Hardware Connection August 26, 2026

August 26, 2026 Vol. 18, No. 16

THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER

ROCKY’S ACE HARDWARE JOINS CENTURY CLUB

Johnny Falcone (left) and Rocco Falcone II celebrate Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s 100th anniversary with a custom Dayton Dragons jersey, recognizing the company’s sponsorship of the Minor League Baseball team in Dayton, Ohio.

ALSO INSIDE:

2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference Recap

SPECIAL SECTION: WINTER PRODUCTS TheHardwareConnection.com HARDWARE Connection ■REPORT August 26, 2026 ■ 1

AUGUST ISSUE SPONSOR

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August 26, 2026 Vol. 18, No. 16

THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER

ROCKY’S ACE HARDWARE JOINS CENTURY CLUB

Johnny Falcone (left) and Rocco Falcone II celebrate Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s 100th anniversary with a custom Dayton Dragons jersey, recognizing the company’s sponsorship of the Minor League Baseball team in Dayton, Ohio.

ALSO INSIDE:

2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference Recap

SPECIAL SECTION: WINTER PRODUCTS TheHardwareConnection.com HARDWARE Connection ■REPORT August 26, 2026 ■ 1

CELEBRATING INDUSTRY LEADERS Proudly recognizing Orgill customers honored for excellence in independent retail

NHPA TOP GUNS AWARD

Denise Brookhouse

Honored for exceptional leadership, innovation and lasting impact on independent retail

2 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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BEACON AWARD BEST NEW STORE AWARD

Riverside Building Materials

Celebrated for delivering an exceptional retail experience through innovative design and execution

BEACON AWARD RETAIL BEACON AWARD

Beaufort Hardware & Paint Co. Honored for leadership, community impact and a commitment to retail excellence

NHPA YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR

Summer Vasquez & Grant Raynor Recognizing emerging leaders shaping the future of independent retail

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HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 3

18 After three generations of leadership and a fourth entering the business, Rocky’s Ace Hardware turns 100 this year. Rocky’s family leadership (from left): James Falcone, second-generation CEO and president; Rocco Falcone II, third-generation president and CEO; and Claire Falcone, vice president.

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CONTENTS

AUGUST 26, 2026 | VOL. 18, NO. 16

16

44

26

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

08

18 Courage to Mess With Success

12

Shelf Life

BY DOUG DONALDSON

Hardware Humor Amazing but True Hardware Stories

14

How’s Business?

49

Upcoming Events

50

Regional Reports on Business Conditions

In the News

BY DOUG DONALDSON

Rocky’s Ace Hardware has kept a century-old business growing by rethinking operations, making difficult calls and changing with the market. Here’s how.

26 2026 IHI Conference Recap:

Ideas, Connections and a Look Ahead The 2026 IHI Conference focused on helping independent retailers tackle AI, operating pressures and industry change while gathering ideas to strengthen their businesses.

SP

EC

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S AL

T EC

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38 TheHardwareConnection.com

Winter Products Report • • • • •

The Business of the Big Chill El Niño and Predicting the Unpredictable 5 Tips to Turn Cold Weather Into Hot Sales Product Spotlight Category Report: Drain and Septic

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 5

ADVERTISERS INDEX PUBLISHER / PRESIDENT

Scott Wright

swright@YourNHPA.org

Do it Best and True Value

BEACON AWARDS WHOLESALE SPONSOR

doitbestonline.com | truevaluecompany.com . . . . . . . . 9

EDITOR / DIRECTOR OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

J3 POS

lthompson@YourNHPA.org

Midwest Fastener Corp.

Lindsey Thompson EDITOR

Doug Donaldson

doug@thehardwareconnection.com 646-508-7904 NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Dan Beck

dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 SENIOR DESIGNER

Autumn Ricketts

aricketts@YourNHPA.org CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Dawson

j3pos.biz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 fastenerconnection.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

NHS Concept to Commerce CENTURY CLUB SPONSOR

nhsconcepttocommerce.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

NHPA Media Brands

YourNHPA.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

NHPA RetailWise

YourNHPA.org/retailwise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

NHPA Strategic Consulting

YourNHPA.org/consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Orgill

BEACON AWARDS WHOLESALE SPONSOR Hardware Connection is published 24 times a year by The North American Hardware and Paint Association.

All editorial contents copyrighted 2026 by the publisher. No editorial may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.

orgill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3

Sika

sika.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 7

SHELF LIFE

Winter Is Coming.

Probably.

By Doug Donaldson

T

here’s a peculiar moment every year in retail hardware when it’s 85 degrees outside and somebody has to decide how much ice melt to buy.

Maybe last winter in your area was brutal and you couldn’t keep the stuff in stock. Maybe it barely snowed and you spent spring staring at pallets of inventory that might not turn until the next ice age. Either way, the calendar says another winter is coming and somebody has to make the call.

The forecast, of course, will be wrong.

Not necessarily the weather forecast. Although, given enough time, probably that one, too. I mean the larger forecast retailers make every day: what customers will want, which products will sell, which technology will matter, where the industry is headed and what the business needs to look like when it gets there.

Our winterizing special report, “Business of the Big Chill,” is filled with those decisions. Retailers are placing orders months before the first freeze and deciding how much space to devote to snow shovels, ice melt, pipe protection and other products whose demand can change dramatically with the weather. They’re trying to prepare for something they cannot control.

That sounds a lot like what we heard at the Independent Home Improvement Conference in Orlando, Florida, about which you can read much more in “Ideas, Connections and a Look Ahead.”

Many of the conversations at the IHI Conference centered on what comes next—technology, artificial intelligence, operating efficiencies, partnerships and other changes reshaping independent retail. I did not see anyone in Orlando with a crystal ball or tarot cards. Instead,

8 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 9

SHELF LIFE retailers shared conversations and offered ideas for building businesses capable of responding as those changes arrive.

For a look at what that kind of adaptability can lead to over the long haul, check out “Courage to Mess with Success,” about Rocky’s Ace Hardware turning 100 this year.

Rocky’s Ace Hardware offers a longer view of what adaptation can accomplish. The family business that Rocco “Rocky” J. Falcone started with a single Springfield, Massachusetts, store is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, now with more than 50 locations across multiple states.

The Rocky’s story is filled with generations making decisions for a future they couldn’t know. The

business changed because customers changed. Each generation had to decide what was worth preserving, what needed rethinking and where the next opportunity might be.

Some of those forecasts undoubtedly proved right. Others likely didn’t. That’s the lesson connecting the stories in this issue.

Forget perfect prognostication.

Good businesses are built by people who prepare, pay attention and adjust when reality inevitably differs from the forecast.

That applies whether you’re contemplating artificial intelligence, positioning a family company for another generation or deciding how many pallets of ice melt to order while you’re wearing shorts.

You make the best call you can.

GOOD BUSINESSES ARE BUILT BY PEOPLE WHO PREPARE, PAY ATTENTION AND ADJUST WHEN REALITY INEVITABLY DIFFERS FROM THE FORECAST.

10 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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HARDWARE HUMOR

E R A W g D n i R z A a H m A but TRUE

S TORIES

S

ome customer questions That seemed to change his require product perspective on that customer knowledge. Others require service request. He backed down pretty quickly. military credentials or a working knowledge of human anatomy.

Another customer called asking if we cut plexiglass. He needed a I was helping a customer in piece “about as long as my arm.” fasteners when he asked if we carried a particular item. “If you “Sir, I’m going to need that in don’t have it, do I have permission inches or feet,” I told him. “I don’t know your wingspan.” to sock you one?” he asked.

In a cool, even voice, I replied: Taylor Cox “I just want to let you know that I Cox Hardware & Lumber spent eight years in the U.S. Army.” Houston, Texas

12 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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Welcome to the Hardware Connection Century Club!

The Hardware Connection Century Club, sponsored by the NHS Concept to Commerce, recognizes “The Innovators and Survivors Who Helped Build America.” Our Century Club currently includes 804 hardware and LBM retailers, 21 wholesalers and 207 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 past year: Andrew Posey & Son Hardware, Jasper, AL—1924

Kelly Seed & Hardware Co., Peoria, IL—1905

Bourassa True Value Hardware, New Bedford, MA—1924

Learned Lumber, Hermosa Beach, CA—1924

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

Legg Lumber Company, Holt, MI—1884

Braun Building Center, Manitowoc, WI—1905

Lummus Building Supply Co., Atlanta, GA—1925

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

Morrison Terrebonne, Houma, LA—1924

Chairtown Lumber Company, Gardner, MA—1924

Newton’s True Value Hardware, Cherryvale, KS—1924

Clark Devon Hardware, Chicago, IL—1924

Page Lumber, Poughkeepsie, NY—1924—1,000th Centrury Club member

Congleton Lumber, Lexington, KY—1905 Denver Lumber Company, Denver, CO—1923 Gennett Lumber Company, Fletcher, NC—1901 Guy C. Lee Building Materials, Smithfield, NC—1924 Hamilton Building Supply, Hamilton, NJ—1924 Heller Lumber Company, Arlington Heights, IL—1924

National Lumber Company, Baltimore, MD—1919

Paschal Brothers Hardware & Lumber, Jacksonville, FL—1924 Ransom Brothers Lumber & Supply, Ramona, CA—1924 Requarth Company, Dayton, OH—1860 Rocky’s Ace Hardware, Springfield, MA 1926 Southern Builders Supply, Valdosta, GA—1880

Holman Supply Company, Moultrie, GA—1920

Union Lumber Company, New Albany, MS—1902

Howell Hardware, Millville, NJ—1924

Valley Park Elevator & Hardware, Valley Park, MO—1874

Hunter’s Hardware, Berkley Spring, WV—1870

Western Materials Inc., Yakima, WA—1915

H&W Hardware, New York, NY—1924

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

SPONSORED BY TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 13

How’s

Business?

EAST

How are sales and customer counts so far this year? A little sluggish this summer, but overall pretty steady.

We’re in a somewhat posh spot where a lot of people disappear for

Jeff Muth of Hardware Plus II in Wayne, Pennsylvania, says rising product costs are squeezing margins, making a carefully tuned assortment of proven sellers increasingly important to the business.

14 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

the holidays. It’s a pretty summer, so lots of people in the area go to their [Jersey Shore] houses. Overall, costs are up like crazy and margins are getting tighter and tighter.

What’s unique about your business? We know what customers want, and we can get them in and out quickly. They trust us. We have narrowed down our inventory pretty well, too.

As the saying goes: 80% of your sales is from 20% of your stuff, and we finetune that 20% pretty good.

Any recent surprise bestsellers?

Always Weber grills. We joined Emery Jensen [Distribution] to get the Weber grills. Big Green Egg is always a winner, too. People love it.

What are your plans for the rest of 2026? Just placing orders for ice melt and winterizing products. Last year, our store had a great winter, especially for ice melt. We got rid of every morsel.

So I’m placing those orders and want to have a couple trucks ready. Plus, Christmas will come rolling in soon.

Jeff Muth Hardware Plus II Wayne, Pennsylvania

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Weber grills remain a consistent bestseller at Hardware Plus II, where Muth says the brand is always a winner with customers.

CENTRAL

How are sales and customer counts so far this year? Down from the previous year, but overall business is still good. Higher gas

Champion Ace in Warren, Ohio, has seen sales and customer counts dip from last year as household and product costs rise, but owner Mike Kolovich says business overall remains good.

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and grocery prices are putting pressure on customers, while the increased cost of goods overall continues to affect the business.

What’s unique about your business? Every once in a while, the store gets used as a movie set, which is definitely something a little different from the typical day at a hardware store.

Best niches? Clearance and close-out merchandise is a strong niche for us. Customers respond well to those items and the value they offer.

What are your plans for the rest of 2026? We’re planning to upgrade our computer hardware to keep our technology up to date.

Mike Kolovich Champion Ace Hardware Warren, Ohio

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 15

HOW’S BUSINESS?

SOUTH

How are sales and customer counts so far this year? We’ve been pretty lucky; our customer counts have been about the same as last year. The things that have affected us most have been labor and the price of diesel. There has been some consolidation with builders, with the smaller ones doing more custom homes and the bigger builders taking the bulk of other jobs.

What’s unique about your business? We’re celebrating 100 years this year! The business has been in the same family and passed down. My great-grandfather started it as a door-and-window workshop; then Granddad, then my dad and uncle were in business. I love being able to see what’s new and build my own, and I love seeing our regular customers.

We keep them coming back with good customer service.

Best niches? Framing lumber and house building materials make up the bulk of our sales, more than hardware.

But we have a strong outdoor décor department with seasonal items, such as flags and outdoor cooking accessories.

Any recent surprise bestsellers?

The crazy thing lately is that after we started our e-commerce site a couple years ago, we have the most random people [buying things from us]. Just yesterday, we shipped a Yeti 16 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

cooler off to Norway. We send products all over the place, to Hawaii. Usually, they’re niche products like limited-edition Yetis in specific colors. These random people pay three times what an ice chest costs for the shipping just to get a specific color.

What are your plans for the rest of 2026? We’re finishing up a computer conversion. Once we get up and running, we’re looking for more efficiencies.

Jasmin Wild Gabriel Building Supply Amite City and Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Jasmin Wild of Gabriel Building Supply in Amite City, Louisiana, represents the fourth generation of a family business celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Top-notch service has helped keep customer counts steady in 2026.

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Galt Ace Hardware in Galt, California, is seeing new faces as homebuilding brings more residents to the area, while local events help the store introduce its products to potential customers.

WEST

How are sales and customer counts so far this year? Pretty good. We have a good flow of customers overall. If anything, we’re a little up. It helps that we attend local events and showcase products. That’s a way for us to get more exposure and engage with new customers. New homes being built in the area are a big factor, and there are many new people coming in. We gauge that by sending out coupons, and we see who comes into the store. Lots of new faces.

What’s unique about your business? We’re really trying to TheHardwareConnection.com

appeal to the younger generation with products like Mochi Squishies, NeeDoh and Pokémon cards.

What are your plans for the rest of 2026? We’re planning to bring in more products produced locally from small businesses. We want to get more local brands into our store, such as local seasoning, rubs and honey. We’re always changing things up, rotating items around so the store looks new. We always also look for ways to fit in new items.

Sarah Tovar Galt Ace Hardware Galt, California HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 17

COVER STORY

By Doug Donaldson

COURAGE TO MESS WITH SUCCESS

OVER 100 YEARS, THREE-GOING-INTO-FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE FALCONE FAMILY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT PROTECTING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS SOMETIMES MEANS CHANGING IT.

P

reserving a family business sometimes means being willing to change it.

For three generations, the Falcone family has guided Rocky’s Ace Hardware by recognizing that even a successful business still needs to evolve. Each generation built on what came before while adapting to what customers would need next.

Founder Rocco “Rocky” J. Falcone established the business in Springfield, Massachusetts,

in 1926. His son Jim expanded it into larger home centers as the market changed. Third-generation president Rocco Falcone II later made the pivotal decision to move away from lumber, building materials and new construction to focus on maintenance and repair. Along the way came computerization, acquisitions, new markets and an operation that has grown to more than four dozen stores.

“I think it’s our ability to adapt to the current environment,” Falcone says by way of

18 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

explanation. “W to have some s through turbul small enough t Now, with a f beginning to w business, Roc its 100th anniv the Hardware C Century Club. offer a lesson i Falcone family Rocky’s by kno endure—and r the business a to change.

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Johnny Falcone (left) and Rocco Falcone II celebrate Rocky’s Ace Hardware’s 100th anniversary with a custom Dayton Dragons jersey, recognizing the company’s sponsorship of the Minor League Baseball team in Dayton, Ohio.

We’re large enough stability and make it ent times, but to react.” fourth generation work its way into the cky’s is celebrating versary and joining Connection Its first 100 years in longevity: The y has preserved owing what should recognizing when around it needs

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ons, Rocky’s has grown to 52 locati loring expanding its footprint while tai stores and assortments to the communities they serve.

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 19

Rocky’s traces its roots to this original store at Main and Union Streets in Springfield, Massachusetts, opened by Rocco “Rocky” Falcone in 1926.

CHANGING COURSE WITHOUT LOSING THE CORE

Rocky’s history provides an early example of that adaptability.

In 1926, the original Rocky Falcone opened a small paint-and-hardware store at the corner of Main and Union Streets in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Rocky’s Ace Hardware now enters its 100th year with 52 locations across New England, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida.

For third-gen Falcone, reaching that mark has required an enduring set of principles paired with a willingness to change almost everything else.

“My grandfather started the business with our family values,” Falcone says. “The business has been tweaked on paper, but we still have our core values. We’re very

family-oriented. When people work for us, they aren’t a number. We know who they are and understand they have families.”

When the Great Depression hit shortly after the company opened, customers had less money to spend on tools needed for home repairs.

Rocky’s responded by temporarily becoming Rocky’s Rental, allowing customers to rent tools and supplies rather than purchase them.

The next generation brought another transformation. The founder’s son James “Jim” Falcone became president in 1966, joined by his sister Claire Falcone, who headed marketing. During the ’70s and ’80s, Jim expanded the single-store operation into a seven-store chain in western Massachusetts and began

20 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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the company’s affiliation with Ace Hardware.

Rocky Falcone says the stores themselves evolved during that period, moving from 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot neighborhood hardware retailers toward 15,000to 20,000-square-foot home centers carrying lumber and building materials.

MAKING THE TOUGH DECISIONS

When Falcone became company president in 1992, another strategic shift followed.

“One of the big decisions was getting out of lumber and building materials and focusing on maintenance and repair instead of new construction,” he says.

Technology brought another pivotal decision. With six stores at the time, Rocky’s committed to computerizing the entire operation and introducing automatic replenishment.

A century in business also leaves room for decisions that look considerably better in hindsight than others.

Falcone considers Rocky’s joint venture with Ace in 1999 among the company’s most consequential moves. Rocky’s went from eight locations to 16 in about three months as stores from the former NHD Hardware joined the company.

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COVER STORY “Going from eight to 16 made a big impact,” Falcone says. “Doubling the size of the business demanded that we take a look at our operations and find efficiencies.”

The expansion also forced Rocky’s to rethink its management structure.

Falcone could no longer personally visit every store each week, with locations now spread across multiple states.

The company introduced district management, adding a leadership layer between store managers and its support center.

Other expansion efforts provided different lessons. Falcone points to Rocky’s aggressive push into Florida around 2005 and 2006 as one he would approach differently. As the economy softened, Rocky’s closed one location and abandoned plans for two additional stores whose leases had already been signed.

The experience reinforced a philosophy Falcone describes as remaining flexible, avoiding overextension and “keeping our powder dry.”

GROWING WITHOUT LOSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Rocky’s today is significantly larger, but its growth strategy still leaves room for individual stores to reflect their communities.

When Rocky’s enters an established market, it can lean on its name. In 22 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

unfamiliar territory, Falcone says the company uses the recognition of the Ace brand while introducing customers to Rocky’s and then adapting the store to local demand.

That can produce dramatically different assortments. For example, one Florida location expanded into equestrian products, while coastal stores may carry deeper fishing, camping or marine assortments.

Other stores have expanded workwear, garden centers and live goods. Rocky’s current website likewise lists fishing and maritime departments at select locations rather than across the entire chain.

Acquired stores can also teach the larger company something.

Falcone recalls a New Hampshire acquisition with a strong marine department that Rocky’s chose to preserve and grow. At another location, Rocky’s expanded a garden center and learned the live-goods business with help from staffers already experienced in the category.

That same thinking applies to employees.

“We don’t want to lose legacy knowledge,” Falcone says.

BUILDING THE OPERATION FOR WHAT COMES NEXT

Rocky’s currently employs a little more than 900 people, about half of them part-time, according to Falcone.

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COVER STORY Falcone. His hiring philosophy is straightforward: “Hire for attitude and train for skills.”

Training has expanded accordingly. Product knowledge remains important, but Rocky’s has added selling skills, as well as operational and leadership training, as customers have become more informed and their expectations have changed. Store associates are trained to understand the project behind a purchase and help customers select products appropriate to the job.

The company has also continued investing in systems that can support a larger organization. It’s upgrading its ERP platform, for instance, a decision Falcone views as serving the company’s current needs while providing room for further expansion.

His approach to emerging technology follows a similar philosophy.

“Be on the leading edge, but don’t be on the bleeding edge,” he says.

Rocky’s is experimenting with AI, for example, without making a major investment before determining where it can produce value.

Meanwhile, the company continues to expand. Rocky’s entered its centennial year with 52 locations, while its new store in Manchester, Connecticut, expanded the company’s presence in the Nutmeg State to three locations.

The next generation is also moving through the organization.

Falcone’s son John is director of merchandising, part of the leadership team and involved in retail processes, store oversight, growth and new locations.

Falcone’s daughter Melissa and nephew Anthony DeLiso also represent the fourth generation working in the company.

After 100 years, Falcone still comes back to people when explaining what keeps him interested in hardware.

“I love the people in this industry, and I love helping solve problems,” he says. “There’s satisfaction in giving people jobs.

And I have fun.”

The scale, technology and footprint would be foreign to the hardware merchant who opened that first Springfield store in 1926. The emphasis on customers, employees and adapting to what a community needs would be considerably more familiar. n

24 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

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LESSONS FOR SMARTER EXPANSION

Expansion can take many forms, from adding locations and acquiring stores to entering new markets or adding categories. Rocky’s president, Rocco Falcone II, shares these five lessons for retailers considering their next move.

your ability to act when the right nity appears. Falcone describes philosophy as “keeping our dry.” Growth requires capital and ment capacity, and overextending pany can limit its options when a opportunity emerges. Rocky has ced both sides: Its joint venture helped it double from eight to 16 ver just three months in 1999, while ssive Florida expansion around d 2006 coincided with a weakening y and led the company to close one and abandon two planned stores.

e market before deciding what e should become. Rocky’s s demographics and customer hen entering a community rather uming an assortment that succeeds e will transfer intact. That research Florida locations into equestrian dise, coastal stores into fishing and products and other locations into r and additional locally relevant es. Falcone says Rocky’s continues ne departments and layouts as it ore renovations and looks for the ents with the best potential return.

what an acquired business can ou. Expansion does not require g everything that came before it. uiring a New Hampshire store with TheHardwareConnection.com

a successful marine department, Rocky’s maintained and expanded the category. At another location, the company went deeper into lawn-and-garden and live goods while drawing on the knowledge of experienced employees already there.

4. Centralize repetitive work while preserving local expertise. As Rocky’s integrates businesses, its support structure can assume functions such as accounting, purchasing and payroll. That gives store managers more time to concentrate on customers and growing the business. At the store level, however, Rocky’s listens to local teams about categories, product mixes, inventory levels and even operating hours.

The objective is to gain efficiencies without discarding knowledge accumulated by people who already understand the market.

5. Build the organization for the size you intend to become. Doubling from eight to 16 locations forced Rocky’s to introduce district management because the previous structure no longer fit the company. Today, its investment in a new ERP system follows similar thinking: Falcone says Rocky’s needs a platform capable of supporting a company considerably larger than its current 52-store footprint. Expansion depends on more than finding the next location; leadership, technology and operating systems must be able to grow with it.

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2026 IHI CONFERENCE

IDEAS, AND A

The 2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference brought retailers and industry partners to the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes in Florida, July 28-30, with AI, operating pressures and practical ideas for competing in a changing market leading the conversations.

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TheHardwareConnection.com

, CONNECTIONS A LOOK AHEAD R

etailers arrived at the 2026 Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHI Conference) with plenty to talk about.

Technology is advancing quickly.

Consumers remain cautious. Labor, margins and operating costs continue to pressure businesses. Meanwhile, the industry’s largest competitors are investing heavily in technology, services and the pro customer.

But the mood at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes in Florida was considerably more energetic than that list of challenges might suggest.

Hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and The Hardware Conference, the IHI Conference brought retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and service providers together for two days of education, conversations and industry recognition.

For many retailers, the value came from gathering ideas they could take home—and comparing notes with people wrestling with many of the same issues.

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HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 27

2026 IHI CONFERENCE Jammie Joseph, general manager of Paradise Lumber & Hardware on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, attended IHI for the first time with technology high on his agenda.

“My whole purpose going to IHI was to learn more about AI and how I can integrate that into the store,” Joseph says. “The networking was also really great.”

First-time attendees Alison Korell and Edith Almeida of AL&M Building Supplies in Texas found ideas they could begin applying incrementally.

“We can extract little pieces of what we could take home and apply,” Almeida says. “It could be baby steps to something even bigger.”

That combination—big changes discussed in practical terms—ran throughout the event.

PARTNER DAY SETS THE STAGE

Before the IHI Conference officially opened, Partner Day brought retailers together July 28 for discussions on margins, operational efficiency and technology, including an update from Orgill president and CEO Boyden Moore, whose message was that independent hardware retailers are indeed able to compete in a rapidly changing market.

Moore outlined Orgill’s five-year “Onward” strategic plan, which is focused on improving how the distributor serves independent dealers.

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Orgill President and CEO Boyden Moore outlines the distributor’s five-year “Onward” strategic plan, including investments in technology, supply-chain efficiency and other tools to help independent retailers compete with larger rivals.

After investing $270 million in its distribution network and innovation center in recent years, Moore says Orgill expects that network to accommodate another $1 billion in growth without opening or closing a distribution center during the next half-decade. That gives the company room to direct major investment toward technology designed to reduce some of TheHardwareConnection.com

the scale disadvantages independents face against Home Depot and Lowe’s, according to Moore.

Other priorities include a supply-chain transformation aimed at efficiency, expanded private brands, customized pricing and assortment strategies, e-commerce, data and business intelligence. Orgill also plans to use its Central Network Retail Group (CNRG) retail operations to test services that can be scaled to independent customers.

Moore also acknowledged the difficult near-term environment.

Orgill sales were up 4% year to date and existing business was up 1.7%, while CNRG comparable sales were flat after a stronger first quarter.

He characterized current home improvement weakness as delayed demand rather than disappearing demand, pointing to long-term industry fundamentals and major investments being made throughout the channel.

generated particular interest among retailers—including Korell, who describes the home-improvement AI panel as “eye-opening” because it identified areas where her operation could improve quickly.

During an education session, host Joe Bullock, CEO of FastQuery AI, offered a practical demonstration of what the technology can mean to hardware retailers.

Bullock joined Tal Building Centers CEO Jason Blair, Family Hardware’s Jeremy Peterson and Busy Beaver Building Centers vice president of business intelligence and strategy Adam Gunnett to move the conversation beyond “What can AI do?” toward “What are retailers already doing with it?”

The answers ranged from surprisingly simple to highly sophisticated.

Blair created a virtual CEO roundtable that gives him several perspectives on business problems, leadership questions and AI MOVES FROM THEORY TO STORE presentations. The exercise began with a basic prompt asking AI to help If one subject followed attendees him create the group and evolved as throughout the IHI conference, it was he supplied more information about his artificial intelligence. company and leadership approach.

The conference offered education His broader advice for retailers across employee engagement; retail operations and technology; marketing, was considerably simpler: Start using the technology. Blair says merchandising and management; and executive leadership. But AI basic tasks such as drafting emails TheHardwareConnection.com

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 29

2026 IHI CONFERENCE AI drew some of IHI’s strongest breakoutsession interest, including a FastQuery AI panel in which retailers shared practical applications already saving time, solving problems and serving customers.

and maintaining continuity across long email conversations save him time while helping him become more comfortable with AI before tackling larger applications.

Gunnett offered a bottom-line example: When he noticed negative sales at a Busy Beaver location, an AI tool traced the problem within minutes to two large contractor returns, located the original transactions and

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determined they appeared legitimate.

It then suggested examining whether a restocking fee might be appropriate.

Gunnett says the experience helped turn what would have been a manual investigation into a business decision much more quickly.

Peterson has taken AI directly to customers. His “Howard” chatbot on Family Hardware’s website answers questions about

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products and services and can add merchandise to a customer’s cart. As customers began asking whether the store offered propane exchange, sharpening and screen repair, Peterson added more store-specific information so Howard could answer—and even quote some services.

WHERE CONVERSATIONS GET LONGER

The Partner Pavilion brought retailers together with manufacturers and service providers for product demonstrations and conversations about technology, regulation, product availability and other issues affecting their businesses. NHPA’s Retailers’ Choice Award winners were also displayed there.

For Harley Schreiber, regional manager with Hy-Ko and Midwest Fastener, the format allowed for discussions that are difficult to have on a crowded buying-market floor.

“You don’t get a chance to spend face-to-face time at the bigger shows with these people,” Schreiber says.

“This is a lot more intimate setting.”

At A.O. Smith and Reliance Water Heaters, retail sales manager Fon Wixon fielded questions about efficiency standards and regulatory changes that could eventually affect retailers’ inventories and customers.

At Watcher Total Protection, conversations centered on loss

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prevention, while company leaders pointed to relationships formed at previous IHI conferences that later developed into customers.

Those conversations continued outside the Pavilion, including at the Independents Celebration and the Independents Awards Gala, which brought together NHPA’s Top Guns and Young Retailer of the Year programs alongside Hardware Connection’s Beacon Awards.

For Korell, that social side remains inseparable from the educational value.

“To be able to come to IHI and see friends and colleagues and catch up and learn is excellent,” she says. n

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2026 IHI CONFERENCE

Independent Retail’s Best T There are plenty of ways to build an exceptional independent home improvement business.

At the 2026 Independents Awards Gala, some of the industry’s best retailers demonstrated just how different those paths can be.

Held during the Independent Home Improvement Conference in Orlando, the Awards Gala brought three major industry awards—the Beacon Awards, NHPA Top Gun and Young Retailer of the Year—together for the first time during an evening celebrating established leaders, emerging talent and retailers whose businesses are raising the bar for the independent channel.

Hardware Connection’s Beacon Awards recognize retailers for career achievement, innovative store design and digital marketing excellence, with this year’s honorees ranging

from multigenerational hardware businesses to operations reinvented by new ownership and a building materials dealer launched from the ground up.

The 2026 Beacon Award recipients honored during the IHI Conference Awards Gala included: Retail Beacon Award Bill Gilbert, Gilbert’s Hardware; Tommy Simpson, Beaufort Hardware & Paint Co.; Mark and Joe Jaconski, Stanley’s True Value Hardware Digital Beacon Award of Excellence David Strano, Ambridge Do it Best Home Center Beacon Award for Best New Store David Rivas, Riverside Building Materials; David VanderWeele, Big Rapids Lumber & Hardware; Julie Walker Martin and Corey Martin, Howard Walker’s True Value Hardware

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The 2026 Bea and Mark Jac Gilbert’s Hard & Paint Co.; a Lumber & Har Julie Walker M David Rivas o

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Take the Stage

MARCO ISLAND ON DECK FOR 2027

acon Award winners include (seated, from left) Joe conski of Stanley’s True Value Hardware; Bill Gilbert of dware & Appliance; Tommy Simpson of Beaufort Hardware and (standing, from left) David VanderWeele, Big Rapids rdware; David Strano, Ambridge Do it Best Home Center; Martin, Howard Walker’s True Value Hardware; and of Riverside Building Materials.

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During this year’s IHI Conference in Orlando, organizers announced that the event will return to Marco Island, Florida, September 28-30, 2027.

Independent retailers, vendors and industry partners will gather for another round of education, networking and product discovery focused on helping independents strengthen their operations and prepare for what’s next.

The Marco Island location also marks a return to a familiar Florida setting for the conference. For more, visit YourNHPA.org/ ihiconference.

HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026 ■ 33

2026 IHI CONFERENCE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE AWARDS For Bill Gilbert, six decades in hardware made receiving a Retail Beacon particularly meaningful.

Gilbert grew up in the Owosso, Michigan, business his parents opened in 1965, eventually helping transform it through expansion, continual reinvestment and a willingness to keep learning. He told the audience he had missed just one market in 55 years and had spent those decades seeing firsthand how many outstanding hardware retailers populate the industry.

“It’s very humbling,” Gilbert says. “I’ve always been amazed at the number of truly great hardware stores out there.”

His remarks quickly turned from his own accomplishments to those of the people around him: his business partners, employees, wholesaler representatives and family. He became particularly emotional thanking his wife for supporting the business while raising their four children.

That instinct to share the recognition continued throughout the evening.

Beaufort Hardware & Paint Co.’s Tommy Simpson spoke about the value of gathering with other retailers who understand the same problems.

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“It’s just wonderful to have partners and people like y’all in the industry to share your goals, share your concerns, share what you do,” Simpson says.

“And then I take it back and I share that with my employees.”

For brothers Mark and Joe Jaconski, the award represented another chapter in a Philadelphia hardware business now moving toward its fourth generation. The brothers undertook the largest investment in Stanley’s True Value history when they replaced the company’s aging store while keeping the business operating through a seven-phase project. Today, another generation of the family is entering the operation.

The night also celebrated newer routes to independent retail success.

Riverside Building Materials owner David Rivas came to retail from residential construction and built his business around solving the frustrations he had experienced as a builder. Since opening in 2023, Riverside has grown from less than $500,000 in inventory and one delivery truck to more than $1.5 million in inventory, eight flatbeds and more than $15 million in annual sales.

Standing on the stage accepting a national award was a moment Rives once had trouble imagining.

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READ THE FULL BEACON AWARD STORIES “Three years ago, Riverside was just a mission,” he says, recalling repeated attempts to get the business open. The experience, he says, taught him that success goes beyond sales and growth to “building strong relationships with partners, earning trust [and] serving our community with integrity, transparency and honesty.”

SOME INDEPENDENT SWAGGER Perhaps the evening’s biggest challenge to the conventional David-versus-Goliath view of independent retail came from Big Rapids Lumber & Hardware owner David VanderWeele.

Since he purchased the 40-yearold Michigan lumberyard in 2020, VanderWeele has reworked much of the operation, from merchandising and inventory to kitchen-and-bath and construction services. Changes cited during the presentation included a power tool and accessory reset that increased category sales nearly 40% and an inventory strategy that reduced annual carrying costs by nearly $400,000.

His acceptance speech put those accomplishments into perspective.

“I’m not the big box with a $30 billion budget to launch a new campaign,” VanderWeele says.

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Get to know the retailers behind the 2026 Beacon Awards in upcoming issues of Hardware Connection. Look for full profiles of the Retail Beacon Award and Beacon Award for Best New Store recipients in the September 9 issue, followed by profiles of the Digital Beacon Award category winners and Beacon Award for Digital Excellence recipient in the September 23 issue.

But independents have another resource, he told the audience: one another.

“I think it’s easy for us to get intimidated by big boxes,” he says. “I personally think it’s time they start getting intimidated by us.”

Julie Walker Martin brought the evening back to the deeply personal side of independent retail. Howard Walker’s True Value Hardware grew from a desire to honor her late father, Howard Walker, a longtime teacher and pastor who devoted more than six decades to serving the Henrietta, Texas, community. Howard had planned to be part of the store after retiring, greeting customers and doing what he had always done: connecting with people.

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2026 IHI CONFERENCE

The NHPA 2026 Top Gun Award winners included (from left) Ash Ebbo of Clement’s Paint; David Enmark of The Helpful Hardware Company; Jason Blair of Tal Building Centers; and Koopman Lumber’s Denise Brookhouse.

From the stage, Martin thanked the employees and industry partners who helped turn that idea into a business, then spoke about the father whose name now hangs over its doors. She credited him with teaching her the value of hard work and service to community, lessons she says she has come to understand more deeply during the past few years.

“I continue to feel his presence here,” she has said of the store. “He would have been thrilled to see what we’ve built.”

Her remarks also connected that legacy directly to how the store competes today.

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“We’ll never lose a customer if we have the right customer service,” she says.

That commitment comes from the example her father set and from a shared passion for serving the town where she grew up: “We try to compete every day with our customers and serving our communities. It’s fundamentally who we are.”

CELEBRATING TODAY—AND TOMORROW As part of the Awards Gala celebration, the evening also honored recipients of NHPA’s

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The 2026 recipients of the 30th-anniversary Young Retailer of the Year Awards included (from left) Taylor Cole of Cole’s Hardware; Summer Vasquez of Matt’s Building Materials; Tweedy Lumber and Hardware’s Shannon Davis Morrow; Félix-Antoine Moisan of Jean Denis Limitée Home Hardware; Timberland Ace Hardware’s Haley Chapel; Jeff Kuenning of Western Ohio True Value; Town and Country’s Grant Raynor; and Sean Downey of West Whittier Paint Co.

Young Retailer of the Year Awards and Top Guns Awards.

NHPA’s 2026 Top Guns included four leaders who have helped shape their companies and the independent channel: David Enmark, CEO of The Helpful Hardware Company; Ash Ebbo, CEO of Clement’s Paint; Jason Blair, CEO of Tal Building Centers; and Denise Brookhouse, CEO of Massachusetts-based Koopman Lumber.

This year, the Top Guns program is celebrating its 20th year.

Timberland Ace Hardware; Sean Downey, general manager of West Whittier Paint Co.; Jeff Kuenning, co-owner of Western Ohio True Value; Taylor Cole, retail development and marketing support for Cole’s Hardware; Shannon Davis Morrow, business manager for Tweedy Lumber and Hardware; Félix-Antoine Moisan, director of operations for Jean Denis Limitée Home Hardware; Grant Raynor, store manager for Town and Country; and Summer Vasquez, store manager and project manager for Matt’s Building Materials.

NHPA also marked the 30th anniversary of its Young Retailer of the Year Awards by recognizing eight emerging industry leaders: Haley Chapel, COO of

Read full profiles of the 2026 Top Guns and Young Retailer of the Year honorees in upcoming issues of Hardware Retailing and Paint & Decorating Retailer.

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WINTER PRODUCT REPORT

BUSINESS OF THE

BIG CHILL

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER KEEPS SALT SUPPLIES, SNOW-REMOVAL PRODUCTS AND OTHER SEASONA CATEGORIES IN MOTION. HERE’S WHAT RETAILERS NEED TO KNOW GOING INTO THE SEASON.

F

or all the sophistication available to forecast and manage inventory, few hardware categories remain as dependent on one uncontrollable variable as winter products.

When winter shows up, demand can move quickly.

National Retail Federation and Planalytics data showed just how quickly during February 2025. With the coldest February temperatures since 2022 and the most snowfall since

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2021, weather-driven demand for ice melt jumped 48% compared with the previous year. Demand for heaters increased 17%, while boots rose 16%.

Those swings help explain why winter remains a distinctive marketplace for independent hardware retailers. The assortment encompasses products customers use to prepare their homes before temperatures fall, products they need when snow and ice arrive and products purchased when winter creates an immediate problem.

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For independent retailers, that makes winterizing less a single category than a collection of categories connected by the same customer need: getting through cold weather safely and keeping homes, vehicles and jobsites operating.

SALT SUPPLY GETS TESTED

AL S

That puts traditional categories such as snow shovels, ice melt and scrapers alongside pipe insulation, weatherstripping, window insulation kits, portable heat, workwear, emergency power and automotive products. Battery-powered snow removal is adding another layer to the mix. Cold-weather assortment considerations also extended into insulated jackets, bibs and gloves designed for contractors and others working outside.

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Ice melt might be the product that provides the clearest example of the volatility retailers face.

The U.S. Geological Survey entered the 2025-26 winter expecting that rock-salt demand could increase slightly in some parts of the country based on seasonal weather forecasts.

The agency noted that a weak La Niña historically favors storm tracks across the northern United States.

The real winter season eventually provided a more demanding test.

By January 2026, sustained cold and snow had strained salt supplies in portions of the Northeast and Midwest. In Connecticut, retailers reported heavy demand for salt and ice melt following a major winter storm. For example, Goody’s True Value Hardware in East Haven had received 72 pallets of salt— with 50 bags per pallet—and was expecting another shipment, even as customers reported finding other stores sold out. Burns Materials in Ansonia, Connecticut, remained stocked but reported difficulty sourcing salt from suppliers.

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The problem extended farther up the supply chain. Cargill’s salt mine beneath Lake Erie, which produces 3 million to 4 million tons annually and supplies markets throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast, was operating through unusually heavy demand after an early and persistent winter depleted customers’ normal reserves.

That doesn’t point to a permanent shortage of salt. It demonstrates how quickly availability can tighten when repeated storms compress demand into a short period.

For hardware retailers, likewise, ice melt represents a broader

WINTER PRODUCT REPORT assortment than rock salt alone.

Current products include traditional sodium chloride alongside calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, blended formulations and chloridefree alternatives, with various products differentiated by their effective temperature, application, surface considerations and petrelated concerns.

The assortment therefore carries commodity and specialty-product characteristics. A bag of rock salt may satisfy the basic need, while customers concerned about concrete, landscaping, pets or lowertemperature performance may be looking for a different formulation.

THE WINTER AISLE GETS WIDER

Sholes Ace Hardware & Supply in Brooklyn, Connecticut, puts its ice melt front and center, making heavy bags easy to grab, while a well-stocked display signals to customers that the store is ready when winter weather hits.

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Snow removal itself is changing as cordless technology moves into another traditionally manual category.

Battery-powered snow shovels provide an option between hand shoveling and a full-size snowblower.

That progression mirrors what has already happened throughout outdoor power equipment: Consumers who own a battery platform can increasingly extend it into seasonal tools. For hardware retailers already selling cordless lawn equipment, snow products can keep those battery ecosystems relevant after mowing season ends.

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Winter preparedness also reaches headline-making storms—account for much of weather-related sales volatility. inside the house. Weatherstripping, For independent hardware retailers, pipe insulation, window-film kits, winter remains a market built around foam tape and other relatively consumer needs that can become inexpensive products address heat urgent almost overnight. loss and freeze protection. Portable The forecast will change. The heaters, heat lamps and related snowfall total will change. Salt supplies products answer another immediate can tighten, and a mild December cold-weather need, while generators, can turn into a punishing January. But batteries, flashlights and emergency homes will still need to be protected supplies extend the category into from freezing temperatures, sidewalks power-outage preparedness. kept passable, vehicles started and Automotive winter preparedness customers kept warm. That makes adds still another branch. Ice winterizing one of hardware retail’s scrapers, snow brushes, windshield most unpredictable categories—and products, battery chargers and one of its most enduring. n portable jump starters address problems that often emerge the moment temperatures plunge.

That breadth matters in a marketplace where snowfall itself can vary dramatically from year to year.

A retailer may have little need for snow shovels during a mild winter but still see customers looking for weatherstripping, pipe protection or heating products when temperatures fall.

The underlying opportunity is therefore bigger than snowfall.

NRF and Planalytics characterize weather as a measurable driver of retail demand and note that retailers increasingly use weather analytics to anticipate changes in product Burns Materials in Ansonia, Connecticut, demand and inventory needs. used social media to keep customers updated Their research emphasizes that on salt availability amid last winter’s heavy demand, even as the retailer faced ordinary variations in temperature challenges sourcing additional supplies. and precipitation—not simply TheHardwareConnection.com

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NOAA’s winter outlook favors above-normal temperatures across much of the northern U.S., with cooler possibilities further south.

EL NIÑO AND PREDICTING THE UNPREDICTABLE Retailers making winter inventory decisions have a significant weather pattern to watch: a strengthening El Niño.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there is a greater than 90% chance El Niño will become very strong during fall and winter 2026-27. By the core winter months, NOAA expects the pattern to increasingly influence temperatures and precipitation across the country.

For December through February, above-normal temperatures are favored across much of the northern tier, with probabilities exceeding 50% from the Pacific Northwest to the Northeast.

The southern U.S. presents a different picture, with El Niño reducing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures and much of the Southeast favored for near-normal conditions.

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Precipitation may be particularly important for winter-product demand.

NOAA expects the odds of above-normal precipitation to increase across the southern tier as winter progresses, with a strong wet signal developing across California and the Southeast.

Above-normal precipitation is also favored along much of the East Coast beginning in November and running through January. Parts of the Great Lakes, meanwhile, tilt toward below-normal precipitation.

One important caveat: Seasonal forecasts paint with a broad brush.

They can tell you winter may be wetter or warmer, but they won’t tell you when half the town will show up looking for ice melt. Even a very strong El Niño doesn’t guarantee a particular outcome in any one market.

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5

TIPS TO TURN COLD WEATHER INTO HOT SALES

Winter weather may be unpredictable, but retailers can prepare by building an assortment that fits their market, making seasonal products prominent and being ready when demand suddenly spikes. Here, retailers share their tips for making the most of sales when temperatures drop.

1. Give winter merchandise your best real estate. Mike Kolovich of Champion Ace in Warren, Ohio, puts pallets of ice melt on the sidewalk weeks before the first snowflake falls. Whitney McBride of Markle Hardware & Rental in Markle, Indiana, converts a highly visible seasonal section behind the main register from pool supplies to winter products. Virginia Patnode MacFawn of Rangeley Lakes Builders Supply Co. in Rangeley, Maine, moves winter merchandise into garage bays at the front of the store and continually changes endcaps with the season.

2. Build an assortment you can support. Champion ACE concentrates on snow shovels and ice melt and skips snowblowers because the store doesn’t have the ability to repair them. Kolovich focuses on winter categories his operation can stand behind.

3. Think beyond snow removal.

Markle Hardware & Rental complements shovels, ice melt and scrapers with insulation, foam TheHardwareConnection.com

tape and window winterizing kits.

Patnode MacFawn also includes fuel storage and seasonal home products in the winter mix.

4. Stock for the emergency, not the average day. Kevin Wagner of Clements Ferry Ace Hardware on Daniel Island, South Carolina, saw ice scrapers and snow shovels sell out within eight hours when winter weather arrived after a long stretch without significant snow.

In Maine, Patnode MacFawn similarly emphasizes having a deep selection of ice melt, shovels, pushers and other snow products available when customers suddenly need them.

5. Make incentives part of the merchandising. Ben Fowler of Moore Lumber & Ace Hardware in Castle Rock, Colorado, says a state incentive for electric outdoor power equipment has helped drive the category. During winter, the store brings qualifying products front and center and uses large, bright signage to make customers aware of the savings.

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WINTER PRODUCT REPORT

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

HERCULES CRYO-TEK ORIGINAL ANTIFREEZE

• Chelates hard-water minerals to help protect system components.

• Ready-to-use formula contains 45% virgin propylene glycol.

• Inhibits scale and sediment formation.

• Provides freeze protection for hydronic heating and cooling closed-loop systems.

• Suitable for most solar heating systems, snow-melt systems, radiant heating and general plumbing systems.

• Triple Protection Inhibitor stabilizes pH to help prevent corrosion.

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• Approved for use with copper, steel, iron, brass, PEX and elastomeric tubing; not for use with galvanized, CPVC or aluminum.

• Available in 1-gallon, 5-gallon and 55-gallon sizes.

Oatey Co. 800-321-9532 oatey.com

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FORNEY FRONTLINE 1750A+ LITHIUM BATTERY JUMP STARTER WITH AIR COMPRESSOR, ITEM 950 • Delivers 1,750 amps of peak jumpstarting power for 12V batteries.

• Recommended for gas engines up to 7.5L and diesel engines up to 5.0L. • Built-in digital air compressor provides 10-150 PSI pressure range and 1.2 CFM airflow.

• Includes smart and force jump-start modes for different battery conditions.

• 51.8Wh lithium-ion internal battery does double duty as a USB-A/USB-C • Comes with a 30-inch inflation hose, power supply. battery clamps, storage bags and • 300-lumen LED flashlight offers adapters for Presta valves, needles solid white, solid red and flashing and inflatables. red modes.

Forney Industries • Recommended operating range 800-521-6038 forneyind.com extends from –4°F to 140°F.

BIG BLADE MODULAR SNOW REMOVAL PLATFORM • Wide clearing surface is designed to move more snow with each pass.

• Ergonomic design reduces repetitive lifting and physical effort compared with conventional shoveling.

• Designed to help users maintain a more comfortable posture while clearing snow.

• Developed for driveways, walkways and a variety of other winter clearing applications.

• Modular platform extends the tool beyond a single seasonal application.

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• Planned interchangeable attachments include broom, rake and squeegee accessories.

• Designed for use by homeowners and professionals alike.

Big Blade 203-293-6316 buybigblade.com

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WINTER PRODUCT REPORT

FLEX SEAL POWER PUTTY • Hand-moldable rubberized putty instantly seals gaps, cracks and holes.

• Creates a 100% waterproof and airtight seal and can be applied to wet or damp surfaces.

• Remains flexible rather than hardening or losing tack.

• Adheres to materials including metal, wood, glass, plastic, PVC, brick and concrete.

• Performs in extreme temperatures and resists UV, mildew and chemicals.

• Available in black, white and gray for applications including plumbing, HVAC, exterior repairs and weather sealing.

The Flex Seal Brand 833-411-3539 flexsealproducts.com

GENTENT WESTINGHOUSE WGENTENT XL

• Independently validated for forecast winds up to 110 mph.

• Designed as a running cover for Westinghouse WGen20000 and Wgen14500 portable generators.

• Tested to withstand up to 20 inches of heavy, wet snow.

• Removable, repositionable and reusable for temporary or adjustable repairs.

• Allows outdoor generator operation during rain, snow, ice and sleet while maintaining airflow and exhaust clearance.

• Strengthened steel mounting system accommodates the generators’ large, complex frames.

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• Sheds precipitation at rates exceeding 18 inches of rain per hour.

• Installs directly to the generator frame without tools or permanent modifications.

• Canopy meets NFPA 701 fireresistance standards, with structural components using UL 94 V-0 flameretardant materials.

GenTent Safety Canopies 781-334-8368 gentent.com

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ECOFLOW DELTA 3 CLASSIC PORTABLE POWER STATION • Provides 1,024Wh of portable battery capacity for backup and off-grid power.

• Delivers 1,800W of continuous AC output.

• X-Boost technology supports higherdemand appliances up to 2,600W. • Provides up to 3,600W surge output for equipment with higher startup requirements.

• Uses automotive-grade full-tab LFP cells rated by EcoFlow for 10 years of reliable power.

• Functions as a backup power source during household outages and severe weather.

• Storm Guard feature can use severeweather alerts to prepare the power station for an approaching outage.

• Supports multiple charging methods for home, vehicle and portable use.

EcoFlow 800-368-8604 ecoflow.com

SikaQuick® Repair Mortars HIGH STRENGTH. EASY TO USE.

SikaQuick® Pro VOH Vertical & Overhead Repair Mortar SikaQuick® Pro 1000 Rapid Repair Mortar g

Easy mix & apply

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Open to vehicle traffic in 6 hrs.

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AQARA THERMOSTAT HUB W200 • Aqara’s first smart thermostat developed specifically for the North American HVAC market.

• Combines HVAC controls with an Aqara smart-home hub in a single device.

• Easily integrates with compatible smart-home ecosystems.

• Works with remote temperature sensors to monitor conditions beyond the thermostat location.

• Allows homeowners to adjust heating and cooling remotely.

WINTER PRODUCT REPORT • Automation capabilities can coordinate HVAC operation with other Aqara devices and sensors.

• Designed to improve comfort and heating and cooling efficiency through roomlevel information and smart-home automation.

Aqara service@aqara.com aqara.com

• Designed for use on job sites, in garages and around equipmentstorage areas.

KLEANGRIP HOSE AND CABLE CLEANING TOOL • Removes mud, debris and buildup from hoses and cables before storage.

• Designed to make cleaning faster and less messy than wiping equipment manually.

• Helps users maintain hoses and cables after construction, landscaping and outdoor work.

• Accommodates a range of hose and cable types.

• Suitable for professional and residential applications.

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• Simple design allows cleaning to become part of routine equipment maintenance.

• Developed to help extend equipment life by removing accumulated dirt and debris before storage.

KleanGrip 214-253-9237 kleangrip.com

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UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER

Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market September 11-13, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kansas World Millwork Alliance Annual Convention & Tradeshow September 14-16, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, Florida Bradley Caldwell Fall Show September 15-17, Atlantic City, New Jersey LMC Leadership Summit September 15-17, Seattle Horizon Distribution Inc. Tradeshow Expo September 16-17, Yakima Convention Center, Yakima, Washington Ace Hardware Fall 2026 Convention September 22-24, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida GlassBuild America: The Glass, Window & Door Expo September 23-25, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Do it Best, True Value Fall Market September 25-28, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis Wallace Distribution Fall Dealer Market September 30–October 1, Sevierville Convention Center, Sevierville, Tennessee

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OCTOBER

Equip Exposition October 20-23, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Kentucky Hardlines Conference October 20-21, Fairmont Château Laurier, Ottawa, Ontario LMC Expo October 28-30, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia METALCON October 7-9, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida

NOVEMBER

Orgill Winter Online Buying Event 2026 November 2-15 North American Wholesale Lumber Association Traders Market 2026 November 4-6, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California DIY CON November 6-8, Fair Park, Dallas LBM Advantage Fall Planning Conference November 9-11, Encore Boston Harbor, Boston HDA Executive Planning Conference November 10-12, The Westing La Paloma Resort & Spa, Tucson, Arizona ISSA Show North America November 16-19, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas

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IN THE NEWS

DELIVERY RACE PICKS UP SPEED

This month, The Home Depot rolled out Express Delivery nationwide, the latest move by a major home improvement retailer to shorten the time between an online order and delivery to a customer’s home or job site.

The service offers delivery of thousands of eligible products in three hours or less for a flat fee with no membership required. More than 2,000 Home Depot stores serve as fulfillment hubs, covering products across plumbing, electrical, hardware, paint,

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tools and a variety of other project supplies. The company also offers free same-day delivery on qualifying orders of $25 or more.

Home Depot executives said during the company’s second-quarter earnings call that more than 65% of in-stock parcel deliveries are already reaching customers the same or next day. The company also said most Express Delivery orders currently arrive in less than an hour; it intends to shorten delivery times further still.

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The larger trend matters more to independent retailers than Home Depot’s program itself. Major retail operations are increasingly treating stores as local fulfillment centers, and delivery windows are shrinking from days to hours. Target reported 25% year-over-year growth in same-day delivery during its latest quarter, while Lowe’s credited expanded free and same-day delivery with helping drive online growth.

Independent hardware retailers are participating in the trend as well, particularly through third-party delivery platforms. In April, Ace Hardware added more than 3,700 independently owned stores to Uber Eats, enabling customers to order hardware and home improvement products for on-demand or scheduled delivery. The partnership followed Ace’s expansion onto DoorDash and gives participating retailers access to existing last-mile delivery networks rather than requiring stores to operate their own fleets.

For independent retailers evaluating delivery, these developments put greater emphasis on several operational considerations: determining which products make sense for rapid delivery, setting a workable service radius, accounting for delivery fees and margins, and maintaining accurate online inventory.

Contractor customers can present a particularly relevant use case, since a TheHardwareConnection.com

missing box of fasteners, tube of caulk or other jobsite necessity can interrupt work.

Ace’s existing Deliver From Store program offers another model, allowing participating stores to set delivery areas and pricing, while its partnership with Bungii extends sameday and scheduled delivery to bulky products such as grills, patio furniture and large quantities of bagged goods.

OPENINGS, ACQUISITIONS • On Aug. 26, Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina will open Retool & Supply, a new specialty hardware store stocked with donated tools, hardware and home improvement products, inside its existing Pelzer, South Carolina, location. To learn more about the new Goodwill retail concept, read this article.

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Hunter’s Hardware

• Hunter’s Hardware in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was purchased in July by Jay Patel, who will manage the more than 150-year-old business as longtime owners Danny and Tina Davison transition into semiretirement.

• Austin, Texas–based Clement’s Paint has acquired Bartek’s Paint in Temple, Texas, expanding into Bell County and bringing the company to ten locations.

Union Market Ace Hardware

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• Employee-owned Cool Hardware Company has opened Union Market Ace Hardware in Washington, D.C., its 15th store and second ground-up location to open in the past six months.

• Owego, New York–based Home Central has acquired Corning Building Co. in Corning, New York, adding the nearly 180-year-old family business as its fourth location and renaming it Corning’s Home Central.

• Calverton, New York–based Riverhead Building Supply plans to acquire assets of Contractor Express in Oceanside, New York, continuing the company’s growth across Long Island and New England.

• Rick’s Ace Hardware has opened its seventh location in Olivette, Missouri, filling a former Party City space as owner Rick Baalmann expands the locally owned chain’s presence in the St. Louis market.

• Casey and Kayla Waltz, owners of Waltz Ace Hardware in Ellsworth, Wisconsin, will purchase Red Wing Ace Hardware in Red Wing,

Riverhead Building Supply

TheHardwareConnection.com

Minnesota, from retiring owners Troy and Lisa Daniels, with the ownership transition scheduled for September 29.

• McCoy’s Building Supply has broken ground on its 86th location, a new store near Canyon Lake in the Mystic Shores community of Central Texas.

• Dotson’s Ace Hardware in Toccoa, Georgia, celebrated its grand opening with an Aug. 21 ribbon cutting hosted by the Toccoa–Stephens County Chamber of Commerce.

• Kodiak Interiors Group has acquired MLD, expanding its portfolio of independent appliance and interiors businesses to six operating companies serving customers across nine states.

• Rural King opened its ninth Alabama store in Lincoln, bringing the family-owned farm-and-home retailer to 162 locations.

KUDOS • Do it Best member Wright’s Hardware in Chiloquin, Oregon, celebrated its 100th anniversary, earning the longtime retailer a place in Hardware Connection’s Century Club.

• Do it Best Group’s Mesquite, Nevada, distribution center earned OSHA’s SHARP certification for the 13th consecutive year, recognizing its

TheHardwareConnection.com

Wright’s Hardware

workplace safety and health programs.

• The MITER Foundation, the charitable arm of residential window and door manufacturer MITER Brands, awarded $100,000 in scholarships to 100 graduating Sarah Riland high school seniors, selected from nearly 1,200 applicants.

• House-Hasson Hardware CEO Jeff Land was named to SPS Commerce’s inaugural 2026 Top Supply Chain Leaders list, recognizing executives advancing innovation, resilience and Jeff Land operational excellence across retail and distribution.

• Mayhew Tools employees recently volunteered with Habitat for

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Humanity in Pelham, Massachusetts, helping construct two homes that will provide affordable homeownership opportunities for local families.

• Mead Lumber celebrated the grand reopening of its newly remodeled Sterling, Colorado, store, highlighting upgrades designed to improve the shopping experience.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE • Portland, Oregon–based Hampton Lumber has named 30-year company veteran Chris Walton as CEO, succeeding interim CEO Steve Zika. Walton most recently served as the company’s chief financial officer.

• Eighty Four, Pennsylvania–based 84 Lumber has named Dustin Hauenstein chief financial officer. He brings more than 25 years of finance and accounting experience to the role.

• Pittsburgh-based PPG has appointed Alisha Bellezza, Chancey Hagerty and Henrik Bergström to lead its Industrial Coatings, Performance Coatings and Global Architectural Coatings segments, Dustin respectively, effective Hauenstein Sept. 1.

• Building materials supplier Builders FirstSource, headquartered in Irving,

Texas, has acquired Innovative Construction Group, a provider of off-site construction and installation services out of Jacksonville, Florida.

WHOLESALERS, MANUFACTURERS • Do it Best gave retailers an inside look at its Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, distribution center while sharing updates on the True Value integration, expanded inventory, AI-enabled retail tools and other initiatives aimed at building a more efficient combined operation.

For the full story, read this article.

• In other Do it Best news, the co-op recently announced it has partnered with Epicor to offer member-owners a cloud-based Epicor Propello platform integrating point of sale, e-commerce, loyalty, reporting and other retail functions with greater co-op support; for the full story, see here.

• House-Hasson’s summer Hardware Exchange Dealer Market in Sevierville, Tennessee, marked the distributor’s 120th anniversary with its second-largest show ever, featuring more than 500 vendors, nearly 70 new dealers and expanded buying opportunities. Read this article for the full story.

• Retail technology company Rundoo has secured $48 million in financing to expand its AI-first platform for independent hardware and building

54 ■ HARDWARE Connection ■ August 26, 2026

TheHardwareConnection.com

supply retailers, supporting continued product development and growth; for the full story, read this article.

• Ace Hardware reported record second-quarter 2026 results, with revenue rising 5.9% to $3 billion and net income increasing 31% to $155.6 million, while U.S. retail same-store sales grew 1.1%. Read this article for the full story.

• Second-quarter results from Home Depot, Lowe’s and Tractor

Supply point to cautious consumers prioritizing smaller projects and necessities, while growing digital sales and increased competition for pro customers raise the stakes for independent retailers. For the full story, see here.

• QXO reported second-quarter 2026 net sales of $3.25 billion, up from $1.91 billion a year earlier, as the building products distributor continues to expand its scale and completed its acquisition of TopBuild on July 1.

See the full story here.

TheHardwareConnection.com

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• SRS Distribution has agreed to acquire Denver-based Lohmiller & Company, a four-location HVAC equipment distributor, marking the second addition to SRS’s growing HVAC platform.

• James Hardie has agreed to sell its European Fermacell walling and flooring business to Holcim for about $980 million and plans to close its European fiber cement division.

• Woodgrain is expanding distribution of Fiberon composite decking, railing and outdoor living products into more Western and Central U.S. markets, building on the companies’ existing distribution partnership in the Southeast.

• A federal court has blocked Henkel’s proposed $725 million acquisition of Liquid Nails, preserving competition between the Liquid Nails and Loctite construction adhesive brands after the FTC argued the deal could lead to higher prices, lower quality and reduced innovation.

IN MEMORIAM • Mary Lou Gwinn Rasmussen, 93, a former member of the National Retail Hardware Association Board and former owner of her family’s

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Mary Lou Gwinn Rasmussen

hardware store in Lapeer, Michigan, passed away Aug. 13 in Grand Haven, Michigan.

• Richard Lee Mistele, 92, former owner of two True Value hardware stores in Green Bay, Wisconsin, passed away Aug. 14. Mistele and his wife, Joan, along with his in-laws Brian and Judy Peiffer, owned the stores beginning in 1975.

• Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Cottingham, 92, of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, co-owner of Cottingham True Value Hardware, passed Elizabeth “Betty” Ann away Aug. 15 in Cottingham Alexandria, Kentucky.

• Cecil M. Lewis, 88, a longtime hardware retailer and former owner of True Value Hardware in Georgetown, Kentucky, passed away Aug. 18. Lewis purchased Georgetown’s Western Auto in 1961, renamed the business True Value Hardware in 1979 and operated it until selling in 1991; True Value recognized him with its Outstanding Sales Award in 1983 and 1984.

TheHardwareConnection.com

Guidance From a Name You Trust NHPA now offers one-on-one consulting that connects independent retailers directly with trusted industry experts who’ve spent their careers leading top-performing home improvement and paint and decorating operations.

Why NHPA Strategic Consulting?

Extensive Retail Experience Decades of experience in leadership roles at leading independent home improvement stores.

Specialized Areas of Expertise

Our consultants are seasoned pros—unbiased, vetted by your association, and deeply experienced in every major area of running a successful retail business. They’ve been in your shoes, led teams, solved complex challenges and driven growth from the ground up.

Each consultant specializes in core areas that drive your business.

With NHPA Strategic Consulting, you get practical, real-world solutions tailored to your store’s needs.

It’s our mission to connect you with experts who can strengthen your operation, solve challenges and move your business forward faster, with confidence.

Renowned experts shaping NHPA’s programs, education and trade magazines.

As a trade association, it’s our mission to connect you with the best retail minds in the industry who can provide the best solutions for your specific needs.

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Scan the QR Code or visit YourNHPA.org/Consulting to sign up and learn more.

Proven Industry Thought Leaders

Trusted & NHPA-Vetted Active in NHPA’s roundtables, guiding key industry discussions for independent retailers.

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