Issuu

READ AMAZING BUT TRUE HARDWARE STORIES

April 2021 Vol. 13, No. 3

THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER

The Next BIG THING

in HOME IMPROVEMENT RETAILING

ALSO INSIDE: Best Practices for Delivery Service Category Reports on Grills and Outdoor Power Equipment

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Product Assortment: • High-Margin Private Label Brands • National & Regional Brands • Annual Rebates

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CONTENTS April 2021 ■ Vol. 13, No. 3

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: FIND HOT ITEMS TO LIGHT UP SALES IN 2021

FEATURE: THE NEXT BIG THING IN HOME IMPROVEMENT RETAILING

Editor’s Note: Chris Jensen Trend Watch: Craig Cope Digby’s Hardware Cartoon: Scott Jensen Amazing But True Hardware Stories Shop Talk: Hardware Products Review Feature: The Next Big Thing in Home Improvement Retailing Hardlines Digest: Delivery Service Best Practices Category Report: Grills and Barbecue Accessories Category Report: Outdoor Power Equipment Dealer Profile: Handyman Hardware Product Spotlight An Inside Look: Food Trucks Beacon Awards Program Recognizes Industry’s Best Stores In the News Upcoming Events Retail Ideas Behind the Numbers The Hardware Connection app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon. Download here.

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4 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

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Connection

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX DAP Products Inc. | www.dap.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Do it Best Corp. | www.doitbestonline.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 23 Duracell | www.duracell.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 ECi Software Solutions | www.ecisolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Epicor Corp. | www.epicor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Ganymede Technologies Corp./J3 Point-of-Sale | www.j3pos.biz . . . . . . . 28 Hardlines Digest | www.hardlinesdigest.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 House-Hasson Hardware | www.househasson.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Kaba Ilco | www.ilco.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Orgill Inc. | www.orgill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 RapidFix / LHB Industries | www.rapidfix.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 RESCUE!®/Sterling International Inc. | www.rescue.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Retail Automation | www.retailautomation.biz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Shurtape Technologies/FrogTape® | www.frogtape.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Skeeter Hawk | www.nebotools.com/skh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 STIHL USA | www.stihlusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The QUIKRETE® Companies | www.quikrete.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Traeger Grills | www.traegergrills.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 WD-40 Company | www.wd40.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 36

Connection

91900 Overseas Highway | Tavernier, FL 33070 | www.TheHardwareConnection.com Publisher/Principal: Craig Cope craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666 Editor/Founder/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864 Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609 Founder/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126

6 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

Senior Business Advisor: John Hammond jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com National Account Manager: Dan Beck dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 Contributing Writers: Doug Donaldson, Gary Pittsford, John Fix III The Hardware Connection is published eight times a year by The Hardware Connection, Inc. All editorial contents copyrighted 2021 by the publisher. No editorial may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

By Chris Jensen

editor’s note

The Future of Retail is Being Formulated Now

he world has changed a lot in the last year, and not just from the pandemic. Consumer shopping habits changed, new technologies emerged, businesses in all industries got more agile and employees learned to be productive working at home. Everyone discovered the joys of more family time at home, tackling everexpanding lists of DIY projects and refining their definition of staycation. The home improvement industry is still navigating the effects of the supply channel disruption, as fill rates have not returned to normal. It has been a perfect storm of huge consumer demand combined with material shortages, COVID staffing issues and global tariffs, not to mention big ships getting stuck in canals. Retailers, once they come up for air from exhaustion, say they have new insights into how their businesses should run if and when life returns to normal. They have learned that operating shortstaffed is no fun, so beefing up employee recruitment efforts is an important goal. They have a new appreciation for the benefits of keeping their stores clean and their employees healthy, so cleaning wipes will remain big sellers. More retailers have discovered the benefits of offering curbside service and local delivery—turn to page 37 for an www.TheHardwareConnection.com

article on delivery best practices—but not everyone is convinced ecommerce is the wave of the future. If you keep training consumers to buy online, the argument goes that you will eventually teach them that brick-and-mortar stores are unnecessary. While that seems to be what has happened to department stores, I’m not sure hardware stores and lumberyards will become obsolete anytime soon. Future home improvement stores that open will undoubtedly be influenced by trends that cropped up as a result of the pandemic. When Jason Shaw and Greg Norman started converting an old bank building into a hardware store in Madison, Wis., they were smart to realize the drive-through window was a nice feature to keep even beyond the pandemic. If I was building a new hardware store, I would definitely look to incorporate a drive-through window. We first introduced the industry to Adam Taylor in our May-June 2017 issue. I had trouble wrapping my brain around the concept of a hardware store staying open 24/7, with Adam taking on most of those hours by himself. Turn to page 24 and see if Adam’s updated story convinces you that his concept is “The Next Big Thing in Home Improvement Retailing.” n THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 7

By Craig Cope

trend watch

Finding New Ways to Connect with Industry Colleagues

n March 29, Orgill announced a shift in strategies regarding their dealer markets citing a “need to offer customers a variety of ways to interact with our team and our vendor partners.” The first change impacted their upcoming Fall 2021 Dealer Market moving from an in-person event to a multi-day Online Buying Event. The announcement surprised many in the hardware channel, as everyone seems anxious to return to some form of “normal.” The hardware channel has a rich history with traditional markets/shows. Orgill has a newspaper advertisement promoting a market dating back to 1863. When COVID-19 forced all co-ops and wholesalers to migrate to a digital platform, many expected once the virus was under control the industry would immediately cease digital events and return to in-person. However, all the wholesalers reported that their digital events were a tremendous success. The new medium even engaged some customers who may not have attended an in-person show in years. This raises a simple question: Will markets and shows ever return to inperson or is digital the “new way?” The www.TheHardwareConnection.com

answer is yes to both parts of the question. Like so many other industries the event planning business learned a valuable lesson due to the global pandemic. No single method is perfect, and both in-person and virtual platforms have a future in events. Many are predicting all events will utilize a hybrid approach of inperson and digital platforms by Q1 2022. As the co-hosts of The Hardware Conference in Marco Island, Fla., my wife Shanti and I initially evaluated shifting the event to a digital platform. However, we quickly learned an event designed to build relationships does not easily translate well to a virtual format. This forced us to cancel the 2020 Conference and hope for a vaccine soon. With the introduction of three vaccines and plans for wide-spread distribution by May 2021, we began planning the 33rd edition of The Hardware Conference in late December. One benefit of canceling last year’s conference was the opportunity to evaluate every aspect of the event under a new lens. When an event has success over three decades it creates a hesitation to change. Plus, we already evaluated and dismissed moving the Conference to a digital-only platform. THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 9

What Every Store Owner Should Know About Exit Planning

Only you can know when it is time to take a step back from your business and whether that is in the next 1-3 years or further out, there are things you can do now to prepare.

Watch on-demand as topic experts discuss succession and exit planning for independent store owners. WATCH NOW

www.ecisolutions.com | How business gets done.

trend watch • Make a charitable contribution to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. Craig and Shanti Cope (with son Tyler) are • Access all the content and preco-directors of The Hardware Conference. sentations 24/7 after the event via email login. Since our group is smaller than a Click here to view a brief video overwholesaler show and the JW Marriott view of the platform. has instituted their “Connect with The virtual platform is free of charge Confidence” safety protocols, we are optimistic to host this year’s Conference. and included automatically for any in-person attendee who may want to This year will feature our traditional inrevisit a specific topic or questions. For person agenda beginning August 13 this year’s event, only Thursday’s trainthrough August 15 with three cocktail receptions, two dinners, two breakfasts ing and seminars will be available via the virtual platform. It is our hope to and also a virtual component. further expand the utilization of the The Thursday before the virtual option to welcome attendees Conference officially opens is reserved for point-of-sale training pro- to enjoy more of what the Conference vided by the POS providers, plus edu- offers. Sadly, no virtual platform can transport you to a 5-star resort, expericational seminars. This year we will ence the white sand between your toes offer a virtual option for those who or enjoy a breath-taking sunset from a cannot attend or have always been rooftop penthouse. Those are reserved curious about the event. The virtual for only in-person attendees! platform will look and function just Click here to register to attend the like an ordinary website and require in-person 33rd anniversary of The no additional software to operate. Hardware Conference. Our virtual platThe platform we selected allows form is currently under construction attendees to: and will be available shortly to accept • See and speak to presenters in realregistrations. Once available, we will time via Zoom inside the platform. post a link on our website: • Ask questions and receive answers www.thehardwareconference.com. specific to your situation or POS Shanti and I cannot wait to reconnect system. with old friends and look forward to • Interact and collaborate with other making new relationships. See you in attendees. • Participate in virtual-only “door prizes.” Marco Island! ■ www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 11

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THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 13

Amazing but TRUE

HARDWARE HUMOR

HARDWARE

STORIES W

rn some e had a customer retu buy it here, spray paint. She didn’t of the brands because it wasn’t one that she bought it ed st si in e sh t Bu y. rr we ca e paint was the brand here. We recognized th ss the street. We gave ro ac e or st e m di e th from e we took the paint to th her money back, then . dime store for a refund Kermit Singelstad ware | Lake Mills, Iowa rd Ha st Be it Do ad st el Sing

e do all payroll by direct deposit. I suspect that this method reinforces the twenty-something’s belief that money just shows up in their account and they spend it. I found that three newer employees had never logged into their Paychex account to see what was going on but they wanted their digital W2. Probably figured it would magically appear like the money did. Randy Patzer Garden City Ace Hardware | Garden City, Mich. * Originally posted in Hardlines Digest

hat time do you close today? 6 o’clock, I respond. So you are open? Have had that multiple times lately. You just want to say ‘No, we are opening at 5:45 so we can close at 6.’ I think it was Bill Engvall that says ‘Here’s your sign!’ Randy Bever Bever’s Ace Hardware | Gentry, Ark. *Originally posted in Hardlines Digest

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

hired a very nice young man, 20 years old. He w as the first young person to get 100% correct on m y pre-employment test fo r part-time employees. He even correctly answered the percentage question, something that teens and twenty-somethings can rarely do. He got his first paycheck and was completely flummoxed by it. He had no real knowle dge of the process wherein a paper item becomes ac tual money. Feeling quite ol d, I explained the paper depo sit slip in the branch and th en the ATM deposit system . Not getting very far, I th en pivoted to the suggestio n that he take a picture with his phone and deposit it by texting the picture to Ch ase (his bank). Totally relieve d that it could be done with his phone, he left happy, se cure in the knowledge that hi s printed paper paycheck was not some kind of elabor ate scam that I was perpetra ting on him. Alan Talman Retired owner of Karp’s Hardware | East Northpo rt, N.Y. * Originally posted in Hardlines Digest

THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 15

It takes strength and perseverance to own a small business. It takes dedication, hard work, and sacrifice. Many of you continue to operate to provide essential services to our communities. As the backbone of America, you play a vital role in the recovery of our economy. Together, we’ll come out stronger than ever. We see you, we need you and we thank you.

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By Craig Cope

IEW

PRODUCT #1: BITTER COATED LITHIUM COIN BATTERIES | DURACELL As any parent can attest, young children love to explore the world around them by touching, tasting, smelling, poking, climbing as they learn. It’s this curiosity that leads parents to “childproof” their homes to limit the chances of this behavior turning into a life-threatening event. We all have heard, “it only takes a second…” and something happens to change everyone’s life forever. One potential danger most parents do not recognize sitting in plain sight in virtually every room of the house is batteries. And more specifically lithium coin batteries. As a father, it never crossed my mind that young children would put a coin battery into their mouth or worse attempt to swallow it. Every year hundreds of children accidentally ingest lithium coin batteries. In as little as two hours, a harmful chemical reaction takes place putting the child’s life in immediate danger. Click here to watch a video of how one family’s life was turned upside down in an instant. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Duracell has taken a leadership role to help prevent accidental ingestion and educate parents on the danger of lithium coin batteries. The company has launched a new line of lithium coin batteries treated with a bitter coating to discourage ingestion. The new battery was awarded the prestigious award of Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) Winners Seal of Approval. For more information on the product and campaign, click here. This section is about using independent testers to try various products and write about their feedback. Since I could not encourage one tester to “take one for the team” and describe the taste of the bitter coating, I was left to do it myself. The taste is that of a mix of bitterness with a hint of acidic ﬂavor. Think of a lemon on steroids with a prolonged bitter aftertaste. The Duracell bitter coated lithium coin batteries are available in 2032, THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 17

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POS and productivity solutions to simplify your life as a hardware retailer

2025 and 2016 sizes. The package is clearly labeled with a child with its tongue out and features a childsecure double-blister package design requiring scissors to remove the battery. Educate your staff and customers on the dangers of lithium coin batteries and how the Duracell bitter coating is a safe alternative. As for the bitter coating, it’s nontoxic so feel free to try it for yourself. However, I recommend it after lunch.

PRODUCT #2: ECLIPSE RAPID WALL REPAIR PATCH DAP

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One of the most common repairs a homeowner, tenant or handyman performs is patching holes in drywall. Some are the result of removing hardware from a wall, doorknobs impacting walls or even simple nail holes from hanging pictures. Or in my case, an over-excited 80-pound puppy’s hip crashing into the wall www.TheHardwareConnection.com

while leaping into bed during a training exercise. Regardless of how the hole materializes, patching drywall is something everyone will encounter. When it comes to drywall repair there is no shortage of ways to repair holes from all-in-one kits, spackling, drywall replacement or toothpaste if you’re still in college and moving out of your dorm. The problem with all repair methods is the need to spackle, sand and then paint. It’s extremely easy to spot a drywall repair performed by the inexperienced. The Eclipse patch is an innovative However, DAP aims to solve this drywall repair solution that requires problem with the introduction of the no spackling or sanding and just a Eclipse Rapid Wall Repair Patch. few coats of paint after application.

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“Grow your business and your future with House-Hasson”

Top Benefits of Partnering with House-Hasson Hardware:

Stability—House-Hasson Hardware is America’s largest regional hardware distributor. Our company is 115 years old, solid, stable,

debt-free and adapts to dealers’ needs and desires to improve dealer profitability. Strong Management—Don Hasson’s leadership the last 40 years has given the current management team a philosophy of focusing on dealer profitability and customer service that will live on for years and years to come. Flexible—House-Hasson Hardware’s position as the nation’s leading regional hardware distributor gives us flexibility to adjust programs and policies to meet the needs and desires of all customers, while also giving each customer personal, attentive service. Experienced Sales Reps—Your sales service comes from the industry’s most experienced salesmen, who you can use as your profitability advisors and consultants, giving you the tools you need to compete, excel and grow your business. Competitive—Our competitive buying programs will meet your needs, help you to be priced right in your market, and generate year-end cash rebates. Buy Right—We feature three regional buying markets a year—more than any other industry wholesaler—and monthly promotions to help you maintain strong gross margins. Meet Your Product Needs—We warehouse more than 55,000 name-brand items along with a private-label brand in our Knoxville, TN warehouse and our Prichard, WV warehouse. Technology—House-Hasson Hardware’s advanced technology—Etoolbox.net website, POS communication and technical support— are unmatched in the industry. We Make You Look Incredible—We offer a complete advertising program with three national store programs. Our store design team can do a reset to keep your store fresh and updated or put in a brand new store and get you up and running efficiently.

For more information about House-Hasson Hardware and our services, contact us today!

1-800-333-0520 ext. 212 • www.househasson.com • House-Hasson Hardware Co., Knoxville, TN 37914 • service@househasson.com

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is now repaired and four times stronger than the drywall itself. Click here to view a demonstration. We enlisted a mix of testers from a professional painter to a weekend DIYer who is just trying to complete his honeydo-list in time to watch the big game on TV. Our professional initially scoffed at the idea of a patch not requiring spackle or sanding, but quickly changed his opinion after the first job. He was quick to comment on the ease of application, but more importantly the impressively clean and professional appearance of the repair. Drywall repair used to take hours of his job time, but now it was less than 30 minutes and required no additional clean-up. DAP Eclipse Rapid Wall Repair Patch is a must-stock item for any hardware store selling paint, drywall or spackle. Personally, I wished Eclipse was available when our lovable puppy put her hip into the wall and I was left with a 4” hole. It would have been significantly less expensive than the professional I hired.

PRODUCT #3 WOLF’EM STICK The user simply selects the appropriate CAMPFIRE INDUSTRIES

size patch—2”, 4” or 6”—applies the adhesive patch over the hole and paints the first coat. Once the first coat of paint dries, pull the pop-up tab from the patch revealing the repaired hole. With another coat or two of paint the drywall 20 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

Now that we have officially entered spring and many parts of the nation are experiencing glimpses of warm weather my mind wanders back to my childhood. Growing up in the www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Midwest, spring was a special time of the year as we exited the drab cold of winter and began shifting our activities to outside. We would spend our time fishing, swimming, camping and inevitably enjoying the outside delicacy of toasted marshmallows or hotdogs cooked over the fire. Back in the day, we searched for the perfect stick and dad would carve the end to a nice point with his trusted pocketknife. Brothers Tanner and Spencer Harrison have taken the outdoor tradition to a new level with the introduction of the Wolf’em Stick. The stick features a rotary handle with two attachments.

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The first attachment is a backwardfacing cooking fork that is perfect for marshmallows and dogs. The design prevents marshmallows from falling off the stick into the fire. What sets the Wolf’em Stick apart from other roasting sticks is the second attachment—a biscuit dough cooker. After applying the nonstick spray to the wooden attachment, simply mold any biscuit dough around the end. The result is a hollow biscuit perfect for filling with whipped cream, pudding or any other tasty treat. We assembled a group of our most critical testers: children ages 8 to 12. The kids could not stop trying to come

up with different ideas for filling their cooked biscuit bowls. Each one tried to outdo the other with a new creation from strawberries, cheese hotdogs and even Nutella. If your store has an outdoor section, then take a look at the Wolf’em Stick, a well-built outdoor cooking device that is bound to put a smile on the faces of both kids and parents alike. Click here to view the Wolf’em Stick in action. ■

IT’S GROW TIME. A REBATE LIKE NO OTHER PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES LIKE NO OTHER. Faced with the year’s many challenges, Do it Best member-owners still found ways to shatter existing sales records and earn a record rebate of $128 million. Now, you have exciting opportunities to invest in your business like never before.

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feature

By Chris Jensen

the Next Big thiNg iN home improvemeNt retailiNg Adam Taylor just opened his third Trust Hardware store that is open 24/7.

The new downtown location opening in a former bookstore is across the street from a $300 million mixed-use development.

Lots of people in the hardware industry thought Taylor must be crazy or a glutton for punishment after reading our profile of him in our May/June 2017 issue. He opened his first store in July 2012, but then expanded to 24 hours in November 2016 with only occasional help from a part-time employee. Is there another hardware retailer who works at least 120 hours a week with no days off? How does Taylor cope with working such long hours? As he puts it, “If you love what you’re doing, it’s not really work.” Back to the tour, where Taylor is dam Taylor is pushing a broom, aggressively sweep- explaining how rakes and ladders will ing up debris at his soon-to- hang from the pillars, with seasonal stuff front and center, fasteners in the open third Trust Hardware back, a deep selection of plumbing and store in downtown Indianapolis, while he explains his vision for this latest addi- a strong assortment of DeWalt power tools standing out above the checkout tion to his rapidly expanding empire. stand. “When the customer walks in, This new store in the hot, trendy Mass I want them to know we’re in the tool Ave neighborhood will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, just like his business. Displays will be tight and tall,” he says. other two stores. Customers will also find extensive “This store will have a completely different feeling. The old hardwood floors janitorial and pet supplies and be greeted by Roscoe, the lovable yellow lab will give it the old-fashioned hardware store feel,” Taylor is saying, as he gives who was the star attraction at the original store. He goes where Taylor goes, a tour of a sales floor in transition, tall so Roscoe is getting used to his new pillars sectioning off what used to be a book store. This store’s opening is further accommodations. Two new Labrador proof that Taylor’s bold idea has worked. puppies are being brought in for duty to supplement a fourth dog that has He now has indisputable proof of conbeen in place for a while, so customers cept for his unique retail innovation.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 25

Left: Adam Taylor reworked his store design to make the checkout counter the center of the operation. Right: Adam Taylor and Director of Operations Kevin Bates (right) were excited to open the second store last October.

like house mailboxes, which never sold at the other stores, and smaller grills. I couldn’t give away toasters and blendwill always be greeted by a friendly ers in the suburbs, but will definitely lab whenever they walk in a Trust have those here,” he says. Hardware store. Back outside walking through stacks The Mass Ave store, which had of bagged goods, Taylor points to the a soft opening on April 10, features 2,850 square feet on the main floor and side of the building as hundreds of cars speed by on the 65-70 North split that similar space in the basement, where cuts through downtown. “I’m going to Taylor plans to display wheelbarrows, grills, plants, Christmas trees and other put a big billboard there to promote the store being open 24/7,” he says. With seasonal items. A small room in the 214,000 cars passing by daily on this basement will be converted to living busy highway, that should be a pretty space for Taylor like a studio apartgood return on investment. ment. “I’m 38 and single without any Taylor is getting eight months of kids, and I don’t need much space for free rent at this new space, which will myself,” he explains. give him time to get the store up and Spend an hour or two with Taylor running before he has to start paying and it’s hard not to feel like a slacker, because he is perpetually in motion and what is higher rent than he pays in full of ideas. Then he goes out and exe- the suburbs. Location is everything, and Trust cutes those ideas. Hardware’s Mass Ave site is across He is planning to test Velvet Ice the street from a new $300 million Cream, a premium brand from Ohio. urban mixed-use development called “I’ll get a feel for what sells downtown www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 27

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The original store moved to a new location by Kroger in September 2019.

Bottleworks, which is breathing new life into a former Coca-Cola bottling facility. All around Mass Ave one finds ongoing construction of new apartments, condos and townhomes, as an already trendy area becomes even hotter. Featuring a gleaming Art Deco façade, the Bottleworks District includes a boutique hotel and a dozen food vendors in a food hall, a distillery, a swanky barbershop and dozens of local and national specialty retailers. It promises to attract a young and affluent crowd, who can now pop into the hardware store at 2 a.m. after a night out. “These are community stores and I want them to reflect the neighborhoods in which they operate,” says Taylor, who will be living among his new customers just like the old-time retailers who used to live in small apartments above their stores.

expaNSioN alWaYS oN tap In 2016, Taylor doubled the size of his first store in the blue-collar Pendleton Pike area to 6,400 square feet, but

1-888-600-5522 sales@j3pos.biz

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

having everything split into two rooms was not efficient for a retailer who was often covering the store by himself. It took a lot of long work weeks before sales picked up enough for Taylor to feel comfortable taking on more employees. He says he also waited too long to switch his purchases over to HouseHasson, which he now says is one of the best decisions he has made. In September 2019, Taylor moved down the road to a smaller 4,000-square-foot location next to Kroger, which proved to be perfect for his needs. He opened his second store in October 2020—in the middle of the pandemic—about seven miles away at 71st and Binford. “There’s nothing much different between stores one and two, except Binford has a little more disposable income,” he notes. Taylor runs three shifts in every store. The first shift covers 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; second shift is 2-10 p.m. and third shift is 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Kevin Bates, director of operations, has now been with Taylor three years and is another jack-of-alltrades weapon to deploy where needed. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Left: Since Trust Hardware stores are open 24/7, they carry non-traditional categories like detergent and toilet paper in addition to core hardware. Right: Seasonal items are always displayed prominently by the front entrance.

The Pendleton store does really well in the afternoon, according to Taylor, so its sales mix breaks down this way: 35% during first shift; 50% during second shift and 15% during third shift. “Mass Ave, like all the stores, should be fully staffed with five or six people,” he points out. “Pendleton will do a million in sales this year with three full timers and me and Kevin flexing in. That’s the model I want to run—tight.” If you break down those sales figures, that means the Pendleton store will generate $150,000 in sales between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., long after other hardware stores are closed. That is more than enough to cover staffing and as Taylor likes to point out, his rent is the same whether he’s open 10 hours or 24 hours a day. “My approach is different than most anyone you’ll ever talk to, but so are a THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 29

feature Regular Facebook posts reminded customers during the pandemic that Trust Hardware is open 24-7 for all their needs.

lot of the things I do. But I like my model and I’m positive it will prove out,” Taylor states. Before the paint is dry on his third location, Taylor is close to finalizing a deal for his fourth store in the affluent suburb of Carmel, which has a median household income of $112,765. He has found a prime 5,000-square-foot space in a newly remodeled strip center next to a new grocery store, although he really only needs 3,000 square feet. “I get people all the time telling me I need to open a 24-hour store in Greenwood or Speedway or another local market around here,” Taylor says. “I’m expanding as fast as I can.” He adds, “I just love looking at sites and diving into all the details of a market. I start envisioning how the new store will look and I can’t wait to get started on it.”

KeepiNg up DuriNg the paNDemic Most hardware retailers were slammed throughout 2020, as they tried to keep up with skyrocketing consumer www.TheHardwareConnection.com

demand while often operating shortstaffed. Some reduced their hours in response. Taylor doubled his store count and was killing it 24/7. “During the pandemic, everything sold. You realize that the community depends on you, but it also made more people realize we were there,” he says. “We were their source for everything when supplies were scarce at other places. Water, face masks, bleach—we stayed in stock. It pretty much changed our whole customer base. A lot of other retailers weren’t open when we were.” He adds, “I never closed once during the pandemic. I worked my butt off for 10 years and then was in the right place at the right time. I worked unbelievably hard in 2020, but it was an amazing year. I hope we can get back toward normal soon.” He has definitely seen a shift toward buying local during the pandemic, a trend he expects to continue. “I ask for everyone’s opinion and most are afraid to say anything. I guess they don’t want to offend or be presumptuous, but I really want to know so I can better meet their needs,” he says. Although Taylor wants to be known for running a hardware store and not a general store, he stocks essentials like toilet paper, bottled water, laundry detergent and a full line of janitorial products. THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 31

feature Since opening his first store nine years ago, Taylor has shifted more toward brands that consumers know and trust. As he puts it bluntly, “People just want shit that works.” Taylor is always striving to create a unique experience for customers. “You have to have that appeal that keeps people coming back. I’m trying to create a brand that is Amazon-proof,” he says. Indeed, the whole point of keeping his stores open 24/7 is to not let Amazon have the advantage. “The number one way to compete against Amazon is to stay open,” Taylor states. He adds, “I used to be inventory and cash poor, now I’m inventory rich and cash poor. The next 60 days will be

challenging as I try to get this new store up and running smoothly while still juggling the other two stores.”

fiNe-tuNiNg the proceSS Even though he is now up to three stores, Taylor finds it’s getting easier and easier to keep the business running smoothly. “My efficiencies work. I don’t need 20 employees. I’ve seen sales go down when two or three employees are there at the same time. The customer doesn’t know who to deal with and you’re stepping over each other. You don’t need as much service as you think,” he points out. When he opened his first store, Taylor says he wasted so much time going

/Ŷ ϮϬϮϭ͕ ƵƌĂĐĞůů ǁŝůů ĐŽŶƚŝŶƵĞ ƚŽ ďƵŝůĚ ĂǁĂƌĞŶĞƐƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƵƌĂĐĞůů “Power Safely initiative that drives awareness of the risks that ůŝƚŚŝƵŵ ĐŽŝŶ ďĂƚƚĞƌŝĞƐ ƉŽƐĞ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵŶŐ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĞƉƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƵƌĂĐĞůů ŚĂƐ ƚĂŬĞŶ ƚŽ ƉƌĞǀĞŶƚ ƚƌĂŐŝĐ ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ĂƐƐŽĐŝĂƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐǁĂůůŽǁŝŶŐ Ă ůŝƚŚŝƵŵ ĐŽŝŶ ďĂƚƚĞƌǇ͘ KƵƌ ŐŽĂů ůĞǀĞƌĂŐĞ ƵƌĂĐĞůů ůŝƚŚŝƵŵ ĐŽŝŶ ƐĂĨĞƚǇ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌƵƐƚĞĚ ďĂƚƚĞƌǇ ďƌĂŶĚ ŽĨ ƉĂƌĞŶƚƐ ĞǀĞƌǇǁŚĞƌĞ͘

back and forth across the store. “I used to have a paint counter, a key counter, a checkout area— now everything is consolidated in one place,” he says. “The way I’ve set up counters you see the same person behind there. You can pull paint, sharpen blades, cut keys and do everything right there in one place—even printing and retagging. So much money is made right at the counter.” If Taylor can get his third store rolling without any hitches, he anticipates having all three stores paid off by June or July. It took him 10 years and seven months after high school to open store number one, eight years to open store number two, but just six months to open store three. Now store four is close to being finalized before a permanent sign is even up for the downtown store. “It’s starting to get easier and easier to keep the business going even though I’m up to three stores,” he says. “My stores can almost always

The new Mass Ave store will cater to a younger clientele more apt to live in an apartment or condo than a house.

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feature Rather than trying to compete with Amazon in online sales, Adam Taylor focuses on having what people need for the best in-store experience.

Roscoe, a yellow lab beloved by customers, can usually be found at Adam’s side.

run with just one person in there at a time. I don’t hire people for $10 an hour. My lowest salary is $34,500.” Still, his number one concern is staffing and getting the right people on staff, primarily because it is harder to find people for the third shift. “I think it will be a little easier staffing the downtown location, which has a younger demographic,” he says, adding that he is working on a standard operating manual. Ecommerce is not part of the store’s mission right now. “It’s a simple time www.TheHardwareConnection.com

issue. This is my block of time and what do I want to do with it?” he says. “Selling online to customers locally is not as important as people coming in my store. It’s about creating an experience and you can’t get that when you buy online. I’ve spent more of my time and money working on the in-store experience.” Delivery is another dilemma. “People mostly want bagged goods delivered and that’s a low-margin item. How many times do you want to touch a product before you complete the sale?” he says. “I will listen to my customer base, but don’t know if I could be good at delivery. We can’t be like Amazon on some of that.” He adds, “I found myself driving around like a madman and I’d pull into the wrong driveway. I do want to ramp up delivering water softener salt. That’s easy and recurring revenue and can be set up with a monthly subscription.” Opening three or four hardware stores is a nice accomplishment, but Taylor has much loftier goals. He says, “It’s still my goal to have 1,000 hardware stores, all open 24/7.” It wouldn’t be wise to bet against him. n THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 35

Hardlines digest

Best Practices for delivery service

By John Fix III

s the pandemic has continued into a second year, more home improvement retailers have discovered the necessity of offering a reliable delivery service. There has been lots of discussion on Hardlines Digest about the ins and outs of delivery service, so read on to learn some of the helpful advice offered by retailers. Taylor Cox of Cox Hardware & Lumber in Houston said they are exploring options for using an outside delivery service for local customers. He felt the biggest issues are risk management, diminishing margins and resource allocation (using a fulltime employee to deliver merchandise across a large metropolitan area ties him/her up for a while). He wondered if www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Above: Ace Hardware of Clarkston in Michigan designed a new wrap for their delivery van that promotes them as the “Neighborhood Grill Supplier.”

other retailers have set schedules, how they capture the orders when delivered and if they have minimums. Whitney McKellar of M&M Lumber in Tulsa, Okla., posted, “Orders under $300 have a $20 delivery fee. Orders over $300 are free within 30 miles of our location. Deliveries over 30 miles are assessed $1.50 per mile one-way over the first 30 miles (which are free). We work on about a 24-hour turnaround to get deliveries out. Whatever your fee structure is, make it easy and across all customers.” Gary Smith of Ace Hardware at Austin Bluffs in Colorado Springs, Colo., responded, “We have a $50 minimum for THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 37

Hardlines digest hardware items, $400 for LBM. But if the $50 hardware item is met, then we waive the LBM minimum. We only do business with those in our trade area, because I have to be able to resolve a discrepancy. I schedule twice per day delivery. I have two order deadlines: in by 10 a.m., sameday delivery; in by 4 p.m., next-morning delivery. Safety wise, nothing can extend from the bed or the door must close. Product cannot hang off or prevent the door from closing. How you register your delivery truck determines the license needed to operate it.” Smith added, “I highly suggest you have different employees to pull and verify the orders. And upon delivery, take a picture. To manage your deliveries, I believe you need a management software system. I use DDMS by Epicor. Drivers are allowed to load their trucks after the orders are pulled, verified and packed. I do not allow drivers to return product to its location, nor do I allow drivers to pull an order or any item. I have personnel for these duties. Any item that leaves the building must have a transaction adhered to it. I do not and will never charge a delivery fee. Maintain your delivery truck—the new wears off. Drivers are to observe traffic signals and signs. They are forbidden from taking shortcuts through parking lots. Do random substance tests.” Donald Butler of Butler’s Hardware and Power Equipment in Madisonville, 38 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

Hemlock Hardware in Fairfield, Conn., promotes always next-day delivery service, with free delivery of grills.

Ky., was looking for tips on how to start a program to do onsite delivery to contractors. Mike Davies, who has 20 years of experience as GM for 84 Lumber Company, Kenyon Noble Lumber and Bloedorn Lumber, shared what he believes are the keys to a successful delivery program: • Having an effective delivery program is essential to supporting contractor business and keeping those customers happy. Successful delivery operations start in the yard. Make sure materials being shipped are in good shape and not damaged. Make sure loads are complete and match what is on the delivery ticket or bill of lading (BOL). Make sure you deliver when promised. Nothing gets up the ire of a builder or his subs like having guys standing around waiting for a delivery. • Load trucks the night before a delivery. Check the load when it is built. Conduct a final check before www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Keim in Charm, Ohio, has a local express delivery catalog and offers free next-day delivery.

•

leaving the yard to make sure all the items are in the truck. Have team members sign off on what they checked and the loads they have assembled. Save that paperwork. Hold your team accountable for accuracy and the quality of the materials being delivered. Once you get the load to the jobsite there are things to take into consideration. Never drive on a driveway without permission of the owner or builder. (Or you will be buying a new driveway pad for someone sooner or later.) Coordinate with the customer or his appointed agent as to where you can drive, park and unload. It’s always best to have someone on the jobsite receiving the delivery. Have them check it and verify all materials are delivered. Have them sign the BOL or delivery ticket. There will be times when no one is on the jobsite to sign for a delivery. When the customer (or his representative) is not on the site for a delivery, have your drivers take pictures. We took pictures of every delivery we sent out whether the www.TheHardwareConnection.com

•

customer was present or not. Those pictures came in very handy on more than a few occasions. Make sure your drivers are polite and professional. Make sure they are a fantastic representation of your company. Often, they are the last contact your customer will have with your business. Drivers can make or break future business with that customer or his family and friends. I don’t know what software you use for POS. When I was at Bloedorn, we used an Epicor product called Biz Track. Biz Track gave us the ability to scan our load picking tickets and delivery tickets to the customer’s account. We could also download the pictures the drivers took to the account as well. Being able to document what you did and when you did it is extremely important. Lien laws vary by state. However, in most states, liens are time sensitive. Documenting your delivery of goods and when you delivered them can help preserve your rights if it comes to placing a lien. Additionally, pictures and documentation cover your butt when it comes to customer claims of missing materials or damaged products. These issues will arise and covering your backside is the best way to combat these issues. THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 39

Hardlines digest • Missing products and damages are two excuses that many customers use as a reason to not pay, or short pay their invoices. Protect yourself and your bottom line with proper documentation from beginning to end. In conclusion, Davies said, “Delivery is a complex beast but very easy to manage with proper procedures in place.”

Melaco Sisters Hardware making a delivery to a customer in Cut Off, La.

business climate seems to ensure that delivery of products is going to be a deliVerY sCHedUling sOFtWare Steven Metcalf, IT manager for Gillman bigger part of their business. He posted, “We have always delivered grills in our Do it Best Home Centers in Batesville, Ind., wondered what delivery scheduling/ town for free. Ace started to promote that as a standard in the advertising. dispatch/tracking or ﬂeet management Ace also started free delivery for online software retailers were using. Jade Liechty, information technology orders (we designate the area) for Ace Rewards customers who spend over $50. director for HRM Enterprises and We had a customer who knew about the Hartville Hardware in Hartville, Ohio, online Ace Rewards offer and came into responded, “We use Epicor’s Dispatch and Delivery. It is integrated with Eagle. the store to ask about delivery. We never promoted delivery of any other products Our two dispatchers—lumber and appliances—really like the software. We but this opened our eyes. So now in COVID time we are seeing more requests were using Samsung LTE tablets in the for delivery and are trying to hammer trucks, but we are starting to make a switch to just using the larger phones.” out a policy that works for us. We will not make money from deliveries but we will Jesse Isaacs, database administrator for PC Home Center in New Albany, Ind., make customer happy.” Joe Proctor of Proctor Ace in replied, “We also use Epicor’s DDMS and Jacksonville, Fla., replied, “We offer the are pretty happy with it. In the last few same delivery policy and delivery area months, we’ve started to fully explore as .com for Ace Rewards members in the system and it’s pretty robust and as store as is offered online to minimize reliable as any others we’ve found.” any confusion. Any customer could just decide to go online and place the deliVerY in COVid tiMes order on their phone while shopping Dan Johnson, who operates two Ace in the store, so why make them jump stores in Maine, noted that the new 40 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Town Hardware & General Store in Black Mountain, N.C., offers free delivery within 5 miles to Do it Best Rewards members.

their steps? We can call the customer and coordinate when they will be home to drop it off. Keep in mind since COVID, through those hoops? If they need delivery, we will bring it to them, period! even Amazon has laid off advertising the “next-day delivery” promise. When Our average ticket for delivery is much you order a grill from Amazon, is getting higher than $50 and we charge for assembled even an option? Amazon same-day delivery. Some customers does a lot of things good, but they are need us to bring it to them and want very clinical and dry in a lot of areas. We to shop with us, why push them to can compete in these areas. Not only Amazon or another competitor? compete, but win. The devil is in the Steve Fusek of Fusek’s True Value details and we own the details.” in Indianapolis posted, “What does Fusek responded, “Amazon stopAmazon charge for delivery? Nothing. ping same day is temporary. Amazon We currently offer free delivery within does have same-day delivery here in 5 miles. We have posted that we will Indy although not every product, as charge $20 for anything over 5 miles. I they cannot currently keep up with do not think we have ever charged the volume. They plan to get every bit anybody. Grills are always free. We of my business and yours. They are need to look at our competition and currently looking for ways to do paint what they are doing. Our competition online, they have delivery service, they is not a big box, it is Amazon. Do not look at the cost per delivery—focus on have commercial discounts. I encourage all of us to keep a very close eye winning the customer. Retire on your on Amazon. They are changing retail last sale, not the next one.” forever, as we speak. Many of the Brandon Buckalew with Local Ace in things we are doing are reactions to East Grand Forks, Minn., responded, what Amazon considers normal oper“On the note of Amazon being our ating procedures.” n competitor, they can’t deliver the same day (yet) and we can. I’ve always said if John Fix started Hardlines Digest you want to increase the value, then you in 1996. The list was run for many years using servers in John’s need to increase the value. You can ask hardware store, Cornell’s True Value for more money if you make it worth in Eastchester, N.Y., but the list has migrated to Google Groups. it. Amazon drops stuff off at your door There are currently more than and is gone. How many people do you 2,300 subscribers reading Hardlines Digest. To read more or subscribe, know have had packages stolen from go to www.hardlinesdigest.com.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 41

Category report

grill and barbeCue trends

following top trends in barbecue and grilling activity: May is National Barbecue Month, rep- • 37% of grill owners plan to purchase a new grill in the near future. resenting the beginning of peak grilling • 64% of U.S. adults own a grill or smoker. season, while National Barbecue Day • Year-round grilling remains highly is May 16. Many retailers plan outdoor popular. The survey reveals 75% grilling events during May to put a spark of owners grill in the winter, 23% into their grill sales. grill on Super Bowl Sunday 13% on Advancements in pellet smokers Thanksgiving and 9% grill on New continue to drive growth in the category, Year’s Day. as more consumers discover the • In addition to holidays, grill owners advantages of these versatile grills. over the past year have cooked out Pellet grills have been picking up market for a birthday party (45%), during a share from gas and charcoal grills over camping trip (19%), while on vacation the past few years, and experts expect (17%) and tailgating at a sporting that trend to continue. event (10%). Pellet grills and smokers now fea• Why do people grill? 68% of ture improved temperature ranges, owners do it for the flavor, followed smart apps that incorporate Wi-Fi by lifestyle (45%), convenience technology, simplified maintenance (33%), entertainment (32%) and and consistent cooking results to hobby (19%). make outdoor cooking a more enjoy• Grill purchasing continues to buck able experience for consumers, who the e-commerce trend, with 83% of can choose hickory, oak, apple, mesgrills purchased in-store but only quite, cherry or other flavorful wood 15% online. pellet options. • One in 10 grillers have a full outdoor Barbecue expert Steve Raichlen, kitchen, and 56% of these individuals founder of Barbecue University, idenuse that kitchen at least once a week. tified the following BBQ and grilling • Last year’s Hearth Patio & Barbecue trends for 2021: it will be the year of the Expo highlighted chrome silver as grilled vegetables, mixed method grillthe color of the year for grills, while ing, new wave of wireless thermomnoting two in five grill owners plan eters, man caves reborn into grill shacks to purchase another specialty grill and unique spice rubs you’ve never that focuses on a specific cooking heard of before like panch phoron. technique such as crawfish boilers The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue and wood fire pizza ovens. Association (HBPA) shares the www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 43

grill and barbeCue MerCHandising:

Auer Ace Hardware in Coshocton, Ohio.

B&B Hardware in Milan, Ill.

Brownsboro Hardware & Paint in Louisville, Ky.

Branneky True Value in Bridgeton, Mo.

B&W Hardware in Wake Forest, N.C.

44 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Recent Features From The Hardware Connection March 2021: Cause Marketing: Community Support That Connects with Customers—Discover how 7-store Carr Hardware has found the right balance between being a good community citizen and reinforcing that connection with customers. The company’s cause marketing and community involvement helped it be named the National Independent Small Business of the Year in 2017. February 2021: How to Snag the Best Employees--Discover tips from other hardware retailers on the most effective methods for attracting and hiring new employees, as well as retailer feedback on the impact of proposed minimum wage changes. December 2020: Breathing New Life Into a Tired Store— Stace Heston took a big leap of faith when he bought an iconic store that had fallen on hard times and closed. See how he has breathed new life into Miller’s Do it Best Hardware in Spokane, Wash. November 2020: Unleashing the Power of Digital Marketing—Discover how two retailers, Town Hardware & General Store in N.C., and Nabors Do it Best Home Center in Miss., are taking advantage of digital marketing tools to help them attract new customers and grow their businesses. Sept.-Oct. 2020: Striving Toward a More Diverse and Inclusive Industry—Gina Schaefer of A Few Cool Hardware Stores explains what diversity, equity and inclusion mean for her 13 Ace Hardware stores in the Washington, D.C. area.

July-August 2020: Dealer Profile: Developing a Unique Identity—Read the inspiring story how Tony Powers turned a parttime job at Intown Ace Hardware 35 years ago into an ownership stake in 1996. His hard work and ideas have helped turn the Decatur, Ga., store into one of Ace’s “Coolest Hardware Stores on the Planet.”

Click here to see our archive of past issues.

categOrY rePOrt

OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT TRENDS Sales of Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools (Independent Hardware Channel) 12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools: Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.5% Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools: Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.3% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.

Unit Sales Breakdown for Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools Total of 1090 Items with Sales Total Category Top 5 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2% Top 10 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2% Top 20 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.2% Top 30 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.6% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.

Seasonality of Sales of Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools (Index=100) 200 182 200 167 164 164 134 123 120 115 128 128 95 75 92 63 61 92 37 56 29 20

Jan. 2020

Feb. March Apr. 2020 2020 2020

May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020

Source: 20 Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.

Lawn & Garden Cutting Tools Share of Sales (Latest 12 Months) Source: Vista Information Bypass Power Hedge Power0Pole-Tree5 Hedge Shear Pole-Tree Saw Anvil Grass Shear Power Grass Other

7.4% 6.8% 5.4% 4.5% 2.2% 0.8% 6.8%

33.1%

19.0% 13.8% 25 30 35

46 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.

Manufacturers and retailers use Vista’s retail POS and Consumer Panel data to better sell to their customers. Go to www.vistainfoservices.com.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

OutdOOr POwer equiPment merchandising: Upper Left: Garrett Ace Hardware in Healdsburg, Calif. . Middle Left: Eads Hardware in Paris, Ky. Lower Left: Ashland General Hardware Ace in Ashland, Ore. Upper Right: Auer Ace Hardware in Coshocton, Ohio. Middle Right: Parkrose Hardware in Portland, Ore. Lower Right: South Boston True Value in South Boston, Va.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 47

DealeR PRofile

Building a Business with

By Chris By Ch Jensen Jense

DeeP RootS

n his spare time, Rick Heuser likes to turn bowls and rings on his lathe or make hand-turned pens to give to friends. It is intricate, detailed work that is a relaxing way to unwind from his stressful day job. Heuser operates Handyman Hardware, a Do it Best member in St. Cloud, Fla. Every day is stressful when you are a hardware retailer operating during a pandemic, so he could use all the relaxation he can get. “Our business went way up. We’re still up 25 percent,” Heuser says. “The pandemic helped people find us.” Handyman Hardware has developed a big niche in Trailmate tricycles, which are very popular with older residents. “For some customers the trike is their only means of transportation. They buy lots of accessories, lights, horns, and even electric motors,” says Heuser, who sold over 400 trikes through the years. Trike sales exploded during the pandemic. “We couldn’t put adult trikes together fast enough this past year. We sold 18 trikes to one development in six weeks,” he says. “Our trike supplier used to call and give us 10 color choices; now I’m told we can get black or blue or else there’s a three- to four-month wait. We’re still looking for tires and other parts.” Hobby and craft paint, canning and gardening are other categories that

48 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

Rick Heuser, owner of Handyman Hardware in St. Cloud, Fla., is an active supporter of the downtown business district.

Left: Handyman Hardware does a big business in pumps. Right: A mural was recently painted on the store’s front side that depicts Coble’s Garage, a Model T dealership that was housed in the 1914 building.

have been selling like crazy, according to Heuser, who traditionally has strong sales in pumps and plumbing and is a certified drop-off and shipping station for UPS.

fRoM HalfwaY HoUSe to HaRDwaRe Prior to getting into hardware, Heuser ran a halfway house for juveniles in Orlando, which gave him a unique perspective. After college, he had two job opportunities: one was a photographer for a local newspaper for $6,500 and the other www.ThehardwareConnection.com

hris en

ConferenCe2021 August 13-15

“Where Relationships Are Formed”

3 Days of Networking, Relaxing and Learning Meet colleagues and new friends at the industry’s largest conference for independent hardware retailers. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend educational seminars, all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive 5-star resort setting.

Learn More About Your POS System at the Hardware Technology Forum Epicor will offer full-day, hands-on training sessions for their retailers. Bring your tablet or laptop so you can log right into your store as you learn new “tips and tricks” to make your POS software more productive in your store.

Honor the Industry’s Best Retailers at the 2021 Beacon Awards The Beacon Awards are an important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry. Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

FoR moRe inFoRmation about attending tHe beacon awaRds along witH all otHeR educational seminaRs, open FlooR discussions and social activities at tHe HaRdwaRe conFeRence, visit www.tHeHaRdwaReconFeRence.com

DealeR PRofile was a youth counselor for $8,500. Youth counselor won out, which led him down a career path that was both satisfying and challenging. “I stayed there for 12 years, working my way up to superintendent and lived in the house for four years,” he points out. “I learned patience and that there’s good in everybody. Some kids didn’t have enough supervision at home. We got them jobs at McDonald’s or other places and they were very dependable. The kids that worked learned work ethics that they carried with them when they went home.” Heuser adds, “A lot of it was accepting responsibility for their actions. If you act well, you get rewarded. If you act up, you lost privileges. It’s the same principle in business. I’ll have an employee come to me and whine about a co-worker and I’ll say the two of you need to work it out together, because you’re both adults.” He was working for the halfway house while his father Bill was a mechanical engineer when their paths took them into the paint and hardware business in 1986. “Dad was going to make an offer on a store in Winter Garden, but HWI told us there was a better one in St. Cloud. We later bought the paint store up the street and moved our paint in with it,” Heuser recalls. Then in the mid-90s another hardware store approached them and said they wanted to get out. They bought the building for $45,000 and the depleted 50 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

Left: Mike Norton (left) has been a valued employee for more than 25 years, working alongside Owner Rick Heuser (right). Right: Adult tricycles has developed into a huge niche, with sales exploding during the pandemic.

inventory for $15,000 and moved the paint store there. “We eventually sold the paint store and used the money to buy and expand the original building. We had 6,000 square feet and a lot of warehouse. We added space for tool repair,” he notes. Heuser worked through a succession plan with his parents over a 10-year period to buy out their stock and become sole owner a little over a decade ago. Although his father died five years ago, Heuser knows he would be proud to see the business has deep roots planted in the community.

Downtown Revitalization Revitalizing the downtown St. Cloud business climate has been a passion of Heuser for years—he serves as board president for St. Cloud Main Street. “St. Cloud was built as a retirement community for Union soldiers,” Heuser points out. New stores and restaurants were opening and downtown merchants started having events the last www.ThehardwareConnection.com

Wednesday of every month. “The problem was getting all stores to stay open, but we were drawing more people downtown,” Heuser says. When the pandemic kicked in last year, it hit local restaurants especially hard. Heuser gave the Main Street executive director $1,650 and told her to give $150 to each of the 11 restaurants in the area to help them get through this tough time. “We didn’t shut down here in Florida as long as they did in other states, but it’s still been difficult for some local businesses,” he says. The Rotary Club contacted Heuser and said they wanted to paint a mural on the front side of the store’s building, which dates back to 1911. The recently completed mural was based on a picture of the building from 1920 when it was a Model T dealership named Coble’s Garage. “It’s neat to have the mural there so it looks like a garage again. There still is a two-bedroom apartment in the back, because you lived where you worked,” he points out. Other murals and historic markers are going in throughout the downtown area, and the whole project was made into a documentary that was co-sponsored by Handyman Hardware. The www.ThehardwareConnection.com

Left: Handyman Hardware has relied on personalized service since Rick Heuser entered the business with his father in 1986. Middle: Selling a lot of adult tricycles means there is a strong market for tricycle parts and accessories. Right: Paint sales have taken off during the pandemic, especially hobby and craft paint.

community is invited to an upcoming dinner and screening of the film in a local theater. “Community involvement has always been important to us,” Heuser says. “I’ll support high school baseball teams, Girl Scout cookies, Eagle projects. If they need $100 of fittings or paint, we’ll set them up.” Heuser has several employees who have been with him for decades, but finding and keeping good help remains an ongoing challenge. “I operate under the philosophy that the customer is always right and not everyone has that mindset,” he says. Although Amazon does hurt, Heuser has found success with Do it Best’s shipto-store program, even if it leads to the occasional odd sale. “We get people from Brevard County who order stuff. Had a lady order horse feed from us and one guy got 10 sheets of paneling. We’ll take what we can get,” he says. n The hARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 51

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT IRONWOOD SERIES 885 PELLET GRILL

• Features WiFIRE® technology so you can control your grill anytime, anywhere using the Traeger App to adjust temperatures, monitor food and pellet levels, browse over 1,600 recipes and more. • Simple controls maintain precise temperature for consistent results every time, and Super Smoke Mode lets you crank up the ﬂavor with the press of a button. • Built-in meat probe allows you to monitor your food’s internal temperature without lifting the lid. • Double side-wall insulation improves temperature consistency and pellet efﬁciency in cold weather.

Traeger Grills www.traegergrills.com 800-872-3437

WET/DRY HOSE-END SPRAYER • Use both liquid or water-soluble lawn and garden chemicals in this sprayer. Attach to the end of a standard garden hose and it automatically mixes just the right amount of chemical with water. • G6015 sprayer features 32-ounce capacity, chemical-resistant construction, patented ﬁlter basket for even granular dilution and adjustable 4-position nozzle and backﬂow preventer. 52 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

• Made in the USA with global materials. • Fits standard hose ends with thumb control to easily switch on and off. Chapin Mfg. 800-950-4458 www.chapinmfg.com www.TheHardwareConnection.com

BLAZING HOT BLENDTM • Blazing Hot Blend™ is a 100% all-natural, chemical-free way to increase the number of birds visiting your feeder. It combines a patented habanero chili oil formula with the most preferred seeds of backyard songbirds. • This is a traditional mix designed to attract a maximum variety of birds and keep them coming back with a fiery bit of spice. Woodpeckers, grosbeaks, buntings, cardinals, chickadees, bluebirds, goldfinches and more find this mix irresistible.

• Works well in all feeder types including Cole’s Terriﬁc Tube™, Mighty Mesh™ and Bountiful Bowl™. • Available in 5, 10, 20, 40-pound sizes. Cole’s Wild Bird Products 877-426-8882 www.coleswildbird.com

FROGTAPE® DELICATE SURFACE PAINTER’S TAPE • FrogTape® Delicate Surface Painter’s Tape is made with exclusive PaintBlock® Technology, a superabsorbent polymer that reacts with the water in latex paint and instantly gels to form a micro-barrier that seals the edges of the tape to prevent paint bleed. The result is a crisp, professional paint line. • Speciﬁcally designed to work on delicate surfaces such as fresh paint, wallpaper and decorative projects, this premium-grade masking tape is perfect for when you need a lower adhesion level to help prevent surface damage. • Removes cleanly from most surfaces for up to 60 days. Premium adhesion to help eliminate the need for touch-ups. • Tape canister for clean, protected storage. FrogTape/Shurtape Technologies | 800-321-0253 | www.frogtape.com www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 53

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT VAMPLIERS® MINI 4.75 PRECISION NIPPERS • These miniature side cutters are compact in size, making them ideal for precise cutting of electronic components, copper wire and soft component lead wires as well as hobbyists and craft work. • They feature outstanding sharp cutting jaws made in Japan with heat-treated carbon steel for excellent cutting performance and durability. • These nippers come with springloaded, ESD Safe grips for easy operation (strap holes at end of handles). The quality handles are not just comfortable but also oil resistant.

• Angle opening adjuster (sets max jaw opening when grips are released) enhances productivity and gives less hand fatigue overall for repetitive cutting work. Vampire Tools 949-748-0552 www.vampiretools.com

STEEL CONSTRUCTION LONG TAPES • Feature a rugged over-mold casing that surrounds the tape for greater protection and unmatched durability. Also, the built-in tether points allow for working at height without fear of dropping the tape. • An extra wide, dual-sided end hook increases surface area for a strong grip. Meanwhile, the dual-prong system folds up or down, allowing the user to utilize both sides of the blade. • The crank is ergonomically designed with a built-in stop that allows the crank to travel above the user’s 54 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

ﬁngers during retraction. The 3:1 rewind ratio provides a fast, controlled mechanism, and the seated handle protects the crank assembly during storage. • Available in 100-foot and 50-foot options, both with SAE and metric markings. Crescent Tool/Apex Tool Group 800-650-8665 www.crescenttool.com www.TheHardwareConnection.com

MOSQUITO AND FLYING INSECT BAIT STATION

• UV light technology and natural attractant solution draws in pesky mosquitoes and other ﬂying insects. Once insects feed on the all-natural solution, they perish before they can breed again. • User mixes water with powdered ingredients to activate bait. Includes 2 bait stations. • Insect Bait Tube Effective for 90 Days. • Dusk to Dawn Sensor for lighting efﬁciency. Foldaway handle/hook for versatile hanging. Made in the USA with global materials. • Powered by 3 AAA alkaline batteries (included). Skeeter Hawk 800-735-4740 www.nebotools.com/skh

VERSASWEEP™ 4-IN-1 MAGNETIC SWEEPER • The VersaSWEEP™ 4-in-1 Magnetic Sweeper can be used in 4 different configurations—tow, mount, hang and push—to quickly and easily clean up hazardous ferrous metal debris from indoor and outdoor traffic areas preventing costly injuries and repairs. • Right tool to efficiently clear metal debris from sidewalks, loading docks and warehouse aisles to driveways, construction sites, parking lots and roads. • Available in sweeping widths from 48” to 96”, the VersaSWEEP™ works indoors or outdoors, over any terrain and in any weather condition. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

• The adjustable sweeping height allows for efﬁcient cleaning of varying sizes of debris. The quickrelease function makes cleanup fast and safe. Master Magnetics www.magnetsource.com 800-525-3536 THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 55

AN INSIDE LOOK

FOOD TRUCKS TW Perry, Gaithersburg, Md.

he Hardware Connection introduces a new feature that provides a pictorial look at one aspect of hardware retailing. Penn Valley True Value Hardware, Penn Valley, Calif.

Carr Hardware, Pittsfield, Mass.

56 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

Southern Home & Garden Ace Hardware, Carrollton, Ga. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Jerry’s Home Improvement Center, Eugene, Ore.

Capps Home Building Center, Moneta, Va.

PaulB Hardware, Lititz, Pa. Sebastopol Hardware, Sebastopol, Calif.

Hagan Ace Hardware, Orange Park, Fla. Keim, Charm, Ohio

Haynes True Value, Murfreesboro, Tenn. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Ford City Ace, Muscle Shoals, Ala.

Cole Hardware, Oakland, Calif.

THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 57

Real-World Advice from Independent Hardware Store Owners

Join a growing community of thousands of independent hardware retailers Practical tips from fellow retailers delivered fresh daily to your email inbox Share your expertise and learn from your peers

Get in on the conversation at

www.hardlinesdigest.com

“ I created Hardlines Digest in 1996 as a way for my fellow retailers to swap tips about the nitty-gritty of running an independent hardware store. Today, it’s grown to a community of thousands of independent hardware store owners just like you. I hope you’ll join today and start sharing your own expertise.” —John Fix Owner, Cornell’s Hardware Eastchester, NY

Proudly Independent. Powered by You.

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E-mail

Website

Recognizing the Industry’s Best New Stores

f you have recently opened a new store, then take advantage of the chance to be recognized. The Beacon Awards, which are co-sponsored by The Hardware Connection and The Hardware Conference, honor the Best New Stores in two categories: under 20,000 square feet and over 20,000 square feet, plus the Retail Beacon Award winners for each of the participating wholesalers. Premier Beacon Award sponsors include Epicor Software Corp. and Ettore Products. Additional wholesaler sponsorship support comes from Do it Best Corp. and Orgill Inc. Get your nominations in now for the Best New Store award by the May 3 deadline. Any dealer can nominate his store and nominations are also accepted from wholesalers. Judging will be based on any or all of the following criteria: financial performance (sales, profits, margins, etc.); community involvement; store design; merchandising displays; promotion activities; specialized product areas/niches; employee training/recognition programs; and innovative retailing concepts.

BEST NEW STORE QUALIFICATIONS: • Store must have been open at least one year, to a maximum of 4 years. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

BEACON AWARDS Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

• Should be a new ground-up store or it can be an existing store that has been significantly expanded or remodeled. • Can be a store built to replace one destroyed by natural disaster. • Store must feature all the core departments: electrical, plumbing, lawn and garden, tools, hardware and paint. • Can be a branch store. The Beacon Awards Banquet will be held during The Hardware Conference on Saturday night, August 14, at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla. Honorees will receive: all-expenses paid trip for two to the 2021 Hardware Conference in Marco Island including conference registration, airfare, hotel and meals; Beacon Award plaque and feature article in The Hardware Connection. Please include detailed information for each of the judging criteria, attach any relevant pictures, list the date of new store opening and also provide retailer contact information. Email nominations by the May 3 deadline to Chris Jensen at chris@thehardwareconnection.com. ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021■ 59

Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

Honoring the Industry’s Best Retailers With the 2021 BEACON AWARDS Join us for this important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.

The Hardware Conference will be held Aug. 13-15, 2021

For more information about The Beacon Awards are held annu- attending this event along with ally at The Hardware Conference in all other educational seminars, beautiful Marco Island, FL, and are open floor discussions and social activities at the 2021 co-sponsored by The Hardware Hardware Conference, visit Conference and The Hardware www.TheHardwareConference.com Connection magazine.

Learn more at www.TheHardwareConnection.com

IN THE NEWS NEW STORES: • Rankin’s True Value in Warrenton, Va., has been sold to Costello’s Ace Hardware and rebranded with that name. • Akers True Value Superstore has opened in Brush Fork, W. Va. • Corry True Value Lumber in Corry, Pa., has been sold to the Sander family. • Gary and Will Nolan have acquired Hahn Lumber in Harmony, Minn., and renamed it Nolan Lumber. • Doug Bruns has acquired Lima Lumber Co. from Mike Steiner and Kevin Gratz and renamed it Lima Lumber Brick & Block. • Wehrung’s has acquired Dries Do it Center in Macungie, Pa. • Robert Peterson has purchased Park Avenue True Value Hardware in Montrose, Colo., from Wayne and Chris Adams. • Gary Dickes has moved Prairie Side Ace Hardware to a new, larger location in Kenosha, Wis.

Clarke’s Hardware

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

• Rocky’s Ace Hardware has acquired Clarke’s Hardware in New London, N.H. • Jim and Kathy Becker are opening Everyday Hometown in Waupaca, Wis. • TAL Holdings is acquiring Mount Vernon Building Center in Mount Vernon, Wash. • Zaremba Hardware opened its third Ace Hardware in Santa Cruz, Calif.

KUDOS TO:

Jason Plummer

• Illinois Lumber and Material Dealers Association announced that Jason Plummer, vice president of R.P. Lumber in Edwardsville, Ill., is the 2020 Lumberman of the Year. • Century Club member Higginbotham Brothers is celebrating its 140th anniversary. THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 61

• Ace Hardware of Ellenville in Ellenville, N.Y., is marking its 75th anniversary. • The General Store, an Ace member in Spokane, Wash., is celebrating its 75th anniversary. • Jerry’s Home Improvement Center in Eugene, Ore., is marking its 60th anniversary. • Clinton Do it Best Hardware in Clinton, Md., is celebrating its 75th anniversary. • Century Club retailer Madigan Ace Hardware in Munising, Mich., was named the 2020 Business of the Year by the Alger County Chamber of Commerce. • Greg Templeman, ceo of Sunpro, was recognized as one of the 2021 CEOs of the Year by Utah Business magazine.

associate merchandise manager for paint and paint supplies, and hired Ronnie Thomas as associate merchandise manager in power tools.

WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS: • Building for growth at the Do it Best spring market. Click here. • House-Hasson Hardware sets records with virtual market. Click here. • Orgill announces next evolution in buying events. Click here. • Orgill announces major investment in expanding and modernizing its distribution network. Click here.

IN MEMORY:

• Fenton Hord, former CEO of Stock Building Supply, died March 9 at age 74. He joined Stock Building Supply (formerly PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: Carolina Builders) in 1987, using • Paul Ryan has been promoted to a series of acquisitions to grow president/CEO of LMC, replacing the company to 350 locations the retiring John Somerville. and $5.3 billion in sales before • True Value Company has retiring in 2007. He is survived hired Jeff Olson as chief by his wife of 54 years Patricia, financial officer. daughter Lorin (Fabio), brother • Do it Best Corp. Ruble (Sharon) and grandchildren has promoted Josh Oliver and Sophie. The Hords Ratcliff to division spearheaded the most successful manager of forest and longest-running brain products, Gary tumor charity at the Medical Loosle to warehouse College of Virginia, leading general manager Josh Ratcliff Fenton to receive the Edward and Alex Moore to 62 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

•

A. Wayne Medal from Virginia Commonwealth University. Bill Rosenfelder Jr. died February 24 at the age of 86. He joined the family hardware business in Geneva, Ill., that was started by an uncle in 1917. He moved to a new location in 1980 that doubled the size and with his sister, Marie, later opened another store in St. Charles in 1990. Although he later sold the businesses to Ace, he kept the building and leased to a new Geneva Ace Hardware store that opened in 2012 and was honored by The Hardware Connection with the Beacon Award in 2014. William “Billy” Payne Guthrie, owner of Guthrie’s Hardware in Brookneal, Va., for 64 years, passed away March 3 at age 91. He stayed active in the business until the age of 88. William “Bill” Ploskina, who owned and operated Bill’s True Value in Arlington, Va., for 42 years, passed away February 18 at age 75. The business is now operated by his son, Sean. Joseph Kovarik Jr., owner of Kovarik True Value Hardware in Binghamton, N.Y., passed away February 23 at age 63. After graduating college, he entered the family business started by his grandfather in 1922. Glenn Etheridge, owner of Etheridge True Value

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

•

Hardware in Natchez, Miss., died March 14 at age 64. John “Doug” Cashmere, vice president of hearth, home and acquisition for Costello’s Ace Hardware, died March 20 at the age of 61. A former Marine and devoted baseball coach, he was helping Costello’s expand in the mid-Atlantic region. John Heitkamp, retired CFO of Lampert Lumber Co. in St. Paul, Minn., passed away February 27 at the age of 85. John Moore, who owned Brookville Lumber Company in Brookville, Pa., from 1963 to 2001, died March 15 at the age of 92. Walter Richardson, who coowned Wayne Lumber in Monticello, Ky., with his wife Virginia, passed away March 3 at the age of 85. George “Bud” Black, retired president of Regal Lumber Co. in Warren, Pa., died March 13 at 83. Earl “Buzz” Hedrick, founder of Gainesville Building Supply in Arlington, Va., passed away March 12 at the age of 85.

FOR THE FULL STORY: • R.P. Lumber acquires 25 Stock+Field locations. Click here. • President Biden visits W.S. Jenks & Son to highlight PPP program. Click here. THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 63

UPCOMING EVENTS JUNE

SEPTEMBER

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo June 23-26, Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Ky.

Ace Hardware Fall Convention September 21-23, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

House-Hasson Virtual Dealer Market Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market June 18-19 September 17-18, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan. PRO Group 2021 Virtual Group Merchandising Conference Do it Best Corp. Fall Market June 21-24 September 27-30, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis

July

United Hardware Fall and Winter Virtual Buying Market July 19-25

AUGUST Orgill Online Buying Event August 16-27 spoga+gafa August 8-10, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany The Hardware Conference August 13-15, JW Marriott, Marco Island, Fla. www.thehardwareconference.com

Hardware Forum Italy September 22-23, Fieramilanocity, Milan, Italy True Value Fall Reunion September 30-October 2, McCormick Place, Chicago

OCTOBER China International Hardware Show October 8-10, Shanghai, China GIE + EXPO October 20-22, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky.

The Inspired Home Show 2021 August 7-10, McCormick Place, Chicago

National Hardware Show October 21-23, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev

Wallace Hardware Co. Fall Dealer Market August 11-13, LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Shanghai International Hardware Show October 20-22, National Exhibition & Convention Center, Shanghai, China

For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here. 64 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ April 2021

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Paint Project turns into a community Work of art It all started with a piece of cardboard next to the paint mixer. Shanna West, co-owner of H & H Home and Hardware in Marion, Ky., wiped her paint-smudged finger across the old box bound for the dumpster once, and then again, and again...until finally, she had a thought: What if all those wipes were made to look like an actual painting? What started as a personal project for West became a fun way for employees to stay engaged while they mixed paint for customers, then quickly grew into a collaborative community contest to raise money for a local charity. At the paint counter, H & H team members contributed to West’s rough outline, and West says witnessing the evolution of the painting over the course of 2020 was “fun, funny and downright interesting. The last week of the year we advertised to have people get their colors added, and we got some people to come in for that.” After a large expansion last year, paint has now become the highest-performing department in the Do it Best store, with customers enthusiastically cheering on the artistic creation and enjoying its progress. “A lot of people remembered where their swipe was,” West points out. Ultimately, they estimate the painting of a chicken was added to by customers and employees more than 3,000 times before the end of the year, with regular updates for #PaintCounterProject www.TheHardwareConnection.com

retail ideas

H&H Home and Hardware engaged employees and customers to collaborate on a paint counter art project of a chicken that raised $500 for a local charity.

Shanna West of H&H Home and Hardware shows off the 2021 paint counter art project, which is going to be an eye.

posted on Facebook. A customer donated a custom frame for the art piece. H & H then auctioned off the painting, raising $500 for the Crittenden County BackPack Program, a local organization that provides weekend lunches to school children who rely on the school as their primary source of food during the week. The initial success of the project inspired West to start another work of art this year, which will also be auctioned off to support a local organization. “We had THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 65

retail ideas a hard time coming up an idea for this year. But we determined we need to use a bigger canvas,” she says. West says the 2021 edition is already taking off and will be easily recognizable to customers—it’s an eye. “We probably can’t stop doing these art pieces now,” she jokes.

Virtual Home imProVement eretailer summit details online sales trends All signals point to ongoing growth in online sales of home improvement products in a post-pandemic world, where forging long-lasting relationships between retailers and their customers and suppliers is now imperative to successful expansion. Ecommerce “is not about competition,” said Jay Patel, director of category management at Zoro U.S., and one of the panelists at the virtual Home Improvement eRetailer Summit, which took place March 16-17. “It’s about like-minded people coming together and solving problems.” “It’s always day one when operating in an ecommerce environment,” added Scott Sinclair, senior director of ecommerce at OneStone. As a safety precaution, the Summit, in its fifth year, was an online-only affair. The presentations and panel discussions touched on a host of topics that included 66 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

distribution and brand management, best practices to reduce shortages and delays, and lessons learned during the health crisis. The event’s second day featured one-on-one meetings with dealers and suppliers. Sonya Ruff Jarvis, the Summit’s founder, observed common threads in the first-day presentations, with many of the speakers using words like “adjust,” “trust,” “efficiency” and “supply chain diversification.” These words, she predicted, “will surely carry forward into our future business planning.” Indeed, one of the event’s big takeaways was how relationships played a major part in keeping online and hybrid retailers above water during a pandemic that nearly submerged the industry’s supply chain. These relationships related specifically to product accessibility, surcharges and vendor confidence in the retailer’s ability to make it to post-pandemic times. Another related takeaway—which came up often during the Summit—was how it is easier to leverage online than in-store when retailers make available the resources needed to help their suppliers drive sales. And while online retailers experienced growing pains during the pandemic, the dramatic increase in ecommerce, as well as the prospects for future expansion, have more companies than ever investing in their online sales departments. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Ruff Jarvis noted that “every aspect point” positively indicates deeper market penetration of online into total home improvement sales. Her projections aligned with an information-rich presentation by Joe Derochowski, vice president with NPD Group, who shared his organization’s latest data on consumer home improvement trends. Derochowski stated that demographic markers—such as when people are marrying, buying homes and retiring—favor home improvement purchases. “The population is hitting key life moments driving the growth of the home improvement industry.” Derochowksi also identified various factors during the pandemic that has been driving home improvement spending, ranging from “boredom and stress” and “working from home” to “craving outdoors.” One new trend cited was expanding the garage space for entertainment and play within social distancing guidelines. Over the past year, the online share of total sales exploded across virtually all retail categories. However, online purchases of products such as vanities and faucets seem more aspirational than urgent. In the five home improvement categories that NPD analyzed, sales at brick-and-mortar stores also grew and those stores continued to capture a higher percentage of impulse purchases. These findings led Derochowski to conclude that home improvement retailers must do a better job at www.TheHardwareConnection.com

“connecting the dots” for consumers by marketing specific projects with products, and perhaps even providing online project instruction. NPD also found that: • Adults 55 or older index higher for home improvement purchases and online sales growth, whereas instore sales growth is led by the 25- to 34-year-old cohort. • Every Census region in the country saw increases in online sales last year. “Your marketing agility is critical,” said Derochowski. • The online buyer penetration for NPD’s home improvement product group was 37 percent last year, 8 percentage points higher than in 2019. • While in-store spending is three times higher versus online and purchasing frequency is four times higher, the spend per occasion is bigger for online—$40 vs. $25 for in-store—in part, said Derochowski, because online purchases are usually planned. As the pandemic limited in-store shopping and forced consumers to buy online, retailers and their supply chains were under new pressures to deliver. While brick-and-mortar stores still retain the lion’s share of retail sales, it was no longer viable to ignore the encroachment of online transactions. More companies were having discussions about ecommerce, and ramping up for the first time with a real investment in their online sales departments with an eye toward future growth. n THe HARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021 ■ 67

e h t d n i h e B Numbers

26,228

Number of food truck businesses in the United States as of 2021, up 7.5% from 2020, according to IBIS World.

26%

56%

Percentage of U.S. small business owners who reported hiring or trying to hire in February, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), with 40% of owners reporting job openings that could not be filled.

Percentage of adult Americans who have some type of disability, according NFIB Small Business Optimism Index to the CDC. in February, up slightly from January but still below the 47-year average reading of 98.

95.8

28.5%

Percentage of construction workers in the U.S. who are Hispanic, the second-most common race or ethnicity behind white non-Hispanic (41.2%), according to Data USA. 68 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ April 2021

24%

Percentage of U.S. small business owners who said labor quality was their top business problem, followed by taxes and regulatory costs, according to the NFIB. www.ThehardwareConnection.com