few years after Russell sold the copyright to Hardware Retailing. After having the longest running comic strip ever, he decided to call it quits. A nationwide search was put out for his replacement. Russell shared a few of the submissions when he turned to me and said, “Why don’t you send a sample?”

By then I had been over to his house many times and had gotten to know him well. I saw how he worked out his

2018 Robert Cutter Named President & CEO

ideas and the pacing of each character with thumbnail sketches and final drawings and how he inked and lettered each strip. I admired that these were all his own creations, characters from his own Johnson’s Hardware store on Sangamon Avenue.

HR: What did it mean to you to be a part of such a storied comic strip?

LD: It meant the world to be a part of Russell’s creation. Each of his characters were engaging and full of their own unique psychological makeup and drama. The cast was large and all local folk. It was a rarity, and I knew it. I was a part of that and also a part of an instant audience, a large community of loyal hardware dealers across the country. Russell’s shoes were not easy to fill. I felt I came close to Russell’s level on a couple of occasions, but it was always Russell’s inspiration in the back of my mind that kept me going. When anyone asked how he came up with his ideas he would always reply “cocaine.” He never did cocaine, and neither have I, but his work had an intoxicating magic to it. Russell was a natural. He was sharply in tune with the world around him.

HR: Did you have a favorite Mister Oswald character or comic strip you worked on?

LD: My favorite characters were Mister Oswald and Herman Hammers, his feisty and determined employee. Some of the side characters were endearing to me like Hotair, the hardware wholesaler who made periodic visits. I loved creating dialogue between the two

A fan of Mister Oswald for over 30 years, comic book fan Rob Stolzer created a website dedicated to the comic strip icon after finding a copy of “Forty Years with Mister Oswald” in a book store. Stolzer shared with Hardware Retailing his appreciation for Russell Johnson and Mister Oswald.

Hardware Retailing (HR): When did you first become interested in

Russell Johnson and Mister Oswald?

Rob Stolzer (RS): I was antiquing in Galena, Illinois, in 1993 when I ran across a used bookstore. Coming from a family that loved books, I always visited used bookstores when traveling, especially during those pre-and-newish internet days. Being a collector of comic strip art and books, I made sure to visit the humor section of bookstores. You never know what you might discover. On this day in this small Illinois town, I ran across a slightly worn hardcover book with gray boards: Forty Years with Mister Oswald. I had been studying old comic strips for well over a decade at the time, but never heard of either the comic strip or the cartoonist, Russ Johnson.

Leafing through the book, I was smitten with the style. Great cartooning from days gone by. I’m also a sucker for cartoons that reflect social history, and I loved that the strip revolved around a hardware store. But I was not smitten by the price, which is still marked in pencil on the upper right corner of the front-end page: $20. I looked through the book again, considered the price, and grudgingly put it back on the shelf. I left the store and made it nearly one block before I turned around, went back to the bookstore and purchased the book. That was my introduction to Russ’s work.

HR: When did you launch the Mister Oswald website? What was the motivation for starting that?

RS: Not long after I purchased the book back in 1993, I began searching for information about Russ and his comic strip. There had been a couple of published interviews done years earlier, but nothing recent. I decided to try and contact Russ. Luckily, a friend of mine had his address, so I wrote him an old-fashioned letter. In July 1995, I was able to conduct Russ’s final interview, as he passed away two months later. That interview ran in the pages of Hogan’s Alley magazine, a publication devoted to the cartoon and narrative arts.

I had already been collecting original comic and comic strip art for over a decade at this point, and Russ kindly gifted me two original Mister Oswald pages. I began to gather other material about the feature, including old tearsheets. As the internet grew and I learned more about building websites, I decided that I would like to do something devoted to Russ and his creation. So I secured the domain name and contacted the folks at Hardware Retailing magazine to seek permission. This took a few

2020 Paint and Decorating Retailers Association (PDRA) joins NRHA

2020 Name changes to North American Hardware and Paint Association

2020

NHPA rallies channel executives to urge Congress to designate home improvement retailers as “essential” during the COVID-19 pandemic so they can remain open and serve their communities

2023 First NHPA Independents Conference in Dallas, Texas

2024

NHPA partners with The Hardware Conference to form the first Independent Home Improvement Conference in Marco Island, Florida

years of touching back every so often, but in 2021 I was given the go-ahead to create the site. I was later a guest on Dan Tratensek’s “Taking Care of Business” podcast to talk about Russ and Mister Oswald.

HR: Why do you think Mister Oswald has achieved such a loyal following?

RS: There are a few reasons. First and foremost, Russ was a terrific cartoonist! He studied with professional cartoonists like Billy DeBeck (creator of Barney Google) in Chicago in the 1920s, and he really honed his craft as time went on. Russ drew wonderful figures and the details he put into the store are amazing! How many nuts and bolts did he draw over the decades?

Russ created wonderfully believable and flawed characters that readers could relate to, whether they were or are in the hardware business or not. Part of that character extends to the spaces he created. I love the family-owned hardware stores that are sadly disappearing, and Mister Oswald’s store is a perfect example of one of stores where you could go in and ask specific questions about a job or purchase a single bolt.

Mister Oswald is a mirror of the time it was created in, and I believe that readers respond to that reflection of time and place. During World War II, Mister Oswald struggled with not only keeping staff in the store, but materials as well. During the post-war boom, Mister Oswald faced different issues, the same as other store owners. Russ’s strip is a time capsule. And because he drew and wrote the strip so well, that time capsule is brought to life over and over again.

Association

Model Store Puts Merchandising Into Practice

During its 125-year history, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has always focused on its members and helping independent retailers be better and more profitable. One of those ways was the association’s model store that was housed in the headquarters in Indianapolis starting in 1952.

The completely equipped model hardware store had nothing for sale except ideas and was open to retailers, wholesalers and manufactures to glean merchandising and display ideas, test customer service procedures and experiment with new merchandising concepts.

According to a 1950s brochure from the association, the model store offered day-to-day exposure for retailers from across the country to view new merchandise and new merchandising ideas. For vendors who participated in the model store program, the association offered them a complimentary mailing to all hardware stores and other retail outlets sharing about their products.

Those vendors were also included in a monthly bulletin, the Hoosier Hardware News, and the association kept an up-to-date list of sales representatives to share with retailers. Participating retailers received a management report each year of their store operating costs and sales and received the monthly Hoosier Hardware News and Hoosier Hardware Guide at the end of the year.

“Serving the needs of hundreds of stores is a responsibility and a challenge—you never really find a stopping place. It is gratifying to see the programs and services of the association continually helping the hardware retailers to more efficient management and better customer service.”

—William Sheely, Managing Director

Elevate Your Operations

Join us for two days of education, networking and growth opportunities at the 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference in Orlando

Why Attend?

• Gain actionable insights from engaging keynote speakers and industry innovators

• Learn new strategies with 30+ targeted breakout sessions designed for independent retailers

• Expand your network with 800+  home improvement industry peers

• Enjoy a world-class, family-friendly venue in vibrant Orlando, FL

and

Who Should Attend?

The 2025 IHI Conference is designed for independent hardware and home improvement retailers looking to strengthen their operations, explore new business opportunities, and grow their networks.

Scan the QR code to join the waitlist for the 2025 Home Improvement Conference

OPERATIONS

CLOSING THE LABOR GAP

Looking Beyond Your Current Employee Pool to Navigate Labor Dilemmas

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON

In an era where labor costs are on the rise and the search for the right talent becomes increasingly challenging, retail businesses are compelled to rethink their approach to workforce management. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce America Works Data Center reports that the labor shortage gap is decreasing, but there are still more jobs available than people to fill them. At the end of 2024, there were 8 million job openings in the U.S. but only 6.8 million unemployed workers.

At the 2024 Independent Home Improvement Conference, hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) and The Hardware Conference, three retailers—Yilda Marte, Leonardo Osorio and Gina Schaefer—shared the unconventional methods they have employed to effectively source and manage talent to put—and keep—the right people in the right positions in their operations. Tap into their best practices as you fill open roles in your own operation.

An Opportunity to Work

With 16 locations and over 525 employees, the biggest challenge facing Sunpro is the limited labor pool in manufacturing seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, says Osorio, who is the director of human resources for Sunpro.

Osorio heads up an innovative initiative that has brought much-needed labor to Sunpro. Sunpro is part of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ H-2B Visa Program, which allows U.S. employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs. As part of the H-2B Visa Program, Sunpro brought 45 people from El Salvador to work in 2022, 42 people in 2023 and 39 in 2024.

To qualify as an H-2B Visa petitioner, an employer must demonstrate there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified or available; show that employing H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers; and show the work is temporary, from a one-time occurrence to seasonal work for 10 months out of the year or less.

“If you’re interested in the program, two things you must consider: be sure to apply on time and be sure to show it’s a temporary need,” Osorio says. “It’s also crucial to be specific in what type of employee you need. For example, if you need somebody who speaks English, it needs to be in the job description submitted to the government by the deadline each year.”

Osorio says other key pieces for success are hiring a knowledgeable attorney to stay on top of the many compliance components that come along with the program and offering onboarding that sets the H-2B employees up for success. The employer covers the cost of the airfare to come to the U.S. and the visa, and the applicant is responsible for housing, transportation and other costs. To help the new employees get acclimated, a Sunpro representative greets each one at the airport when they arrive.

Qualifying for the H-2B Visa Program

1

Demonstrate there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified or available

2

Show that employing H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers

3

Show the work is temporary, from a one-time occurrence to seasonal work for 10 months out of the year or less

Learn more at uscis.gov

It’s crucial to be specific in what type of employee you need. If you need somebody who speaks English, it needs to be in the job description submitted to the government by the deadline each year.

—Leonardo Osorio, Sunpro

Leonardo Osorio

Wellness Focus

Discover how the management team at Cole Hardware implemented a successful and comprehensive wellness program for its employees at PDRmag.com/culture-of-wellness

“Even if they arrive at 3 a.m., we have a Sunpro representative at the airport greeting them and sharing information about what they’re going to need during their time with us,” Osorio says. “We provide a number of community resources, including 75% tuition reimbursement for them to go to a local school or community college to take classes to learn English, lists of their religious organizations that are in town, a directory of the grocery stores and a list of any type of activities that they want to do.”

While bringing in employees from El Salvador has benefited Sunpro, being able to help those employees and their families has been the biggest positive, Osorio says.

“This is helping them, it’s helping their families,” he says. “We have had people who this is the third year they have come, so it can be very successful.”

Becoming Professionals

Schaefer, founder of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, a 13-store chain in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and their surrounding areas, says the rhetoric of the unemployment problem points to the record low employment rates the U.S. has been experiencing as a success, but many employers are still saying they can’t find good employees.

“We need to look differently at different folks, because the people who can get a job generally are finding a job,” Schaefer says. “We’re all looking in the same place for the same people, and we need to be looking beyond the same labor pools.”

Since opening her first store in 2003, Schaefer has focused on providing chances and offering opportunities to those who need them most. Her book, “Recovery Hardware,” shares Schaefer’s path to building an innovative business that revitalized her urban community and provided opportunities for everyone to thrive, no matter their past.

“I think we’ve gotten away from thinking of retail as a profession. We say things like, ‘I’m just a retailer, I just sell hardware,’” Schaefer says. “I am a big believer in hiring from nontraditional backgrounds. I hire lots of folks coming home from prison and those in recovery. Those populations have helped build

A Few Cool Hardware Stores employees each have a stake in the company thanks to the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) owner Gina Schaefer put in place. Skin in the Game

Reframe Your Hiring

Advice From the Unconventional Recruitment and Hiring Corner

BY GINA SCHAEFER

Years ago, I hired a new teammate with really impressive skills.

They were great with money, as in good old-fashioned cold hard cash. They were a pro at counting it, collecting it and using it to buy new inventory. Sounds perfect for someone in a retail role, doesn’t it?

Second, they were used to working odd and unusual hours—happy to have a place to go and willing to work as many hours as possible.

And third, they were fantastic with people. In fact, sometimes the more difficult the customer, the more my teammate shined. They taught me more about customer service and about how to deal with excessively demanding shoppers or employees than any business book I’ve read.

Gina Schaefer

They started as a sales associate at Logan Hardware and eventually moved into a management role.

I shared this story from the stage once and asked the audience who they thought I had hired, and a voice in the back of the room yelled “a mom!” She was thinking of someone who is resourceful, responsible and up all night dealing with crying babies.

Not a bad guess, but I had hired a former drug dealer. Yep.

I have gotten a lot of mileage talking about this teammate over the years. Who in their right mind hires a former drug dealer to “mind the store”? Everyone loves the idea of his skillset and wants to steal him from me—until they hear his resume.

But that’s when I explain that the skills that made him so successful in his prior career also made him great in retail.

I realized early on that if we could reframe how we judge skill sets and think about our employee base in a much broader way, we can grow our team in ways we never thought possible.

He worked with us for 11 years and made our business a lot of money.

You don’t have to be a professional to work in our business, but you have to BE professional. Over the years when I’ve wished for “an adult in the room” to

help me noodle through a leadership challenge we’ve hired a business coach. One such event occurred in 2008 when we decided we needed to define and document our core values because we were growing at a pretty fast rate. This engagement ultimately became an exercise in asking our team what we wanted to be when we grew up.

The coach explained to us that documentation was one thing, but living and breathing the values was a completely different story. We wanted them to come to life! We didn’t want to put them in our handbook and on our website and never look at them again. And frankly, I didn’t care if our customers knew what our values were, I wanted us to embody them in everything we do. So, we peppered them into places like our interview questions, our counseling sessions and our awards programs.

The value of doing this came to life almost immediately when I hired a young man named Eddy.

Eddy had grown up in public housing and had never had a job before. He didn’t know what it meant to have a boss, and seemed terrified of me! He arrived for his interview with a mentor from a local nonprofit who ended up doing all the talking because Eddy was too shy to speak.

Eventually, I trotted out the core values. I asked Eddy (er, the mentor) to tell me about a time he was a good neighbor and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eddy light up! He may have never had a boss before, but he had a neighbor named Mrs. Wilson whose cat he fed and groceries he carried. His candidacy was inked at that moment.

Eddy worked with us for ten years, finding his voice and growing his skills before leaving us to go to college.

Create policies that serve everyone. Over the years we’ve hired dozens of folks who have been overlooked for one reason or another in their lives—perhaps like the two described above. I’ve come to call these teammates my nontraditional teachers because their experiences, often very different from mine, have taught me how to be a better leader. Actually, they’ve taught me how to be a better human being.

Our policies and procedures were written for everyone on the team and have served us well over the years. Beyond the core values we created non-negotiables, rules for tardiness, service level expectations and learning goals. Every community has an underemployed population. In some places it’s returning citizens, in some it’s immigrants, veterans or moms reentering the workforce. All of our businesses need new teammates every now and then and by broadening our pool of candidates, we can end up with a stronger team to help fuel future success!

Successful Start

Employees at Sunshine Ace Hardware go through specialized and personalized training that sets them up for success in their roles.

my business into an amazing company, and I think it’s because we treat everybody who comes to the door like they have the ability to be a professional.”

When it comes to employee retention, Schaefer found that creating an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was the perfect succession plan for a company built on a culture of engagement. Schaefer and her team have been emphasizing that the ESOP may not change an employee’s twice-a-month paycheck, but it is impacting the trajectory of their retirement. When employees buy into the success of the company, they are directly impacting their own financial success.

“Adding the ESOP was one extra lever of sharing in the wealth and building of the company,” Schaefer says. “We are constantly educating a new owner on what it means to be a new owner, and then hoping they stay because now they feel that ownership piece.”

That culture of engagement also includes taking care of the employee.

“We still have to make sure we’re handling all of the wellness along the way,” Schaefer says. “If somebody does choose to work with us their whole career, particularly as a sales associate, we want to make sure they can afford to live where our stores are and get to that retirement piece where they really are seeing the benefits.”

A Solid Start

At Sunshine Ace Hardware, which has 14 locations in Florida, the focus has been on labor optimization and bringing in those tools that provide productivity and efficiency. Marte, director of human resources, says employees are trying to do more with less, and so Sunshine Ace is committed to providing robust onboarding and training to set up employees for success.

“When we looked at our turnover, we saw we needed to focus on those first six months, specifically those first 90 days,” Marte says.

Success in employee retention starts with welcoming the new hire, and so Sunshine Ace Hardware has implemented an employee engagement team, which champions each new hire, starting with their first day on the job by providing a

personalized gift. The leadership team also shares with the entire staff when a new person is hired so each employee can welcome that new employee as well.

Marte and her team ensure each new employee is partnered with the right subject matter expert (SME) for each department and that training from each SME is consistent from store to store so employees feel comfortable if they work at multiple locations.

New employee orientation takes place within the first two weeks of a new employee starting and consists of a full day that covers core values, culture and company history, as well as expectations and communication training through DiSC. Marte has implemented 30-day, 60-day and 90-day training plans, which assures the employee is receiving the information and training they need to be successful beyond orientation. After the first 90 days, the new employee works one-on-one with their manager who creates a development program tailored to that employee.

Beyond taking care of the employees during training, Marte says the company focuses on overall wellness—physical, mental and financial. Sunshine Ace Hardware offers an employee assistance program (EAP) and partners with several community organizations to offer perks to employees.

One example is the company’s partnership with a local bank to offer financial literacy covering wealth, investing, creating a budget, credit scores, owning a home and more so that employees can stretch their wages. Sunshine Ace Hardware also works with the National Mental Health Association to put all managers through mental health first aid training, offers an employee loan program and after Hurricane Irma, the owners put together a grant program employees can apply for to cover various financial emergencies.

“Our approach is to look at the employee as a whole,” Marte says. “We want to be a sanctuary for our employees.”

Yilda Marte

Master Merchandising to Maximize Success

You Can’t Afford to Miss Foundations of Merchandising Management Live!

In today’s competitive retail environment, effective merchandising isn’t optional—it’s essential. At the 2025 National Hardware Show, on March 18-19 Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! will give you the skills and strategies to drive ROI, optimize your inventory and selling space performance, increase your customer experience and build better vendor relationships.

COURSE DETAILS:

Expert-Led Course Sessions: Gain insights into critical merchandising strategies.

Hands-On Learning on the NHS Show Floor: Apply your new knowledge in real time.

Breakout Workshops and Roundtable Discussions: Collaborate with peers and industry experts.

ROI-Driven Assignments: Take actionable steps back to your store for immediate impact.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with top retailers, vendors and industry leaders.

LEARN HOW TO:

Build inclusive vendor relationships

Develop the right product mix

Utilize productive promotional spaces

Create profitable displays and product presentations

Design an efficient store layout

Conduct organized resets and remodels

Build a consistent merchandising culture

Include merchandising in marketing

Make trade shows productive

Can’t Make it to Vegas? Take Our Online Course! Learn more at YourNPHA.org/foundations.

The Next Generation

Buck's Ace Hardware's staff includes a number of younger employees, who enjoy a strong company culture that sets them up for future success wherever they work.

Attracting Younger Employees to Your Operation

As independent retailers work to find quality employees, one audience that can be tapped into is teenagers and college students. While many in the independent home improvement channel already utilize a younger workforce, for those who don’t, Hardware Retailing shares two ways to attract these employees.

Thomas Rose, vice president of sales and operations for Weaver’s Ace Hardware in Pennsylvania, turned to technology to attract younger job applicants.

In 2021, Rose added a Careers Page to the operation’s website, including the ability for job applicants to submit a video application, an idea he got from a lecture he attended. Along with the video, applicants can apply via an online form or bring a paper application into any of the stores.

The Careers Page outlines what Rose is looking for in the video application, which he recommends is 60 seconds or less. In the video, applicants share their name, where they live, phone number, store they are applying for, areas of interest, whether they are currently employed and any special qualifications.

Video applicants also share why they want to work for Weaver’s Ace Hardware and a personal goal they hope to achieve during their time working for the operation.

Rose says that while he hasn’t gotten as much traction from the page and the video application as he had hoped, with only a handful of video applications submitted. But, he believes it will be beneficial in the future to attract young employees. The Careers Page has also allowed Rose to more easily share the company’s culture.

“Culture is brought into the conversation from the very beginning and is a big part of what we do and how we do it,” Rose says. “For us, behaviors supersede KPIs, because KPIs will come with the right behaviors.”

For Buck Hurst, owner of Buck’s Ace Hardware with four locations in Utah, attracting younger generations starts by providing an excellent work culture and building into them as employees.

Hurst relies on younger workers to fill spots at his stores and strives to provide the best environment possible for these employees, who for many of them, this is their first job ever.

“I believe in the youth and believe we have a responsibility to them by providing a safe, secure and upward learning place that advances their personal skills in multiple ways and gives them a strong foundation for their future life’s goals,” Hurst says. “That’s the best training ever.”

Brush Up on Training

Take advantage of NHPA’s paint library of 17 training courses and over 53 individual modules . Licensing gives you the ability to easily add any of our courses to your LMS, and we’ll help get it set up.

PAINT TRAINING BUNDLE

For an extra $500

$2,700 per store fee includes $99 add 4 essential courses to complete the full package deal

$3,000 per year to license 13 NHPA paint-focused training courses

*Must be a premier member of NHPA and a new licensing customer. Discount applies to year one of a two year contract.

Basic Paint Sales

Advanced Paint Sales

Paint Problem Solver

Retail Terms

Joining a Retail Team

Our Three Pennies of Profit

Internal Theft Prevention

External Theft Prevention

Store Safety

Project Pro - Exterior Painting

Project Pro - Repairing Drywall

Project Pro - Refinishing an Antique

Project Pro - Priming and Painting Interior Walls

Basic Retail Merchandising

Basic Retail Accounting

Basic Pricing

Basic Inventory Management

Dedicated Support

Customer support to address any questions or concerns related to the training courses.

Access to Training Materials

Access to digital training materials, resources, and modules for each store, ensuring consistent training across all locations.

Updates and Refreshers

Updates to the training materials to ensure the content remains current and relevant.

Multi-User Licenses

Includes the ability for stores to register multiple users from each store under the same license, promoting widespread adoption of the training program.

Access to New Course Releases

Early access to any new training courses that NHPA releases. 10% OFF

Alex Porter Lives Out a Passion for Helping Others SERVICE COMES FIRST

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON

Growing up in the family hardware business, Porters Building Centers Ace Hardware, Alex Porter was raised with a desire to help others. He took his passion for serving to the military and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 2013 after graduating from college.

“The slogan for our family business has always been, ‘We’re here to help,’ and I found that serving in the military would be the best way I could help others at that time,” Alex says. “The military also allowed me to diversify my leadership knowledge and expertise in some of the harshest environments or situations.”

Alex was part of the Kansas Air National Guard from 2013 to 2019, and during that time served a

seven-month deployment in Kuwait as a targeting officer for Operation Inherent Resolve with the 18th Airborne Corps. During his time with the Air National Guard, Alex worked in the family business as much as possible, but was serving in a more time-intensive job than most National Guard roles, so the military took priority. The times he was able to help out in the stores showed him the impact he could make there.

“I realized that by working full time back in the hardware stores, I could provide a different level of help to others,” Alex says. “I decided it was probably more impactful and the right time to come home and work in service to my community.”

Independent retailer Alex Porter was a targeting officer for Operation Inherent Resolve with the 18th Airborne Corps. Service Abroad

A New Way to Serve

New NHPA Program Honors Military Veterans Who Have Served Our Country, Channel

While there is no way to repay the sacrifices made by veterans of the armed forces, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) recognizes that not only have these individuals made a lasting impact on their country, but they are also a prominent and positive influence within the home improvement industry.

To honor the ongoing impact military veterans make throughout the home improvement industry, NHPA is launching the Helmets to Home Improvement recognition program, with the National Hardware Show as the program’s official founding sponsor and venue partner. The program will officially kick off at the 2025 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas and culminate with a gala event to honor the industry’s military veterans in person at the 2026 National Hardware Show.

The idea for the program came from NHPA national sales manager Greg Cole, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, whose story is just one of many shared by veterans working in the home improvement industry.

“I believe it is time for veterans to be recognized for the contributions they are making in the home improvement industry and in our communities. Veterans fought for us and have played, and continue to play, a significant role in shaping our nation’s history and future,” Cole says. “We must never forget their sacrifice, dedication and commitment to our country. The Helmets to Home Improvement program will be one way we can honor those who served.”

Above, Alex Porter is pictured with his wife Emily. Below, Alex (middle) celebrates his promotion to Captain with his grandfather Mack Porter (left) and father Kent Porter. Surrounded by Support

Nominate a Veteran

Help us honor those who have served our country and our channel. Visit YourNHPA.org/veterans to nominate a veteran from your business to be recognized.

Small-Town Service Runs Deep

The transition from military to retail has allowed Alex to continue helping others, and he currently serves as chief operating officer of Porters Building Centers Ace Hardware in Missouri.

The operation was started in 1952 as Kearney Lumber Company by Alex’s grandparents, Mary Helen and Mack Porter, who is also a military veteran, having served in World War II in the U.S. Army.

On their first day open, Mary Helen gave birth to their first son Craig, and from the beginning, the Porters established a reputation for excellent customer service, going out of their way to help customers. A few years later, the Porters opened a second location and had their second son Kent, Alex’s father, that same week, further establishing themselves as a true family small-town business. When they had daughter Kristy in 1961, the business had grown to four stores, and in 1976, Kearney Lumber Company became Porters Building Centers.

Mack passed away in early 2024, but Alex says he came to work every day up until his 95th birthday when he suffered a stroke and was unable to recover. Kent serves as president of the company and Craig runs a sister company, Porter Wholesale Lumber. Alex and his sister Natalie make up the third generation of Porters to run the operation.

Not long after Alex transitioned to the family business full-time in 2019, he opened a brand new store in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. His passion for serving others paid off, with that store beating sales expectations by 70%.

“It was interesting, to say the least, to get that store up and running during lockdowns,” Alex says.

The Porters opened a 20,000-square-foot store in July 2024 in an old Bed, Bath and Beyond store in Lake of the Ozarks and bought a building in late 2024 to open a fifth location this year.

Lessons Learned, Lessons Applied

Along with serving others, Alex says his favorite part of working in the independent channel is the flexibility to do what’s best for the communities where Porters Ace has stores. He also appreciates the benefits that come with being part of a co-op.

“We have a nice mix, exactly what a co-op is supposed to be,” Alex says. “We have the buying power and can utilize the processes and procedures that have been heavily vetted to our advantage, but we are still able to be our own stores, providing that local feel and running our operation based on what best serves our communities.”

“Gaining an outside perspective of leadership, organization and more helped me see a bigger picture and have a better vision of what our company could be.”

—Alex Porter, Porters Building Centers Ace Hardware

As he transitioned into full-time work in the family business, Alex says he realized that the military prepared him well in different areas. In the Air National Guard, Alex was exposed to a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds, which he says has helped him grow a strong culture at the stores to serve a variety of customers.

“Getting out and interacting with different people from around the country and the world taught me to look for what different people can bring to the table,” Alex says. “Gaining an outside perspective of leadership, organization and more helped me see a bigger picture and have a better vision of what our company could be.”

The structure he experienced in the military also led to Alex developing direction in the stores.

“I had seen so many org charts in the military that when I came back to the office and started running the day-to-day operations, I realized our employees didn’t have road maps for their roles to see how their careers could unfold with us,” Alex says. “When employees can see how they fit into the company, what their role is and what their opportunities are, there is more buy-in and commitment.”

Military veterans are an excellent fit in the independent channel thanks to their resilience and discipline, Alex says.

“Most veterans have had discipline ingrained in their being,” he says. “Having been tested physically and mentally while serving, the veteran can excel in diverse environments and stay on task.”

RESOURCES

Protection You Need

Cybersecurity should be an integral part of your traditional loss prevention methods. Learn more at PDRmag.com/cybersecurity-strategy.

FORTIFY YOUR DEFENSES

Top 4 Cybersecurity Risks Small Retailers Face in 2025

BY LUKE VANDER LINDEN, VP OF MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING, RETAIL & HOSPITALITY ISAC

W HILE CYBERATTACKERS are constantly shifting tactics, and with growing supply chains and AI advancements, retailers of all sizes should be on the lookout for new threats in 2025. Here’s what to watch for in the new year—and how to strengthen security.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks

A business email compromise (BEC) is a cyberattack where scammers leverage social engineering techniques to compromise a legitimate work email account to execute more believable scams or steal money or sensitive information, such as intellectual property or personally identifiable information. Once they’ve gained trust, they trick employees into making critical cybersecurity mistakes, like authorizing fraudulent payments, handing over sensitive data or installing malware.

Large companies aren’t the only ones at risk of BEC attacks. Companies with fewer than 1,000 employees have a 70% chance of facing at least one BEC attack per week.

Retailers are particularly vulnerable; in 2023, they were the second most-targeted industry for vendor email compromised attacks, a BEC-attack subtype where cybercriminals pose as vendors.

Voice Phishing Attacks

Voice phishing attacks are another type of phishing attack retailers should be wary of in 2025. Like BEC attacks, voice phishing attacks use social engineering to dupe employees into divulging financial or sensitive data. Again, bad actors pose as trusted vendors, HR personnel, C-suite executives, IT teams and others. Worse, deepfake technology makes modern voice phishing attacks more sophisticated and harder to detect, as advanced machine learning can mimic people’s voices with hyper-realism. In the last year, AI-driven phishing attacks increased by 60%—a trend that’s likely to continue.

SMS Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks continue beyond emails or phone calls. Cybercriminals can also infiltrate your employees’ cell phones via text message in an SMS phishing attack.

Once again, scammers pose as known sources, such as a boss or colleague, to trick employees into clicking on suspicious links, sharing log-in credentials or otherwise compromising security. As with deepfakes, AI makes SMS phishing attacks more realistic and harder to thwart, enabling scammers to mimic personal writing styles with startling accuracy.

Supply Chain Attacks

As part of a broad supply chain, retailers often have multiple integrations with third-party vendors, like logistics providers, suppliers and payment processors. Some may even share login credentials.

These integrations optimize communication and data transfers, they also expose retailers to new threats. The supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Should a retailer’s vendor become compromised, attackers can take advantage of the retailer-vendor integration to gain entry to the retailer’s network. Once they’ve gained access, they can steal sensitive data, deploy ransomware and disrupt operation, or more.

For example, in the Solar Winds attack, hackers inserted a backdoor into the company’s Orion software, allowing them to infiltrate the networks of hundreds of organizations nationwide.

1

Strengthening Cybersecurity: Tips for Small Retailers

HERE ARE 3 PRACTICAL, ACTIONABLE TIPS FOR RETAILERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CYBERSECURITY:

IMPLEMENT ADVANCED AUTHENTICATION

To help protect against phishing and supply chain attacks, retailers can implement critical authentication measures, such as multifactor authentication (MFA) and biometrics.

MFA adds a layer of protection by requiring users to input at least two verification factors to access their accounts. Beyond passwords, this can include submitting a code via SMS, an authenticator app or answering common security questions. By making it more difficult for hackers to compromise accounts, MFA can help stave off diverse cyberattacks.

Meanwhile, biometrics can be used independently or alongside MFA to further bolster retailers’ defenses.

Biometrics are an individual’s unique physical characteristics, such as their fingerprints, voice or eyes. They can serve as another method of identity verification to help block unauthorized access. With MFA, even if hackers successfully steal login credentials through a phishing or supply chain attack, they face another barrier to system access.

INCREASE CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS

2

3

MFA and biometrics are important safeguards, but they can be disruptive to implement, which makes cybersecurity awareness more important.

Over 30% of employees have made errors that risk impacting their employer’s cybersecurity. Particularly for phishing attacks, where employees are the target of social engineering, they’re often a retailer’s first line of defense against cyberattackers.

Even more worrisome, they’re also what some cybersecurity experts call “the weakest link.” The problem lies in cybersecurity awareness—30% of employees “don’t think they personally play a role in maintaining their company’s cybersecurity posture.”

In 2025, cybersecurity education should be retailers’ top priority. For example, organize training about phishing tactics, password best practices and how to handle cyber incidents. With regular training, employees will be better equipped to detect, identify and deflect cyberattacks.

JOIN A TRUSTED COMMUNITY

When it comes to cybersecurity, there is strength in numbers. Start by vetting third-party vendors to ensure they uphold cybersecurity standards. Then, educate staff with cybersecurity awareness training. Finally, join industry groups like the Retail & Hospitality ISAC (RH-ISAC), where you can connect with other retail organizations on cybersecurity issues. RH-ISAC has a program called LinkSECURE to assist retailers with ensuring their third-party vendors have robust cybersecurity practices. RH-ISAC also offers working groups to provide guidance and insights on security awareness training as well as other topics to help retailers best prepare for 2025.

CATEGORY FOCUS

The Perfect Base

2 TRAINING TIPS TO SUCCEED IN THE PRIMERS AND SEALERS CATEGORY

BY JACOB MUSSELMAN

Like every DIY project, preparation is the most important step in the process. Guiding your customers in preparing the surface for paint and ensuring they’ve done the prep work will only help the end product. At Ricciardi Brothers, which has

almost 50 locations throughout Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, making sure their customers are prepared for projects is of utmost importance. Ensuring its employees are trained and prepared to help those customers with their projects is also essential.

Go to the Next Level

NHPA now offers Advanced Paint Sales, a series of four online courses designed for paint sales associates. See how this course can improve your operation at PDRmag.com/advanced-paint-sales

1

Training for Long-Term Success

For Gerard Ruggero, manager of the Ricciardi Brothers store in Morristown, New Jersey, training his employees has led to success in the primer and sealer category. Ricciardi Brothers carries a wide range of primers and sealers, including multiple private label brands, oil-based and acrylic primers and sealers, which requires Ruggero’s employees to be familiar with each type and how it works on various surfaces.

Employee training for primers and sealers is structured as a hands-on process. Ruggero starts by working with employees to familiarize them with products and the information on their labels, then expands to online resources and manufacturer sessions.

“Our wholesaler offers training close to our location,” Ruggero says. “They have hands-on product rollouts where we get to send a few employees at a time to see how a new product works from the company that produces them.”

Ruggero says these manufacturer training sessions are one of the bestselling tools for new products and getting them in the hands of professionals. Being able to attend these trainings allows his employees to inform customers about how the product works and what they should expect if they want to purchase it.

Aside from product rollouts, Ruggero says his manufacturers will also host other training events and will set up role-playing sessions where employees get to interact with actors serving as customers, learn how to sell a certain product and receive constructive feedback on how they dealt with that customer.

Ruggero says he’s seen a lot of value in having a great working relationship with his manufacturer representatives so as new products are launched, everyone on his team sees how they work.

Our Custom printed paint paddles will create a lasting impression with your customers! Not only do they help to promote your store but they will keep your customers coming back to you, their local paint professional.

Add your store’s unique information to your paint paddles, keeping your store’s brand and contact information front and center with your customers!

Our Paint Paddles are available in four standard sizes: 9” for quart cans, 12″ & 14” for gallon cans and 21” for 5 gallon buckets.

Ricciardi Brothers stocks primer near the checkout to remind customers to purchase cans for their project.

A Primer on Safety

Before selling primers and sealers containing potentially harmful chemicals, inform your customers of these best practices for staying safe while using primers and sealers.

When using solvent-based products, keep the air where you’re working moving by opening a window or using a fan near a window or doorway. Air must keep moving throughout the room, as many solvent-based products are oxygen-cured.

When working with chemicals, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep your skin and eyes safe. Suggest to your customer to purchases a mask or personal respiratory protection in addition to their product.

Wash hands thoroughly after working with primers and sealers, especially before eating or drinking. Ingesting these chemicals can be dangerous and using soap and water is crucial after the work stops.

Become a Subscriber

Stay up to date on news, products, events and more when you sign up for any of our e-newsletters.

YourNHPA.org/subscribe

Efficiency and Excellence

Ruggero’s store has a unique structural aspect—an elevator and conveyor belt located behind the checkout counter that leads to a basement, where Ruggero mixes and tints orders without distractions from the sales floor.

“We do all of our primer tinting in the basement because it allows me to concentrate on the order and make sure it’s right before we send it back up the elevator,” Ruggero says.

“A lot of customers will be waiting upstairs and don’t understand that we work downstairs and will ask where their order is. It’s cool to see their faces when the elevator doors open upstairs and their order is right in front of them.”

2

Do Your Homework

Ruggero’s employees also spend time on their own at the store during slow periods to test products on scrap substrates so when a customer says they’re working on a specific material, they can show them how a specific primer will look.

Conversing with frequent customers about what products are their go-tos and which products they stay away from is another helpful tool in his training.

“They’re the ones using our products in the field, and they’re the ones who are going to give us real feedback,” Ruggero says.

“I always stress to my employees to ask questions, because there’s always going to be something that even I don’t know, and they won’t learn if they don’t ask questions.”

Once an employee learns the basic information about a product, it’s easier to ask questions and talk with customers about them, Ruggero says.

“A contractor would rather we ask questions than give them incorrect information or act like we know what they’re doing when we don’t and recommend an incorrect product,” he says. “I’ve found it’s always better to ask questions because that’s how you really learn.”

Building up his staff’s knowledge has also allowed him to not have to be as hands-on during the day-to-day store operation.

“My assistant Victor has been with us for over 12 years, and he can run this store with his eyes closed,” Ruggero says.

“It’s nice to have a knowledgeable staff so I can trust them to run the store if I’m not there.”

His focus on training has contributed to the success of both his team and his store, and many former employees have risen through the ranks at Ricciardi Brothers.

“Multiple former employees that started with me are now running their own stores,” Ruggero says. “It can be bittersweet to lose them but it’s great to see how we’ve helped them grow.”

Do you know a young retailer who is shaping the future of the independent home improvement industry? Maybe it’s someone you work with—or maybe it’s you!

Nominate a Retailer That Showcases:

Passion and dedication to advancing the home improvement industry

Innovative contributions to the independent retail channel

Submit your nomination by March 15, 2025

. Outstanding leadership in their business or community

Learn more at Your NHPA.org/yroty.

News to You

The new year brings more news! Subscribe to our weekly newsletters at PDRmag.com/subscribe.

Paint and Sundries Score High for Cross-Purchases

THE HOME IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE (HIRI) released its 2024 Home Improvement Retail Selector Study in late 2024. The study looked at customers’ motivations to shop at brick-and-mortar locations for their home improvement needs. For 49% of respondents, offering a variety of products is a major motivator to shop at store. One way independent retailers can attract customers looking for product variety is through cross-merchandising. The study found that paint and painting accessories have the highest potential for cross-purchasing, with nearly one-third of shoppers purchasing paint and/or paint accessories in addition to another category in the same trip in 2024.

62% 66%

of customers who purchased ceiling or floor materials also bought paint or paint accessories

of customers who purchased ceiling or floor materials also bought paint or paint accessories

Orgill Spring Dealer Market

February 20-22 | NEW ORLEANS, LA

NAHB International Builders’ Show

February 25-27 | LAS VEGAS, NV

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show

February 25-27 | LAS VEGAS, NV

The Inspired Home Show

March 2-4 | CHICAGO, IL

PACOA Spring Dealer Market

March 15-16, 2025 | FLUSHINGS, NY

National Hardware Show

March 18-20 | LAS VEGAS, NV

Blish-Mize Spring Market

March 20-22 | OVERLAND PARK, KS

CALE NDAR

Buy a Store | Sell Your Business | Post a Job, Get a Business Valuation | Find a Lender and More

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Northwest Farm & Home Supply Co.

Location: Lemmon, SD

Gross Revenue: $3.21 million

The main building is a total 27,213 sq. ft. of retail and warehouse space on 4 acres. The main bldg. was constructed in 1994 with additions constructed in 2002 and 2004.

Single story with 22’ clear height in 11,459 sq. ft. of lumber warehouse, three grade level doors and two dock height doors.

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Hoosick True Value

Location: Hoosick Falls, NY

Gross Revenue: $1.26 million

Price: $1.875 million

This opportunity offers a turnkey sale of a general hardware business located in northeastern Rensselaer Co., New York. The business serves five towns and southwestern Bennington Co., Vermont, and 25 miles east of Troy, New York.

SEEKING BUSINESSES

The Aubuchon Company

For our next acquisition, we are looking for:

• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations

• Located in northeast and southeast United States

• Store size of 5,000-30,000 ft 2

• At least $3 million in average store sales

SEEKING BUSINESSES

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Home Improvement Supply Store

Location: Missouri

Gross Revenue: $1.04 million

This historic home improvement and hardware store is a staple of its community and operates from its headquarters in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area of Missouri. The Company is a long-standing retailer and installer of consumer and commercial improvement products.

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Albrights Hardware & Garden Center

Location: Allentown, PA

Gross Revenue: $1.9 million

Price: $800,000

Albrights Hardware is an established hardware store with strong neighborhood ties and has been a Lehigh Valley staple for over 50 years. The current owners have owned the store since 1992. Albrights serves its loyal customer base by providing quality products and exceptional customer service.

SEEKING BUSINESSES

Bolster Hardware

We are looking for:

• Geography agnostic

• With or without real estate

• Store revenues of $1.5M+

• We prefer to honor the family name and heritage in the local community by not changing the name

• We prefer to keep all employees as part of the acquisition

JOB LISTING

The Helpful Hardware Company

We are looking for:

• Single-store units in the southeast and multi-store groups with 3+ units nationwide

• Store size of 5,000 ft2-35,000 ft2

• Supplier agnostic

• Store revenue: $1.75M+

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Central Vermont Paint, Flooring and Decorating Business

Location: Vermont

Gross Revenue: $2.82 million

Price: $1.1 million

Full-service decorating store providing flooring, paint, window treatments, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, cabinetry product offerings, design assistance, specialized service, and professional installation.

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Private Business

Location: Alabama

Gross Revenue: $2.21 million

Price: $649,000

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Private Business

Location: Pennsylvania

Gross Revenue: $1.6 million

SEEKING BUSINESSES

Gold Beach Lumber Yard

We are looking for:

• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations

• Located in the Pacific Northwest

• Store size of 5,000 ft2-30,000 ft2

Randall Lumber & Hardware, Inc.

Position: Hardware, Ranch and Feed Department Manager

• Annual Salary: $48,000-$55,000

• Bachelor’s Degree or 5 years of experience in similar role preferred

• Strong leadership skills and creative thinking are a bonus

ASSOCIATION

PDR History

Take a closer look at the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association’s history at PDRmag.com/paint-association

HIGHLIGHTS IN HISTORY

MARKING ITS 125TH YEAR of dedicated service in 2025, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) is reflecting on the organization’s rich history. As you celebrate with us, walk the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association’s (PDRA) journey to joining NHPA.

The Beginning

On May 18, 1947, the Retail Paint and Wallpaper Distributors of America (RPWDA) was created in Chicago, Illinois, to represent retail paint and wallpaper distributors throughout the country. The following year, the first RPWDA trade show was held in Chicago.

While the mission to support the independents was continuous, the association name changed throughout the years before finally becoming the Paint & Decorating Retailers Association in 1996. Decorating Retailer Magazine printed its first copies in September 1964.

The Road to NHPA

During the early 2000s, the association combined its trade show with the National Hardware Show, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the magazine and published a consumer paint and decor special interest publication.

In 2017, PDRA announced an alliance with the National Retail Hardware Association (NHRA) to increase support to independents. During this time, NHRA changed its name to the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) to reflect the new era for both organizations.

Expanding Education

The association began offering key benefits to members, established the Marketing Institute and partnered with Better Homes & Garden to promote paint and wallpaper stores to consumers in the 1960s. The association launched its first correspondence training program, a 15-manual course endorsed by Indiana University, in 1965.

In 1993, the association founded the NDPA Educational Foundation. In 1996, the National Decorating Products Association changed its name to Paint & Decorating Retailers Association (PDRA) and Decorating Retailer Magazine became known as Paint & Decorating Retailer.

Flood Easy Seal is a premium oil-based stain and sealer that provides a beautiful finish with a flawless one coat application.

Designed with a streak free performance that results in no runs and no laps, Flood Easy Seal is an easy-to-use formula to get your woodcare project done faster. Available in 8 ready-mixed colors, it’s recommended for decks, fences, siding and other outdoor wood surfaces.

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

:

• One-Coat Application

• Penetrates Deep for a Flawless Finish

• No Laps, Runs, or Streaks

• 8 Ready-Mixed Colors

• No Back Brushing

• No Cracking, Flaking or Peeling

• UV Blocking

• Water Resistant

• Fortified with PENETROL® for Excellent Penetration

• Recommended for: Decks, Fences, Siding and other Outdoor Wood Surfaces

Deck, Siding & Ceiling: Pecan