Page 22
Step-by-Step
Consistency & Centralization Are Key to Managing SOPs
Addressing Hot Topics at the IHI Conference Page 28
Attention to Detail Sells Decking Page 40
Page 22
Step-by-Step
Consistency & Centralization Are Key to Managing SOPs
Addressing Hot Topics at the IHI Conference Page 28
Attention to Detail Sells Decking Page 40
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, paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.
NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Ned Green, Weider’s Paint & Hardware, Rochester, New York
EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN
Joanne Lawrie, Annapolis Home Hardware Building Centre, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
DIRECTORS
Alesia Anderson, Handy Ace Hardware, Tucker, Georgia
Jay Donnelly, Flanagan Paint & Supply, Ellisville, Missouri
Ash Ebbo, Clement’s Paint, Austin, Texas
Christian Herrick, Randy’s Do it Best Hardware, Jackson, Virginia
Michelle Meny, Meny’s True Value, Jasper, Indiana
Michael Sacks, FLC Holdings, LaGrange, 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
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Rebekah Doerksen
Supply-Build Canada
Direct: 204.953.1692 | Cell: 204.990.3536 Toll-Free: 1.800.661.0253 ext. 103 102-226 Osborne St. N. Winnipeg, MB R3C 1V4
CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, gcscs8@gmail.com
COMING IN JULY
Many Happy Returns
In the July issue of Hardware Retailing, take a closer look at best practices for implementing new strategies for returns or refining your operation’s existing returns policy. Hear from retailers who share how their effective return policies have mitigated return fraud, improved customer loyalty and made employees’ jobs easier.
Hardware Retailing (ISSN0889-2989) is published monthly by the North American Hardware and Paint 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 © 2025 North American Hardware and Paint 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.
EXECUTIVE STAFF
PRESIDENT & CEO
Bob Cutter
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Dan Tratensek
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS SERVICES
David Gowan
VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT & PUBLISHER
Scott Wright, swright@YourNHPA.org
CONTENT AND PRODUCTION
317-275-9400, editorial@YourNHPA.org
MANAGING EDITOR
Lindsey Thompson, lthompson@YourNHPA.org
MANAGER OF MARKETING & PARTNER RELATIONS
Austin Vance, avance@YourNHPA.org
NEWS & DIGITAL EDITOR
Jacob Musselman, jmusselman@YourNHPA.org
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Annie Palmer, apalmer@YourNHPA.org
LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Autumn Ricketts
MARKETING & DESIGN SPECIALIST
Olivia Shroyer
PRODUCTION & DESIGN ASSISTANT
Samantha Mitchell
SALES & PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Freda Creech
SALES
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER
Greg Cole gcole@YourNHPA.org | 317-775-2206
REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
Jordan Rice jrice@YourNHPA.org | 217-808-1641
ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS
800-772-4424, NHPA@YourNHPA.org
TRAINING MANAGER & EDITOR
Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@YourNHPA.org
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
Renee Changnon, rchangnon@YourNHPA.org
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR—ADVANCED
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Amy Hayes, ahayes@YourNHPA.org
Competitive Advantage
Cost of Doing Business Study
For more than a century, independent retailers have turned to the Cost of Doing Business Study to see how their financials compare to others in the industry. By participating, you’ll get access to exclusive insights that can help you benchmark performance, uncover growth opportunities and improve your bottom line.
The Right Steps
Faced with inconsistencies when it came to operational processes, several managers from PaulB Hardware made creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) a priority. They share their best practices for developing, implementing and editing SOPs to help you bring cohesion to your operation.
Paint retailer and U.S. Navy veteran James Kleinman is this month’s Helmet to Home Improvement honoree and shares how his aptitude and love for all things mechanical served him in the military and during his time in the paint industry.
Tracking Retail Trends
Compare your store’s performance to industry benchmarks with the latest data from NHPA’s Independent Retailer Index, tracking key trends in sales, margins and operational investments.
Be in the Know
The 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference will feature an exciting lineup of educational sessions covering the hot topics independent retailers are facing in this dynamic and ever-changing market.
TRENDS
Decking Sales Strategy
The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) shares five data-backed ways to boost decking sales by aligning products, marketing and service with buyer behavior and market trends.
Learn how to tailor the shopping experience, create a hands-on showfloor and use proper training to succeed in the decking and railing category.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
CONNECTIONS
Send Dan a Message dant@YourNHPA.org
Dan Tratensek
“Being prepared for more changes, even if they don’t manifest, is never a bad policy.”
FROM THE ASSOCIATION
Charting a Course for Growth
WHEN RUDYARD KIPLING passed on his famous poetic advice to help boys grow into men, his first line read, “If you can keep your head about you when all others are losing theirs…”
I like to think there is a reason his poem starts with this admonishment as a gateway to his other thoughts. Simply put, the ability to deal with whatever situation is thrown at you in a calm and reasonable way is the key to overcoming just about any challenge you might face.
I also seriously doubt that Kipling was thinking about trade wars, tariffs or commodity pricing when he penned these lines, but on the same hand, I think the situation being faced isn’t the point. The point is to avoid panic, overcompensation, rash decisions or irrational actions in ANY situation.
Because I am nowhere near the wordsmith Kipling is, I simply stole his words to start my column because they succinctly capture the message I wanted to convey.
Over the past five years, using the word “unprecedented” has become cliche. From the pandemic to supply shortages to shifting market demands, we have plainly seen many changes we might never have expected.
Now, as the headlines constantly remind us of all the difficulties that global tariffs might create for the buying and selling of goods, the most salient advice I can pass along to retailers is to keep your heads while those around you are losing theirs.
How do you deal with wild pricing fluctuations? How do you prepare for potential product shortages? How do you know how to buy products and price them?
Step 1: Stay calm. Step 2: Have a plan. Step 3: Execute that plan. Step 4: Adjust where necessary. This same process applies to addressing any issue you might face, but as it relates to tariffs, I will add some more specific advice.
Use the time we have before we really start feeling the impacts of tariffs to work closely with your distributor and your suppliers. The more insights you can gain about what is coming down the pike, the easier it will be for you to respond to them.
Contact your key vendors. Schedule a meeting with your distributor’s sales representative or merchandising representative. Set up a plan for how you can communicate with them and how you can best receive information about potential price changes, shortages or buying opportunities.
Don’t just blindly buy items out of irrational fear that prices will certainly go up. Make sound promotional buying decisions with information you gather from your partners.
Have a system in place to process price changes in an orderly manner with the realization that the volume of price changes will likely increase. Being prepared for more changes, even if they don’t manifest, is never a bad policy.
Lastly, have a plan to communicate with your customers, your internal team and your suppliers about any price changes or potential shortages. Nothing will upset customers today more than thinking you are taking advantage of tariffs as an opportunity to raise prices. Even if you aren’t doing this, irrational fluctuations might send this signal.
We undoubtedly have a lot of potential challenges to navigate in the coming months as we sort through this global economic crisis, but having a plan can certainly calm the uncertainty and help you “keep your head.”
Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operating Officer
CONNECTIONS
Send Scott a Message swright@YourNHPA.org
Scott Wright
FROM THE PUBLISHER EDITORIALLY SPEAKING
“It’s when we associate that the real magic happens, and it happens best when independents from various affiliations assemble to learn together and learn from each other.”
Broadening Your Horizons
OF THE MANY DIFFERENT responsibilities a trade association like the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) provides to its constituency, arguably the most important thing we do is associate. It sounds simple—we are a trade association after all. This might be news to those of you who just know us as the publishers of Hardware Retailing and Paint and Decorating Retailer media brands, but these titles are owned by NHPA and have been in existence in one form or another for the past 125 years.
The other two pillars of NHPA include the education and training programs we provide and the advocacy initiatives we facilitate to promote our segment of the industry to the entire channel, and at times to the general public. But it’s when we “associate” that the real magic happens, and it happens best when independents from various affiliations assemble to learn together and learn from each other:
This is one of the key takeaways we have learned facilitating educational programs, moderating roundtables and hosting industrywide events. These programs bring together retailers from all different affiliations and banners. Most distributors, co-ops and wholesalers also embrace the spirit of making the industry stronger and more viable through their sponsorship and support of these industrywide programs and gatherings.
But it’s the retailers themselves who embrace it the most. They know the real competition isn’t the other independent across town flying a different banner. They know it’s Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Amazon and other online e-tailers that continue to erode their market share. We discuss it in almost every roundtable meeting and class session we host.
You’ll see the fruits of “association” in this issue, starting on Page 22, where you’ll learn from four managers at PaulB Hardware, based in Lititz, Pennsylvania, who take us on a journey through their process of developing standard operating procedures (SOPs). These are the basic building blocks of retail excellence that, when customized, can work in any type or size of retail location.
Three of the managers featured in the article attended NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program, where they learned the power of gathering, learning together and sharing best practices.
If you want to experience associating at its finest, the 2025 Retail Management Certification Program class starts July 22 (YourNHPA.org/rmcp), and there is still time to enroll yourself or a key person from your business who needs to broaden their retail horizons.
I also want to invite you to attend the 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHIConference.org) next month in Orlando, where independents of all affiliations will gather to learn fresh new ways to innovate and strengthen their business from industry peers and experts.
While the independent channel seems to be at a crossroads, with consolidation and a fight for the independent’s market share at an all-time high, it’s good to know that retailers I speak with are mostly just looking for the next great idea that will help them continue to succeed in these challenging times. Great ideas flourish when we come together as one industry to learn.
Scott Wright Vice President of Content Development and Publisher
2026
EXECUTIVE PLANNING CONFERENCE
November 18 - 20, 2025
Marriott Sawgrass Resort & Spa • Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
The HDA Executive Planning Conference is designed to maximize ROI as one of the most interactive events in the industry. The conference features 20-minute, pre-scheduled appointments between vendor partners and key executives from over 30 independent hardware distributor companies. Each meeting provides the perfect opportunity to discuss program details and promotions, present new products, and review strategic objectives for the coming year.
Outside of the meetings, the EPC features plenty of social networking opportunities such as multiple receptions, meals at on-site restaurants and the golf scramble on the Dye’s Valley Course at the famed TPC Sawgrass Golf Club. Don’t miss one of the premier events in the industry!
RESOURCES
Benchmark Your Business
Take part in the Cost of Doing Business Study to see how your business stacks up. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/CODB. INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT
Meet Jim
Jim Robisch has been working in the home improvement channel for over 40 years. He is retired from The Farnsworth Group, where he was a senior partner and adviser focusing on retail research and consulting. He directed retailer and wholesaler services activities for the firm, including customer intelligence, brand image and positioning, market expansion, customer satisfaction, growth and strategic planning. Jim has worked with more than 1,000 independent retailers and over 50 of the top industry chains and the largest wholesale groups. He has evaluated over 1,000 trading areas and visited over 10,000 stores. In retirement, Jim remains active with consulting work and serving on numerous industry and non-industry advisory boards.
CONNECT Email jrobisch@thefarnsworthgroup.com LinkedIn Jim Robisch
OPERATIONS
Go Beyond Exceptional
Some retailers are exceptionally more successful than others. They are masterful at their strategic planning, operational execution, product assorting, marketing and communications. Further, truly exceptional retailers do things that clearly distinguish their value in their markets. These things make them stand out above their competitors and make them the first choice for customers.
These retailers develop and provide uniqueness. They give their customers something special not available from other sources. These great retailers know and understand their customers and do things to excite their customers.
Retail evolution has produced this tendency to move toward sameness. Stores are scaling for “optimal” efficiency. However, retailers need to be cautious to not let this sameness cause them to lose their personality. Personality is the essence of an independent brand. It’s what lives in the minds of your customers. It’s who you are, and it sets your store apart from the homogeneous group of store types in your retail sector.
Store programs are great for assisting independents with their brand management. They check the boxes of things that have been identified as important to your customers. Store programs also allow for better alignment of your brand’s offerings with your customers. This is what I like to call “addictive excitement.” This is where you can clearly differentiate who you are. Here, the sky’s the limit. Opportunities abound. Often, the crazier, the better.
Talk to your customers. They’ll tell you what really excites them and what you most need to know. Talk to your team. Your team is on the frontline every day. Talk to customers who you have lost and others who don’t shop with you. Talk to fellow retailers who have wild and crazy ideas that are working for them. There is no shortage of inspiration here. I’m most partial to direct customer feedback. Decisions based on the voices of your customers are critical in crafting your uniqueness and separating your brand from others.
A final component to being exceptional that cannot be overlooked is the entrepreneurial passion that is a key part of being an exceptional retailer. While hard to define, it’s that burning inside of you. It’s that thing that you think just has to be a part of what you are and must be a part of your brand. Yes, it has to be relevantly associated with your customers’ wants and needs, but it’s also something different and unique. It’s something that can set you apart in this over-retailed world. After all, one size doesn’t always fit all.
Till next time.
Jim Robisch Senior Partner & Adviser, Ret. The Farnsworth Group
INDEPENDENT
Stay Loyal
Harness technology to build and manage a better customer loyalty program. Learn more at hardwareretailing.com/technology-loyalty
Loyalty Evolution
Key Findings From Deloitte’s Latest Loyalty Survey
UNDERSTANDING consumer behaviors and preferences is crucial for driving a valuable loyalty program. When offering financial rewards, consumers look for personalized, flexible and digital-centric loyalty programs. Adapting your
store’s loyalty program to shift with customer preferences is essential for keeping programs valuable for both the consumer and your company and these insights from Deloitte’s 2024 Consumer Loyalty Survey can guide your strategy.
Younger Consumers Place a Greater Value on Digital Experience
Source: 2024 Consumer Loyalty Survey, Deloitte
Strong Support, Personal Service.
A Partnership That Puts You First.
For over a century, House-Hasson Hardware has been a trusted partner to independent hardware stores, home centers, and lumberyards. We are proud to reflect a longstanding commitment to helping our dealers grow and succeed. We understand the unique challenges of independent retailers and are here to provide solutions that meet your needs.
Why choose House-Hasson?
Flexibility
Every program and service is customizable to meet your needs.
Personal Support
Our dedicated sales team offers hands-on support tailored to your business.
Extensive Product Selection
Our four distribution centers are stocked with new items based on dealer input and market trends.
Cash Rebates
Earn annual rebates—sent directly to you.
Monthly Promotions
Seasonal specials available through warehouse and drop-ship programs.
Financial Stability
We are debt-free and growing.
Our team is always accessible. Reach out today to discuss how we can help you achieve your goals. Call: (800) 333-0520
Best of the Best
Get an inside look at the 2025 Retailers’ Choice Awards at the National Hardware Show at hardwareretailing.com/retailers-choice
2025 Retailers’ Choice Awards
NEW INNOVATIONS FOR YEAR-ROUND PRODUCT MIXES
For the past 59 years, the Retailers’ Choice Awards, presented by the North American Hardware and Paint Association, have highlighted the best products on display at the National Hardware Show. The Retailers’ Choice Awards differ from most award programs as the judges’ panel is exclusively independent home improvement retailers who know best what sells in
the channel. The judges walk the show floor looking for those products they feel would be best-selling options in any independent operation.
On the following pages, discover the products retailers felt had the most potential to excite customers and boost sales in their operation. Read full product descriptions and learn more about each product at hardwareretailing.com/retailers-choice-2025
This year’s panel included:
• Jared Brown, Aubuchon Hardware
• Neal DeLowery, Aubuchon Hardware
• Joel Pletch, Walkerton Home Hardware
• Eddie Grundy, Carthage Hardware
• Christian Herrick, Randy’s Do it Best
• Jay Enberg, Busy Beaver Building Centers
Adhesive Roll WRAP-IT | wrapitstorage.com
The Smartest Investment You Can Make is in Your People.
Take your retail management skills to the next level with NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program. Designed for owners, managers and high-potential employees, this college-level program blends leadership development, operational excellence and strategic decision-making to drive real business success. With a streamlined format and price, the industry’s premier management course is more accessible than ever.
What Makes RMCP a Smart Investment?
Proven ROI
Graduates earn an average of 5X their tuition investment through their semester business improvement project.
Immediate Impact
Curriculum tackles today’s challenges, including pricing, inventory and change management.
Built for Retailer, by Retailers
Students learn from leading university instructors, industry expets and RMCP alumni.
Hands-On Learning & Expert Coaching
Gain practical skills through interactive workshops and one-on-one mentorship.
Follow in the footsteps of more than 300 retailers who have learned the skills to grow profits in today’s changing retail landscape. Learn more at YourNHPA.com/rmcp
FABRICATING
Why You Need SOPs for Consistency
BY HARDWARE RETAILING STAFF
Growing a retail operation, either incrementally for a single store or by opening new stores, often requires the entire team pulling in the same direction. But when everyone isn’t aware of the direction because processes and procedures are left to chance or not consistent, the business can suffer. Not having processes and procedures for key retail operational tasks, either new or existing, can cause frustration with employees not knowing what to do and how their piece of the puzzle affects the strength of the whole. And frustration can lead to employee turnover and ultimately unhappy customers.
Faced with their own issues of operational processes inconsistencies, four PaulB Hardware managers, merchandising manager Josh Weaver, Lititz store manager Corby Russell, operations manager Evan Stauffer and Mechanicsburg store manager Daryl Hurst, made creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) a priority for the operation.
PaulB, based in Lititz, Pennsylvania, has had formal SOPs in place since the operation opened its second location in Belleville, Pennsylvania, in 2008. But thanks to the diligence of these managers, three of whom attended the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s (NHPA) Retail Management Certification
Program, they led the way in refining the operation’s SOPs to bring efficiency to all three PaulB locations.
The PaulB managers share their best practices for developing, implementing and editing SOPs that any retailer can utilize to bring cohesion and consistency, boost employee engagement and set the path for future growth in their operation.
Create Consistency
Likely your operation is already using SOPs, but maybe they aren’t written down or applied consistently. PaulB Hardware had been very process-oriented since its founding in 1947, but leadership needed to capture those SOPs to ensure they worked across locations.
In 2014, the company implemented Epicor’s Eagle point-of-sale (POS) platform, which created the hurdle of synergizing SOPs between the Lititz store and the Belleville store. To overcome those obstacles, Russell says the team rewrote many of the SOPs and started using WikiDot, a platform that hosts and supports numerous wiki-based web projects.
“We didn’t necessarily get rid of the old ones, but we started updating them and all the links in our system, which was very clunky at that time,” Russell says.
“That’s when we started using WikiDot.”
The Right Way
PaulB Hardware merchandising manager
Josh Weaver (left) and Lititz store manager
Corby Russell are leading the charge in the use of SOPs to improve operations.
See How It’s Done
As you create and revise SOPs in your own operation, scan the QR code to see examples of PaulB Hardware’s SOPs—including videos, documents and checklists—to guide your strategies.
Opening PaulB’s third location in 2021 in Mechanicsburg exposed a number of inconsistencies in the SOPs. Russell says while a certain process may have worked well at their Lititz location, they realized it might not work the same or at all at the company’s Belleview or Mechanicsburg locations.
“I was in charge of writing all the shop SOPs to give to Mechanicsburg and worked diligently for a year and a half getting them all developed,” Russell says. “But when we went to implement those SOPs, I realized they would not be effective, as they were location specific instead of process specific.”
Weaver says the team saw how SOPs were written from the perspective of each specific department and written for today, not tomorrow.
“My manager Daryl asked me what my first SOP looked like, and I realized they have changed a lot as I grew in my role and as I started to get feedback on them,” Weaver says. “We had been relying on tribal knowledge at each store through that season. As a leader, it’s easier just to train them through tribal knowledge or create a new SOP rather than reference the old one. And the more you do that, the less confident you become that what you have is right.”
The leadership team at PaulB Hardware came to the realization that the SOPs were necessary but that they needed to be centralized.
“About a year ago, we started the journey of shop synergy meetings and taking store specific SOPs and putting them side by side and having the conversations about pulling those into one SOP that works for all stores,” Weaver says. “That’s been a powerful thing.”
Centralize and Consolidate
Along with consistency, centralization is key to success in SOPs. Today, PaulB Hardware’s SOPs are written in Google Docs and Google Slides and stored in WikiDot, so managers wanting to add a new SOP to the system do not need to have computer programming experience. WikiDot allows you to mirror a Google doc without a link and will update in WikiDot as an update is made in Google.
“We link it to a Google Doc, but all the links are the same,” Russell says. “When it gets updated, it’s updated on all the links, and it works really well.”
The company now has an SOP process led by the operations team, which provides helpful insights on how each SOP will work at each of the locations. They also
offer insights on areas where they don’t have experience, which Russell says is just as helpful to see potential flaws the SOP might hold for inexperienced employees.
“Thanks to the operation team’s experience, we can align the SOPs, which is powerful,” Russell says. “Even though the team is based at the Lititz store, they serve as a third party and provide a helpful angle to bring everything together. That neutral third party comes in as a clean slate, because sometimes when you’re in the mud, you don’t necessarily see the mud.”
Every week, senior leadership at PaulB Hardware comes together for alignment meetings where SOPs are reviewed and each manager provides feedback to make the SOPs as neutral as possible so they can be easily plugged in at any location. Weaver says there are some store-specific details that then go into an SOP in order for it to be successful, but they are as generalized as possible to be applicable in all stores.
“These meetings are extremely important to move the needle because the idea of trying to communicate all that through email or text is difficult to do,” Weaver says. “They are key to our success with SOPs.”
Weaver says the SOPs build on each other.
“If you start at the foundation and identify that first one, you can build on it to support team members as they advance in their roles. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure these SOPs connect in a way that’s clear to the learner,” Weaver says.
Continuous feedback beyond the alignment meetings is also crucial. Each PaulB supervisor has the ability to go into Google and tag the team with feedback and comments on an SOP.
“The feedback process is a big win with going to Google because if you don’t have a good way to provide feedback, there’s resistance and people won’t give it,” Weaver says.
“Training coordinator Evan Holbrook and training assistant
SOPs That Fit Each Learning Style
The team at PaulB Hardware approached training and standard operating procedures (SOPs) by addressing the different styles of learning—hands-on, visual and auditory—and implementing linear and nonlinear learning. The chart below visualizes those approaches.
The level of the SOP will also determine whether it is mostly images, mostly text or a combination of the two.
“For more entry-level employee SOPs, those are much more visually based, but as you get more in depth and start bumping up levels to more in-depth
processes, they tend to convert to more text-based SOPs,” Weaver says.
The team has also discovered there are considerations in the presentation of and access to the information.
“We have to consider whether they have access to a computer or email, or if a physical, printed copy is a better option,” Russell says. “We are trying to hit as many of those learning styles as possible because so many times the SOP fails simply because it’s not presented in a way the employee can understand it and go with it.”
LEARNING STYLES
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Hands-on learning allows employees to physically go through the SOPs out on the salesfloor.
VISUAL LEARNING
AUDITORY LEARNING
For visual learning, many of the SOPs include videos, charts and graphs.
THINKING STYLES
With auditory learning, managers will instruct an employee verbally.
Within those three types of learners, there are two types of thinkers:
LINEAR THINKING
Absorb information in a structured, step-by-step and sequential manner.
NONLINEAR THINKING
Absorb information in flexible, self-directed learning paths.
Rodney Snyder have gone through all the SOPs at this point, and now they’re putting the SOPs on a calendar for reviewing twice a year.”
Russell says any supervisor can also submit a change.
“Submitting a change doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen, because as leadership, we approve the SOP,” Russell says. “But it’s another way for employees to offer feedback.”
Organize for Future Growth
Early on, all SOPs were kept on a massive list that was difficult to sort or search for specific SOPs. With the use of Google and WikiDot, the team at PaulB Hardware is able to link SOPs to various departments and purposes.
For example, if an SOP is applicable to paint, sales and service, there doesn’t have to be three separate SOPs but rather just one link to that SOP from the paint list, the sales list and the service list.
Russell says they are also working on creating bundles of SOPs that work together and breaking the SOPs into different stages and steps to be more easily digestible and applicable for employees.
“We also have something called 30/60/90, which provides all the information a new employee would need to know in their first 30 days, 60 days and 90 days,” Russell says. “All of these SOPs are going to be linked and will ultimately support an employee’s growth path.”
Earn Employee Buy-In
Once you have SOPs in place and a system to manage and update them, your employees need to actually use them in order for them to be effective. Weaver says how quickly employees adapt depends on a variety of factors.
“If the SOP makes an employee’s job easier, it’s going to get adopted much quicker. If it adds extra steps or makes it harder, it’s going to be a heavier lift to bring it on board,” Weaver says. “Sometimes employees don’t realize that the way they’re doing things may be impacting something down the line in a negative way. And by shedding light on that, it brings a willingness to do something a little different for the best of the team.”
While pushback is inevitable, Weaver says you can reduce it by prepping employees and getting their input ahead of time. Management doesn’t just ask input from experienced employees but also gains insights from inexperienced employees because they are able to provide an unbiased look at SOPs and whether they make sense to a new employee. The feedback process among employees is also key.
“Changes from that intentional feedback piece you could have infused well before it was rolled out but you don’t implement end up being 10 changes to the SOP after
it is rolled out,” Weaver says. “You get done training one thing, and then you have to change it right away.”
While a new employee may not fully understand the full scope of the SOPs when they first start, it provides them with foundational knowledge, Russell says.
“But then you hand them the SOP in the situation, and now it makes sense,” he says. “It’s a balance of prior to and during the training of repeating and teaching them to go to the wiki to look for the SOP they need in that moment.”
The PaulB managers have also learned that no matter how much you plan, manage and train, writing an SOP requires being specific, but you can’t build in every scenario, Russell says.
“When you start building in too many scenarios, you force the employee to not think out of the box for things like customer service,” he says. “One of the SOPs we struggled with the most with this was the return policy. Josh did a very good flow chart but we ended up adjusting it multiple times and probably overdid it. There’s definitely some SOPs that are more standard operation guidelines because we really want to promote taking care of the customer first rather than following steps.”
Hurst says they always remind employees that if an SOP does not allow them to provide the level of customer service they think they need to, leadership is always open to hearing feedback.
“We make sure employees know customer service comes first,” Hurst says. “Don’t let the process get in the way.”
Just Start
When it comes to starting or revising your own SOP strategies, Hurst says it’s important to just start.
“You’re not going to get there in a day, it’s a long journey, but you just need to take that first step,” Hurst says. “Oftentimes, we may have more processes in place than we tend to give ourselves credit for, so starting might just mean writing those things down.”
Hurst also advises that whoever leads the SOP strategy should be someone who is willing to take ownership and with a passion for processes. Leadership should also buy into the SOPs.
“Even as leaders, while we have the autonomy and even responsibility to break outside the process when that needs to be done, it’s best that we follow SOPs as well,” Hurst says. “I can’t remember where I heard it, but there’s a saying that says ‘Processes are to business what code is to computers.’ You expect a consistent outcome because there’s code there that’s making it happen. Delivering your product or service properly time after time, without fail, is the foundation of excellent customer service. Systems are what allow you to guarantee that.”
INDEPENDENT HOME IMPROVEMENT CONFERENCE
the Industry Enlightening
IHI Conference Educational Sessions Cover Topics That Are Top of Mind for Independents
BY LINDSEY THOMPSON
The Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHI Conference) is the premier event designed exclusively for independent hardware and home improvement retailers. This event brings together industry leaders, retailers and channel partners for two days of education, networking and business growth opportunities.
Taking place July 30-31, 2025, at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, the IHI Conference offers opportunities for attendees to network with peers, manufacturers and service providers and gain valuable insights and connections that can help drive their
businesses forward. The conference also includes the Independents Celebration, a high-energy networking event, as well as the Young Retailer of the Year Awards, Beacon Awards and Top Guns Awards, which each recognize outstanding independent retailers.
Attendees can also choose from a dynamic lineup of expert-led sessions, panel discussions and keynote presentations tailored to help retailers navigate challenges, implement new strategies and strengthen their operations. Learn more about these educational sessions and visit IHIConference.org to sign up and set yourself—and your operation—up for success.
INDUSTRY AWARDS Register Today
Save your spot and register for the 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference at IHIConference.org. We can’t wait to see you there!
On the Main Stage
Each day of the conference will include afternoon general sessions featuring industry experts and award-winning retailers sharing insights on channel hot topics.
Customer Experience Meets Creativity
In this keynote by globally acclaimed speaker and former head of innovation and creativity at Disney Duncan Wardle, you’ll learn how to harness creativity to turn a product-centric culture into a consumer-centric one. Attendees will learn how to create a sustainable culture of innovation and creativity throughout their organization and lead every employee to think creatively. Discover how to leverage high-tech to enable high-touch, deliver record guest satisfaction and address the biggest consumer pain points.
State of the Industry: Elevating the Edge of Independent Retail
Backed by comprehensive data, informed by real-world insight and grounded in industry research, this session presented by North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) COO Dan Tratensek will help you understand where the market stands and how you can position your operation for growth in the year ahead. From shifting consumer behavior to inventory trends, labor dynamics to competitive positioning, this is the pulse check every independent leader needs.
Top Guns Live: Leadership Lessons From the Industry’s Boldest Leaders
In this panel moderated by NHPA managing editor Lindsey Thompson and Farm and Home Hardware CEO Scott Jerousek, the 2025 Top Guns Awards honorees take the stage for a powerful panel conversation that pulls back the curtain on what bold leadership looks like in independent home improvement retail. Hear how these award-winning retailers are tackling labor challenges, navigating growth, embracing technology and staying focused on their communities and customers.
Macro-Economic Factors Impacting Home Improvement Behaviors
From inflation and interest rates to labor shortages and consumer sentiment, macroeconomic forces are reshaping the way homeowners think, spend and invest in their homes. In this data-driven session, Dave King, executive director of the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), breaks down the key economic factors influencing home improvement behaviors in 2025 and provides an up-to-date view of the broader economic environment.
Voices of Impact: A Conversation With Young Retailer of the Year and Beacon Award Honorees
From bold new ideas to time-tested leadership, the honorees of NHPA’s Young Retailer of the Year and The Hardware Connection’s Beacon Awards represent the best of what independent home improvement retail has to offer. In this energizing panel, award-winning retailers will share their stories, strategies and lessons learned from building strong teams, embracing innovation and driving meaningful change in their communities and businesses.
Solution-Focused Breakout Sessions
Attendees can also register for morning breakout sessions that will cover topics including technology, employee engagement, advertising and marketing and more. The breakout sessions will include presentations and panels from experts, retailers and vendors and send attendees home with practical best practices.
01 03
Rewriting the Rules of Engagement: Gallup Research in Action
The workplace has changed—and so has the science behind what makes employees show up, stay engaged and succeed. In this powerful session, Dr. Rob Mathews unpacks Gallup’s most recent data on employee engagement, with a focus on what it means for independent retailers navigating labor challenges, generational shifts and evolving team expectations.
02
Beyond Your 4 Walls: Expanding B2B Sales Strategies for Long-Term Success
Retail growth isn’t limited to what happens inside your store. In this strategic executive panel, leading retailers share how they’ve built successful B2B programs to expand their reach, deepen customer relationships and unlock new revenue streams—without adding square footage.
The Future Is Now: How Independent Retailers Are Using AI to Innovate & Win
If your daily operations feel more reactive than strategic, you’re not alone. From receiving inventory and tracking sales to scheduling staff and managing communication, the grind of retail can get overwhelming—fast. The good news? Emerging tech and smarter systems are now more accessible than ever—and they’re built to help independent retailers take back control.
04
Driving Traffic Through Store Events & Local Influencers
Looking for ways to create buzz, boost foot traffic and build deeper connections with your community? In today’s experience-driven retail world, events and influencer partnerships are no longer “extras”—they’re essential tools for customer engagement and brand growth.
05
The Price Perception Hackathon: Changing Minds Without Changing Margins
Independent retailers know the value they offer—but too often, customers only see the price tag. In this hands-on, high-energy hackathon, participants will roll up their sleeves to tackle one of the industry’s biggest challenges: price perception.
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From Boomers to Zoomers: Creating a Customer Experience for Every Generation
From Boomers who value service and expertise to Gen Z customers who expect speed, self-service and social proof—retailers today are navigating a customer base as generationally diverse as their product mix. This retailer panel explores how independent home improvement stores are adapting their customer experience strategies to meet the needs of every generation—on the salesfloor, online and everywhere in between.
07
Leading Through Change: How Resilient Leaders Adapt, Inspire and Win in Uncertain Times
From shifting workforce dynamics and supply chain challenges to evolving customer expectations and economic pressure, today’s leaders are expected to navigate more—and inspire more—than ever before. You’ll hear insights and real-life examples of how to stay grounded, maintain team morale and make confident decisions in fast-changing environments.
The Pricing Equation: Balancing Margin, Movement & Market Trust
Pricing is one of the most powerful levers in retail—but also one of the most misunderstood. In this interactive panel, industry leaders will explore how independent retailers can build dynamic pricing strategies that protect margin, communicate value and respond to real-time market conditions.
09
Foundations of Merchandising: Maximizing the Sales Potential of Every Square Foot
In today’s retail environment, foot traffic isn’t guaranteed—but maximizing every customer interaction is. Whether you’re looking to increase average ticket size, improve profitability or simply make better use of your space, one key driver stands out: effective merchandising.
The Niche Market Hackathon: Turning Gaps into Growth
The strongest independents don’t just sell what everyone else does—they lean into what their communities want most. In this high-energy hackathon, participants will team up to explore niche department ideas that could unlock new revenue, attract new customers and build brand differentiation.
A KNACK FOR MECHANICS
James Kleinman Transfers Skills From the Navy to the Paint Store
BY LINDSEY THOMPSON
With a desire to see the world and a mechanically inclined brain, James Kleinman joined the U.S. Navy in 1978. James served for six years working on submarines and the surface fleet as a nuclear-trained electrician’s mate second class.
“The Navy slogan I had seen growing up was, ‘Join the Navy, see the world,’ and that got me at a certain level,” James says. “As I grew older,
I got interested in machinery—hot rods, planes, submarines—all the gears of war.”
After he took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and scored high in electrical and mechanical, recruiters were eager to sign him up to serve with the U.S. Navy, James says.
“They were just falling all over themselves, they wanted to get me in,” he says. “Somebody offered me submarines, and I knew that’s where I wanted to go.”
ASSOCIATION
Honored to Serve
Learn more about the Helmets to Home Improvement program and meet the other honorees at YourNHPA.org/veterans.
PAYING TRIBUTE
While there is no way to repay the sacrifices made by veterans of the armed forces, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) recognizes that not only have these individuals made a lasting impact on their country, but they are also a prominent and positive influence within the home improvement industry.
To honor the ongoing impact military veterans make throughout the home improvement industry, NHPA launched the Helmets to Home Improvement recognition program, with the National Hardware Show (NHS) as the program’s official founding sponsor and venue partner.
We need your help honoring these amazing men and women. Please visit YourNHPA.org/veterans to nominate a Helmets to Home Improvement honoree.
James Kleinman transferred his love for all things mechanical, helping others solve problems and sharing joy to his role at Luu Color Center
Nominate a Veteran
Help us honor those who have served our country and our channel. Visit YourNHPA.org/veterans to nominate a veteran from your business to be recognized.
James Kleinman loved getting to see the world during his time in the U.S. Navy and enjoyed working with a variety of gear.
Having the opportunity to work with all of the military gear at the time was a highlight for James and his love for machines. He also loved getting to see the world as the old Navy slogan promised, visiting Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand and more.
“I didn’t even realize at the time how technologically advanced the gear I was working on was compared to the civilian world,” James says. “And I was able to see so many different places. But my most favorite moment was on a surface ship in the middle of nowhere where you could see nothing but storms and the ocean.”
Supporting the Industry
After his time in the Navy, James did a number of odd jobs using the different skills he gained in the Navy, but ultimately settled into working as a professional painter.
“When you’re in the military, you learn so much, so after I got out, I did a lot of different things,” he says. “Eventually, I just got more into painting, because it indulged my creativity more.”
In 1992, James began working at a locally owned Benjamin Moore paint store in Maryland with his sister, Amy. There he met Toan Luu, who was a professional commercial and residential painter. In 1998, Amy and Toan opened Luu Color Center in Rockville, Maryland, and James joined them in the business.
Being able to solve customers’ problems is James’ favorite part of working in the industry.
THANK YOU TO OUR HELMETS TO HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SPONSORS
“I like the challenge of solving problems every day. Every problem that comes in, even when it’s the same old problem, is still a little bit different,” James says. “I love working with color, paint and design, it’s in my creative blood.”
Along with learning practical skills in the Navy that he has put to use in the paint store, James says he gained the important lesson of being self-sufficient.
“The Navy taught me a lot of very important and fundamental lessons about how to make it in the world,” James says. “I’m grateful for that.”
After retiring in 2011, Kleinman enjoyed a well-deserved break until he was called to join the industry once more. When Toan’s daughter Huong Luu reached out for help following her father’s passing in 2021, James graciously came out of retirement to help rebuild and support her and the store.
“For me, it meant everything to have Jamie come out of retirement five years into it to help me rebuild after my dad’s passing,” Huong says. “Without Jamie’s willingness to step back in and support the business, we simply would not be where we are today. His commitment and heart have made all the difference.”
The company has blossomed under Huong’s lead with James’ support.
“I am so grateful to get such a rare second chance at something so close to my heart,” James says. “I left a lot of blood, sweat and tears that were still there when I came back. I feel so very fortunate to have that chance.”
OPERATIONS On Deck
Learn about the different decking materials and how to educate your customers on choosing the best option at hardwareretailing.com/decking-materials
BUILD YOUR
STRATEGY
5 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE SALES OPPORTUNITIES IN DECKING
Provided by the Home Improvement Research Institute
Decking remains a high-potential category as homeowners continue investing in outdoor spaces, especially for independent building material retailers. Research from the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) highlights buyer preferences and behaviors that can guide smarter sales strategies. Here are five data-backed ways to sharpen your approach.
Support the Steady DIY Base With a Balanced Approach
Around 54% of decking projects were completed by homeowners, 32% by contractors and 14% by both DIYers and pros, according to HIRI’s 2024 Product Purchase Tracking Study. While DIY remains prevalent, professional involvement is substantial.
Retailer Takeaway: Offer resources for both groups. Tailor product guidance, signage and staff expertise to meet the needs of both walk-in homeowners and contractors. Ensure merchandising supports planning for all skill levels.
About HIRI
The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) is the only nonprofit organization primarily dedicated to home improvement research. The organization empowers its members with exclusive, ongoing home improvement data and information for making better business decisions. Members are the home improvement industry’s leading manufacturers, retailers and allied organizations. Learn more at hiri.org
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Stock the Right Mix of Products
Pressure-treated decking leads in homeowner preferences, followed by composite and stainable options, while PVC lags significantly.
Retailer Takeaway: Align inventory with demand. Offer good, better and best product lines with clear value messaging to aid comparison. Showcase the visual and maintenance differences among materials while highlighting what’s in stock for customers ready to buy and build.
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Make Online Ordering a Seamless Extension of In-Store Service
Decking buyers often prefer in-person purchases for such tactile, high-involvement products. In 2024, top retailers were big-box stores, capturing 58% of customers, with local building materials stores attracting 12% and local hardware stores getting 11%.
Retailer Takeaway: Provide clear specs, pricing and pickup/delivery info online. Sync inventory between digital and physical storefronts. For pros, promote job site delivery and time-saving tools like online reordering or bulk pricing.
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Recognize the Role of Branding in Purchase Decisions
28% of homeowners factored product brands into their decking decision, according to HIRI’s 2024 Product Purchase Tracking Study. This creates an opportunity for independents to leverage national brand equity.
Retailer Takeaway: Promote brands with strong reputations and warranties. Use signage and displays to highlight standout features including value, durability or innovation.
Making Strategic Adjustments for Success
If you’re not yet a HIRI member, consider joining for enterprise-wide access to $1M+ annually in home improvement research. Learn more at HIRI.org/pricing. With membership, you get access to quarterly U.S. Size of Market Reports and HIRI’s Bi-Annual Product Purchase Tracking Study. This comprehensive research covers a variety of items,
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Target Homebuyers to Increase Sales Momentum
According to HIRI’s 2025 Recent Homebuyer and Seller Study, 23% of recent buyers purchased decking materials, compared to just 14% of sellers. Buyers are focused on enhancing their outdoor spaces.
Retailer Takeaway: Target new homeowners with digital campaigns, in-store offers or local partnerships and reach out to this motivated audience with timely promotions aligned to peak planning periods.
analyzing the purchasing behavior and preferences of homeowners across various building product groups and identifying factors most important for homeowners as they make product selections and purchasing decisions for their homes. For additional insights, make plans to attend HIRI’s 2025 Home Improvement Insights Summit, October 22-23, in Chicago, which is open to non-members and members alike. Learn more and register at hirisummit.com.
RESOURCES
The Data You Need
NHPA conducts industry research throughout the year, providing data to help retailers be better and more profitable. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/research
HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?
UNDERSTANDING how independent home improvement operations are performing throughout the year helps other retailers in the channel compare themselves to their peers and use that data to make improvements to their operations.
Since 2022, the North American Hardware and Paint Association has partnered with The Farnsworth Group to produce the Independent Retailer Index, which tracks key performance metrics quarterly.
RESPONDENT PROFILES
Every quarter, the index asks independent home improvement retailers to share year-over-year changes in:
• Transaction count and size
• Inventory investment
• Cost of goods
• Profit margin dollars
• Future operational investments We surveyed retailers on their performance in the first quarter of 2025 compared to Q1 2024. See highlights of the data here and download the full report at YourNHPA.org/retailer-index
Many different types of independent retailers participated in the survey, with 69% operating one store and almost half (45%) operating in rural locations.
The Industry Benchmark
Submit your data for the NHPA 2025 Cost of Doing Business Study to receive a free copy and a personalized financial analysis with insights to help plan for long-term financial success. This study is the benchmark for the industry, helping retailers identify ways to reduce costs, increase profits and uncover hidden growth opportunities. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/CODB.
CHANGES IN TOTAL SALES (YEAR OVER YEAR)
33% of retailers saw year-over-year sales growth in Q1, which is 5% higher than the Q1 2024 performance and stable from Q1 2023. On average, participants’ sales increased by 0.2% year-over-year, the first positive change in the past 2 years.
CHANGES
IN GROSS
PROFIT MARGINS
(YEAR OVER YEAR)
Although more retailers are seeing an increase in profit margins over prior quarters, the average change in profit margin is at its lowest in the past 2 years (-3.9%). This indicates that of those who are seeing declines, their decreases are much larger than those seeing increases.
ACCESS THE INDEX
Be sure you’re on the list to receive the newest data from the Independent Retailer Index quarterly. Head to YourNHPA.org/research to subscribe today.
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The Decking Difference
BEST PRACTICES FOR NAILING DOWN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN DECKING AND RAILING
BY JACOB MUSSELMAN
Having a well-organized, customer-focused display can make all the difference for the decking and railing category. At Budget Home Supply in Longmont, Colorado, the decking and railing category displays how attention to detail—on the salesfloor and behind the scenes—can meet customer needs.
Morgan Stevens, Budget Home Supply’s sales manager, has been with the store for nearly a decade and has built a team of salespeople focused not just on selling, but also on building lasting partnerships with customers.
“Our goal isn’t to push product,” Stevens says. “It’s to guide customers through their projects and make sure the outcome meets their expectations.”
01 CREATE A HANDS-ON SHOWROOM
Budget Home Supply’s success in the decking and railing category starts with an organized, interactive showroom that makes the product selection process both intuitive and engaging, Stevens says. Budget Home Supply’s showroom is designed to help customers explore different decking options in an interactive environment.
Before this category’s redesign in 2021, the decking and railing category’s setup wasn’t user-friendly and didn’t show the products in the best way possible, Stevens says.
“Before, each manufacturer had their own A-frame display, and they were competing for attention,” he says. “Now, we’ve standardized the layout. Every brand has the same display
CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT
OPERATIONS Do Decking Right
Retailers share creative ideas to merchandise the space you have available and let customers know what you offer in decking materials. Learn more at hardwareretailing.com/merchandise-decking
format, so customers can focus on the product differences, not the presentation.”
The showroom features wall-mounted decking and railing samples. Beneath each wall is a drawer stocked with take-home samples.
“The idea is to be able to pull a board off the wall, set it on the floor, walk on it and hold it up against the railing options,” Stevens says. “We don’t want customers walking out with analysis paralysis. The goal is that they leave with a better understanding of their options and feel confident in their choice.”
02 EDUCATE YOUR EMPLOYEES
Stevens says employee training plays a large role in how his sales team helps customers succeed in this category. Understanding every aspect of the customer’s project is important to make sure your sales team helps the customer make the right choice.
“We take pride that our sales representatives are the ones with the knowledge about each product we sell,” Stevens says.
Stevens says every decking and railing manufacturer produces similar products, so identifying the priorities for the customer is important, whether it’s longevity, resistance to weather or even pricing. All are key pieces of information the employees need to know to help the customer make the best choice for their needs.
“We have a training plan for new hires where we go through the basics,” Stevens says. “Then we bring in our manufacturer representatives and they teach us about the features of their product. When I’m setting up these trainings, I want our employees to know what each brand prides itself on, so when my staff is talking with a customer, they’re able to show them the best about each brand.”
03 TAILOR THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Contractors make up the bulk of Budget Home Supply’s clientele, but Stevens and his team recognize the opportunity in serving DIYers as well.
“We treat every customer as an individual,” Stevens says. “A lot of our sales come from contractors, and they usually know exactly what they want. Our DIY customers need more support. DIYers aren’t normally familiar with decking, but that’s where we make the difference from our competition—we provide the information they need on each decking product.”
Stevens takes a dual approach depending on the type of customer he is working with, offering durability, speed and sourcing efficiency for contractors and personalized guidance and education for DIYers. By offering personalized service, Stevens’ sales team has grown its customer base and attracted repeat customers.
“We often find contractors return to us because we can source exactly what they need quickly,” he says. “For DIYers, it’s about walking them through the decision-making process and offering recommendations based on their project goals. Whether they want low-maintenance options or a specific style, we ensure they leave with confidence.”
RESOURCES News to You
Subscribe to our daily newsletters at hardwareretailing.com/subscribe for the latest news, trends and more.
What You Need to Know in June
Orgill’s Brand Building Team Fuels Dealer Growth
To provide the scale and assistance retailers need in developing and communicating their unique brands, Orgill offers its customers access to a range of brand-building tools, from menu-driven toolboxes to a team of brand-building professionals. Orgill encourages retailers to lean into the elements of their operation that make them unique within their market and use these elements to develop and cultivate their brands at the local level.
“One of the main advantages independent retailers have over national competitors is they know their markets better than anyone and they have a distinct value proposition built around the markets they serve,” says Boyden Moore, Orgill president and CEO. “Research shows that shoppers are more likely to respond to a local retailer’s brand than any national brand. We want to help them develop that unique brand so it resonates within their trading area.”
Moore says the branding tools that Orgill provides are easy to use with no mandatory commitments and include monthly planning guides, which are free to all customers, and one-on-one consultative brand development with its experienced team of brand professionals.
“We want to make a variety of resources available to our customers and guide them to tools that will be right for them, given their particular needs,” says Tony Foy, Tyndale Advisors marketing director.
“When it comes to branding, this might mean something as basic as help with consistent in-store signage or advertising design, while others may need help in completely developing their brand, refreshing their salesfloors, designing a new logo or more. Whatever they need, we have them covered.”
Do it Best Wins ACG 2024 Deal of the Year Award
Do it Best was the recipient of the Association for Corporate Growth 2024 Deal of the Year Award (Large Cap) for Indiana.
The Deal of the Year Awards recognize the most impactful and well-executed transactions in the state, and Do it Best’s award recognizes the company’s successful acquisition of the True Value Company.
The acquisition, which closed in November 2024, involved the purchase of substantially all assets and operations of True Value. The deal was executed under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code, preserved nearly 2,000 jobs, maintained the brand identity of over 4,500 True Value retail stores worldwide and allowed independent retailers to continue sourcing products from their longtime supplier.
Ace Hardware and Weber Blackstone Pen Exclusive Deal
Weber LLC has signed an agreement that will make Ace Hardware and its subsidiary, Emery Jensen Distribution, its exclusive distribution partners within the independent home improvement channel beginning in 2026. The decision came less than one week after Weber LLC completed the combination of its business with Blackstone Products to form a new entity, Weber Blackstone.
Tractor Supply Invests in Growth
Tractor Supply Company is expanding its operations and services with two major initiatives. The company has broken ground on a new 895,000-square-foot distribution center in Nampa, Idaho, to support its growing store network and e-commerce business and launched Tractor Supply Rx, its own online pet and animal pharmacy, offering prescription medications and supplements to better serve its customers' animal health needs.
To read these news stories and other news, visit hardwareretailing.com/industry-news
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For beauty that goes deeper than the surface.
The ultimate protection for outdoor beauty. Our innovative formulas minimize lm build to reduce cracking and peeling for less prep, easier coating, and long-lasting results.
Color: Teak ES-30
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House-Hasson Dealer Market June
AUG
Orgill Fall Online Buying Event August 4-17 | VIRTUAL
The
Center Show August 12-13 | ROSEMONT, IL
Ace Fall Convention August 12-14 | CHICAGO, IL
Buy a Store | Sell Your Business | Post a Job, Get a Business Valuation | Find a Lender and More
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Northwest Farm & Home Supply Co.
Location: Lemmon, SD
Gross Revenue: $3.21 million
The main building is a total 27,213 sq. ft. of retail and warehouse space on 4 acres. The main bldg. was constructed in 1994 with additions constructed in 2002 and 2004.
Single story with 22’ clear height in 11,459 sq. ft. of lumber warehouse, three grade level doors and two dock height doors.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Hoosick True Value
Location: Hoosick Falls, NY
Gross Revenue: $1.26 million
Price: $1.875 million
This opportunity offers a turnkey sale of a general hardware business located in northeastern Rensselaer Co., New York. The business serves five towns and southwestern Bennington Co., Vermont, and 25 miles east of Troy, New York.
SEEKING BUSINESSES
The Aubuchon Company
For our next acquisition, we are looking for:
• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations
• Located in northeast and southeast United States
• Store size of 5,000-30,000 ft 2
• At least $3 million in average store sales
SEEKING BUSINESSES
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Home Improvement Supply Store
Location: Missouri
Gross Revenue: $1.04 million
This historic home improvement and hardware store is a staple of its community and operates from its headquarters in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area of Missouri. The Company is a long-standing retailer and installer of consumer and commercial improvement products.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Albrights Hardware & Garden Center
Location: Allentown, PA
Gross Revenue: $1.9 million
Price: $800,000
Albrights Hardware is an established hardware store with strong neighborhood ties and has been a Lehigh Valley staple for over 50 years. The current owners have owned the store since 1992. Albrights serves its loyal customer base by providing quality products and exceptional customer service.
SEEKING BUSINESSES
Bolster Hardware
We are looking for:
• Geography agnostic
• With or without real estate
• Store revenues of $1.5M+
• We prefer to honor the family name and heritage in the local community by not changing the name
• We prefer to keep all employees as part of the acquisition
JOB LISTING
The Helpful Hardware Company
We are looking for:
• Single-store units in the southeast and multi-store groups with 3+ units nationwide
• Store size of 5,000 ft2-35,000 ft2
• Supplier agnostic
• Store revenue: $1.75M+
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Central Vermont Paint, Flooring and Decorating Business
Location: Vermont
Gross Revenue: $2.82 million
Price: $1.1 million
Full-service decorating store providing flooring, paint, window treatments, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, cabinetry product offerings, design assistance, specialized service, and professional installation.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Private Business
Location: Alabama
Gross Revenue: $2.21 million
Price: $649,000
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Private Business
Location: Pennsylvania
Gross Revenue: $1.6 million
SEEKING BUSINESSES
Gold Beach Lumber Yard
We are looking for:
• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations
• Located in the Pacific Northwest
• Store size of 5,000 ft2-30,000 ft2
Randall Lumber & Hardware, Inc.
Position: Hardware, Ranch and Feed Department Manager
• Annual Salary: $48,000-$55,000
• Bachelor’s Degree or 5 years of experience in similar role preferred
• Strong leadership skills and creative thinking are a bonus
LAST WORD
OPERATIONS
For Your Safety
See how an OSHA violation led one retailer to develop in-depth safety SOPs at hardwareretailing.com/safety-SOPs
Processes That Work
4 Benefits of Building a Strong SOP Strategy
PAULB HARDWARE , which is based in Lititz, Pennsylvania, and also has locations in Belleville and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has been process-oriented since its inception in 1947.
To ensure future success of the processes and the operation, two managers from PaulB Hardware—merchandising manager Josh Weaver and Lititz store manager Corby Russell—have made creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) a priority and share the top benefits of implementing SOPs in your operation.
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REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS
With SOPs in place, the PaulB managers have noticed that the constant questions from employees have decreased because when they don’t remember a step, instead of having to call the team lead or the supervisor and maybe disrupt them from what they’re working on, the SOPs are an easy reference point.
“Think about a toolbox. If you use a screwdriver every day and keep it in the same well-labeled drawer, when you need to add a new screwdriver, you’ll know where it goes and how it fits,” Weaver says. “When employees have a question that is similar to an SOP they’ve already learned, they know to look in the place they are accustomed to looking.”
MORE EFFICIENCY
As each process becomes automated through an SOP, less work is required on the back end, freeing up more time for employees.
“As we’ve brought efficiency through these SOPs, we’ve been able to absorb growth without adding additional staff,” Weaver says.
INCREASED EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
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If an employee can complete their tasks through the SOPs without having to ask a lot of questions, their confidence goes up and they can enjoy their job more, which translates into retention and longevity.
“Being able to keep those employees who have the knowledge they were taught through the SOPs is very valuable,” Russell says. “They become positive and confident contributors.”
IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE
While having SOPs in place may seem like a hindrance to customer service, the managers at PaulB Hardware have found the opposite results.
“SOPs have sharpened our focus when it comes to customer care and engagement,” Weaver says. “Our goal isn’t to script our employees but encourage them to use their creativity to go the extra mile, while providing them the resources for the system and process pieces.”
Uninterrupted Views
Unmatched Style
Uninterrupted Views. Clear Views From Every Deck
Give your customers the open, modern look they want with Westbury® Aluminum Railing. From the timeless appeal of VertiCable®, to the sleek horizontal lines of Bella Cavo™, to the wide-open views of Veranda glass railing, our systems are built for performance, durability, and style. Hardware stores nationwide are adding Westbury® to their offerings to deliver premium railing solutions that set them apart.
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C.C. Gibbs
Owner of Gibbs Hardware
Grayson, Kentucky
RESULTS. SMOOTH TRANSITION. PROVEN
Switching suppliers can make any retailer uneasy— especially when it means replacing brands your customers have trusted for decades. However, for C.C. Gibbs and his team at Gibbs Hardware the decision to partner with a new supplier turned out to be one of their best.
Thanks to Orgill’s broad product range, customizable assortments, and reliable supply chain, the Gibbs team made a smooth, confident transition—and the results speak for themselves.
“One of our biggest concerns was switching from the distributor-branded paint line we’d supported for years. It had been a staple in our rural town, and we were one of the top paint buyers through our previous distributor. But the change went better than we imagined—our customers embraced the new line, and we didn’t miss a beat. Sales have kept climbing ever since.”
— C.C. Gibbs, Orgill Dealer, Grayson, KY
Discover what Orgill can do for your business at Orgill.com/opportunity.
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