Hardware Connection February 2024

February 2024 Vol. 16, No. 1

THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER

1000

TH

M E M B E R

HELPING CUSTOMERS BE SUCCESSFUL FOR 100 YEARS Mark Whitney CEO, Page Lumber Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

ALSO INSIDE How to Create Goals That Build Business Value 7 Tech Trends You Should Know National Hardware Show Preview

>> P L U S : W H Y I S T H I S DA R N T H I N G F LY I N G O F F S H E LV E S ?

2024

DEALER MARKET & Spring Online Buying Event

Get Ready, It ’ Coming! s

Score the best buys of the year! Register now for our in-person Dealer Market, happening Feb. 22 – 24 in Orlando, Fla. There you’ll see our industry’s newest products, talk to vendors, attend workshops and clinics, network with other dealers, and experience two concept stores – a pro store and a traditional hardware store.

And don’t miss our red-hot Flash Deals.

Plus, our Spring Online Buying Event, which runs Feb. 19 – March 3, is your chance to round out your spring buys with online-only deals, offers, and more.

Register now for Dealer Market and be automatically enrolled in our Spring Online Buying Event. We’ll see you soon!

Register online at Orgill.com/Orlando2024

60

Chris Miller (right), CEO of Nation’s Best, with employee Buddy Stewart

4 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

CONTENTS 20

February 2024 Vol. 16, No. 1

February 2024 Nov/Dec 2023 Vol. 15, 16, No. No. 81 Vol.

THE THEINDUSTRY’S INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER DIGITAL LEADER

1000

TH

8

Shelf Life: An introduction by new editor Doug Donaldson

68

Feature: How to Create Goals that Build Value by Tom Bronson

12

Trend Watch: Craig Cope

76

16

Digby’s Hardware Cartoon: Scott Jensen

Feature: National Hardware Show Preview

84

18

Amazing But True Hardware Stories

Feature: Nominations Now Open for 2024 Beacon Awards

20

Shop Talk: Hardware Products Review

88

Feature: How to Tune In, Turn On to Radio Advertising

by Patrick Kelly

26

How’s Business: Regional Reports on Business Conditions

92

Product Spotlight

34

Launched/Landed: From Jobsites, Campsites to Viral Superstardom

96

In the News

99

Upcoming Events

M E M B E R

HELPING How to BETTER CUSTOMERS CUSTOMERS BESERVE SUCCESSFUL with HANDYMAN FOR 100 YEARS ALSO INSIDE:

SERVICES Mark Whitney CEO Page Lumber Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

ALSO INSIDE 5 Ways to Harness the

How to Create that Build PowerGoals of Recurring Business Value Revenue 7 Tech Trends You Tips Should 7 Savvy to Know Become aShow Government National Hardware Preview Supplier

WARM F ORUNNTD NG G FELY DIINTG OR E SE S ? >> PFLAURS E: W WE HLY LI:S O T HUI R S DA HII N O FRF ESTHI ERLV

COVER STORY

38 38

Like us on Facebook by clicking here.

92

Feature: Meet the 1,000th Member of the Century Club, Page Lumber

52

Feature: 7 Big Ideas from the Retail Industry’s Big Show

by Craig Webb

60

Feature: How Nation’s Best Unlocks the ‘Magic’ of Collaboration, Q&A with CEO Chris Miller

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

100 Category Report: Paint and Décor 104 An Inside Look: Special Events 106 Retail Ideas: Morris Hardware in McConnelsville, Ohio, connects Arts Community 108 Behind the Numbers

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 5

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX A.O. Smith/Reliance Water Heaters reliancewaterheaters.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 DAP Global Inc. Dap.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Do it Best doitbestonline.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 ECI Software Solutions ecisolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Epicor epicor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Ettore Products ettore.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Everest Ice and Water Systems everesticeandwater.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Forney Industries forneyind.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 House-Hasson Hardware househasson.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Intermatic intermatic.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 J3 Point of Sale j3pos.biz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Johnson Level johnsonlevel.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Midwest Fastener Corp. fastenerconnection.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Orgill orgill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 Paladin Data Corp. paladinpointofsale.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Retail Automation retailautomation.biz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

PUBLISHER / PRINCIPAL

CRAIG COPE

craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666 EDITOR / PRINCIPAL

DOUG DONALDSON

doug@thehardwareconnection.com 646-508-7904 MARKETING & CREATIVE DIRECTOR / PRINCIPAL

DAN AKERS

dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609 FOUNDER / PRINCIPAL

TOM CHASTEEN

tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126 FOUNDER / PRINCIPAL

CHRIS JENSEN

chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864 SENIOR BUSINESS ADVISOR

JOHN HAMMOND

jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

DAN BECK

dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 CONTRIBUTORS

TOM BRONSON SCOTT JENSEN PATRICK KELLY CRAIG WEBB

SENIX Tools/YAT USA senixtools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Shurtape Technologies shurtapetech.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Sika Corporation usa.sika.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 STIHL stihlusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

6 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

Hardware Connection is published eight times a year by The Hardware Connection, Inc. All editorial contents copyrighted 2024 by the publisher. No editorial may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.

The Hardware Connection, Inc. 91900 Overseas Highway Tavernier, FL 33070 TheHardwareConnection.com

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

800.444.7313 constructionscrews.com

SHELF LIFE

A

By Doug Donaldson

The Only Constant Is Change

fter clicking through the first few pages of this issue, you may have already noticed some changes. From the cover to the back page of Behind the Numbers, the magazine has undergone a redesign, sort of the same way a hardware store needs a reset from time to time.

We hope the new design provides readers with a fresh, new look and an easier way to access the magazine. As you enjoy the new design, I want to share a big kudos to Dan Akers, the publication’s creative director, who took a thoughtful and thorough approach to how the publication now looks.

The magazine also has a new editor.

After serving as the publication’s senior editor this past year, I’m stepping into the role of editor, filling the very big shoes of my predecessor, Chris Jensen, who retired this past December.

This past fall while compiling the How’s Business section, I had the opportunity to interview Pat Kelly, owner of Kelly’s Chelan Hardware in Chelan, Wash.

While asking him questions about his store, the phone went quiet. He was getting choked up thinking about what his business meant to him, his family and his community. His hardware store isn’t only his livelihood; it’s his life. That’s why 8 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

I asked Pat to write the article “How to Tune In, Turn On to Radio Advertising” about how he tells his store’s story during a morning radio show.

As part of being a new editor, I get to try new things, like changing the name of the editor’s column to Shelf Life. To me shelf life is a kind of fun way to acknowledge that we must keep our content fresh. That’s my goal as your new editor. Another one of those new things you will find on page 32, the inaugural Launched/Landed department of the magazine. On these pages, I hope to explore the secret sauce that goes into how a product or company takes its game to the next level. In this issue, we look at why Stanley tumblers flew past their construction worker lunchpail tradition into the zeitgeist of everyday life.

Highlighting the Stanley story not only helps hardware retailers understand this success but shows a path you can follow in your business. From the Stanley story, their viral success is not something that occurred overnight just because of one video, but because of a carefully crafted shift in customer target that made the whole thing possible. It’s very much a case of making the most of an opportunity, sort of what I’m starting here as editor of Hardware Connection. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

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SHELF LIFE I step into the editor’s position at a momentous time for the publication. In addition to celebrating the magazine’s 15th anniversary (spoiler alert: We’re going to have a special 15th Anniversary Issue later in the year), this January, the Hardware Connection’s Century Club notched its 1,000th member, Page Lumber in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. I had the privilege to visit the store in person and interview CEO Mark Whitney.

The hardware stores and lumberyards in the Century Club reflect innovation, determination and resilience.

They adapt, make tough business decisions and show grit in the face of obstacles. The Century Club members

are innovators who show us the way, through every kind of change.

I also want to sincerely thank my Hardware Connection partners—Dan Akers, Craig Cope, Chris Jensen and Tom Chasteen—who have enabled me to take this next big step. Special thanks go to Chris, who continues to share his knowledge and insights.

In the coming months, I will be at some of the major hardware shows.

Please say hello and tell me the story of your store, company or product and how it’s changed and adapted over the years. I want to hear it, even if it means taking a moment and collecting yourself because it means so much to you. n

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Just like lumber dealer Exotic Woods did with Spruce!

Moving away from their clunky software was a no brainier for Exotic Woods, but they had no idea how much it held them back. When they found Spruce, ECI’s end-to-end business management solution created specifically for lumber and home and building suppliers, they knew it was time to make a change.

Since being live on Spruce, Exotic Woods has gone from storing orders in a paper box to a full, streamlined document management system that has saved significant time and money.

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savings in inventory

L E A R N M O R E AT E C I S O L U T I O N S.C O M/S P R U C E

TREND WATCH

A

By Craig Cope

IHI Conference 2024: Uniting Independent Hardware Retailers

nniversaries are special moments in life that provide an opportunity to block out all day-to-day activities and reflect on the journey. Last year, marked the 35th anniversary of The Hardware Conference at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Fla. It also marked the eighth year since my wife, Shanti, and I took over the management of the event from founder Tom Chasteen and wife, Dale.

On January 10, 2024, we announced The Hardware Conference and the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) joined to create a singular event for Independent Hardware Retailers—the Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHI). Click here to learn more. The event will occur August 27-29, 2024, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.

The Hardware Conference has always been hosted in Marco Island, first at the Hilton Beach Resort and Spa until outgrowing the property and moving up the street

to the Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort before it earned JW status. The only exception occurred in 2017 when Hurricane Irma, which made its second landfall on Marco Island, forced us to move to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. We are the property’s oldest consecutive reoccurring event, which is reflected in our extremely low room rate of $208 per night for a five-star resort on the beach.

The three-day Independent Home Improvement Conference will host multiple retailer award programs, education sessions, training opportunities, panel discussions, and keynote speakers, to name a few of the attractions.

The Hardware Conference slogan was “where relationships are formed,” and

12 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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TREND WATCH our new agenda offers plenty of time for guests to engage in in-depth conferences with other retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and leading industry executives.

Attendees will have ample time to enjoy the property’s numerous amenities, including three miles of pristine private beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, 12 restaurants, two championship golf courses, and a private spa. The property also features an adults-only section, Paradise by Sirene Suites. Attendees staying in Sirene have access to the adults-only rooftop pool, restaurants, and personal beach butler service for

drinks and snacks on the sand. The resort provides a perfect blend for families looking to build memories on the beach or couples looking to enjoy a private getaway in paradise.

Shanti and I are genuinely excited for this next chapter in the evolution of bringing independent hardware retailers together, regardless of wholesaler affiliation. I constantly say, “Regardless of the flag you fly in the front of your store, all hardware retailers face the same challenges.”

Stay tuned for future updates, and we look forward to hosting you in Marco Island! n

You’re invited to our Market to see what we have to offer!

DEALER MARKET

Bonus buys & merchandisers Deeply discounted specials New vendor programs Complimentary rooms & travel Entertainment Complimentary meals Giveaways

Click here for more details!

For more information, contact us today!

Pat McCutcheon, VP of Sales: 1-800-333-0520, Ext. 212 | marketing@househasson.com House-Hasson Hardware Company: Knoxville, TN | www.househasson.com

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16 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

*Comparing 80-gallon heat pump against pre-2015 similarly-sized standard electric using DOE EF to UEF conversion rates. Savings may vary.

HARDWARE HUMOR

E U R T t u b g in z a m A

HARDWARE

STORIES

outhave a rental fleet of e W s. ve el rs ou p um ee ometimes, we can st inders. One employ gr p um st g in ud cl in ent, get door power equipm ady, and he couldn’t re it g in tt ge r, de in p gr or. was cleaning a stum gas, oil and carburet e th d ke ec ch e w d me over an you it started. He called ff.” Turns out, when “o d an n” “o ds or w h with the Well, there’s a switc starts much easier. it n, tio si po n” “o e turn the switch to th are | Columbia, Ky. dw ar H s ie ffr Je | is w Chris Le

S H

ad a lady come in and buy wood filler to cover cracks in wood. She kept buying it, three, four trips to the store to buy more over a few months. I asked her what she was working on and she said that she kept filling a crack in the tongue and groove ceiling above her porch after it rained.

I suggested that she needs to fix the hole on the top.

Robert Futch Shuman Cash Supply Jacksonville, Fla.

T

his past September, a man wa lks in asking about hedge clippers. Af ter being shown his options, the man dips out of view from the store’ s surveillance camera. A little while afterward , security cameras show him putting a small , black object on a store shelf. He then helpe d himself to a free bag of popcorn and rode off on a bike.

Turns out, he used the hedge clippers to snip off a GPS ankle monitor. Mayb e he thought that it was an out-of-the-way sp ot, that he’d just come in and we’d have he dge clippers.

The other stores in the plaza do not have them, and we were “the helpf ul hardware folks” with the hedge clippers , yes we were.

Cheryl Haytcher Ashtabula Ace Hardware Ashtabula, Ohio

18 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Dear STIHL Dealers, As we continue into 2024, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments we achieved together over the last year. We’re proud to share that amidst industry downturns, STIHL and STIHL Dealers continued to secure greater market share in both the gas and battery segments. Thanks to the unwavering support of STIHL Dealers, STIHL is now the #1 selling brand of gasand battery-powered handheld outdoor power equipment among landscape and tree care professionals in America.*

The outdoor power equipment industry is rapidly evolving, and at STIHL, our focus is to not only respond to change, but to shape it. Understanding our customers’ evolving needs is paramount, and STIHL Dealers play a vital role in developing the relationships that are

critical to our success. That’s why we will continue to invest in bolstering our dealer support resources, including comprehensive STIHL training for you and your team and timely access to the right products for your customers. In line with this commitment, we are also expanding our ecommerce capabilities, enabling you to seamlessly offer buying options to your customers 24/7.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all STIHL Dealers for their dedicated support and continued commitment to STIHL. We are uniquely positioned to continue to lead the industry in offering the latest product innovations regardless of power source. Together, by remaining at the forefront of technological advancements, we will set the standard for quality, efficiency,

and customer service. We look forward to our continued collaboration, and together, we remain STIHL Strong.

Chris Keffer President & CEO, STIHL Inc.

* “Number one selling brand” is based on 2007-2022 syndicated and commissioned surveys and 2023 surveys conducted by Irwin Broh Research of the U.S. professional landscaper and tree care markets.

k l a T p o h S HARDWAR

EVIE R S T C U D E PRO

W

By Craig Cope

PRODUCT #1:

CRESCENT® BOLT BITER™ IMPACT NUT EXTRACTOR & DRIVER Anyone who has turned a wrench knows the frustration of removing a stripped, rusted or damaged bolt. I grew up with the “heat it and beat it” technique, and while taking out your frustration on a damaged fastener can 20 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

be therapeutic, it is also highly timeconsuming. Crescent® has created a tool to eliminate the stress and time required to complete the job—the Crescent Bolt Biter™ impact nut extractor and driver. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

k l a T p o h S E PROD HARDWAR

UCTS REV

IEW

“ IF YOUR STORE

STOCKS SOCKETS OR SPECIALTY TOOLS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER ADDING THEM TO YOUR INVENTORY. YOUR CUSTOMERS WILL THANK YOU LATER.

The socket features a tapered design to sit on fasteners, providing five times the gripping force. The drive is also bi-directional, allowing for the removal and reuse of the fastener. Inside the socket is an integrated magnet, allowing the fastener to stay in place for either extraction or driving. At the end of the socket is a 1/4 hex shank for compatibility with impact drivers and drills. Click here to watch a brief company video on the Bolt Biter’s features.

We received samples of the five-piece set with a 1-7/8” length shaft ranging in sizes from ¼” to ½”. Crescent also offers a three-piece set with a 6” length shaft. Our testers were anxious to see how the Bolt Biter would perform.

Living in South Florida provides us with ample access to rusted or damaged fasteners. We have a saying: “South Florida, where even plastic rusts!”

The Bolt Biters were tested on rusted fasteners found in boat bilges, ATVs and trailers. All testers responded with the

same opinion: “These are game changers.” The Bolt Biters removed every rusted and stripped fastener our testers could throw at them. Another tester said it best: “Every toolbox needs a set of the Bolt Biters.”

If your store stocks sockets or specialty tools, you should strongly consider adding them to your inventory. Your customers will thank you later.

22 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

”

k l a T p o Sh E PROD HARDWAR

UCTS REV

IEW

PRODUCT #2:

HYDE 9” ROUND DUST-FREE SANDER KIT

The name Hyde requires no introduction in the hardware channel as the company approaches its 150th anniversary. Hyde tools are renowned as the ultimate companions for painters, drywall experts and remodeling professionals. The company slogan is “For a Better Finish, Start with Hyde®.”

The sander boasts a nine-inch round pivoting head mounted to

a two-piece lightweight aluminum extension pole. The included six-foot hose attaches to traditional wet/dry vacuums. Additionally, the sander features a suction control valve, enabling users to adjust to various surfaces.

Removing up to 99 percent of dust while sanding, the nine-inch sander includes long-lasting net abrasives with three grits: 120, 180 and 240.

24 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Designed for contractors or serious DIYers, we provided a sample to a local painter tackling a significant refinishing project. Initially concerned about the fatigue of maneuvering a nine-inch sander up and down a painted wall, our tester’s worries were swiftly alleviated by the lightweight pole. Upon completing the job over multiple days, he reported, “It worked flawlessly. Not only did it reduce the sanding time, but it also significantly reduced my clean-up time.”

If your hardware store serves professional painters and contractors, consider the Hyde nine-inch Round Dust-Free Sander as an exceptional addition to your inventory. n

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 25

How’s

Business?

MIDWEST

How were sales and customer counts in 2023 and so far in 2024?

For 2023, customer counts were down, sales were up and our margin was up, maybe about 2 or 3 percent. Rolling into 2024, we’re up 22 percent for January. We’re in a small town in northern Minnesota and the summer gas prices may have made people stay at home.

Most unique things about your business? For us, it’s our variety. We’re not the typical hardware store. We sell just about everything such as firearms, ammo, car trailers, utility trailers, poultry in the spring.

Goals for 2024? We definitely hope to increase margin and customer count and drive more sales. We’re remodeling the store and expanding, adding another 8,000 square feet to make us an about 30,000-square-foot store, which is good for a town of only about 3,000 people. We sell to larger businesses nearby. For example, Marvin has a window manufacturing plant about 20 miles away.

What are your strongest niche categories? Sporting goods for sure. We 26 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

In the spring, Roseau Ace Hardware in Roseau, Minn., has found a solid niche by selling poultry.

Left: Matt Berger, owner of Roseau Ace Hardware, plans on expanding his store another 8,000 square feet during 2024, increasing the footprint to 30,000 square feet.

draw people from a long ways away.

Some drive two or three hours to shop here. We’re big with Milwaukee tools.

We’re hoping we can expand and focus on barbecue. We also sell guns online and that’s been a good niche for us, too.

Does sustainability figure into your business? Yes and no. We have big timber and logging companies nearby, but those people aren’t going to go to battery. But homeowners, yes, they’re looking to buy battery-powered equipment and we’re selling a lot of it, and it keeps getting more and more in demand.

Matt Berger Roseau Ace Hardware Roseau, Minn. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

NORTHEAST

How were sales and customer counts in 2023 and so far in 2024? Toward the end of the year, everything slowed down because of how cold it was. We weren’t selling as much bird food. Snow came late. The beginning of this year has been great.

Most unique things about your business? Every customer gets treated like they’re the only customer in the store, every time.

Goals for 2024? We’re looking to go above and beyond our previous sales numbers. We can do that with an emphasis on add-on items and with training. With Milwaukee, DeWalt, Craftsman and Traeger brands, we’re looking for additional sales through add-ons.

What are your strongest niche categories? We’re known for having top-of-the-line EGO lawn mowers. In the past couple of years, we’ve gone into Big Green Egg and Traeger in addition to our Weber grills. Yeti has been one of the bigger sellers for us, too.

Does sustainability figure into your business? More and more customers are going toward battery-operated equipment. There’s definitely a push. As more and more people see what battery-powered power equipwww.TheHardwareConnection.com

Lower: In recent years, Plummer’s Hardware in Buxton, Maine, has expanded its grilling department, adding new brands and promoting products through special events.

Upper: In 2024, Plummer’s Hardware looks to exceed previous sales numbers by emphasizing add-on sales and employee training.

ment can perform, they are going with that trend. People out in the woods still stick with engine gas-powered. Within the city, customers are going with battery power to cut down on noise pollution because of ordinances.

Aaron Winn, manager Plummer’s Hardware Buxton, Maine HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 27

HOW’S BUSINESS?

SOUTH

How were sales and customer counts in 2023 and so far in 2024? The start of this year has been sluggish.

In 2023, sales were strong, about back to the pre-pandemic level of 2019. In south Georgia, new housing and people fixing homes drove our business. We’ve been strong in plumbing, bringing in new fittings such as SharkBite and PEX. Most unique things about your business? The store has about 10,000 items, lots of stuff that Home Depot

A family business, Central Hardware celebrated 75 years this past year with owners Baxter Shaw (pictured) and his sister, Annie Strother.

doesn’t sell such as fishing poles, tackle and ammunition.

Goals for 2024? We want to retain the customers we have and look for

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growth in other areas such as paint or electrical departments.

What are your strongest niche categories? We’re very strong in plumbing and have about 75 percent contractor customer base. We’re known among plumbing professionals in the area, because we have a large amount of inventory. Plumbing contractors know we’ll have the product and in sufficient quantities so they can get the job done.

Does sustainability figure into your business? Not down here in south Georgia.

Baxter Shaw Central Hardware Brunswick, Ga.

SOUTHWEST

How were sales and customer counts in 2023 and so far in 2024? We’ve been down since 2022. A lot of income around here is pretty tight and getting sales out there is pretty tough. We’ve also had some tough times getting stuff on the shelves. People are trying to conserve money and the weather on the Western Slope has been bad, so people stay indoors.

Most unique things about your business? We go above and beyond for customers. I’ve gone to customers’ homes and installed grills and showed

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In the coming year, Montrose Hardware in Montrose, Colo., plans to increase advertising to boost customer counts.

them how to use the grills. Also, the experience of the staff is pretty unique. I’m an experienced beekeeper and another employee has lots of experience with chain saws, so that brings customers in, too.

Goals for 2024? Improving sales is the big one. We want to do a bit more advertising and get people in the store. One of the things that’s been really helpful is our POS system from Epicor, which is able to measure the amount of people we have in the store on a specific day.

What are your strongest niche categories? We pride ourselves on having a nice, clean store. We have a big selection of nuts and bolts, including a big gun screw section. We’re known for having weird odds and ends, gaskets, painting apparatus.

Does sustainability figure into your business? On occasion it does.

The only ones we carry are STIHL. Our typical customer for battery-powered products is a little older homeowner. Landscapers still use gas, www.TheHardwareConnection.com

because it gets the job done without spending time charging batteries.

Matt Vlach, manager Montrose Hardware Montrose, Colo.

local products, such as cooking spices and barbecue sauces, including Elkhorn SmokeHouse and Alpine Touch.

Goals for 2024? I’d like to keep it simple. I want to take care of customers and invest in our associates. Customer satisfacHow were sales and customer tion is a metric I watch very closely. counts in 2023 and so far in 2024?

I look at receipt surveys and reviews Great. Being in a small town, we feel on Google and other platforms. Social like the majority of the town embraced media is a great way to discover cusus better than what we anticipated. tomer satisfaction levels.

We’re seeing growth of 20 to 30 percent.

What are your strongest niche Most unique things about your categories? Anything seasonal and business? We’re able to carry products that’s really surprised us. It was shockthat most people don’t expect. We have ing how well inflatable paddle boards buying opportunities through Ace or sold last summer. We were hesitant to third-party sellers, and we sell a lot of bring them in, but that product sold re-

WEST

NEW Red Rotary Laser

HOW’S BUSINESS? ally well. We adapt to the season with those sales and it proved to pay off.

Does sustainability figure into your business? Absolutely. EGO and STIHL, which we recently brought in, are strong sellers, and we have a solid selection of battery-operated outdoor Left: Employees at Columbia Falls Ace Hardware in Columbia Falls, Mont., (from left) Joseph Hooker, equipment. Our customers seek out Sheila Fowler, and Manager Dakota Bogart, have those products. When having converseen customers seek out local products such as spices and barbecue sauces. sations with customers, some are still die-hard gas-powered product purchas- Right: A popular local product for Columbia Falls ers. But when we take the time to show Ace Hardware is locally made Elkhorn SmokeHouse people how battery-powered products barbecue sauce. work, they do change their mind. Definitely a shift in the market. This winter, Dakota Bogart, manager battery-powered snowblowers outsold Columbia Falls Ace Hardware gas-powered snowblowers 10 to 1.

Columbia Falls, Mont.

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Welcome to the Hardware Connection Century Club!

The Hardware Connection Century Club, sponsored by Intermatic Inc., recognizes “The Innovators and Survivors Who Helped Build America.” Our Century Club currently includes 785 hardware and LBM retailers, 20 wholesalers and 206 manufacturers that were founded in the United States of America and remain in business after 100 or more years.

You can find the complete list of Century Club members including old store photos and links to company history by clicking here. We congratulate the following retailers who have been added to the Hardware Connection Century Club this year: Andrew Posey & Son Hardware, Jasper, AL—1924

Howell Hardware, Millville, NJ—1924

Bourassa True Value Hardware, New Bedford, MA—1924

H&W Hardware, New York, NY—1924

Bowling’s Feed and Hardware, Catlettsburg, KY—1924

Learned Lumber, Hermosa Beach, CA—1924 Legg Lumber Company, Holt, MI—1884

Braun Building Center, Manitowoc, WI—1905

Morrison Terrebonne, Houma, LA—1924

Carl Eliason & Company Lumber & Hardware, Sayner, WI—1924

National Lumber Company, Baltimore, MD—1919

Chairtown Lumber Company, Gardner, MA—1924 Clark Devon Hardware, Chicago, IL—1924 Congleton Lumber, Lexington, KY—1905

Page Lumber, Poughkeepsie, NY—1924—1,000th CC member (4 stores) Paschal Brothers Hardware & Lumber, Jacksonville, FL—1924

Denver Lumber Company, Denver, CO—1923

Ransom Brothers Lumber & Supply, Ramona, CA—1924

Gennett Lumber Company, Fletcher, NC—1901

Requarth Company, Dayton, OH—1860

Guy C. Lee Building Materials, Smithfield, NC—1924 Southern Builders Supply, Valdosta, GA—1880 Hamilton Building Supply, Hamilton, NJ—1924

Union Lumber Company, New Albany, MS—1902

Heller Lumber Company, Arlington Heights, IL—1924 Western Materials Inc., Yakima, WA—1915 Holman Supply Company, Moultrie, GA—1920

SPONSORED BY

William B. Morse Lumber Company, Rochester, NY—1853

LAUNCHED/LANDED

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

FROM JOBSITES, CAMPSITES TO VIRAL SUPERSTARDOM QUENCHING THE PUBLIC’S THIRST FOR A FEEL-GOOD STORY

The Stanley Ferrostat Thermos from 1923 is on display at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Mass., which is close to Great Barrington, Mass., the site of inventor William Stanley Jr.’s lab.

Photo credit: Stephanie Zollshan/ Berkshire Eagle

I

n 1913, inventor William Stanley Jr. fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle.

Hardware stores have been selling Stanley thermoses for about 100 years. While always seen as a reliable way to keep hot drinks hot, the famous tumbler from Stanley (a member of the Hardware Connection Century Club) has burst into the national spotlight. That onramp to celebrity started with a shift in marketing and got really, really hot after a car fire.

This past November, TikTok user @danimarielettering shared a video of the aftermath of her car fire.

During the video, she showed that while her car was burned out, her Stanley Quencher was intact and even still had ice in it. The video went viral with more than 84 million views and more than 50,000 comments.

Stanley President Terence Reilly seized the marketing moment and in a video offered to replace her car along with giving her some new Stanley cups. The marketing move turned out to be genius, generating more than 32 million views. Stanley’s revenue went from $70 million to $750 million and the brand went viral. Demand

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 35

LAUNCHED/LANDED for Stanley cups has skyrocketed, with customers camping outside stores to buy the special edition Quencher for Valentine’s Day. The cup craze has gotten so much attention, “Saturday Night Live” parodied the phenomenon in an episode in January.

Even prior to viral success, Stanley sought to expand its customer base. Stanley’s tumbler was previously a mainstay of jobsites and campsites, but in recent years the company has been shifting marketing and design efforts to attract female customers. New Quencher features include comfy handles, straws and a vast selection of colors. n Released in late January, Stanley’s limited-edition, Lunar New Year-themed Year of the Dragon tumbler sold out in 30 minutes.

Inspired by the mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, the design includes camellia flowers and sakura blossom, a bright departure from the green Stanley thermos from earlier decades.

1000 M E M B E R

PAGE LUMBER TH BECOMES 1,000 MEMBER OF THE CENTURY CLUB

TH

DEALER PROFILE

By Doug Donaldson

Page Lumber CEO, Mark Whitney

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

F

ounded in 1924, Page Lumber in

Poughkeepsie, N.Y., reached the mile-

Page Lumber has helped build New York’s Hudson Valley. This January, Page helped the Hardware Connection Century Club reach a significant milestone of 1,000 members.

Upper: Page Lumber’s flagship store is a 20,000-square-foot home center on the east side of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Lower: On Route 55 in Poughkeepsie, Page Lumber has helped build the Hudson Valley for 100 years.

stone of turning 100 years old and joining the elite ranks of other hardware industry stalwarts.

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 39

DEALER PROFILE Page Lumber’s tool corral houses several major power tool brands and related accessories. When the store was reset in 2011, Page Lumber’s distributor, Orgill, assisted in the design and merchandising of the tool corral.

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

DEEP ROOTS

Page Lumber’s roots in the region run deep. The company’s founder, Henry G. Page Sr., was born on the very site of the lumberyard’s current location in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., about 80 miles north of New York City.

Before becoming a state-of-theart home center and lumberyard, the site was the Manchester Hotel, which Samuel McCabe acquired and passed down to his daughter, Mary McCabe and her husband, Gustavas Page. Together, the couple repurposed the hotel into G. Page Groceries.

In 1924, Henry Page Sr. bought a cement block-making machine from Sears and Roebuck and started making concrete blocks. Even today, Above: Company founder Henry Page Sr. was born on the site of the company’s current flagship store in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 41

DEALER PROFILE

About 80 percent of Page Lumber’s customers are professional contractors and builders. The Poughkeepsie location has a dedicated contractor entrance and large space devoted to assisting pro customers.

visitors to the lumberyard on Route 55 to the east of Poughkeepsie can see the same type of aggregate that Page Sr. used to found this business.

Today, the company is run by a board made up of the family’s third generation along with CEO Mark Whitney, a 32-year veteran of the retail hardware industry with stints at Curtis Lumber, Avon Wholesale Supply and BrockwaySmith Company.

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FORMULA FOR LONGEVITY Whitney credits Page Lumber’s longevity to one of the company’s mantras: Help customers be successful.

To better serve customers, Whitney says Page Lumber staff constantly ask: What are we doing that’s beyond just providing a product?

“We make a lot of decisions to provide support and service to some of the smaller business people who www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Page Lumber CEO Mark Whitney is a 32-year veteran of the retail hardware industry and brings a collaborative spirit to his management style.

would otherwise struggle to be able to do so on their own,” Whitney says. “We can bring some scale to those things.”

Some examples of that support Whitney cites include estimating, 3D modeling and takeoffs. He says that the 3D versions of construction plans provide a detail that helps contractor and builder customers beyond the estimating process and into the construction process as well.

“I think it’s a significant thing that we get to help people experience the American dream,” Whitney says.

“That’s something. We’re not just selling lumber and hardware and paint.

We’re helping people really experience something that’s very important in their lives.”

STAFFED FOR SUCCESS

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 43

Page Lumber has 74 employees, many on staff for decades. For example, Dave Gray, previously an outside sales representative and currently a part-time associate, has been working for the company for 55 years. The company values employees’ feedback and encourages employees to contribute and be part of decision-making processes.

“We want to make this a place that our people enjoy coming to work,” Whitney says. “We foster a culture where we encourage people to speak their mind and that’s one of the touchstones in making any decision.”

As part of its compensation package, Page Lumber offers profit sharing with all employees. However, Whitney

DEALER PROFILE says the biggest challenge Page Lumber faces is drawing new people into the company.

“It certainly encompasses a lot of energy, time and effort,” Whitney says.

“We don’t want to compromise how we go about that effort. We want to make sure that we are very conscious about bringing people into the organization who fit our culture, who will be good teammates. We want them to trust us, we want to trust them, and we

1000 M E M B E R

TH

all work better together when we have that kind of relationship.”

Finding qualified new employees is a challenge, but Page Lumber doesn’t rush the process. During the interview process, conversations are longer to allow prospective employees to get to know the company as well as the interviewers who are assessing the candidates.

“We want people to look at us as a place they can build a career and invest in themselves,” Whitney says.

1,000TH MEMBER OF THE CENTURY CLUB

Page Lumber has the distinct honor of being the 1,000th company to join the Hardware Connection’s Century Club.

As a program of Hardware Connection magazine, the Century Club chronicles the stories of distributors, manufacturers and retailers who have innovated, adapted and changed to stand the test of time to be 100 years old or older. These companies outlasted wars, recessions, fires, floods and the competition. These

Century Club members often represent four, five or even six generations of family members. When times got tough, they worked harder and smarter. These are companies that helped build America.

On the Century Club website, you will find galleries of historic store photos and links to store histories, listed state by state on the U.S. map.

If you know of any we missed or would like to update information on any Century Club companies, please contact Editor Doug Donaldson at doug@thehardwareconnection.com.

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

RIGHT-SIZE STORE ADJUSTMENTS Today, the company has three locations: The flagship location on Route 55 in Poughkeepsie is a 20,000-squarefoot home center and lumberyard on four and a half acres; the Amenia, N.Y., location is 9,000 square feet; and the Pawling, N.Y., store is an 11,000-square-foot location. Each location tailors its assortment to customer bases, which are a bit more rural than the Poughkeepsie location.

As an example of responding to the local market, Page Lumber recently consolidated its Lagrangeville location landscaping business to its Poughkeepsie location.

As far as niches in each location, Whitney sees Page Lumber as a good partner for customer projects. “We want to try to help people from beginning to end,” he says. “We have to have the right assortment so customers can have good, quality brand products for whatever project they’re working on.”

Such projects include decks, interior and exterior painting, and window replacement. Whitney cites Page Lumber’s relationships with vendors such as Andersen and Benjamin Moore who offer products that support customer projects.

“ CONNECTING WITH

ORGILL ENABLED PAGE TO EXPAND ITS PRODUCT OFFERING AND UTILIZE ORGILL’S STORE DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING SERVICES.

”

In 2007, as Page Lumber was expanding after purchasing some

other locations, the company turned to Orgill as its distributor, another Century Club member. Connecting with Orgill enabled Page to expand its product offering and utilize Orgill’s store design and merchandising services.

“Orgill certainly worked hard during the COVID disruption,” Whitney says. “They were open to us in terms of being transparent and communicating and doing the things that we could adjust, so that we could continue to

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 45

CENTURY CLUB PARTNERS

DEALER PROFILE

serve our customers during that turbulent time.”

When it began its relationship with Page Lumber, Orgill utilized its Market Driven Research (MDR) program, which provides data and trend analysis for specific store locations.

By working with Orgill, Page was able to identify product categories, depth of product lines needed and pricing.

This information helped Page capture as much margin as possible while still

being competitive on price, according to Mike Esposito, their Orgill sales representative.

With Orgill’s assistance, Page Lumber locations underwent a complete store redesign, creating better adjacencies and providing a cleaner, more shoppable experience. The new

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

The store reset in 2011 also included the addition of a paint center, and paint has been a strong seller for Page since then.

design included decor and aisle configuration that opened up the traffic flow. Orgill also assisted in the creation of a tool corral and a store-within-store paint department. In addition to being more welcoming, the new store layout exposed customers to more categories as well.

The relationship is a two-way street, like Route 55 in front of the Poughkeepsie location. In the late 2000s, Orgill sought to expand its lawn and garden offerings and wanted input from customers including Page Lumber. Representatives from Page worked with Orgill buyers to select lawn and garden products that would be beneficial not only for the New York retailer but for retailers throughout Orgill’s network, according to Esposito.

Esposito visits Page Lumber at least once a week to talk with store buyers and CEO Whitney. Esposito has a fullcircle relationship with the Hudson Valley company. More than 30 years ago, he was the ServiStar sales representative to Page Lumber.

During these visits, Esposito credits the Page Lumber staff with being indepth students of the industry. “The very first thing they say when I visit is: ‘What’s going on out there?’” Esposito says. “They are sponges for information and data. They want to know matrixes and vendor information along with what’s going on with Orgill as far

as fill rates and vendor contributions.

They always challenge themselves to be better.”

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 47

CONTINUED FUTURE INNOVATION Page Lumber continues to adjust and adapt. This winter, the company is making a transition to a new operating system, installing Epicor’s BisTrack system.

“The impetus for the change was to open the door for us to be able to do more meaningful things to better connect with our customers,” Whitney says. “Particularly in our trade relationships, providing a tool like that to our customers enables us to interact better.”

Going forward, Whiney looks to utilize technology to analyze business data and enhance customer relationships.

“We want to embrace technology to spend more time doing things that matter to customers,” Whitney says.

“We want to make sure we create an environment where we can find a way to say yes to the things that we’re being challenged to do for our customers.”

As far as the next 100 years for Page Lumber, Whitney says, “We want to fight hard to get better at what we do every day. Often, that opens the doors to new opportunities and we’d like to try to identify what’s on the horizon for our business and our industry.”

PAGE OF HISTORY: 100 YEARS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY THIS PAGE LUMBER TIMELINE SHOWS THE COMPANY’S MILESTONES AS IT GREW OVER THE DECADES.

1924 – BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE FUTURE Henry G. Page Sr. purchased a cement block-making machine from the Sears and Roebuck Catalog. This was the foundation of H.G. Page.

Page Lumber’s Amenia, N.Y., location is a 9,000-square-foot store with an assortment tailored to a more rural customer base.

1950 – DIVERSIFYING INTO BUILDING MATERIALS

As the cement block industry grew 1934 – EXPANDING THE FAMILY AND increasingly competitive, Henry G. BUSINESS Page Sr. adapted and expanded the Henry G. Page Sr. married Josephine business to sell building supplies, Coniff Rittinger and their three sons, including roofing and insulation.

Henry Jr., John, and William, grew up working in the family business along 1962 – LAUNCH OF THE LUMBERYARD with their uncles and cousins. Family A dramatic shift in the business members pitched in stocking shelves took place this year when Page and unloading rail cars. opened a lumberyard to align with the 48 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Upper: The company’s Pawling location is an 11,000-square-foot store that offers lumber delivery, kitchen and bath design along with a window and door showroom.

Lower: Henry Page Sr. began his business in 1924 making cement blocks from a cement block machine he ordered from Sears and Roebuck.

population transformation of Dutchess County from agricultural to residential.

1978 – REVOLUTIONIZING LOCAL BUILDING SUPPLIES Page opened a larger home and building center, which enhanced the company’s line of products and set a higher standard for local lumberyards and building supply stores.

building projects, the company built a new storage building across the road from its Route 55 Poughkeepsie location.

1993 – HENRY SR. PASSES

To greatly increase the available inventory for customers’ home and

Many customers remember Henry Sr. for his unique presence in the store—assisting customers or humorously shining his shoes with a banana peel. He was known for his distinctive approach to management, including dismissing customers he mistook for idle employees.

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1980 – ENHANCING INVENTORY AND SERVICES

DEALER PROFILE

The 6,500-squarefoot Home Design Concepts Showroom serves pro and homeowner customers with a wide array of samples and design services.

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As Dutchess County became more residential, Page Lumber shifted its business model to include more building materials, which included delivery services for builders.

2004 – HOME DESIGN CONCEPTS SHOWROOM OPENS Along with celebrating the 80th anniversary of H.G. Page & Sons, the company opened a 6,500-square-foot Home Design Concepts Showroom, an event that attracted more than 3,000 customers.

2011 – GRAND REOPENING X4 Following extensive renovations, the four H.G. Page & Sons locations held grand reopenings. Along with fresh, new looks, the locations also added a larger, diverse range of new products, reflecting the company’s commitment to innovation and market trends.

2024 – CELEBRATING A CENTURY OF DEDICATION

Enhancing the company’s clout in the building supplies sector, H.G. Page & Sons acquired three new locations in Dutchess County: Amenia, Pawling and Lagrangeville. To align with this expansion, H.G. Page & Sons also selected Orgill as its primary distributor partner this year.

This year H.G. Page & Sons commemorates its 100-year anniversary, joining the Century Club. William “Bill” Page, the last surviving son of Henry Sr., passed in 2023. Now known as Page Lumber, Millwork & Building Supplies, the company remains familyowned and operated, with a board of six of Henry Sr.’s grandchildren, and CEO Mark Whitney. n

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2007 – BRANCHING OUT, ADDING ORGILL

NRF CONVENTION

By Craig Webb

7 BIG IDEAS FROM THE RETAIL INDUSTRY’S BIG SHOW

Y

ou may regard yourself as being in the construction and home improvement business, but if you’re a dealer, you’re at heart a retailer. That’s why I joined roughly 40,000 people in New York in January to look for ideas at the National Retail Federation (NRF) annual convention. The NRF’s Big Show produced a slew of products and trends that hardware retailers should consider. Here are seven:

52 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

Delivery services such as Gently.io are expanding. After already serving the Los Angeles area, the electric-powered vehicle service is expanding into New York City and other major metro areas in coming months.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

1. ELECTRONIC PRICE TAGS/INFO BILLBOARDS You might have heard of these products for years but questioned how well they work and how long the batteries last. The old electronic tags were limited. Today’s electronic tags can be controlled by Wi-Fi or through signals from the lights, with batteries that can last a decade. Perhaps more important, new electronic price tags come in far more sizes, making it possible to provide lots of information. They can even be interactive. Imagine a price-tag bar that helps customers pick fasteners, caulk or tools without having to wait on staff. (If you go this route, keep www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Today’s electronic tags can be controlled

by Wi-Fi or through signals from the lights, with batteries that can last a decade.

in mind that you will need staffers or outside help—probably in marketing— who can write the promotional copy for these screens.)

The tags also enable stores to change prices more often and more selectively. Offering discounts for only a few hours during a Ladies Night is a classic example. With electronic tags, you can choose which products to discount and by how much rather than having to offer a certain percentage discount for every product in the store.

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 53

NRF CONVENTION

New software can be plugged into existing camera systems to identify potential shoplifters or customers who simply look lost and don’t know where to find what they want to buy.

2. CAMERAS THAT TRACK INVENTORY You might have heard about dealers such as McCoy’s Building Supply that use robots to track inventory.

The Big Show had several robots, but here’s an alternative: a camera that you can hang on a shelf and have it scan stock on the shelves across the aisle. The resulting picture, connected to software, identifies which products need restocking. If you want to add your store’s planograms to the software, the camera can tell whether the store’s staff are following planogram instructions.

While a robot likely would be used on every aisle, the camera’s maker, Vusion, envisions these cameras being 54 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

used selectively, in rows that are particularly important. They can be moved whenever needed.

3. SOFTWARE UPGRADES FOR CURRENT CAMERA SYSTEMS Several companies promoted software that found new, creative ways to use the images your existing cameras record. Such software can spot potential shoplifters or customers who simply look lost and don’t know where to find what they want to buy. Tractor Supply uses this software to watch people outside the store who are checking out tractors, and the software tells employees there’s a potential buyer who could use some help. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

4. SMARTER SHOPPING CARTS

With cameras around the top edge, smart shopping cart systems can spot whether someone scanned a cheap item and then put in an expensive one, as well as whether someone placed an item into the cart without ever scanning it.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

From Brazil and Germany came next-generation shopping carts already in use.

Both Brazil’s Nextop and Germany’s SmartShopper come attached with a scanner and a weighing system that notices what was put into the cart. (Fun fact: a liter of Coke is heavier than a liter of Diet Coke.)

With cameras around the top edge, the systems can spot whether customers scanned a cheap item and then put in an expensive one, as well as whether a customer placed something into the cart without ever scanning it.

Both systems let you make a credit-card payment, but they will summon an employee if it notices you tried to cheat along the way. Aside from not needing as many employees at checkout, Nextop says a vendor also can defray its costs by selling advertising on the cart’s sides.

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NRF CONVENTION

New in-store cameras can be placed on a shelf to scan stock on the shelves across the aisle. The resulting images can be analyzed by software to identify which products need restocking. The software can also tell if a store’s planogram is filled correctly.

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5. REIMAGINED IN-STORE EXPERIENCES It’s no surprise that surveys show a majority of people prefer to shop online rather than in a brick-and-mortar store.

Over the past 25 years, many brickand-mortar stores have become mere warehouses, designed to be visited as quickly as possible, with uncommunicative staff and nobody having fun. That perception contrasts with a survey of 2,500 people by WD Partners and NRF, which found that the four qualities people most appreciate in a store are inspiration, discovery of unexpected stuff, great staff, and an attractive vibe.

Think Build-a-Bear workshops, convenience stores where you can sit and lounge, and a J. Crew in NYC’s Soho district that “looks like your cool friend’s apartment,” said WD Executive Vice President Lee Peterson.

The key here is to marry online convenience with in-store cool. For LBM dealers, this means moving as much rote stuff as possible to e-commerce and to inside sales teams. Don’t worry so much about what’s in the store.

Instead, use that space as a source of inspiration. Some LBM dealers are already following this advice, such as how Do it Best’s recent redesign makes endcaps a place to inspire customers.

“ THE FOUR QUALITIES

PEOPLE MOST APPRECIATE IN A STORE ARE INSPIRATION, DISCOVERY OF UNEXPECTED STUFF, GREAT STAFF, AND AN ATTRACTIVE VIBE.

”

From Los Angeles comes Gently.io, which for $6 per package offers sameday (typically within three to four

hours) delivery of products in dozens of ZIP codes in L.A. It plans to expand into the New York City metro area in the second quarter of 2024 and in other major metro areas in the third quarter of the year. Products must weigh less than 25 pounds, so its value to dealers is limited, but Gently will burnish your green credentials, as it uses only electric vehicles.

Businesses like Gently’s come and go all the time, but the idea of outsourcing remains worth examining.

The Home Depot uses Walmart’s GoLocal on a white-label basis, and an

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6. OUTSOURCED DELIVERIES

NRF CONVENTION

New electronic signage tags come in far more sizes, making it possible to provide lots of information and help customers with commonly asked questions.

Australian home center has teamed “We need to do a better job teachup with Uber to provide deliveries of ing people how to ask questions when smaller products (that can fit in a trunk) they create tasks for AI,” said Nena for a set fee.

Pidskalny, director of supply chain and planning at Canada’s Federated 7. AVOID AI HALLUCINATIONS Co-operatives, which includes 90 hardYes, everyone at the Big Show was ware stores in western Canada. Once talking about artificial intelligence, but a bunch of AI-generated reports are the comments during sessions with created, IT directors need to examine IT leaders were relatively cautious. which are being used most.

Several speakers warned of AI halluci“This is a technology with tremennations—when programs generate bad dous promise, [but] when you try reports because they weren’t trained to apply it to scale you have to take well enough on which data matters your time,” said Seemantini Godbole, and how to interpret that data.

Lowe’s chief digital and information 58 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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officer. She said her company is working on only seven to eight meaningful use cases at a time, declaring: “We don’t want to die a death of 100 pilot [projects].”

Godbole, who has led Lowe’s digital advances over the past five years, disputed suggestions that pro contractors wouldn’t embrace an online relationship with a dealer. “Pros were the first to say ‘I’ll be the power user of omnichannel [communications],’ ” Godbole said.

She noted how pros had embraced a tech innovation in which an executive at

a company could authorize one of the company’s employees to, on a one-time basis, come to Lowe’s and make a purchase. This move reduced to seconds a process that used to require the Pro Desk to contact the account owner and get authorization that otherwise sometimes took a long time to confirm. n

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Craig Webb is president of Webb Analytics, a data and research consultancy that helps executives in construction supply spot the trends, threats and opportunities that matter most. Contact him at cwebb@webb-analytics.com.

Q&A: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Prior to founding Nation’s Best in 2019, Chris Miller was the vice president of operations in the South and Western regions at U.S. LBM.

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HOW NATION’S BEST UNLOCKS THE ‘MAGIC’ OF COLLABORATION

R

ecently, Hardware Connection magazine had an exclusive opportunity to have a conversation with Chris Miller, CEO of Nation’s Best,

which owns and operates 52 locations in 16 states. He shared his insights on expansion, navigating past the pandemic and ways member stores work together.

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Q&A: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

HC: Nation’s Best launched in 2019, then had to contend with the pandemic. How did facing such a nonbusiness-as-usual environment inform the way you do business now?

Miller: The timing of the pandemic, just months after forming Nation’s Best, was definitely a curveball that wasn’t in our “gameplan” for 2020.

However, the pandemic was a significant boon to our industry, and really helped us accelerate our growth during those affected years. Since COVID has subsided, we are seeing our stores return to business as usual in most respects. We now have better and stronger partnerships with our vendor community since our inception, and I feel like we have come out of the pandemic with more certainty now more than ever on a steady supply chain of materials and merchandise, no matter what the next curveball may be.

Miller (right), with employees such as Buddy Stewart, Nation’s Best events coordination manager (left), foster a company culture that can make decisions on the go when needed and quickly change directions if needed.

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Q&A: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP HC: When considering adding a new location, what appeals to you?

What boxes need to be checked for a store to become part of the Nation’s Best portfolio?

Miller: There are many scenarios that could make an acquisition target more attractive than others. How well is the current ownership running the store? How have sales, margins, and profitability trended over the last three to five years? Are they already doing the necessary retail 101 basics, such as regular cycle counting, payroll management, using their ERP system to the fullest capabilities, use of technology, keeping equipment/fleet conditions in top form? We also look at the condition of the store itself to determine how much cap-ex (capital expenditure) dollars will need to be spent to modernize the store either through a store remodel or a new inventory reset or both. Lastly, I really look for locations that are the “best in class” in their local markets.

Either being the only game in town, or the best game in town, is what really gets me excited.

HC: Headquartered in Dallas, yet with a portfolio that includes locations such as Illinois, Michigan and Florida, how does Nation’s Best determine where to expand next? Do you research specific regions? Any areas drawing your interest lately?

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Miller: Our geographic stretch has mostly been driven by the opportunities when great stores become available to join the Nation’s Best family, not necessarily by a strategy to be in one area more than another. We are definitely strong in the South-Central region of the country and continue to grow stores there; however, we are quite bullish on the Sunbelt and Southeast region of the country as well. However, if a great opportunity is available outside of those areas, we always look to get a deal done if they have great management already in place to take the store into the future with us.

HC: What emerging trends or technologies in the industry do you believe will significantly impact the company in the coming years?

Miller: I do think the use of technology is critical for any company in our industry to stay competitive. We will continue to invest in our online shopping presence and digital marketing efforts. Also, I do believe that the use of AI has only scratched the surface in the retail space. We want to be early adopters of these new and exciting uses of AI as they become available, and I truly Nation’s Best shares best practices among its locations. For example, Hall’s Hardware & Lumber in Milton, Fla., shared their idea to give new customers gift bags with a branded coffee mug, pencils, the Best Rewards application, and a gift card.

The practice has been rolled out to other Nation’s Best locations. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

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Q&A: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP believe it will fundamentally change the customer shopping experience and the way we do business much sooner than later.

HC: How does Nation’s Best Holdings measure success? What goals do you have for 2024?

Miller: Obviously, I look at overall profitability and sales metrics as a “success” indicator; however it goes so much more beyond that. Are we creating and maintaining the culture that I originally envisioned? Are we giving every associate opportunities to grow their careers with us and proving everyday how much we want them to personally succeed? Is our Support Center continuing to exude the sincere notion that “Our Stores Are Our Customers” with every interaction they have with a store level associate? Do we have true entrepreneurs in every corner of our stores that want to win each and every day? Of course, if all of this is happening the way we strategically plan, it usually will flow to a P&L at the end of the day to prove it in the numbers.

HC: How would you describe the corporate culture of Nation’s Best, and how is it implemented throughout the company?

Miller: The questions just mentioned above are what I really care about when it comes to culture. I want us to be a 66 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

company that can make decisions on the go when needed and be able to quickly change directions if our current game plan isn’t working. We do not want a company full of “corporate” overhead, but just the right amount to help truly support each store. Our motto is to “treat others the way you want to be treated,” and we try to preach it and live by it in all interactions we have.

We want to have a servitude attitude and remember that retail comes with a lot of humility.

HC: What upcoming projects, partnerships or expansions can you share as part of Nation’s Best future plans?

Miller: We just completed a Lambert Lumber & Home Center in Cooper, Texas, with the soft opening occurring on January 29. We are very excited to have been able to build a home center exactly as we have always envisioned, and it turned out to be a beautiful store in an underserved market. In addition, we have plenty of folks that we are talking to regarding mergers and acquisitions this year. We have multiple letters of intent already in place, and I can see the pipeline staying quite busy for the rest of 2024.

HC: How do you ensure that locations in your portfolio maintain local, hometown customer service even though they are part of a larger, national organization? www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Miller: We always keep the stores’ brand and staff as part of the acquisition process. We feel there is just too much equity in the name of the location or chain, and the wonderful people that work there and live in those local communities. We then continue to have those brands support the same local events and charities that they had in the past. We are huge supporters of local 4-H clubs, rodeos, county fairs, sports leagues, etc.

We want our stores to continue to have deep ties and relationships in our local communities through our people, and we actually expect them to continue to do these things as they had in the past.

HC: What would be an example or two of a lesson learned in one Nation’s Best location that was implemented in another location or throughout the company?

Miller: The sharing of ideas and best practices between the stores is really part of the overall “magic” of what we have created. We have endcap competitions monthly where each store shares their best endcap ideas on Microsoft Teams for all to see, and we also have incredible store manager collaboration through various regional meetings and our annual meeting. One really fun idea that Hall’s Hardware & Lumber (in Milton, Florida) brought to us was their new customer gift bag. It is a blue bag with the Hall’s logo, which includes a branded coffee mug, pencils, www.TheHardwareConnection.com

In early February, Nation’s Best acquired Malone Home Center in Greenville, Ky., adding another state to its portfolio.

the Best Rewards application, a gift card, and lots more. If one of our associates sees a customer walking around with this bag, it alerts them to go over the top on making them feel welcomed and giving them the true “wow” factor that we want each customer to experience. We have since rolled out this idea to many locations.

HC: What makes Nation’s Best different than others in the same space within the marketplace?

Miller: I think what makes us different is how we run the company. We manage as a democracy, not a dictatorship. We want as many ideas flowing up to us from all levels of employees. We make decisions putting customer service first, but also how it affects the other stakeholders of the business is heavily weighed as well. We are trying to build a consistent and memorable experience that a customer will have regardless of which store they are in, which is something I don’t see other consolidators in our industry concentrating on. n HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 67

BUSINESS SAVVY

By Tom Bronson

HOW TO CREATE GOALS THAT BUILD VALUE MAKE YOUR BUSINESS WORTH MORE WITH THESE 5 BENEFITS OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS. 68 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

E

ver wonder about the secret sauce behind making your store not just good but great?

It’s all about measuring the right stuff: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In our world, where a single bolt or a power tool can make or break a customer’s project, understanding what to measure and how to do it can really set you apart. What gets measured gets done. What does that even mean? And is it accurate? Regular reporting

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

KPIs are critical business measurements that give business owners information to make decisions and improve results. While KPIs have become inescapable corporate lingo, it’s also how small business owners should think about goals.

and measuring of key activities keeps you focused. KPIs are critical business measurements that give business owners information to make decisions and improve results.

KPIs are like your store’s scoreboard, showing how well you hit those business goals. And as a hardware store owner, you have some unique KPIs to keep an eye on. Take, for example, the HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 69

BUSINESS SAVVY

If you have a Pro Desk to help your contractors, like Park Supply Company in Athens, Ala., KPIs can provide an estimates-to-sale ratio.

If you know how many estimates your team is preparing, you will be able to predict your contractor sales volume.

hustle of keeping up with customer demand. By tracking things like how fast items sell out or which products are customer favorites, you can make smarter decisions about what to stock. That’s just the start. Think inventory turnover, customer satisfaction, average transaction value, or even how quickly you get products on the shelves. It’s not just about measuring; it’s about acting on what you find.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF KPIS? KPIs are the scorecard of your business—the “tale of the tape” of how your business is doing. Many companies use them to help measure success against business goals. While KPIs have become inescapable corporate lingo, it’s also how small business owners should think about goals. KPIs help business owners keep what is important in focus. Here are five ways KPIs help: www.TheHardwareConnection.com

“ IF YOU KNOW HOW MANY

Stay ahead of risk and get ahead of issues. Every business owner should be in the habit of forecasting their KPIs. Most business owners calculate a point-in-time measurement only. That is a good start, but forecasting KPIs is a great discipline that businesses should implement. (See Leaders and Laggers section below.)

REALLY grow business. By measuring KPIs, it becomes clear what you need to do to achieve your business goals. It’s simply a matter of going back upstream and determining your needs. If I want to grow 10 percent, and I’ve been growing at 5 percent, I need to double my growth rate. I know how many customers it took to get there and work the numbers backward.

Make more informed, data-driven decisions. If you want to expand in, say, two years, you can start breaking down those key components to get there. With data, you can set targets to achieve your goal. For example, if you have a pro desk to help your contractors, KPIs can provide an estimatesto-sale ratio. If you know how many estimates your team is preparing, you will be able to predict your contractor sales volume. KPIs help you to plan, not guess. It helps you plan smartly and efficiently so you are not shooting arrows in the air, hoping one of them will hit the target.

Find the right questions to ask.

To take action, business owners must ask questions on all aspects of their

business. Here is an example: A local hardware store might track the average transaction value (ATV), measuring how much customers spend during a single transaction. Tracking the ATV is crucial for hardware stores, as it provides insights into customer spending habits and helps identify opportunities for increasing sales. As a business owner, you decide what is vital to driving your results.

Stay on course toward goals.

Remember this about KPIs: They evolve. Just think about 2020. Always look at your KPI versus your goal and what you are measuring. It isn’t enough to measure KPIs; you should also set targets for each to ensure optimal performance. Targets are the road signs that lead you to your destination.

Make sure it is a smart KPI. Smart as in SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-based.

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ESTIMATES YOUR TEAM IS PREPARING, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PREDICT YOUR CONTRACTOR SALES VOLUME.

”

BUSINESS SAVVY

get more customers to walk into the store—specials, mailers, emails—anything that increases traffic.

TRACK LEADERS AND LAGGERS Including leading and lagging KPIs on your business scorecard is good practice. An excellent way to understand how these terms apply to your business: Lagging indicators are a function of accounting, and leading indicators help you predict what will happen in the future. To put it another way, lagging indicators are the rearview mirror and leading indicators Costco greeters count every customer that walks into the store to help measure are the windshield. average transaction value (ATV) and with Lagging indicators are the result of that metric, the company can predict the sales based on customer count. If sales are the efforts. They tell you how you perdown, they need to do something to get formed against your goal, past tense. more customers to walk into the store— Examples of lagging indicators might specials, mailers, emails—anything that increases traffic. be net profit, revenue, and recurring revenue. Business owners typically Specifically, focus on the “measurlook at these stats already but may not able.” It has to be something you can call them KPIs. measure today, then focus on improvLeading indicators are those activiing that measurement result. An exam- ties that help you achieve your goals, ple: If you have ever gone to Costco, such as with the Costco example. you know that there is an employee at Leading KPIs help you correct your the front door counting every customer course, but both are equally important. that walks into the store. That’s because For example, if foot traffic declines at Costco is measuring ATV and with that, the beginning of the month, then as a they can predict the sales based on business owner or sales manager, you customer count. Therefore, if sales are know you need to ramp that up at the down, they need to do something to end of the month to hit your target.

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HOW TO USE A KPI SCORECARD Business owners who are serious about achieving their goals should set up a scorecard to track and measure their KPIs. You use scorecards to track and store your KPIs (also known as metrics) and measure progress. Start with a basic Excel or Google sheet.

Add time to your schedule each week to measure, report, and act on these metrics. Some companies should track some of those metrics hourly or daily. For example, if you are trying to control overtime costs, that is a daily and sometimes an hourly metric. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Hagan Ace Hardware, with 11 locations in north Florida, follows several metrics as part of its benchmarking process. One metric that has helped Hagan Ace gauge success is sales per labor hour, which measures efficiency and customer in-andout convenience.

The more frequently you look at it, the more you can make those adjustments to impact the outcome. There are many different resources that talk about scorecards, but one of our favorites is the entrepreneurial operating system or EOS, as described in Gino Wickman’s book Traction. The HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 73

BUSINESS SAVVY key is to get started and then evolve and grow with your business.

One of my personal favorite metrics was cash. As CEO of my company, my CFO knew I wanted to know where we sat with cash each day before I opened my door. This KPI was a daily metric we used to make decisions. It also gave us a cash forecast that ran out 36 months. Because of the complexity of the business and the number of acquisitions we were doing, we had significant lump payments that were due quarter over quarter to pay off debt or payouts.

By measuring that daily and forecasting, if I got hit with a massive AP or payroll, I knew we needed to adjust to make those quarterly payments.

This tracking gave me the time to adjust before it was too late. I could predict in advance whether I needed to borrow additional capital from the bank or raise additional capital with our investors. We got good at it. I could predict and see those issues a year in advance, sometimes two years in advance. At a minimum, I recommend a 90-day forecast in any business to understand where your cash is going.

“ WHAT GETS

MEASURED GETS DONE! A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS TO HAVE 8 TO 12 KPIS THAT KEEP YOU ON TOP OF WHAT IS HAPPENING.

“

Some companies measure and report on thousands of KPIs. How do they have time for anything other than managing and reporting on KPIs? KPIs

are essential, and most likely, all of those KPIs measure mission-critical activities, but prioritizing and knowing which KPIs have the pulse on your business vitals is critical to success in an organization. How does a business owner know which KPIs to measure?

What is my competition measuring? A lot of industry information can tell you what your counterparts or other players in the market are measuring for their success. Frequently, those are the lagging KPIs. Take those and figure out what the drivers in your business are.

What is going to make that KPI move?

And then work backward. What makes that needle move? And it’s different for

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BEWARE OF KPI OVERLOAD

each company. It takes some time and thoughtfulness, and it’s unique.

At my last company, we had several business units and departments within those business units. In our weekly management meeting, every manager was reporting on two or three of the most critical KPIs we knew were our business drivers. My support manager is tracking three to four dozen KPIs for his department. But as a business owner, I only wanted to know two or three metrics. If someone on the team saw something alarming, we would drill into the details to see a bigger problem. But at the senior level, your KPIs need to be manageable. A good rule of thumb is to have eight to 12 KPIs that keep you on top of what is happening. Think about it like this: If you were on a beach somewhere, what eight to 12 metrics can tell you how your business is doing and if you need to get involved?

Customer Satisfaction Average Order Value Return on Investment Revenue Growth Rate Gross Margin Percent Web Traffic Web Sales Conversion Rate (for retailers who sell on their websites) If you’re an overachiever, here is a list of KPIs by discipline and sector published by Intrafocus. Don’t be overwhelmed; it’s an exhaustive list. Pick the 10 or 12 you need in your business to get started.

Think of KPIs as the toolbox that helps you fine-tune your business for peak performance. Start today. Open up a spreadsheet and get started. Track and measure, set targets, and achieve that successful business that leads you to your dream exit. n

Where can these industry standards be found? Your banker might have some good information to get you started. If you have a good banking relationship, ask your banker about KPIs. Industry organizations, groups, publications, and conventions are good for information on industry-specific KPIs. For hardware stores, I’d start with these KPI: Inventory Turnover

Tom Bronson is president of Mastery Partners, a consulting firm that helps business owners define and achieve their ideal dream exit. He is author of two books, Maximize Business Value and Maximize Business Value Playbook. As the keynote speaker at the 2023 Hardware Conference in Marco Island, Fla., Bronson shared ways retailers could increase the value of their businesses.

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JUST DO IT

NHS PREVIEW

TOOLS TO TECH:

WHAT TO EXPECT IN LAS VEGAS

T

he 2024 National Hardware Show® will showcase innovation and with new exhibi-

tor categories, immersive experiences, and live demos.

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About 1,400 exhibitors representing 18 different categories will be on the floor during the 2024 National Hardware Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Registration is now open for the National Hardware Show® (NHS) and this year’s event promises a slew of interactive experiences, loads of new exhibitor categories along with www.TheHardwareConnection.com

several educational programs to help business thrive for all attendees. The Las Vegas Convention Center will host the NHS March 26 to 28. Register here.

“We are bringing new categories to the table to enhance the shopping experience and new programs and perks to add value to the overall show experience,” said Beth Casson, event leader, National Hardware Show. “We strive to create an event that serves the entire hardware and home improvement industry and are committed to helping the industry continue to thrive.”

Highlights of the NHS show include: • New and popular exhibitor categories. New categories in the 2024 NHS include gift, hobby, craft, sporting goods, and services and solutions. Popular and returning categories that will pack an almost sold-out show floor include BBQ, grills, outdoor, garden, building, electrical, hardware, tools, homewares, paint, plumbing, global sourcing, new technologies and many more. Attendees can expect a diverse showcase of products and services that will shape the future of the industry.

Limited space remains for exhibitors, and exhibitors can visit here for more information. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

The Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall is convenient to several Las Vegas hotels.

SHOW HOURS: Tuesday, March 26 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wednesday, March 27 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Thursday, March 28 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

NHS Backyard (Outdoor) Hours Tuesday, March 26 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 27 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday, March 28 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

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NHS PREVIEW

Chefs representing exhibitors will compete in the Celebrity Chef CookOff on Tuesday during the NHS.

• Industry professional attendees, events: New this year, NHS welcomes attendees from a vast swath of industry professions including carpenters, electricians, drywall installers, general contractors, HVAC technicians, landscapers, masons, mechanics, painters, plasterers, plumbers, and remodelers. These invited guests can make lasting connections, gain valuable insights, and craft innovative and lucrative strategies for their business growth through educational and networking opportunities. To welcome these new attendees, there will be an exclusive PRO

Party for a night of celebration, networking, and good times.

• NHS Influencer Program: Following the successful 2023 NHS Influencer Summit, well-known influencers and industry leaders will attend as prominent guests, offering insights into the latest trends and innovations through videos from the show floor with content posted in real time.

Influencers are welcome to attend as invited guests of NHS. • Education, information sessions. Leaders from the retail hardware industry will host educational sessions for independent

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hardware retailers that are chefs to cook their best slider and designed to train team members appetizer. A panel of judges will in advanced product sourcing, rate the dishes and the best ones merchandising, and acquisition win cash prizes. The Celebrity strategies.

Cook-Off is on Tuesday, March • NHS Backyard: See and experi26, with cooking starting at noon ence outdoor products firsthand. and judging at 2 p.m. In 2023, Tim The NHS Backyard is the National Scheer representing BluesHog won Hardware Show’s home for all the grand prize. things lawn, garden, farm, ranch, • United Inventors Association outdoor living, and grilling. Sample (UIA) Stage: As a platform food created by grilling masters all for inventors to showcase their day. Each day, the NHS Backyard groundbreaking products and will host live music in the Backyard ideas “Shark Tank” style, the UIA Beer Garden.

Registration for the NHS is now open. In • Celebrity Chef Cook-Off. This addition to general attendees, registration annual competition in the NHS is open to influencers and content creators, trade professionals and media.

Backyard will challenge exhibitor

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NHS PREVIEW

will be an exclusive networking opportunity for exhibitors, industry leaders and VIP attendees. In addition, NHS has partnered with After Dark, an event tour company, to provide exclusive access to popular attractions in Las Vegas.

INDUSTRY THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IN EXECUTIVE SUMMIT The Executive Summit will host informational sessions with prominent industry leaders. The sessions include: The Consumer at Home: How Changing Consumer Preferences and Behaviors Impact Hardware Retailers and Manufacturers presented by Lokesh Ohri, EY Americas consumer consulting leader. With EY’s propriety consumer research as well as macroeconomic insights, Ohri will discuss consumer shopping and buying behavior today, what they anticipate Home to all things lawn, garden, farm and for the future and specifically where ranch, the NHS Backyard is where attendees can view live demos of outdoor products. consumer behavior is shifting for home and hardware companies. stage will have lively presentations Applying Consumer Trends and reflect the latest innovations to Merchandising and Planning in the industry. The UIA Product Strategies presented by Nichole Jones, Pitch Panels will be hosted by busi- EY-Parthenon Principal, merchandising ness leaders to guide inventors to strategy. This session will help attendsuccess. ees understand how to apply con• VIP exclusive experiences. The sumer trends to merchandising and NHS will make a splash this year planning along with providing useful by hosting a VIP reception at the information about product offerings, Sphere, the newest, biggest attrac- generational view on channel strategy tion in Las Vegas. This reception and employee implications.

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Remodeling Trends by the Numbers presented by Houzz VP of Industry Marketing, Liza Hausman. This session will be an inside look at what homeowners want based on new data from the 2024 Houzz & Home Study— the largest annual residential remodeling, building, and decorating survey published. Attendees will learn what exactly is driving the industry, from top homeowner priorities and motivations to popular projects for the kitchen, bath, and beyond.

State of the Industry hosted

by Gina Schaefer, co-founder Recoveryhardware.com Acehardwaredc.com, will be a discussion among industry leaders about the current state of business and expectations for 2024 and beyond.

How to Achieve Sustainability in the Hardware Industry will examine the new emphasis on ESG, sustainability, and the Circular Economy. Erik Caldwell, vice president supply chain operations-The Home Depot, and Tony Sciarrotta, executive director of The Reverse Logistics Association, will share an overview of the state of the hardware industry as well as best practices that have been in place at The Home Depot and other members of the Reverse Logistics Association.

“ A SESSION ON

HOW TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HARDWARE INDUSTRY WILL EXAMINE THE NEW EMPHASIS ON ESG, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.

”

post-World War II housing boom, moving to Chicago in the 1970s, and now to today’s current home in Las Vegas. As an education and networking platform serving the hardware and home improvement industry, the NHS focuses on cultural, environmental, and technological developments shaping the future of modern living.

NHS unites and guides the industry at its live events and on its interactive channels by delivering unparalleled 79 YEARS OF INNOVATION ON DISPLAY opportunities for fostering connecNHS has served the home improve- tions, deepening insights, and buildment marketplace for 79 years, ing innovative and profitable stratebeginning in New York during the gies for growth. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 81

NHS PREVIEW The Las Vegas Monorail makes getting around during the NHS easy. Several hotels are among the seven stops along with the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

PLAN YOUR NHS EXPERIENCE With about 1,400 exhibitors in 18 categories, you can plan your booth stops by browsing the full exhibitors list.

The Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall is convenient to several Las Vegas hotels. In addition, the Las Vegas Monorail is an easy transportation solution that connects several Strip hotels with the Las Vegas Convention Center. The monorail is a fast, convenient way to get from one end of the Strip to another in just minutes. Trains arrive every few minutes at one of seven stations, including MGM Grand Station, Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas Station, Flamingo/Caesars Palace Station, Harrah’s/TheLINQ Station, Las Vegas Convention Center Station, Westgate Las Vegas Station and SAHARA Las Vegas Station.

The Las Vegas Monorail system is open 7 a.m. to midnight Monday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Friday through Sunday. The Las Vegas Monorail is offering National Hardware Show attendees exclusive fare discounts. Attendees can also skip the line and scan using your phone right at the gate. Paper tickets are still available at ticket vending machines and customer service desks on the station for full price. Use the Monorail to travel the Strip and to the convention without the hassles of traffic and wasted time. In minutes, www.TheHardwareConnection.com

“

THE LAS VEGAS MONORAIL IS AN EASY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION THAT CONNECTS SEVERAL STRIP HOTELS WITH THE LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER.

”

Monorail riders can travel the Las Vegas Strip in a safe, clean, and climate-controlled environment.

A free, easy way to get around at the Las Vegas Convention Center is the Vegas Loop, which quickly transports passengers throughout the 200-acre Las Vegas Convention Center campus. The system consists of two one-way, .8-milelong tunnels built to accommodate allelectric Tesla vehicles driving at speeds of up to 35 mph. Four passenger stations offer convenient access between the new West Hall and the existing campus (North/Central/South Halls).

Attendees can access Vegas Loop at Las Vegas Convention Center West Station (adjacent to West Hall, this station is located aboveground) where NHS is located.

There is currently no charge to travel between stations at the Convention Center or from The Convention Center to Resorts World Station. The Vegas Loop is available at the Resorts World Passenger Station, providing direct access to and from the Las Vegas Convention Center. Purchase tickets here. n HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 83

BEACON AWARDS

Nominations Now Open for 2024 Beacon Awards

Presented By

W

e’re seeking the best of the best! Hardware Connection is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Beacon Awards. Winners of the Beacon Awards will be honored during the new Independent Home Improvement Conference, scheduled for August 27-29, 2024, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Fla. The Hardware Conference and North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) are joining forces to host the Independent Home Improvement Conference, a new event for the hardware industry.

In August 2023, NHPA hosted its first Independents Conference in Dallas.

Just a few weeks later, The Hardware Conference marked its 35th anniversary in Marco Island, Fla. Beacon Award winners will be honored during a dinner banquet during the Independent Home Improvement Conference. In addition to the Beacon

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Beacon Award winners will be recognized at the 2024 Independent Home Improvement Conference in Marco Island, Fla.

Awards, the event will offer independent hardware retailers opportunities to network, share ideas and attend breakout sessions about better business practices.

The Beacon Awards, a recognition program that was introduced in 2013, recognize the best of the best www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Here are the 2023 Beacon Award winners and sponsors.

independent hardware and home improvement retailers from across the country while encouraging a new generation of retailers to make their mark in the industry.

Do it Best and Orgill are wholesale sponsors of the Beacon Awards. Other 2024 sponsors include Epicor Software Corp., Ettore Products and Fluidmaster.

The 2024 Beacon Awards will honor the Retail Beacon Award winners for each of the participating wholesalers, plus the Best New Stores in two categories: under 20,000 square feet and over 20,000 square feet. The Best New Stores category honors existing retailers opening a branch store or a newcomer opening a ground-up business. Recipients of these awards represent the cutting-edge future of the industry.

Here are last year’s Beacon Award honorees: Retail Beacon Award—Carr Hardware, Pittsfield, Mass., owned by Bart Raser.

Retail Beacon Award—R.P. Lumber Company, Edwardsville, Ill., owned by the Plummer family.

Beacon Award for Best New Store—Townsend Building Supply, Panama City, Fla., owned by Michael and Turner Townsend.

Beacon Award for Best New Store—Tum-A-Lum Lumber, Pendleton, Ore., owned by the Cornelius family.

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DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS MAY 1 The deadline for Best New Store nominations is May 1, 2024. Retailers can nominate their own stores, and nominations are accepted from wholesalers.

Judging will be based on the following criteria: financial performance (sales, profits, margins); community involvement; store design; merchandising displays; promotion activities; specialized product areas or niches; employee training and recognition programs; and innovative retailing concepts.

BEACON AWARDS

Above: Conference attendees will have plenty of time to enjoy the gorgeous white-sand beach of Marco Island, Fla., just steps from the JW Marriott.

Right: Winners of the Beacon Awards receive an all-expensespaid trip for two to the awards ceremony at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla.

Best New Store nominees must have been open at least one year to a maximum of four years. The store could be built to replace one destroyed by natural disaster or it can be a new branch store.

Nominated stores must feature all the core departments: electrical, hardware, lawn and garden, plumbing, paint and tools.

The 2024 Beacon Awards Banquet will be held at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla. Honorees will receive: allexpenses paid trip for two to the 2024 Independent Home Improvement Conference in Marco Island including conference registration, airfare, ground

transportation, hotel and meals. They will also receive a Beacon Award trophy and be featured with an article in the Hardware Connection magazine.

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

EMAIL NOMINATION INFORMATION To nominate a store, 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 name, store name, square footage, address, phone number and email address. Email nominations by the May 1, 2024, deadline to Editor Doug Donaldson at doug@thehardwareconnection.com. n

Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

Honoring the Industry’s Best Retailers at the 2024 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 Beacon Awards are held annually at Independent Home Improvement Conference in beautiful Marco Island, FL, and are presented by Hardware Connection magazine.

The IHI Conference will be held Aug. 27-29, 2024 For more information about attending this event along with all other educational seminars, open floor discussions and social activities at the 2024 Hardware Conference, visit www.ihiconference.org

Learn more at www.TheHardwareConnection.com

RETAILER2RETAILER

By Patrick Kelly

HOW TO TUNE IN, TURN ON TO RADIO ADVERTISING

Kelly (right) in the KOZI radio station studio with Jeff Conwell, program director and morning show host. Kelly believes live interview ads bring the best results.

T

he advertising world has gone off the deep end. I wouldn’t buy a thing off most radio or TV ads. Most of the ads are uninformative and have gone to shock tactics to get your attention so you will remember their name.

Even if it’s somewhat corny, people tend to listen to ads that are teaching them something about a product they may need.

For example, in my radio ads, I may talk about how to select a portable heater.

I explain what the customer is trying to accomplish, whether it’s heating a person sitting in front of the television, trying to heat a crawl space, or a room or small building

88 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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where their water pump is located.

People don’t understand the difference between different types of products, whether it’s heaters, fuses or light bulbs.

They are ignorant on these subjects.

Ignorant does not mean stupid. On the contrary, it means lacking knowledge or awareness of a certain subject. I have always felt that a simple, uncomplicated explanation of a product with a few humorous anecdotes is the best way to tell someone about your product. At least it has worked in our retail hardware business for years.

People want honesty and to be able to trust you. If you have been in business for a few years, you may already have their trust. That is worth a ton. No amount of money can buy that.

“ EVEN IF IT’S SOMEWHAT CORNY, PEOPLE TEND TO LISTEN TO ADS THAT ARE TEACHING THEM SOMETHING ABOUT A PRODUCT THEY MAY NEED.

”

—Pat Kelly, owner of Kelly’s Chelan Hardware Co.

RADIO SIGNAL OF STRENGTH My experience with the power of radio began a few years back when I took a call at about 7:30 a.m., 30 minutes before we opened. A man on the other end of the line sounded distraught. He explained that he was on vacation with family and friends and locked out of his garage where all his water toys were stored. I told him that if he would drive into town, I could coach him through what he needed to do to get into the garage.

When he arrived, I told him what to do and sold him a few drill bits and rented him a drill and extension cord. We then picked out a new lock

to fit the door, and I keyed it to the key he already had. About an hour and a half later, he showed up with a smile on his face and wanted to give me more money for the drill and the extension cord, and a tip on top. He said we saved his weekend and he was so grateful.

The next Monday night, my wife and I got home from a long weekend and found our answering machine blowing up with calls. As we listened to the messages, one after another friend from the Seattle area wanted to know how I had afforded an ad a halfhour long on a popular Seattle radio

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 89

RETAILER2RETAILER

On the cusp of joining the Century Club, the store has been owned by the Kelly family since 1958.

Originally called Chelan Hardware Co., the store was founded by previous owners in 1925.

90 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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talk show. Evidently, the talk show host spent almost all of his Monday morning show talking about our store and went on to say that if you were in the Lake Chelan area and you didn’t go see Kelly’s Ace Hardware, you were missing the boat.

He brought up the story over the next few weeks and even years later I got reports from friends in Seattle. This is the power of positive, informative radio advertising.

FIND A RADIO PARTNER MATCH

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HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 91

Our radio station, Chelan Valley Media Group, better known as KOZI, has been in the valley for more than 60 years and covers about three counties. Our valley has a population base of 7,500 people in the off-season but grows to 25,000 in the late spring to fall. KOZI is a community radio station with a strong community spirit that has helped many people over the years during forest fires and winter storms when power outages occurred.

Our store has run ads on the KOZI mornTIPS FOR SHOW TIME ing talk show “Second Cup of Coffee” for When I am on the radio, I talk in an more than 60 years. In all the advertising I understandable, clear and pronounced do with them, the live interview ads bring tone and try to bring up problems and the best, or at least the most trackable answers. We all have problems, and results, usually producing phone calls to the knowledge given to someone—who our store before I get back from the radio is not educated on that topic—in an station, which is only a few blocks away. understandable and compassionate Running informative, personal, someway is priceless. You “listen” to somewhat humorous ads is the best advertisone like this. ing you can do. Take a minute to think Inserting a little humor is a helpful about your particular area and what the way to break the ice, but watch what you challenges or needs are. Try to help your say. Normally, I use myself for the brunt customers and friends and give them a of the joke. I’m Irish and I’m follicly chal- reason to trust you and your retail establenged (balding), so the jokes usually lishment—it will come back to you tenrevolve around those two things. fold. It will also make what you do for a Talking in a normal voice and being living very rewarding, and to me, that is yourself are usually the best ways to talk worth more than money. n on the radio or television. People typiPatrick Kelly has been the owner cally try too hard, and it shows. of Kelly’s Chelan Hardware Co. in Chelan, Wash., for more than You should be relaxed, which will 50 years. In October, the store come after a few tries. It is not for celebrated its 65th anniversary. everyone, so if you don’t feel comfortKelly was interviewed for the How’s Business section of the able you should pick another person to October 2023 issue of Hardware do the ads.

Connection.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

ALEX PLUS® ALL-PURPOSE ACRYLIC LATEX CAULK PLUS SILICONE • Quick drying and paint ready in 30 minutes.

• Less jobsite mess because the caulk is easy to clean up and low odor.

• Multi-surface adhesion means caulk is good for a variety of applications.

• Won’t shine through or discolor paint.

92 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

• Cured caulk is mold and moisture resistant.

• Includes 40-year warranty.

• Available in 5.5 fl. oz. in white and 10.1 fl. oz. in white and clear.

DAP

888-327-8477 | dap.com www.TheHardwareConnection.com

PXL BR DUCK PRO® BY SHURTAPE® BR CODE™ HEAVY DUTY, PERMANENT SCANNABLE LABELS • Easy to stick, scan and connect to information on jobsites or remote areas.

• Connect physical locations to digital information such as photos, text, maintenance documentation, video links, voice memos, instructions, GPS location data and more.

• Durable with heavy-duty applications and can be used indoor, outdoor and in rugged environments.

• Individual labels for easy use permanently adhere to surfaces.

• Each roll of tape contains 100 codes that provide unlimited, safe and secure storage of critical information accessible via a mobile device and app.

• Comes in high-visibility yellow in lengths of 10.5 feet, 1.88 in wide.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 93

Shurtape Technologies 888-442-8273 shurtape.com

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

BEYOND PAINT • Formulated for high-use applications such as on cabinets, furniture, countertops, vanities and doors.

• Water-based coating offers four times the paint particles of conventional paint.

• Ease of use with no stripping, sanding or priming required.

• All-in-one paint bonds, primes and finishes, curing to a durable washable surface in one or two coats.

• Utilizing nano technology, product adheres to just about any surface, including glazed tile.

• Engineered to work on indoor and outdoor applications with option

for multi-purpose sealer for outdoor projects.

• Slightly textured to eliminate brush marks and provide a consistent finish that conceals imperfections.

• Eco-friendly with low VOC and low odor.

• Available in matte and metallic finishes.

Beyond Paint

866-266-0650 | beyondpaint.com

94 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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BIG ASS BRICK OF SOAP WAYFINDER • Soap smells like eucalyptus and desert sage.

• At 10 ounces, the bar is three times the size of traditional soaps.

• Triple milled for higher quality.

• Portion of proceeds benefits U.S. veterans.

• Also available in other scents including Superior, High Country, Big Bandit, Trophy Game and Sawtooth. Duke Cannon • Lathers quickly and rinses clean 855-354-4438 while moisturizing skin. dukecannon.com

MORF C500 REMOVABLE HEADLAMP • Includes three-in-one lighting system with removable flashlight and magnet light with attached headlamp putting out 500 lumens, detached flashlight 47 lumens and headlamp base 70 lumens.

• Easily switch between high and low illumination for the right amount of light in the right place.

• Impact and water resistant, light is ideal for contractors, builders, campers, hikers, climbers and DIYers.

• Beam distance of 38 meters for attached headlamp; 16 meters for detached flashlight and 15 meters for headlamp base.

Police Security • Lightweight at about 0.39 lbs. and 866-820-9297 includes adjustable straps. policesecurity.com www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 95

IN THE NEWS

DO IT BEST ALIGNS MARKETING, ECOMMERCE DIVISIONS

D

o it Best has promoted Allison Flatjord to vice president of marketing and ecommerce, aligning these two divisions within the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based distributor. Flatjord is credited with launching Do it Best’s ecommerce platform, migrating hundreds of member-owner microsites, and growing ecommerce sales. In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of marketing while maintaining a focus on online sales and integrating digital strategies to enhance brand visibility and customer engagement.

Do it Best also promoted Corbin Prows to divisional manager of ecommerce platform operations, and Brianna Wells to divisional manager of ecommerce: marketing & merchandising. Prows moves into his role with more than 20 years of experience in ecommerce, marketing, tech development, and program management.

Wells joined Do it Best in 2022 and was

Allison Flatjord

Corbin Prows

Brianna Wells

soon promoted to ecommerce marketing & content manager, where she merchandised, sourced, and maintained product content for the company’s new ecommerce platform. Since her involvement, the availability of highquality content has increased from 150,000 visible products to 1.62 million.

“These organizational enhancements are driven by a single objective,” said Flatjord. “We’re committed to maintaining the momentum of ecommerce, with a primary focus on prioritizing our members’ online sales. By creating a holistic shopping experience, we can increase foot traffic to our members’ stores and ultimately boost sales.”

NEW STORES • Westlake Ace Hardware will open a location in San Jose, Calif., with a soft opening scheduled for the third quarter 2024.

• Malone Home Center in Greenville, Ky., has been acquired by Nation’s Best. Read the interview 96 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

with Nation’s Best CEO Chris Miller on page 60.

KUDOS TO • Lou and Jackie Schlaefer, owners of Prescriptions Plus True Value Hardware in O’Fallon, www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Ill., were honored by the Lebanon Lions Club for community service.

• Nashville, Tenn.-based Walker Lumber & Supply celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

• Smith Lumber Company in Valley City, N.D., turns 100, joining the Century Club.

Do it Best announced several new hires and promotions, including: • Christina Bechtoldt as a forest products trader.

• Alla Vovnenko as an ecommerce B2B specialist.

• Melissa Kizer as an ecommerce program specialist.

• Becca Bell joins Ferguson Advertising as a copywriter and brand strategist.

• Brian Reznick Sr. named director of sales for Mayhew Tools.

• Cory Barnett is the new president of Sun Mountain Custom Doors, part of Colorado-based wholesaler Kodiak Building Partners.

Stanley Black & Decker announces new line of products via the Las Vegas Sphere.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Stanley Black & Decker made a big splash in January as it celebrated the launch of the DEWALT POWERSHIFT™ System with a display on the Sphere in Las Vegas.

• Simpson Strong-Tie announced the opening of applications for its Undergraduate Fellowship.

Up to 120 scholarships of $3,000 per recipient are awarded every WHOLESALER NEWS academic year to university • Ace Hardware acquired Boston students from more than 120 Unique Indoor Comfort, a Bostonparticipating schools. For more area HVAC services company. information, visit strongtie.com/ • True Value welcomed retailers to scholarships. its Spring Reunion in New Orleans • Tando division, a Quebec City, February 2-4. CEO Chris Kempa Quebec, manufacturer, is renamed said during the opening session Tando Composites. that the distributor will be investing • Lowe’s is launching its Style Studio, $20 million in warehouse order which will use augmented reality management upgrades. from Apple Vision Pro to design www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 97

duct. So we recruited d-i-yers to cit their feedback. ach used FrogTape on technology multiple kitchens.

The new faces windows, baseboards enables customers to view appliances, fixtures and d corners, and everyone wasbuilding as lines they would appear in a azed bymaterials the clean usually newwith kitchen or renovation. y possible pros.

No one d any instance of paint bleed or IN MEMORY ficulty• removing the tape even Donald Jelinek, who served on er it stayed in place for over a board the Ace Hardware’s national of currently directors from 1976–1981, ek. If you do not stock died in January. gTape, then bring in a few Robert “Bob” Bennett, Us of •their Pro Grade Painter’s Campbellford, Ontario, who served e and Pro Grade Orange as a director on the Canadian Retail nter’s Tape, which offers highHardware Association board, died adhesion.

■ in February.

Brunswick Ace Hardware in Brunswick, Md.

FOR THE FULL STORY

• Do it Best and Orgill executives praise creation of new Independent Home Improvement Conference.

Click here.

• Nation’s Best hosts Inaugural Women’s Leadership Retreat. Click here.

• Aubuchon Company acquires Brunswick Ace Hardware in Brunswick, Md. Click here.

• Spahn & Rose Foundation gives $199,000 to local communities.

Click here.

• Alberta Medovic, co-owner of a True • House-Hasson Hardware enjoys Value Hardware store in Wheeling, record attendance at January W.Va., passed away in January. market. Click here. n

Read Hardware Connection When and Where You Want.

Try the Mobile Version Today!

98 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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www.TheHardwareConnection.com

THe HARDWARe Connection ■ March 2021 ■ 3

UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo February 13-15, Music City Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Horizon Distribution, Inc. Online Spring Blitz Roadshow February 19-April 5 International Builders’ Show February 27-29, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas LBM Advantage 2024 Annual Buying Show February 20-22, Rosen Shingle Creek, Orlando, Fla. Monroe Hardware Spring Market February 16-18, Myrtle Beach Convention Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Orgill Spring Dealer Market February 22-24, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Orgill Spring Online Buying Event February 19-March 3 United Hardware Spring Buying Market February 14-16, River’s Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, Minn.

MARCH Ace Hardware Spring Convention March 12-14, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas Blish-Mize Spring Dealer Market March 21-23, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan. Do it Best Spring Market March 23-25, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston Emery Jensen Edge March 12-13, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas International Hardware Fair / Eisenwarenmesse March 3-6, Kolnmesse, Cologne, Germany

ADD OUR LIST TO YOUR CALENDAR iCalendar Google Calendar

Outlook 365 Outlook Live

LMC 2024 Annual March 5-7, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston National Hardware Show March 26-28, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas The Inspired Home Show March 17-19, McCormick Place, Chicago Wallace Hardware Spring Dealer Market March 26-28, Sevierville Convention Center, Sevierville, Tenn.

MAY Orgill Summer 2024 Online Buying Event May 20-June 2

JUNE House-Hasson Summer Dealer Market 2024 June 13-15, Sevierville Events Center, Sevierville, Tenn. spoga + gafa garden trade fair 2024 June 16-18, Messepl. 1, Köln, Germany

AUGUST Ace Hardware Fall Convention August 8-10, McCormick Place, Chicago Independent Home Improvement Conference August 27-29, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Marco Island, Fla. Orgill Fall 2024 Online Buying Event August 5-18

For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 99

CATEGORY REPORT

PAINT & DECOR TRENDS Source: Epicor’s Industry Sales of Interior Paint Data Analytics (Independent Hardware Channel) 12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago Interior Liquid Paint: Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -12.0% Interior Liquid Paint: Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -7.5%

Unit Sales Breakdown for Interior Paint 120of 3,110 Items with Sales Total Total Category Top 5 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.7% Top110 10 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.0% Top 20 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.8% Top100 30 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.6% Seasonality of Sales of Interior Paint (Index=100) 90 120 150 110 120

80

100 90

104 105

115

90 60 80 30

70

700

Jan .

2023

104 100 105 100 103

Feb . March Apr .

2023 2023 2023

93

Source: Epicor’s Industry Data Analytics

95

90

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

2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023

Interior Paint Share by Type of Sheen (Latest 12 Months) 0

Flat

5

10

15

20

25

81

30

33 .3%

35

Eggshell

Source: Epicor’s Industry Data Analytics

26 .0%

Semi-Gloss

18 .4%

Satin

15 .0%

Gloss

3 .3%

Other

4 .0%

0

5

10

15

20

25

100 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

30

35

Epicor’s Industry Data Analytics tracking information is based on sales from a representative sample of hardlines retailers located throughout the U .S .

For more information, call 512-278-5800 or email epicorindustryanalytics@epicor .com .

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

79%

DIYERS ARE STILL PICKING UP THE PAINT BRUSHES AND ROLLERS. OF INTERIOR PAINT PROJECTS, 79 PERCENT WERE DOIT-YOURSELF VERSUS 21 PERCENT PRO CONTRACTOR PAINTERS, ACCORDING TO RECENT RESEARCH FROM THE HOME IMPROVEMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

PAINT & DECOR MERCHANDISING Upper Left: Ziegler’s Ace, Lake in the Hills, Ill. Middle Left: Great Lakes Ace, Zionsville, Ind. Lower Left: Barnes Lumber Co., Harrisburg, Ill. Upper Right: Hupp Hardware, Wichita, Kan. Lower Right: McKay’s True Value, Chandler, Ariz. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 101

CATEGORY REPORT

GRAYS GIVE WAY TO BLUER, PEACHIER PALETTE Driven by minimalist millennials, grays have inundated the market and home interior and exterior paint jobs. Prized for versatility, grays have become the standard. Now the pendulum is shifting away into some varied blues and a few other bolder statement colors, according to a trendwatcher from the National Association of Realtors.

Major paint manufacturers released their 2024 colors of the year recently with comforting tones of blue and some peach among the palettes. Behr struck a darker note with its Cracked Pepper. Also, this year, James Hardie shared a color of the year, a dark green the siding manufacturer is calling Mountain Sage.

2024 COLORS OF THE YEAR

Above: At Debsan The Decorating Store in Natick, Mass., customer can rent any Benjamin Moore color for $4. This innovative idea allows customers to take a quart home, test it on a wall, then return the quart in one week. This allows customers to see how the paint will look in the lighting of their homes and next to their décor. Debsan has been renting quarts of paint since 1995 and has amassed more than 6,000 colors. What’s even better: The paint comes in easy-to-open screwtop lids, so there’s less chance of mess.

Dunn-Edwards Skipping Stones DET567 Dulux Sweet Embrace James Hardie Mountain Sage Pantone Peach Fuzz 13-1023 PPG Limitless (PPG1091-3)

Behr Cracked Pepper PPU18-01

Sherwin-Williams Upward 6239

Benjamin Moore Blue Nova 825

Valspar Renew Blue 8003-37D

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INDEPENDENT HOME IMPROVEMENT CONFERENCE

Together for the Industry AUGUST 27-29 | MARCO ISLAND, FL Two respected industry events—the NHPA Independents Conference and The Hardware Conference—will come together to form the 2024 Independent Home Improvement Conference.

Join retailers from across the industry and gain actionable solutions for today’s toughest retail challenges.

Visit ihiconference.org to sign-up for news, updates and offers.

AN INSIDE LOOK

Morganfield Home Center, Morganfield, Ky.

SPECIAL EVENTS THAT DRAW CUSTOMERS

T

his month, Hardware Connection shares a pictorial peek at home

improvement and hardware store special events, where retailers connect with their communities, fundraise for charities and offer how-to classes. Send photos of your special event, holiday decorations, store pets or unique store decor to doug@thehardwareconnection.com.

104 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

Akridge Farm Supply & Ace Hardware, Fredonia, Ky.

www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Wood Shed Lumber & Hardware Supply, Richmond, Mo.

Merrilees Hardware & Supply, Cleves, Ohio

Ambridge Do it Best Home Center, Ambridge, Pa.

Jerry’s Home Improvement Center, Eugene, Ore.

Farm & Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio www.TheHardwareConnection.com

Tum-A-Lum Lumber, Pendleton, Ore.

Table Rock True Value, Kimberling City, Mo. HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 105

RETAIL IDEAS

ARTFULLY STAGED SALE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY

A

rtists near Morris Hardware in McConnelsville, Ohio, rely on the store for paint, brushes and other art supplies. With that connection to the local art community in place, the store saw an opportunity to deepen those ties.

Founded in 1845, Morris Hardware is a Century Club retailer that boasts six generations of family ownership and is the longest-running family owned and operated business in Ohio. Supporting the community it has served for so long, the store often hosts events in 106 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

On Main Street in McConnelsville, Ohio, Morris Hardware has been a longtime stop for local artists for paint and other art supplies.

conjunction with the Morgan County Community of the Arts.

The Arts in the Alley event showcased 200 paintings displayed in the alley between the hardware store and the Morgan County Historical Society.

Artists of all ages contributed to these outdoor art gallery paintings, which lined the brick alley walls and were hung in a nearby garden. www.TheHardwareConnection.com

“

THE ARTS IN THE ALLEY EVENT SHOWCASED 200 PAINTINGS DISPLAYED IN THE ALLEY BETWEEN THE HARDWARE STORE AND THE MORGAN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

”

Upper: The kickoff event to Arts in the Alley featured a live band and refreshments as visitors strolled down the alley between Morris Hardware and the Morgan County Historical Society.

Lower: Morris Hardware rung up sales from paintings, and proceeds from art sales were split between the artists and Morgan County Community of the Arts non-profit organization.

Visitors could buy paintings from the Morris Hardware sales counter and proceeds were split between the artists and Morgan County Community of the Arts, a non-profit organization committed to providing county residents with the ability to experience the arts.

In addition to the painting sale and as part of the promotion, Morris Hardware offered a 20 percent off storewide tote sale. The kickoff to the Arts in the Alley featured a live band and refreshments. n www.TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024 ■ 107

E H T D N I H E B

NUMBERS reported using more time-saving products to speed project completion time, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute.

33% 37%

In 2023, 37 percent of homeowners opted to hire a professional for all or part of a project, which represents a slight increase from the previous two years. Such demand still meant contractors were busy and had wait lists, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute.

$6,352

Of homeowners who hired a pro contractor for a job, one-third did not consider doing the project themselves.

Also, five in 12 homeowners who ultimately hired a pro did a portion of the project first, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute.

33%

Making sure your DIYer customer has the right tool for the job is essential. About one-third of do-ityourselfers used the wrong tool for their projects, according to statistics from Angi.

The average professionally done home improvement project costs $6,352, according to the recent American Housing Survey. The average do-it-yourself home improvement project costs $2,502.

Gen X and millennials account for the largest demographic of renovaBecause of the continued high demand tors at 55 percent, for their services and to increase according to a recent poll from efficiency, 43 percent of contractors Today’s Homeowner. n

55%

43%

108 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2024

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