CONNECTIONS Follow Us Online
HEADQUARTERS
1025 East 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400
NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org
OUR MISSION
The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.
NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Jared Smith, Jared’s Ace Hardware, Bishopville, South Carolina
EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN
Craig Bond, Tommy’s Paint Pot, Eugene, Oregon
DIRECTORS
Alesia Anderson, Handy Ace Hardware, Tucker, Georgia
Jay Donnelly, Flanagan Paint & Supply, Ellisville, Missouri
Ned Green, Weiders Paint & Hardware, Rochester, New York
Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio
Ryan Ringer, Gold Beach Lumber Yard Inc., Gold Beach, Oregon
Jackie Sacks, Round Top Mercantile Co., Round Top, Texas
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Bob Cutter, NHPA President and CEO
STATE & REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
MIDWEST HARDWARE ASSOCIATION
Jody Kohl, 201 Frontenac Ave., P.O. Box 8033 Stevens Point, WI 54481-8033
800-888-1817; Fax: 715-341-4080
NHPA CANADA
NHPA CANADA
Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8
CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665
COMING IN JANUARY
EXECUTIVE STAFF
PRESIDENT & CEO Bob Cutter
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER & PUBLISHER
Dan Tratensek
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS SERVICES
David Gowan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADVANCED RETAIL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Scott Wright, swright@YourNHPA.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INNOVATION & ENGAGEMENT
Whitney Daulton
Measuring the Market
Next month, the North American Hardware and Paint Association will publish its annual Market Measure report, providing retailers and channel partners an overview of the independent home improvement industry. With industry data and insights from home improvement channel experts, this resource offers opportunities to look back at the year and the changes, successes and challenges seen in the industry. Additionally, discover what may change and what will stay the same heading into another year.
Hardware Retailing (ISSN0889-2989) is published monthly by the North American Paint and Hardware Association, 1025 East 54th St., Indianapolis, IN 46220. Subscription rates: Hardware Retailing (Payable in advance): U.S. & possessions $50/year. Canada $75/year. All other countries $110/year. Single copy $7. The Annual Report issue can be purchased for $30.
Periodical postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardware Retailing P.O. Box 16709, St. Louis, MO 63105-1209.
All editorial contents © 2022 North American Paint and Hardware Association. No editorial may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.
REPRINTS: For price quotations, contact the Editorial Department at editorial@YourNHPA.org. Printed in the U.S.
COMMUNICATIONS
317-275-9400, editorial@YourNHPA.org
COMMUNICATIONS & CONTENT MANAGER
Melanie Moul, mmoul@YourNHPA.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lindsey Thompson, lthompson@YourNHPA.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Carly Froderman, cfroderman@YourNHPA.org
RETAIL TRAINING EDITOR
Jess Tillman, jtillman@YourNHPA.org
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Autumn Ricketts
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Olivia Adam
DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Kevin Trehan
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Austin Vance
COMMUNICATIONS AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Kallahan Beatty
SALES & PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Freda Creech
MARKETING MANAGER
Julie Leinwand
SALES
DIRECTOR OF SALES & SOUTHERN SALES DIRECTOR
Scott Gilcrest, sgilcrest@YourNHPA.org, 317-508-7680
NORTHERN SALES DIRECTOR
Jordan Rice, jrice@YourNHPA.org, 217-808-164
ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS 800-772-4424, NHPA@YourNHPA.org
DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES & EVENTS
Katie McHone-Jones, kmchone-jones@YourNHPA.org
DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CONSULTING
Kim Peffley, kpeffley@YourNHPA.org
TRAINING MANAGER & EDITOR
Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@YourNHPA.org
RETAIL ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST Renee Changnon, rchangnon@YourNHPA.org
In Every Issue
Mastering Merchandising
Creating merchandising consistency across multiple stores is a complex concept to manage. Discover how one retail operation is managing its merchandising across seven locations.
Community First
The NHPA Young Retailer of the Year recognition program highlights the best young retailers in the industry. Learn more about how to apply or nominate a young retailer.
Raising Revenues
Some
Clara Collins, operations manager for S.W. Collins in Maine, shares her family’s history and how the company has prioritized family, community and service for over 175 years.
Tips and Trends
Attend the National Hardware Show Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Las Vegas, to discover new products and trends that will help you stay at the top of the industry and remain competitive in your market.
On the Road
The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) visited over 25 stores this year. Enjoy a photo recap of NHPA’s travels across the country.
Soaring Sales
Learn how to boost sales and strengthen your hand and power tool category by applying these tips and best practices to your operation.
90,000
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Service counts and knowledgeable dealers are part of the STIHL difference. With 90,000 online reviews and counting, STIHL Dealers have an average 4.8 star rating and customers overwhelmingly say they would recommend their dealer to others. Thank you for your dedication and the essential services you provide your community. Together, we are STIHL Strong.
“The
staff was helpful in assuring I got the best product to meet
my needs.”
— Barry
ONLINE
Stay Informed
Scan this QR code or visit hardwareretailing.com/december to read these stories and more.
Meticulous Merchandising
Reaching merchandising uniformity across multiple locations builds your brand and sets your operation up for success. Dive into best practices, tips and tricks to add to your merchandising strategy and better your business.
Stories Your Merchandising Tells
Discover compelling displays that send customers a message and influence shoppers in a specific way, such as helping them with projects, alerting them to a bargain price or encouraging add-on sales.
Holiday Hype
Download this unique holiday calendar to inspire your customers with some unexpected celebrations and encourage unique merchandising.
Find More Online
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Emphasizing Emotions
Learn about the five pillars of the new HABITAT at the National Hardware Show taking place from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.
PODCAST
Recognizing Excellence
Dan Tratensek and Scott Wright discuss the 2022 Young Retailer of the Year program and the eight honorees.
Scan the QR code or visit the website below to listen. YourNHPA.org/podcasts
OPERATIONS
Specialized Services
From a tennis pro shop to Christmas tree permits, these retailers offer store services specially tailored to their customers.
OPERATIONS
More Advice
Learn more best practices from a fellow retailer to take your hand and power tool category to the next level and turn this core category into an all-star.
Amanda Craig, merchandising coordinator at Family Center Farm & Home, helps standardize merchandising across the operation’s seven locations.
EDITORIALLY SPEAKING
CONNECTIONS
Send Melanie a Message mmoul@YourNHPA.org
Melanie Moul
“I’m excited to share with you all of the creative ideas, resources and solutions my team has in the works for next year.”
Take 2 Steps Back
SOMETIMES MANAGERS NEED TO GET CREATIVE to help their teams understand the full scope of a new project or to truly buy into new expectations or goals.
The communications team at the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has been hard at work planning our content strategy for 2023. I can’t spoil it all here, but I will say I’m excited to share all the creative ideas, resources and solutions my team has in the works for next year.
Since I helped develop this strategy, I was able to picture in my head how everything should come together (mostly). So, when it came time to present the plan to my team, I needed to strike a balance between making sure they had a solid understanding of expectations but not be overwhelmed by change.
Then one night, when I was laying awake in the early morning hours, I came up with the “2 Steps Back” exercise. I considered all the steps it takes my team to take an idea and turn it into the content you read in the pages of this magazine, see on social media and receive in our e-newsletters. (Visit YourNHPA.org/subscribe to be sure you get them!)
The next day in the office, I put a line of masking tape on the floor, asked everyone to stand on it and consider that line to be the final version of a project. I then told them to take two steps back and write on a Post-it note what step happens two steps before a final version. Then they passed the Post-it to the next person, and I had everyone take one step forward and write down what happens one step before the final product. Then everyone took two steps forward, passed the Post-it again and wrote down what happens one step after the final product.
As it turned out, everyone’s answers were a little bit different. What this exercise helped me and my team understand is that everyone’s perspective about project execution starts from a different place depending on their role. My challenge to my team with this exercise was to apply this “two steps back” process to every project at any stage, especially if they feel stuck or uninspired. I also reminded them to talk to their peers about their progress on projects and to continually share ideas and constructive feedback.
As you make plans for the New Year, I encourage you to take two steps back, talk to your staff and consider your business from a new perspective. It might be just the spark you need to reignite your vision.
Melanie Moul Communications & Content Manager
We know not just any oscillating blades will cut it in your store. You’re after the performance, sales support, and universal tool compatibility that only comes with a market leader. That’s why Arrow, the leader in heavy-duty staple guns and staples, is changing the landscape in pro-grade oscillating blades with a lineup of blades made from the highest-quality materials and performance features we know your customers demand. Choose from three unique planograms that feature single packs and value-priced multipacks, and take 50% off your first order. Due to high demand, we’ve extended this offer through December 31. But hurry, planograms are limited. Secure yours before it’s gone!
Dan Tratensek
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
“As a business leader, yo u have to anticipate potential business disruptions to protect the legacy of your operation.”
It’s Time to Prepare
IT’S ALMOST 2023.
Let that sink in for a minute. It’s like we are emerging from the other side of some kind of wormhole where we had no concept of time or space—we don’t quite know how we got here, and we are still trying to process what might be coming at us next.
I’m not sure if you feel this way or if it’s just me, but one thing I have learned in the last two years, and received a harsh reminder of a couple of months ago, is that you always have to expect the unexpected.
I mean, who would have thought just 36 months ago that we would face a global, a worldwide supply chain meltdown, war in Europe, a potential recession and decades-low unemployment? If anyone claims to have had this collection of events on their radar, I would call this hogwash.
With all this in mind, I want to end 2022 with a somewhat somber yet well-intentioned point: As a business leader, you have to anticipate potential business disruptions to protect the legacy of your operation.
As I said earlier, I recently had a stark illustration of how critically important this kind of forward thinking and planning can be. In early September, I had a family emergency that required my undivided attention for a number of weeks. This meant all my meetings, speaking engagements and other work responsibilities had to take a back seat for a while.
I couldn’t be more thankful for how my team stepped up and made sure nothing fell through the cracks while I was dealing with these issues.
Just as things were returning to somewhat normal for me, I was asked to speak to a group about how to protect the legacy of their business. A big part of this discussion centered around addressing contingencies. This encompasses questions as simple as “who will unlock the store tomorrow?” to “what happens to the business if I can’t run it?”
I know these are complications no one really wants to think about, but within a family business, these are too often the kinds of incidents that end up causing an operation to close its doors.
As we are getting ready for a new year, I certainly wish all of you joy, prosperity and happiness, but I also want to implore each and every one of you to start the year by asking yourself some of these difficult questions.
What are the “unexpected” things that could impact your operation? How do you build a plan to mitigate those risks? How confident are you in your chain of command and the team that supports you?
I encourage you to ask these questions of yourself and your family and then broaden this circle to include your trusted advisers, employees and colleagues. Use these conversations as the basis for building your contingency plan.
After all, we have all seen a lot happen over the last couple of years that few among us could have expected. Of all the lessons we should have learned from this trip through the wormhole, the most important is that it’s better to prepare for the unlikely than be overtaken by the unexpected.
Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operating Officer & Publisher
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As Do it Best continues to introduce many innovative new programs unique to the industry, our goal will always be the same — to help you grow and achieve your dreams. A complete store design program overhaul is just one of the many examples, combining modern style, bright open floor plans, and engaging displays to create a superior customer experience. Add a wide range of products and resources with the flexibility to run your business your way, and you see why Do it Best is the first, best, and only choice to move your business forward.
Embrace what Do it Best can do for you. Join the thousands of Do it Best members who feel like they are our only member.
ASSOCIATION Nominate Today
To learn more about NHPA’s Young Retailer of the Year program—or to submit a nomination using the online form—visit YourNHPA.org/yroty. Nominations are due on Jan. 28, 2023. NHPA NEWS
ASSOCIATION
Open the Door
SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION FOR THE 2023 YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM
Nominations are open for the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s (NHPA) 2023 Young Retailer of the Year program. Now in its 27th year, it is the premier award program in the industry honoring young leaders who represent the future of independent home improvement retailing.
Young Retailer of the Year honorees benefit from exposure for themselves and their businesses, and they build a network with like-minded retailers in their generation. They also have the opportunity to participate in additional programming through NHPA. Read about the program benefits below, and see Page 24 of this issue for nomination instructions and to hear from past honorees.
PUBLICITY
Hardware Retailing and Paint & Decorating Retailer magazines profile honorees and press releases are sent to local media outlets.
OPEN DOORS
Honorees receive support, networking opportunities and guidance that can shape their careers for years to come.
INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
Speak directly with NHPA so your association understands what retailers like you need to succeed.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Connect with other industry leaders to learn from one another’s hard work and success.
COLLABORATIVE ROUNDTABLES
Participate in ongoing roundtables to discuss challenges and opportunities young retailers face each day.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Receive exclusive invitations to attend NHPA’s higher education programs.
NHPA would also like to recognize the 2023 program sponsors for their dedication to the independent retailers who are pushing the boundaries of the industry each day. Thank you to American Hardware & Lumber Insurance (AHLI), Arrow Fastener, Intertape Polymer Group (IPG), Midwest Fastener, Pony Jorgensen, PPG, Stihl and Wooster Brush
ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES
These events provide insight from the independent retail industry’s luminaries.
Scan the QR Code to watch a video on how to submit a successful Young Retailer of the Year nomination.
ASSOCIATION
Journey With Us
To learn more about NHPA On the Road store visits or to nominate a store for a future road trip, visit YourNHPA.org/on-the-road
EVENTS
ASSOCIATION
Explore New Places With NHPA On the Road
Visit YourNHPA.org/on-the-road to read about stores NHPA visited in 2022.
HAVE YOU EVER gone on vacation and felt the urge to visit a local home improvement store? NHPA recently launched a new landing page at YourNHPA.org/on-the-road to highlight photos and stories from its store visits—sharing hardware, home improvement and paint stores across North America with the industry at large.
NHPA On the Road trips are organized and led by NHPA retail engagement specialist Renee Changnon. In 2022, association staff completed six road trips, explored seven states and spent time with retailers in 28 stores.
“The new NHPA On the Road online space makes it easy for retailers to browse the stores we’ve visited,” Changnon says. “As we approach a new year, the team is excited to continue our travels to even more stores.”
Over the next several months, NHPA will continue to update the page with content and photo galleries from 2022 store visits. Association members can also expect future NHPA On the Road-themed podcast episodes featuring interviews with retailers.
See Page 30 of this issue for the NHPA On the Road yearbook. For more 2022 photos and stories, visit YourNHPA.org/on-the-road, and follow along with NHPA on Facebook and Instagram as the association continues to document its travels in 2023.
Foundations of Merchandising Management Live!
Learn more and register to attend at YourNHPA.org/foundationslive.
THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE is approaching for Foundations of Merchandising Management Live!, a two-day educational program hosted by NHPA at the 2023 National Hardware Show (NHS) on Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2023.
Designed to help new and experienced staff responsible for managing merchandising, NHPA worked with industry-leading retailers to develop the new program, which will provide attendees with the strategies and skills to improve and manage their merchandising and assortment planning. Attendees will benefit from expert-led course sessions, breakout workshop sessions, networking opportunities and ROI-driven assignments to take back to their stores.
Sponsored by and held on-site at NHS, Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! combines classroom learning from industry experts and hands-on learning on the show floor.
Take Advantage of NHPA Business Services
NHPA NEWS
Explore NHPA’s business service partners at YourNHPA.org/business-services
NHPA SUPPORTS independent home improvement retailers through its partnerships with business service organizations. Learn more about some of the available services below.
Retail Marketplace
The NHPA Retail Marketplace connects buyers and sellers of home improvement operations and provides retailers with a cost-effective solution to advertise their locations for sale. This program now also includes valuation services.
Health Insurance
The NHPA Health Insurance Program is designed for independent home improvement retailers and offers great benefits with low group rates and the flexibility to choose your plan design.
Workers’ Compensation and Liability Insurance
American Hardware & Lumber Insurance (AHLI) provides risk management and insurance services and education to independent home improvement retailers.
Credit Card Processing and Payment Services
Clearent provides payment solutions with low credit card processing fees and payment service technology, including mobile, wireless and e-commerce options.
TRENDS
RESOURCES
Make the Data Work for You
Sign up to receive updates on when Independent Retailer Index surveys are live and to download the reports at YourNHPA.org/retailer-index
ARE IN THE RESULTS
CATCH UP ON THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER INDEX QUARTERLY REPORT
THE INDEPENDENT RETAILER INDEX, developed by the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) in partnership with The Farnsworth Group, serves as a regular measure of the independent channel’s performance. Discover how your business is faring and determine where you can make adjustments.
Standout Stats
In the first survey, respondents were asked to report how several operating metrics have changed year over year from Q2 2021 to Q2 2022. Read the highlights below.
of respondents reported increased transaction sizes. 2/3
90% of respondents who saw gross margin increases attributed the increases to inflation.
Source: 2022 NHPA Independent Retailer Index Q2 Survey
OPERATIONS
COHESION Creating
HOW TO ACHIEVE MERCHANDISING
CONSISTENCY ACROSS LOCATIONS
BY CARLY FRODERMAN
Merchandising can be an overwhelming concept to tackle with one store and becomes even more complicated across multiple locations. Setting standards and accomplishing consistency throughout your business builds your brand, allowing customers to more easily recognize it, appreciate its strengths and become loyal customers who will shop at any of your locations.
TRAINING
Making Merchandising Better
From impulse items to core categories, discover the merchandising training modules available to NHPA Premier Members at YourNHPA.org/training
Video Views
When it comes to using technology in your merchandising, videos can be a simple yet impactful option to implement throughout an operation.
Vendors send videos to go along with their products and the stores display them, Craig says. The videos go with a mix of seasonal and permanent products.
“Videos draw the customer’s attention; they wonder what is making sound and see movement, which draws their eye,” Craig says. “If it’s a good video, it provides additional information and can act as another employee. I also think it can talk the customer into making the purchase.”
Technology, communication and teamwork are key aspects of uniform merchandising and branding success across multistore operations. Hardware Retailing spoke with Amanda Craig, merchandising coordinator for Family Center Farm & Home, about how the company successfully merchandises across multiple locations.
Chasing Change
Founded in 1965, Family Center Farm & Home opened its first store in Harrisonville, Missouri, under the name Tractor Parts and Home Supply. The flagship store is still in operation, and the company has expanded to six additional locations in Missouri and Kansas. Craig started at Family Center Farm & Home in 2006 as a cashier, eventually becoming hardware manager and then store merchandiser at the Paola location before moving into a brand new merchandising coordinator position in January 2022.
With the creation of this position, each store now has its own store merchandiser and manager who receive directives from Craig.
“We’re up to seven stores now and are still growing. Before my position was created, we had seven stores doing seven different things,” Craig says. “Now we are working to get all the stores on the same page, but without taking away each store’s creativity.”
The company also created a merchandising planner position in January, which was filled by Marc Fickel, who has been with the company since 2019 and works closely with Craig.
“I’m the communicator who passes merchandising instructions to our store merchandisers and managers, and I visit the stores more often than Marc because my schedule is better suited for overnights and travel,” Craig says. “Marc does more of the background planning and planogram development. We bounce ideas off each other and go over our plans together before they are finalized and sent out.”
Eye-catching displays that grab customers’ attention are a big part of Family Center Farm & Home stores’ merchandising strategy.
OPERATIONS
Get Creative
Learn how to use creative merchandising to enhance your outdoor furniture displays at hardwareretailing.com/merchandising-furniture
The Building Blocks
HOW TO CREATE EFFECTIVE DISPLAYS
THINK VERTICALLY
It is more effective to merchandise most products vertically rather than horizontally. Display similar goods up and down on the gondola rather than stretching them out along a shelf to allow customers to stand in one place and choose what they want. This display is also more attractive and easier to reorder and restock.
FILL SPACE
Display as much merchandise on the shelf as possible so you can avoid backroom stock. This method will also give your customers the impression that you can fulfill all their product needs.
KEEP AT EYE LEVEL
Use the good-better-best approach of arranging merchandise whenever possible to allow shoppers to choose products at different price points. Display the most profitable items between the belt and eye level. This is the bestselling height on any display. You should also put slow-moving and low-priced items farthest from the customer’s reach. Always use your prime display areas for highdemand, seasonal, impulse or promotional items.
UTILIZE SIGNAGE
Use point-of-purchase signs to call attention to popular items in each department. These signs can include product and price information.
MANAGE PRICES
No display is fully effective or complete until the merchandise is priced. Not only must the items be priced, but the prices must be consistent with what is in your POS.
Source: NHPA’s Merchandising Basic Training Study Guide
TRUST THE PROCESS
Family Center Farm & Home merchandising coordinator Amanda Craig is a big believer in hands-on help and likes to set up displays with employees when she visits different locations.
OPERATIONS
Merchandising Miracle
Discover how to prevent the slow decline of your own merchandising at hardwareretailing.com/merchandising-miracle
Ultimate Upgrade
All Family Center Farm & Home locations are different sizes and shapes and have diverse layouts. Previously, the store merchandisers and managers relied on their own creativity and sometimes vendor planograms for displays, which made it difficult to maintain merchandising consistency throughout the stores, Craig says.
“Now that I am in my new position, quite a few planograms, endcaps and H-racks are consistent across locations,” Craig says. “H-racks are four-sided displays on wheels that work with shelves or peg hooks. So far we have three identical displays with these elements in each location.”
To handle small inconsistencies across locations, Craig created a best practices document for the store merchandisers that outlines the operation’s merchandising standards.
“The document covers practices like peg hook and shelf length and label location; for example, we like to put our labels on the shelves left justified to the product not centered,” Craig says. “When I visit different locations, the store merchandisers and I go over the best practices in relation to their store and discuss any issues.”
Craig also sends store merchandisers and managers reminders on seasonal changes so they don’t miss putting
out items like winter gloves or heaters and to make sure each merchandiser changes seasonal displays around the same time, she says. While some of the directives are given over the phone or email, a lot of them are shared through a project management platform called Basecamp.
“All our store merchandisers have a tablet,” Craig says. “I post planograms and other instructions on Basecamp, and they review them there and can print them out to use as needed.”
The stores enact trickle-down communication, with Craig connecting with merchandise and store managers who inform their assistant and department managers and so on down the ladder.
“It’s a group effort to keep our stores looking nice and well merchandised, and communication is key,” Craig says. “Some of our stores assign employees to specific aisles, and those employees are in charge of making sure their aisles are stocked, clean and presentable. It really helps break up responsibilities and keeps one person from having to do it all.”
While written directives are important to keeping everyone on the same page, Craig is also a big believer in hands-on help and is an active participant in production when she visits stores.
“When I travel to our different locations, I check what they’ve done, what they have going on and make some
Registration Deadline is January 1
Improve Your Merchandising
NHPA’s newest program, Foundations of Merchandising Management Live!, is a two-day educational event sponsored by and held on-site at the 2023 National Hardware Show. This in-person, interactive experience will combine classroom education from industry experts and hands-on learning on the show floor.
NHPA worked with industry-leading retailers to develop this new program to provide attendees with the necessary strategies and skills to successfully improve and manage their merchandising and assortment planning. Learn more on Page 12 or visit YourNHPA.org/foundationslive
Key Takeaways
• Visual merchandising standards and techniques
• Promotional space management
• Resets and remodels
• Assortment planning and category management
• Vendor relations
• Merchandising integration with marketing
• Pricing strategies and management
• In-store technology and design elements
OPERATIONS
Being the Best
Read how one operation took its hand impulse category to the next level at hardwareretailing.com/all-star-impulse
suggestions for their displays, but I’m also there to help them put displays together,” Craig says. “I’m a doer. I’ve always been a doer. I like to physically assist in any way I can, especially when they need to set up something complex or new.”
It’s the Little Things
Family Center Farm & Home has a few additional elements that bring cohesion and build its brand. Other consistencies across stores include utilizing sales signage printed in different colors depending on the sale, dump bins for clearance items and clip strips for add-on sales by the registers, Craig says. She also makes use of permanent, promotional and seasonal endcaps similarly throughout the operation.
While consistency is important to the cohesiveness of an operation, there should still be room for creativity so
A BALANCING ACT
Employees at Family Center Farm & Home stores strive for merchandising consistency while leaving room for creativity.
employees enjoy, take ownership of and gain satisfaction from their work.
“We encourage employees to brainstorm display ideas and share their opinions,” Craig says. “Our merchandisers also share photos with each other of great displays at their stores so others can create the same impact at their store.”
The overall goal is to keep things fresh and exciting for customers, Craig says, and to create a huge statement with products that draw attention and give customers a “wow” factor when they enter. All these little practices combined with the more strategic display planning bring high-quality and standardized merchandising across locations.
“At the end of the day, good merchandising means a better shopping experience,” Craig says. “And a good shopping experience means a more loyal customer base; all of these factors contribute to higher sales.”
Celebrate the Honorees
The 2023 class of Young Retailer of the Year honorees will be recognized at the 2023 NHPA Independents Conference in Dallas. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/conference
Best & Brightest
Nominate the Next NHPA Young Retailer of the Year
The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) Young Retailer of the Year recognition program identifies and promotes the next generation of aspiring independent home improvement and paint retailers. It recognizes individual achievement in the industry by retailers
35 years of age or younger throughout the U.S., its territories and Canada. Selected from different retail categories, honorees are chosen based on criteria such as career accomplishments, community involvement, ongoing education within the industry and extracurricular activities.
See what it takes to be a Young Retailer of the Year honoree by learning more about the 2022 class. In this series of videos, the 2022 honorees share more about themselves and their operations. Watch all the videos at YourNHPA.org/yroty
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Apply Online
Nominees must be:
35 years or younger on Jan. 28, 2023
Opening New Opportunities
Former honorees share what it means to receive the Young Retailer of the Year award.
Jay Donnelly
Flanagan Paint & Supply
2021 Honoree
Triangle True Value Hardware
2019 Honoree
“Being a Young Retailer of the Year honoree was one of the greatest awards I’ve received in my career. It shows that all NHPA members are a part of something much larger than their own stores. Being an honoree has opened lots of new doors for myself and company. Most of all, it has allowed me to grow my network of successful young retailers across the country in all segments of the paint and hardware world.”
“I look at the other honorees’ accomplishments and to be included in that group has given me additional confidence in my abilities, the systems we have in place at our stores and the quality of our teams. As an honoree, I am part of a network of peers that is one of the most elite hardware think tanks in the world.
I’ve been asked to serve on multiple committees, teach and train others, and I’ve even had some job offers extended. It’s been truly life changing.”
Working in the independent home improvement channel
Resident of the U.S. or Canada
Visit YourNHPA.org/yroty to fill out the online application.
As you put together your application, keep in mind the judging criteria
Career High Points
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2017
“It is humbling to be honored and rewarded for hard work put forth to expand and grow the company. Being a Young Retailer of the Year honoree has provided opportunities to meet with fellow retailers, vendors representatives and wholesalers I probably wouldn’t have met before joining this elite group. I have been able to participate in industry conferences and panels that not only expand my knowledge but also open the door for growing relationships with like-minded individuals.”
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How have you contributed to your organization and the industry? What are some career milestones?
Industry Education
How are you learning and growing in the industry and how have you used those opportunities to grow your business?
Community Involvement
How are you engaged with your community and neighborhood?
Other Activities
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What are you doing to achieve business advancement? What are your career goals and dreams?
Franklin Cloninger
Jackie Sacks
Farmers Lumber Co.
Honoree
Pioneers
of the
PAST & FUTURE
S.W. COLLINS CO. PLANS FOR SIXTH GENERATION AND BEYOND
BY JESS TILLMAN
FAMILY MATTERS
S.W. Collins Co. president Sam Collins (to the left) looks to his daughter, operations manager Clara Collins, to continue the family business.
PODCAST
Filling Community Needs
Hear what S.W. Collins Co. has done for its community over the years on Episode 74 of “Taking Care of Business” podcast. Listen now at YourNHPA.org/tcb-pod.
For nearly two centuries, S.W. Collins Co. has served northern Maine, providing community members with products and services they’ve needed over the years. Whether it’s selling supplies to build houses following World War II, growing potatoes for nearby communities or expanding product lines to meet the growing needs of DIYers, company leaders across generations have prioritized meeting the needs of their customers.
Now, president Sam Collins and his brother, vice president Gregg Collins, are preparing the sixth generation to take over the business and lead their employees, known as Pioneers, into the future. That next generation includes Sam’s daughter Clara Collins, who is currently working as the operations manager for the company’s five stores.
Setting a Foundation
Stepping into a family business may seem daunting, but Clara says she is ready for the challenge.
“I loved growing up and spending time in the store as a kid,” she says. “Those early years working in the business encouraged me to join the company and follow in my family’s footsteps.”
After graduating from high school, Clara attended Northeastern University in Boston, focusing on finance and supply chain. Though her plans to stay in the city were cut short by the pandemic, she says she was eager to return to Maine and join the company in September 2020.
“When COVID-19 hit, it fast-tracked my decision to enter the family business, much to my dad’s happiness,” Clara says. “I am incredibly grateful for the experience I had in Boston. Many of my professors were leaders in their industries, so to learn directly from them and bring that knowledge back to the business has been invaluable.”
As the operations manager, Clara endeavors to preserve the family’s core values and keep them in the operation.
“We continue to offer excellent products and legendary service as we strive to be an active, positive influence in the communities where we live and work,” Clara says.
Since taking over operations in 2020, Clara has become more involved in the communities where S.W. Collins stores are based, as well as the culture inside each location.
“My father told me growing up that we are just stewards of this business. Our main responsibility is to continue to grow the operation and build upon it so the next generation of leaders can continue to do the same.” Clara says.
CONTINUED LEGACY
“Our main responsibility is to continue to grow the operation and build upon it so the next generation of leaders can continue to do the same.”
—Clara Collins, S.W. Collins Co.
Operations manager Clara Collins works with her family and S.W. Collins Co. Pioneers to lend a hand to any community needs in Maine.
Building Into Community
While the company may not be floating logs down the river as it did in 1844, it is still providing lumber, farming equipment, paint and core hardlines. Employees—which the company calls Pioneers—are also encouraged to give back and receive time off to do so in their community and contribute to causes important to them.
“We give our Pioneers an additional day of paid time off to volunteer each year,” Clara says. “We have so many Pioneers who are active in the community. We want each individual to be able to dedicate their time to something they are passionate about in their communities.”
S.W. Collins’ community program is another way employees get involved, Collins says. Twice a year, the company provides a $10,000 grant to different local programs and nonprofits that benefit the community.
“Customers receive tokens at the register, and they vote to determine how the funds are allocated,” Clara says.
This year, S.W. Collins received a community service award in recognition of its employees’ contributions to their communities. The Institute for Family-Owned Business (IFOB), based out of Portland, Maine, awarded S.W. Collins with the Shep Lee Community Service Award. This award was named after one of the founders of IFOB and honors the service a company and its employees provide their community.
S.W. Collins president Sam Collins says he is thrilled that the award is focused on recognizing the team’s commitment to volunteer work.
“This award recognizes the many volunteer hours our fellow Pioneers contribute and the donations placed to make our communities better places to live and work,” he says. “We are fortunate to be included in a lineup of some of the finest Maine family-owned companies.”
“We want each Pioneer to be able to dedicate their time to something they are passionate about in their communities.”
—Clara Collins, S.W. Collins Co.
Setting an Example
Along with encouraging company and employee involvement in the community, the Collins family strives to keep employees engaged in their jobs.
In bimonthly newsletters, employees across the company’s five locations receive updates on important organizational information and read about the accomplishments and life events of fellow Pioneers.
“Our bimonthly Pioneer newsletters are designed to make our entire team feel more connected despite the distance between our five locations,” Clara says. “We make sure everyone is aware of the most important updates in the company and also take the time to shine a light on our employees and the exciting life milestones they are celebrating, like a new puppy or a wedding.”
Employees also receive updates and service recognitions at the company’s annual meeting. At this event, one outstanding employee is named Pioneer
(Left to right) S.W. Collins Co. president Sam Collins, operations manager Clara Collins, store leader Adam Collins and vice president Gregg Collins received the IFOB Shep Lee Community Service Award in October 2022
PROFILES
Standing Strong
See what success looks like for some of the oldest hardware operations in the country at hardwareretailing.com/oldest-stores.
of the Year, which is an extension of the company’s Pioneer of the Month Awards. These awards acknowledge an employee who has gone above and beyond for the organization, from making sales contributions to providing high levels of customer service.
The Don Collins Service Award is also given out at each annual meeting to one employee who is wholly invested in serving the community. The award honors previous president and fourthgeneration family member Don Collins following his passing.
“Being of service to others was a big part of my grandfather’s passion and is what helped guide our mission to be of service to our customers and communities,” Clara says. “We created the Don Collins Service Award to recognize exceptional Pioneers who truly embody service above self, just like he always did.”
As S.W. Collins continues to grow and expand its reach across Maine, service to the community remains a major focus. The Collins family plans to continue operations for more generations to come and serve its customers and communities.
“We are looking forward to another 175 years of continuing to be active in our communities in northern Maine,” Clara says. “All the work we do is to pass the company and its legacy on to future leaders and generations.”
WORKING TOGETHER
Encouraged by their operations manager Clara Collins, Pioneers at S.W. Collins Co. work together to provide the community with their various needs.
This year, the North American Hardware and Paint Association made visiting members across the country a top priority. The NHPA On the Road series helped us reconnect with members, find merchandising and operations inspiration and much more. Our visits to stores in New York, Missouri and Oklahoma once again showcased the strength of independent retailers across this country. To learn more about our store visits and to stay in the know on all of our travels, visit YourNHPA.org/on-the-road. You can also nominate your business and we might visit you in 2023.
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NHPA's Katie McHone-Jones
NHPA's Renee Changnon and Carly Froderman enjoy an old fashioned soda on the road.
Ralph Chiaro (left) of Loconsolo Paints in Brooklyn, New York, was very welcoming.
Ken Epstein of Epstein Paints in New York shows a photo of his family at the old store.
Specialized Services
From a tennis pro shop to selling Christmas tree permits, these retailers offer store services tailored to their customers. Learn more at hardwareretailing.com/tailoring-services.
BY LINDSEY THOMPSON
“I feel the post office is a huge part of our business and provides an extra layer of service to our customers.”
—Doug Carroll, Brownsboro Hardware & Paint
While on the surface they may not go together like peanut butter and jelly or rock and roll, some business partnerships just work. From food to flowers, Hardware Retailing found four retail operations with unusual business combinations that have paid off. Learn more about how these retailers have added unconventional side businesses you typically wouldn’t connect with a home improvement business to bring in additional customers, provide an extra layer of service, become a destination stop and boost their bottom lines.
Delivering Revenues
For over 40 years, the Brownsboro Road location of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint in Louisville, Kentucky, has provided an extra level of service to customers with an in-house U.S. Postal Service contract post office. The store also touts a UPS shipping department that can ship packages anywhere in the U.S. and accepts most return packages.
Owner Doug Carroll says nearly 25% of the store’s customers come in to use the post office, with around 200 customers mailing packages, purchasing stamps and conducting other business services each day. Of those customers, he estimates 20% purchase items from the hardware store during their visit.
Carroll purchases the supplies for the post office and hires and manages the employees who work in that part of the store.
“Because of where it is in our store, people walk through many departments to get to it. It’s almost like milk in the grocery store; on your way to the back, you pass other items you may not have known you needed,” Carroll says. “I feel the post office is a huge part of our business and provides an extra layer of service to our customers.”
Tucson Estates Hardware in Tucson, Arizona, also has a U.S. Post Office contract unit, which opened in 2016. Owner Janet Beatty added the service as part of her robust merchandising strategy to drive increases in market exposure,
foot traffic and overall retail sales. Beatty was approached by a USPS representative after a nearby post office in a gift shop closed. She says the contract process took about six months, and during that time, residents also advocated for the store to be awarded the post office contract because the service was much-needed in the area.
“The USPS rep we had at the time was amazing and did most of the legwork to make this happen,” Beatty says. “We did some construction in the store to accommodate the requirements for size and security, but we were able to complete the construction in-house at minimal cost.”
One of the biggest challenges the store has faced since adding the post office has been the number of people utilizing
Brownsboro Hardware & Paint serves customers with an in-house U.S. Post Office where they can mail packages and purchase mailing supplies. ONE-STOP SERVICE
it during the holidays to ship packages. Beatty says they have learned how to better staff the post office and direct the long lines around the store during those busy times.
The store’s customer count throughout the rest of the year has also increased. Beatty says sales in the office and shipping supplies department are up 100% since the post office opened, and sales for cards and gift items have also increased.
“We have seen a significant number of new customers who come in for the post office and realize what we offer, and they end up purchasing other items and come back to the store for hardware-related goods,” Beatty says. “We have definitely seen a different demographic of customers start shopping in our store as well.”
Outside the Box
Check out these other unconventional business revenue streams that can add to your operation’s bottom line.
• Pizza shop (Hardware on the Square)
• Restaurant (Sully’s Grill at Sullivan’s Hardware)
• Concert venue (Joelton Hardware, Feed and Farmacy)
• Flea market (Hartville Hardware)
• Bike shop (Highland Hardware & Bike Shop)
Sweet Earnings
When customers of Alger Hardware and Rental are craving a frozen treat, they can stop in at Heights Cream, which opened inside the store in August 2020 and serves hard and soft-serve ice cream and other treats.
The shop occupies just 200 square feet of the hardware store’s footprint but makes excellent use of what was previously unused retail space. The front windows that face the sidewalk and front of the store are ideal for walk-up service, says Joel DeJong, who co-owns Heights Cream with his dad Bill DeJong, owner of Alger Hardware and Rental in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“We wanted the neighborhood, which is close-knit and walkable, to have an ice cream shop, and we were finally in a place to build one,” Joel says. “Many hardware store customers are surprised that we have an ice cream shop. We’ve been able to market the shop to the neighborhood directly through a thriving community Facebook group.”
Heights Cream sources all of its ice cream through the local Moo-Ville Creamery, a family-owned and -operated dairy headquartered in nearby Nashville, Michigan.
The ice cream store is only open seasonally, but the DeJongs have added an ice cream cake cooler in the hardware store so customers can still enjoy delicious Moo-Ville ice cream and treats year-round.
“While on paper the ice cream shop and the hardware store are two separate businesses, they are both driven by the mission to make our community the best it can be,” Joel says.
Having the ice cream shop sign outside the hardware store has increased the visibility from the street side, Joel says. The ice cream shop has also brought in customers from a farther radius, including customers looking for the specific brand of ice cream the shop carries and those seeking dairy-free and vegan options. Through the ice cream shop, customers are introduced to the hardware store and the wide variety of products it carries.
“Seeing large groups of people outside the ice cream shop, and therefore the hardware store, throughout the summer raises visibility for both businesses,” he says. “The ice cream shop also provides frozen goods for the hardware store to sell as impulse items year-round, which further emphasizes the partnership between the two businesses.”
The Heights Cream ice cream shop is part of Alger Hardware and Rental and exposes a new customer base to the hardware store and its offerings.
SWEET STOP
Hardware and Honky-Tonk
Discover how one retailer serves customers with hardware, a restaurant and bar and a stage for live music at hardwareretailing.com/Joelton-Hardware
Growing Sales
Adding a touch of beauty and providing a well-received service, Hagan Florist & Gifts has been serving the floral needs of the Jacksonville, Florida, area for two decades. The floral shop is located next to the Mandarin location of Hagan Ace Hardware, which has nine locations in Florida, and specializes in unique and creative floral designs for all special occasions, including weddings. Director of store operations Jacob Hagan says Hagan Ace opened the floral shop because there was no nearby competition and it provided an opportunity to offer a fun and unusual niche and draw from a different customer base.
“With many female shoppers, it’s a nice getaway after completing their task lists in the hardware store,” Hagan says. “We sell everyday floral arrangements and have used different types of marketing to promote our custom floral arrangements for proms, weddings, funerals, churches and more.”
Customers can shop in the store, call ahead and pick up their order curbside or take advantage of the shop’s delivery service.
“The niche has brought more sales to the overall store,” Hagan says. “With many DIY customers, it allows them a joyous shopping experience away from the current task at hand.”
Hagan Florist & Gifts is located next to the Mandarin location of Hagan Ace Hardware and sells flowers, gifts, custom floral arrangements and more. PRETTY PRODUCTS
“We have built a relationship over coffee and so they trust me with their paint.”
—Molli Bodungen, Paint Perfection
A Winning Ingredient
Hungry customers can grab a coffee and food while shopping at Paint Perfection in El Campo, Texas. The Coffee Bar at Paint Perfection started as an idea owner Molli Bodungen had for utilizing her paint store’s building better. Soon, Bodungen’s creative dream took on a life of its own, becoming a popular spot in town.
“We didn’t have a coffee shop in our town at all,” Bodungen says. “I started getting ideas. What if I opened a real coffee shop?”
She built a coffee bar in the paint shop, added a sandwich station and began selling drip coffee, espresso drinks, cinnamon rolls, hot soups and sandwiches. She also arranged tables around the store for customers to sit and eat.
Paint sales went up 30% the first year as local DIYers dropped by to get coffee and realized their new coffee shop was primarily a paint store.
Then Bodungen noticed her loyal contractor customers started avoiding the store around lunchtime because they couldn’t find parking during the lunch rush. Some of her DIY customers began asking her to get rid of paint to make space for more tables for dining.
Her solution was to open Molli B’s, a standalone restaurant across town designed to accommodate dine-in customers. Bodungen kept the coffee bar, but now only offers Grab & Go items and pastries at the paint shop.
Customers can get a free drip coffee or iced tea while shopping, or they can opt to buy fancier drinks.
The new arrangement has kept customers happy while allowing the in-store coffee bar to continue attracting the DIYers who didn’t previously shop at Paint Perfection.
“We have built a relationship over coffee and so they trust me with their paint,” Bodungen says.
Paint Perfection customers can browse the paint store while sipping on a drink from the in-store coffee shop.
COFFEE AND COLOR
INDUSTRY EVENTS
INDUSTRY EVENTS Emphasizing Emotions
Learn more about the five pillars of the new HABITAT at the National Hardware Show at hardwareretailing.com/habitat-pillars
Industry Insights
From Jan. 31-Feb. 2, the home improvement industry will convene at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 2023 National Hardware Show (NHS). This year, NHS will be co-dated with the National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS).
By holding these shows at the same time, the organizers aim to create a dynamic event for the home improvement, design and construction communities, creating more value for the attendee and vendor experience.
“We continuously work to ensure NHS is adding value to the community we serve,” says event vice president Beth Casson. “Collaborating with other organizations to offer access to three events at the same time gives the NHS community a greater opportunity to discover more products and build broader networks, all in one trip and with one NHS badge. We are really excited to bring the event to life in January.”
Here, discover three reasons to add NHS to your trade show travel plans in 2023. To learn more about the event and secure your spot at NHS, visit nationalhardwareshow.com.
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Passing on the Savings
Enjoy free registration to the 2023 National Hardware Show with promo code NHPA. Register at nationalhardwareshow.com
New HABITAT Themes
An integral part of NHS, HABITAT is an on-site and digital product discovery showcase, highlighting the ideas and evolving lifestyles that are driving the future of the home and in turn, how consumers spend. In 2023, HABITAT will showcase products that speak to consumers by optimizing emotional states at home. The brands featured will be positioned across five cultural themes—Show You Care, Happy Place, World of Wonder, Mind Your Mind and Save 2 Save—the pillars of this year’s HABITAT experience.
Retail Solutions Center
New to the Show for 2023, the Retail Solutions Center will be dedicated to showcasing innovative technologies and merchandising solutions for retailers to improve functionality and drive sales. This area will bring together companies that offer technology-focused services and programs. Featured topics will include retail revenue optimization, e-commerce platforms, electronic shelf systems, merchandise replenishment solutions and barcode scanning.
Improve Your Merchandising
NHPA’s Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! is a two-day educational program sponsored by and held on-site at the 2023 National Hardware Show. This in-person, interactive experience will combine classroom education from industry experts and hands-on learning on the Show floor.
NHPA worked with industry-leading retailers to develop this new program to provide attendees with the necessary strategies and skills to successfully improve and manage their merchandising and assortment planning. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/foundationslive
Relaunching in 2023 with a new vision, the NHS Backyard is the show’s dedicated home for all things lawn, garden, farm, ranch, outdoor living and grilling. Originally launched in 2005, the lawn and garden category at NHS has always been robust to host a wide range of outdoor living suppliers. To support the rapid growth of these categories, the Backyard is branching into its own category, enabling outdoor living vendors and retailers to more easily discover the latest trends.
Key Takeaways
• Visual merchandising standards and techniques
• Promotional space management
• Resets and remodels
• Assortment planning and category management
• Vendor relations
• Merchandising integration with marketing
• Pricing strategies and management
• In-store technology and design elements
Reimagined NHS Backyard
POWER UP! POWER UP!
5 Ways to Charge Up Hand and Power Tool Sales
BY CARLY FRODERMAN
Avital category for many hardware operations, hand and power tools have the potential for powerhouse sales no matter the size of your business. Merchandising wisely, being knowledgeable and highlighting promos are just some of the strategies that can take this basic core category to the next level.
In 2011, Seth Howard returned to his family’s business, Howard’s Hardware Hank & Rental
in Arcadia, Wisconsin, and gradually took over the operation from his father. One of his first tasks was revamping the store’s hand and power tool category. Howard expanded the section from 40 feet to over 140 feet and brought hand and power tool sales from $50,000 in 2012 to $317,000 in 2021. Hardware Retailing spoke with Howard about his best practices for boosting sales in the hand and power tool category.
CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT
Being the Best
See how another operation took its hand and power tool category to the next level at hardwareretailing.com/all-star-tool
Dedicated Displays
The store’s hand and power tool category had accessories and power tools in boxes pegged on the wall. Howard added interactive displays, which he says directly contributed to increased sales.
“When customers can see and touch a product, it creates confidence and they are more likely to make the purchase,” Howard says. “And while we can’t put everything on display, we pull products out of the box for our customers when we need to. Even if they don’t buy it at that time, it builds a relationship and makes them more likely to come back to us when they’re ready to buy.”
Pushing Promos
Creating a promo section with clear signage increased sales and made the shopping experience easier for customers, Howard says.
“The majority of our hand and power tool products are Milwaukee, so I rework their quarterly promo deck to be customerfacing and include only the products we are selling,” Howard says. “I put the printed promo deck in a binder for customers to browse; I also email a PDF to my list of contractors and put it on the homepage of our website. We also run Facebook, newspaper and radio ads and post promos on our social media channels.”
SUPER SUPER SALES SALES
Merchandising
Categorize your power tool sections by brand, since most customers, specifically pros, are loyal to certain power tool manufacturers. Group your hand tools by product type and utilize good-better-best merchandising. See Page 12 for more details on this strategy.
Knowledge
Use manufacturer training materials, online reviews and vendor videos to ensure you and your staff are armed with all the knowledge needed to assist customers, especially professionals.
Events
Hosting educational events or vendor demonstrations helps DIYers get more comfortable with tools, allows professionals to interact with vendor representatives and brings additional customers into your store.
Source: NHPA Hand and Power Tools Study Guide
CHECKOUTS
COMMUNITY
Holiday Happiness
Read more stories of how retailers are making the holidays bright for their customers and communities at hardwareretailing.com/holidays-bright.
COMMUNITY
Giving Gifts
LOCAL HARDWARE STORE BRINGS THE JOY OF THE HOLIDAYS TO ALASKAN TOWN
IN THE SMALL Alaskan town of Nikiski, Nikiski Hardware & Supply serves local residents with a selection of home improvement products, clothing, housewares and more. The store also serves as a community gathering place and hosts events throughout the year, including its annual Christmas Extravaganza.
Nikiski Hardware partners with local nonprofit Operation Children First to give away Christmas gifts to kids and families during the event, says John Quick, one of the operation’s six owners. Attendees can cozy up to the outdoor bonfire, make s’mores, go sledding on
a hill made specifically for the event and take pictures with Santa’s reindeer.
The event also includes pop-up shops featuring local stores in the area, and kids can visit and take pictures with Santa and receive a special surprise.
“It is great to see kids tell Santa they want a big yellow Tonka truck for Christmas, and then we literally pull out a big yellow Tonka truck for them right there,” Quick says. “Last year, we were able to hand out around 450 gifts to kids and their families. It is a blessing for us to be able to do this event.”
Nikiski Hardware & Supply in Nikiski, Alaska, hosts a Christmas Extravaganza with Santa visits, the opportunity to meet real reindeer, a sledding hill and bonfire and s’mores.
COMMUNITY
All Is Calm, All Is Bright
In Spokane, Washington, Dawn Gregg, who owns three Ace stores in the area with her husband Bruce, works to make the holidays a little brighter for children in the hospital.
Since 2016, the Greggs have donated Christmas lights, power cords, zip ties and other supplies to light up Cowley Park, which is located across the street from Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and visible from many of the patients’ windows.
“We do a lot to support local organizations and the Children’s Miracle Network, but my favorite project is Cowley Park,” Dawn says. “The first year we flipped the lights on, we could see the kids’ faces up against the windows, and my heart just melted. I really love the joy it brings to the kids, the families and the hospital staff.”
COMMUNITY
Lighting Up the Holidays
To add extra holiday spirit to their store, Robin and Eric Smith, owners of Petersburg Hardware in Petersburg, Indiana, restored a historical Santa’s sleigh light display that once flew over the town’s Main Street in the 1960s and 1970s.
Robin’s grandparents purchased the display from the city and used it in the store until the early 2000s. The display then sat in storage until Robin’s mother, Sherry Bishop, inherited it when Sherry’s parents passed away.
Robin says her family and store employees came together to return the display to its former glory. Sherry updated the worn-out paint, and store manager Ken Hurst and longtime employee Wendell Wilson updated the electrical. The next challenge was deciding how to hang the massive sleigh and reindeer, so Robin turned to her husband Eric.
“With our three young daughters, Eric understands the importance of providing a dose of Christmas magic,” Robin says. “He hung the display in an alcove of our building using heavy-duty cable and carabiners to make Santa and his reindeer take flight. It is great to hear everyone’s memories of when it flew across Main Street and the joy they receive from those memories.”
Families make the display part of their holiday lights tour and can send their letters to the North Pole through the Santa mailbox in the store.
“Each child receives a personalized return letter,” Robin says. “I read every letter and craft custom responses for each child. The letter also tells them that Santa left them a little surprise at the hardware store for them.”
Cowley Park, next to Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, is lit up every holiday season thanks to Bruce and Dawn Gregg and their hardware stores in Spokane, Washington.
The vintage Santa and reindeer light display at Petersburg Hardware used to hang above Main Street in downtown Petersburg, Indiana.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Northwest Farm & Home Supply Co.
Location: Lemmon, SD
Gross Revenue: $3.21 million
The main building is a total 27,213 sq. ft. of retail and warehouse space on 4 acres. The main bldg. was constructed in 1994 with additions constructed in 2002 & 2004. Single story with 22’ clear height in 11,459 sq. ft. of lumber warehouse, three grade level doors and two dock height doors.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Central Vermont Paint, Flooring, and Decorating Business
Location: Vermont
Gross Revenue: $2.82 million
Price: $1.1 million
Full-service decorating store providing flooring, paint, window treatments, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, cabinetry product offerings, design assistance, specialized service, and professional installation.
SEEKING BUSINESSES
The Aubuchon Company
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Home Improvement Supply Store
Location: Missouri
Gross Revenue: $1.04 million
This historic home improvement and hardware store is a staple of its community and operates from its headquarters in Missouri. The Company is a long-standing retailer and installer of consumer and commercial improvement products.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Hoosick True Value
Location: Hoosick Falls, New York
Gross Revenue: $1.26 million
Price: $1.875 million
This opportunity offers a turnkey sale of a general hardware operation located in northeastern Rensselaer Co., New York. The business serves five towns, southwestern Bennington Co., Vermont, and 25 miles east of Troy, New York.
For our next acquisition, we are looking for:
• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations
• Located in northeast and southeast United States Store size of 5,000-30,000 ft2
• At least $3 million in average store sales
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Private Business
Location: Alabama
Gross Revenue: $2.21 million
Price: $649,000
SEEKING BUSINESSES Bolster Hardware
We are looking for:
• Geography agnostic
• With or without real estate Store revenues of $1.5M+
• We prefer to honor the family name and heritage in the local community by not changing the name
• We prefer to keep all employees as part of the acquisition
LAST WORD
Inflation Impacts
See how inflation has affected the residential construction industry and homebuyers at hardwareretailing.com/housing-affordability
INVERTING
INFLATION
HOW RETAILERS ARE TACKLING INFLATION HEADING INTO 2023
IN JANUARY, U.S. inflation started high and has bounced up and down throughout the year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1% in July. By October, the inflation rate dropped to 7.7%, but was still well over the 1% to 2% inflation seen each month for most of the last decade. With high inflation rates forecasted into 2023, here are three areas retailers can address to avoid the price pinch.
Manage Costs
“Every overhead cost the business pays for—whether it’s paper towels for the kitchen, snacks for employees or the electricity bill—gets more expensive with inflation. You have to watch those purchases closely and save money where you can.”
—Gary Pittsford, chief valuation officer for Creative Planning
Monitor Margins
“To keep up with the current inflationary challenges, we are hyper-focused on operational efficiencies, closely monitoring the cost of goods, rounding up where we can to save margin and passing on price increases when it’s possible and appropriate.”
—Gina Schaefer, owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores
Stay Aware
“It is critical to pay attention to inflation rates and price changes. It is a definitely a high priority for us; we have people on staff who are dedicated to monitoring these areas for us. The financial success of our business depends on it.”
—Buck Hurst, owner of Buck’s Ace Hardware
Efficient Service, Dedicated Operators
COMMITTED TO THE LAST MILE
Our Fleet, Our Drivers
Orgill’s commitment to getting products into your store is paramount. Our modern, private fleet of 400+ trucks are all driven by Orgill employees. Not only do our drivers keep things running smoothly, but our operational model controls our expenses and we pass these savings along to our dealers.
We’ll go the extra mile for you. Contact us today.
Foundations of Merchandising Management Live!
January 31-February 1, 2023
2023 National Hardware Show, Las Vegas
Join us for a two-day educational event for new and experienced staff responsible for managing merchandising at their operations.
NHPA worked with industry-leading retailers to develop this new program to provide attendees with the strategies and skills to improve and manage their merchandising and assortment planning.
Sponsored by and held on-site at the National Hardware Show, Foundations of Merchandising Management Live! combines classroom learning from industry experts and hands-on learning on the loor at the National Hardware Show.
COURSE SESSIONS
• Visual Merchandising Standards and Techniques
• Promotional Space Management
• Resets and Remodels
• Assortment Planning and Category Management
• Vendor Relations
• Merchandising Integration With Marketing
• Pricing Strategies and Management
• In-store Technology and Design Elements
