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.
Editor/Founder/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864
Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609
Founder/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126
Senior
John Hammond jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com National Account Manager: Dan Beck dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 Contributing Writers: Doug Donaldson, Gary Pittsford, John Fix III
By Chris Jensen
What’s Your Social Media Strategy?
More retailers are discovering the benefits of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, but that doesn’t mean they are using it effectively. After hearing what experts have to say about social media strategy and after looking over several dozen retailers’ Facebook pages, it’s possible to distinguish between those that are doing it the right way and those that are still struggling to make sense of this relatively new form of communication.
The retailers who stood out did several things consistently well. They posted interesting content, posted frequently (at least 3-4 times/week) and found ways to engage their customers. They posted pictures of store events, promoted Facebook-only contests and shared DIY project tips that might be of interest to their customers.
At the other end of the spectrum are the retailers who have a Facebook page because they’ve heard enough people tell them they should have one, but they really don’t know what to do with it. Not only do they post infrequently, but every post is a sales pitch for a particular product. Not surprisingly, they have not convinced very many customers to “like” them.
Effective social media strategy costs the same thing as ineffective social
media strategy —nothing! So, there’s still hope for those retailers who haven’t figured out how to make the best use of this brand-building tool. And that’s ultimately what Facebook can do for your store—help you form a closer bond with new and existing customers so they view your store as the store of first choice when they need hardware products.
Go to the following Facebook pages and soak up the wisdom of these hardware retailing Facebook stars.
• T&M Hardware and Rental, Ellwood City, Pa.
• Junction True Value, Seattle
• Ambridge Do it Best Home Center, Ambridge, Pa.
See how these retailers used creative events and helpful information to engage their customers? They also show their employees having fun, which is a smart way to attract new hires. It’s all stuff you can do easily, and no one knows your community better than you. Your Facebook page is a snapshot of your store’s personality, so make sure it reveals a place that will be fun to shop.
Get started today on a new social media strategy and make it an urgent priority. Your business’ future success just might depend on it. n
By Craig Cope
How to Hire the Best Employees
Owners or managers of hardware stores, home centers or lumberyards must be masters of many managerial skills. If the store is relatively small, one of the chores they face is evaluating and hiring employees when a vacancy occurs among their existing staff. Talk to any retailer, and finding and keeping good employees is their number one challenge these days, right up there with dealing with the ongoing supply chain challenges.
Large stores can delegate the hiring task to a human resources manager, of course, but whether a store is large or small, selecting the most qualified employees remains one of management’s most important tasks.
Few kinds of retailers have a greater need for intelligent, capable employees than hardlines retailers, so the task of evaluating and hiring the best employee is vitally important. There are retailers such as drug stores that require staff with specialized training, but among general retailers, only hardlines retailers seem to require staff that needs to be able to help customers solve a
wide variety of household problems and make product recommendations, even offering explicit how-to advice when making the sale.
I still remember a comment from past Beacon Award winner Bobby Heuser of Heuser’s Ace Hardware in Bluffton, S.C., who admitted one of the worst things he has done over the years is hiring someone because he needed someone, despite the person not being a good fit. “Filling a gap is a short-term problem, and this gives a short-term solution, in exchange for a long-term problem. That’s a bad deal, and something I’ve tried to continue reminding myself as we work through this staffing shortage. Only hire folks because I want them as an employee, not because I want to eliminate a gap,” Heuser said.
One of the first things any retailer must do is intelligently interview and test job applicants. Making the right selection of job applicants to begin with is the very basis of ultimately providing superior customer service.
This month’s cover story on the innovative hiring process at Blackhawk Hardware also contains a wealth of
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“The staff was helpful in assuring I got the best product to meet my needs.”
— Barry
trend watch
good ideas, and you can turn to page 39 to see examples of the actual forms Blackhawk Hardware uses to screen and interview applicants.
Most retailers have developed application forms that focus on two basic elements: one being the general intelligence of the applicant; the second being his or her knowledge of the kinds of products sold in the store and/or how they would be used by potential purchasers so that they could properly advise the customer about their use.
Some retailers also include questions about the applicant’s physical abilities, such as his or her ability to lift bags of fertilizer, cement, etc., some of which might weigh as much as 50 pounds.
Retailers intermingle questions of various types so applicants must jump from one kind of topic to another. This intermingling serves several purposes. Most importantly, it shows how quickly an applicant’s mind can adjust to changing circumstances, an important element when one is dealing with a customer.
All of the questions from each of the categories listed below are intermingled in job application form, but are presented here by category for reader convenience.
For determining basic intelligence, ask questions like:
• How many inches in a yard?
• Opposite of North is?
• What is east of the United States?
For determining any special abilities or skills, ask questions like:
• What do you say when you approach a customer?
• In what order would you do the following: put out stock, answer a customer’s question, sweep the floor?
For making sales and working with customers, ask questions like:
• If the customer gives you $10.00 and the sale was $7.97, how much change do they get?
• The total comes up to $17.01 and the customer gives you a $20 bill. As you are in process of giving them change, they hand you a penny. How much change do they get?
Other questions help you determine the character of the person you would be bringing on board. For example, if an employee gives his/her discount to a friend, that employee:
a. Did a great job helping out a friend and potential customer.
b. Should be dismissed immediately.
c. Should be given a written warning and a second chance.
Hopefully, this article will give you some ideas to help you improve your own hiring practices. As any retailer knows, your store’s operation is only as strong as its weakest link, and you don’t want any of your employees to be the weak link. n
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HARDWARE STORIES Amazing but TRUE
Until he finally passed (in July 2021), we had a store cat named Sox. Sox had been rescued from the animal shelter back in 2003. He was the store greeter and ambassador and was considered like one of the employees. He was a real old fella, nearly 20 years old. Customers loved bringing treats and food for him.
One time in 2011, Sox had an adventure. Without anyone knowing, he got in the Ace delivery truck that
Jim Schumacher (front), former owner of D&J Ace, made a deal with the new owners to keep Sox as the store greeter when his family sold the business in 2015.
went on to Frederick, Okla. That’s more than 100 miles away. He rode in that Ace truck and once there, ran out and into their store. He stayed there until someone came to pick him up. He’s famous, too. He was featured in the newspaper a few times. When I posted his passing on Facebook, there were 7,400 views within 48 hours.
Jessica Woodward
D&J Ace Hardware Lone Grove, Okla.
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How’s
Business?
MIDWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2022? Good. We’re up about 10 percent. One of the key factors for that growth has been appliance sales. We’ve always had appliances, but in the past couple of years, we’ve seen additional growth as we’ve added brands and models.
What are you doing differently to source products? We no longer plan on having just-in-time deliveries. In January, we placed our Christmas order. The order won’t ship until October, but we wanted to get our order in. The supply chain issues are tough. We have hundreds of appliances in the queue.
New initiatives planned for 2022? We’ll be expanding our outdoor living department. We plan on doing a display outside and adding products such as pizza ovens. People are wanting their outside areas to be nice, so we’re accommodating that.
Strongest niche categories? People come to us for appliances. We
deliver for free and recycle the old appliances and offer warranty service. Our big thing is customer service because we can’t undercut the big box on price.
Most effective methods for finding and recruiting new employees? We’ve retained all our employees. We have seven employees and haven’t had to hire recently.
Kathleen Ferrel Staples True Value Hardware Staples, Minn.
Upper: Sales are up 10 percent at Staples True Value.
Lower: Appliances are a major niche at Staples True Value.
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How’s Business?
NORTHEAST
Sales and customer counts in 2022? Going off last year’s numbers, we’re slower. We’re down about 6 percent. We’re pretty comparable to two years ago, which is a better comparison. It hasn’t snowed that much here, so overall not as busy as the previous year. It’s all mother nature, but we’re not hurting.
What are you doing differently to source products? When we see a product we could sell, we grab it. Our inventory is ridiculously heavy right now. We buy products, put them in our warehouse. We deal with a couple other co-ops in addition to Do it Best. I also have two uncles who have hardware stores with different co-ops, so I have access to products that way, too. If we’re out of one product, like plastic electrical boxes, I may run by a big-box store and buy a case to keep customers happy.
New initiatives planned for 2022? We want to improve the depth of products on shelves. We have 7,500 square feet of retail space, so we really need to keep shelves stocked and that means running back and forth from our warehouse down the street.
Strongest niche categories? We’re known for our grills. With its
Right: Do it Best Hardware Plus of Wayne has become a destination for grills.
pricing, Weber has made it easy to establish a grill niche. We do delivery and assembly and get rid of old grills. We’re also heavy in seasonal products. We do mulches and soils and have done very well with those.
Most effective methods for finding and recruiting new employees? We’ve not had a problem hiring and retaining employees. We treat people good and keep them on even in the slower time of the year. Classified ads don’t do much anymore. The best recruitment has been word of mouth. We have 31 part-time and full-time employees. The hardest part is getting younger workers who’ll be there to help load soils and other bulk products in the spring.
Jeff Muth
Do it Best Hardware Plus of Wayne Wayne, Pa.
Left: Jeff Muth is the owner of Do it Best Hardware Plus of Wayne.
How’s Business?
SOUTH
Sales and customer counts in 2022? We’re ahead of 2021 by about 4 percent. We’ve been able to get products in and Ace is doing a great job of substituting products, getting the right items that customers will buy.
What are you doing differently to source products? I really rely on Ace to find the products and substitutions. It’s hard to tell what will be difficult to find. Spray paint is a problem now. At one point, it was anything made of plastic.
Grills and grill accessories drive customer traffic at Stevens Ace.
New initiatives planned for 2022? Stihl outdoor power equipment will be a big push. The lawn and garden department will be expanded. And we’ll be putting money into the exterior of the store, trying to make our curb appeal better.
Stevens Ace Hardware plans to expand its lawn and garden department.
Strongest niche categories? Barbecue grills, marine products and fasteners. We have several grill lines, including Traeger, Big Green Egg, Weber, Kamado Joe, Pit Boss and Blackstone.
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Most effective methods for finding and recruiting new employees? We are fortunate. Costs of recruiting and retaining employees have gone up but getting people is not a problem. Most of our hires, about 90 percent, come from a sign on the door.
Andy Stevens
Stevens Ace Hardware Wilmington, N.C.
SOUTHWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2022? With the weather, it’s been a little slow. It’s been 30 degrees in Texas, so no one is going out and doing their spring projects.
What are you doing differently to source products? It’s been a difficult situation. For most of our inventory, Ace has been able to find something else to put on our shelves to rotate to make sure our shelves stay full. Products such as spray paint, sandpaper and caulk have been hard to come by. We really don’t outsource and look for other
distributors, and typically we won’t go around Ace. But we do use some local products like fertilizer.
New initiatives planned for 2022? We’d like to increase the number of grilling events. Last year, we only had two, and I’d like to see that increase to four to six events this year. We want to find more events that will get people into their neighborhood hardware store. Part of that is rotating the inventory and bringing in new products. The new models of grills will help, too. We’ll be bringing in some new Traeger models.
Strongest niche categories? We’re a lawn and garden store first. After that, we’re good at home improvement, then grills. We do a really good
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Upper: Andy Kerman is the owner of All Star Ace Hardware in Texas.
Lower: All Star Ace opened Pub 3789 in 2020 to sell beer, wine and champagne.
business with MicroLife and Nitro-phos, two local, Houston-based fertilizer companies. They outsell the bigger national brands here.
Most effective methods for finding and recruiting new employees? We’ve not had any luck with an online recruiting service. The best thing has been word of mouth and our presence in the community.
Andy Kerman
All Star Ace Hardware Spring, Texas
How’s Business?
WEST
Sales and customer counts in 2022? January was good, and we saw a little slide in February. Overall, it’s about the same pace as last winter.
What are you doing differently to source products? We’ve gone outside of Ace for some things, such as ice melt, propane tanks and propane torches.
New initiatives planned for 2022? We’re going to continue to push on grills and grilling accessories. We have new Weber and Traeger grills coming in, and this spring we’ll be unveiling those. We plan on pushing Benjamin Moore paint. We’re also looking to have more demos and instore events.
What are your strongest niche categories? The biggest two are plumbing and paint.
Most effective methods for finding and recruiting new employees? It’s been a little bit tougher to find people, but we’re scraping by. We do walk-in, paper applications and list on one of the employment websites.
Steve Grappy Columbiana Ace Hardware Columbiana, Calif.
Upper: Steve Grappy (third from right) is the manager at Columbiana Ace, leading a team of dedicated employees.
Lower: Expanding the paint business is a big initiative this year for Columbiana Ace.
HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW ShopTalk
By Craig Cope
PRODUCT #1:
T-REX ® DOUBLE SIDED SUPER GLUE TAPE
SHURTAPE TECHNOLOGIES
T-Rex®, one of the popular brands of Shurtape Technologies, has come out with an innovative product that can be cross-merchandised in several areas of the store, including by the checkout register.
T-Rex® Double Sided Super Glue
Tape features high-tack acrylic adhesive that sticks on contact for fast fixes. This double-sided super sticky tape is a great alternative to glue for mounting and automotive solutions, repairs requiring two surfaces to be adhered to each other or craft projects. We had one tester use it for a craft project on fabric, while another used it for an automotive repair project on metal—both gave it high marks for its adhesive quality and ease of use.
Super glue tape provides aggressive adhesion on a variety of surfaces, including ceramic, concrete,
glass, fabric, metal, plastic, tile, wood and more. Two of the really nice features of the product are that it won’t stick to skin or stain surfaces like traditional super glue and it can be torn by hand for easy use, which were noted by our testers. This is a product with strong sales potential, so check it out at a future wholesaler show.
Click here to see a video of the product in action.
PRODUCT #2:
PRO ISOCORE™ HAMMERS FISKARS
Fiskars has introduced a full line of nine different Pro IsoCore™ Hammers that range from 16 oz. finish hammers and 20 oz. general use hammers up to a 28 oz. framing hammer. We tested the 20 oz. general use and 28 oz. framing hammer, which come in both smooth and milled head.
The patented IsoCore® Shock Relief System features an insulating collar that interrupts the path of vibration from the strike, significantly reducing the shock and punishment your body takes. It’s been
medically proven to reduce strain in the muscles that are injured in cases of tennis elbow.
According to Fiskars, MRI results showed on average, users of the IsoCore hammers had a 60 percent reduction in muscle inflammation compared to users of steel and wood hammers, significantly reducing the strain in the muscles. That’s a game-changer for anyone who spends their day swinging a hammer.
The extended grip lets you choke up for precision work, while the hooked handle keeps the tool in your hand when swinging with maximum force. Both hammers come in smooth and milled face, with the milled face serving to reduce the amount of miss hits.
The testers commented on how secure and nice the grip was with the ergonomically contoured handle, and they noted it was even designed to draw moisture away from your palm, which is
a nice feature when working outside in the humidity down here in Florida. They found the framing hammer easy to use with the nailstarter groove making it a breeze to start nails
even in hard-to-reach places. This line of hammers is definitely worth adding to your hand tool department.
Click here to watch a video on the hammers in action.
PRODUCT #3:
U BY MOEN™ SMART KITCHEN FAUCETS MOEN
Once you’ve tried a “smart” faucet, you won’t want to go back to the old style. Moen recently expanded its line of U by Moen™ Smart Kitchen Faucets with additional design options, giving consumers the best of both hands-free functionality and style at the sink. The U by Moen Smart Faucet offers convenience, precision and intuitive touchless and voice-activation technology to help complete tasks in the kitchen, while also offering a myriad of style options to suit almost any design aesthetic. Five
new styles were introduced in 2021: Belfield™, KURV™, Sinema™, Sarai™ and Zyla™.
As our testers discovered, you can ask the Smart Faucet to wash your hands or it can easily fill the dog bowl— something we need to do constantly— or the coffee pot.
Users are able to control their U by Moen Smart Faucet in four ways:
• Voice control allows users to start and stop water flow as well as perform specific tasks on command through their digital voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
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• A Wave Sensor positioned at the front of the faucet turns water on or off with a simple hand movement.
• The handle on the side of the faucet offers manual operation, letting users adjust flow and temperature.
• Through the Moen smartphone app, users can set unlimited personalized presets or start and stop water delivery with the push of a button. One of the seriously cool features is the ability to dispense precise measurements and temperatures. All you have to do is call out “105 degrees” or “dog bowl” and the faucet takes care of the task. As the water temperature changes, the hands-free sensor on the faucet will
evolve from blue, purple and red, indicating the system is warming up or cooling down to reach the desired water temperature. When the water is ready, the sensor lights will stop flashing and turn solid.
There is some downside to owning one of these high-tech faucets. Our testers found the voice control feature to be so easy to use it was addictive. They just wanted to stand by the sink and shout commands at it all day, just to watch the faucet do its work.
Click here to watch the U by Moen™ Smart Kitchen Faucets in action. n
SCAN TO START YOUR 3D POSTFIX® DEMO
By Andy Wilkerson
Blackhawk Hardware’s Bold Solution to HIRING CRISIS
Iknew the switch had to be made in 2019, before the pandemic. Last May, I shared on Hardlines Digest that we had hired 11 fantastic Badass Retail Ninjas over the previous month. Before, we would place a job posting on Indeed. Get 300 applicants. If we were lucky there would be seven candidates worth interviewing. Three would show up for their scheduled interviews. We would hire one and it was 50-50 they would show up the first day.
We were so desperate for people that having a pulse, not smelling and
Above: Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, N.C., has 120 employees who have stepped up to become Retail Professionals.
showing up were the only requirements. That was asking too much.
I talked about this problem with my Vistage peer advisory group. Arthur Porter, a Chick-fil-A franchise owner and friend of mine, started talking about what he did when he was faced with a similar problem five years ago. He started hiring hospitality professionals. In short, that meant going to a hospitality professional wage (going from $8-10 per
Andy Wilkerson is the CEO of
Blackhawk Hardware.
hour to a flat $13 per hour) while ratcheting up the expectations, and focusing on selling the culture that he was creating instead of a job. His point was that you have to pay more to get to the next higher level of employee.
When it comes to recruiting and hiring employees, it’s ultimately about your store’s culture and expectations. Winners want to work with other winners. You have to increase expectations of associates when you go from paying $10 an hour to $15 or $16 an hour.
Another friend owns a law firm in Charlotte who advertises for badass lawyers. I just mixed that approach with Chick-fil-A’s to come up with Badass Retail Ninjas. We’re more fun, snarky and edgy than traditional hardware stores. Part of our values is humor.
My store, Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, N.C., has 120 employees, because we serve customers with a large store. The main sales floor is 25,000 square feet, the recently added lower floor is 12,500 square feet and the garden center (The Gardens of Blackhawk) covers about 30,000 square feet.
Blackhawk hardware’s current hiring Process
1. Post ad
Sort potential candidates:
• Indeed virtual recruiter with curated candidates does a pretty good job of that.
• Don’t be shy about saying no. Don’t try and pull the hidden good out of each one. I can’t spell so I don’t penalize someone for that. I do penalize them for general crappy formatting and inattention to details. If they haven’t taken the time to polish their online resume, then they certainly will not take the time to be professional once hired.
• Short job tenure or job-hopping is disqualifying for us.
• I give a pass for seasonal positions and Amazon warehouse workers.
• Anyone that writes a personalized cover letter gets an interview.
• I prioritize and will take a second look at anyone that comes in and drops off a resume/application after applying online. They are not just spamming an application. They know how far the drive is from their house. Speaks to their motivation level.
2. initial conversation (scheduled time)
• I actually like to do this over the phone or on Zoom. It is much easier to cut it short with obvious duds. This is solely to weed out the jerks and duds.
Continued on P.35
The first step to the hiring process is to figure out expectations. Here is what we expect out of an employee. It’s a change in thinking that you’re not a family. You’re on a world championship team. Anyone can be cut, including me, who is judged by the bank. Just because an employee has been with us 10 years doesn’t mean they get to stay.
You have to sit down with store leadership and start defining your values and expectations, then write job descriptions that go along with that. I am in the process of updating the new retail professionals job description, because at no point does it say what makes a successful Blackhawk Hardware employee. We definitely need to add that, because it’s an important aspect.
The next big hurdle is adjusting to raising your starting wage to whatever the price point is for a retail professional wage in your market, whether it’s $12, $15 or even $25 in a market like New York City. That gets you to a set of employees that was previously unavailable to you—a higher-caliber employee. For us in Charlotte, N.C., that means part timers are now at $13, full timers get $15 for weekdays and $17 for weekends. While adjusting pay upward we also went to more full-time employees. We
Lower: Andy Wilkerson directs a team meeting.
went to $17 an hour if you work both Saturday and Sunday, while paying $15 an hour during the week. But doing that gave us 80 percent of what we needed for the weekends and 150 percent of our staffing needs for days like Monday, because employees were being given hours just to fill weekends. I wasn’t putting the right number of people in the right place at the right time.
Part timers get $13 an hour. If they shifted to work both weekend days, then
Upper: Blackhawk Hardware’s service levels have improved because employees are more skilled at problem solving.
they were given two consecutive days off during the week and were paid $14 for weekends. All the old timers complained about this and all the new people did it without complaint, because they already had the mindset that working retail meant working weekends.
Once you address the wage issue, being able to hire is all about culture. Some of our new employees took a small pay cut to join us, because they wanted to be part of our culture. People leave bosses and culture, not jobs.
The second step was reworking our job posting. Titled Retail Professional - Sales Associate and Badass Ninja Warrior - $15 an Hour, the ad focuses on culture, not job responsibilities. The $15 in the title helps out as well. That seems to be the magic threshold where higherquality candidates began to apply.
Within two days of posting that ad last spring, we had people that had applied online, writing personalized cover letters, coming in to drop off their resumes and cover letters, and waiting around to be interviewed. We were forced to start scheduling interviews at that point. Eighty or 90 percent showed up on time or early for their interviews. They followed up with phone calls. We are turning candidates away that we would have hired on the spot a month earlier.
Continued from P.33
• The interview is fairly structured with pretty set questions. I print out a set for each applicant and take notes on it. This makes it a lot easier and less stressful for me.
• All the questions are open-ended. Some are geared to see if they actually read the job description or did any sort of research on us before the interview. If they are prepared that goes a long way in my book.
• “What question(s) do you wish I had asked you?” is also an important one. I immediately ask/repeat their answer. About half the time they don’t have an answer to the question they wanted me to ask.
• I am more interested in their hobbies and things outside of work with the initial conversation. I try to get them to talk about things they like. If their personality is flat when discussing things that they are passionate about then I doubt it gets better at work.
• This initial conversation determines if they can show up and be available at a scheduled time.
3. in-Person interview (scheduled time)
• Once they arrive I give them a clipboard, pen and pre-interview questionnaire, along with a place to work.
• I stole the questionnaire from Rick Schwartz of Schwartz Hardware in Fall River, Mass.
• I check back with them at the 10-minute and 15-minute mark. I want them to feel pressure.
Continued on P.37
We hired 11 people that first month and more since then. All have absolutely demolished our expectations. I have had multiple long-time employees come up to me gushing about how great the new employees are. How quickly they are picking things up. How they are only having to explain things once. How they are coming to them asking questions wanting to learn.
We had to raise all our employees’ wages to meet the new retail professional wage. That also meant raising our expectations of every staff member. We posted the ad on Indeed and started hiring before we even told any non-managers what we were doing. We did this to ensure that $15 or $17 was in fact the threshold we needed to meet to get a higher-quality candidate. We also wanted to have a pool of candidates ready and waiting to replace the staff that were unable to adjust to the higher expectations. We let one go within two days of the rollout.
In the end, I had to get rid of 15-20 percent of my staff who were unwilling or unable to meet the new expectations. The good news is that I have a stack of highly qualified candidates ready to go. Sure, I lost some experience, but I gained people with better ability once I was able to consistently attract a stream of talent. Now it’s not so scary losing someone, because I am able to replace them quickly with someone waiting in the weeds. The positive part of this shift
is that I kept over 80 percent of my associates, because they stepped up to the challenge of new expectations.
We find people mainly through wordof-mouth referrals and references from existing employees and then Indeed, which handles 80 percent of the job market. People that are good workers don’t recommend bad people. We found that if we hire one person from another store, we end up attracting two to three more from that store a month or two later, because the first new hire goes back and tells their old co-workers how great the culture is at Blackhawk Hardware.
I can’t say enough about how much my life improved over six months after going down this path. Now I have more associates who are willing to solve
Ben is a garden sales associate.
problems, including people who have been with me that started stepping up.
This shift in hiring strategy has had a dramatic impact on the store’s sales and bottom line. The store ran so much smoother during the pandemic. Sales were up $2.3 million last year and I’m expecting a similar increase this year. We were doing $100,000 days during the holidays, but the stress level was like a $40,000 day.
My commitment to this new hiring process was $400,000 in extra payroll. I hear from other retailers who say lack of help is their biggest problem and I tell them I know how to solve that problem. Retailers say they can’t afford something like this and that I’m lucky I can afford this (payroll increase). I couldn’t afford not to do this, because the path I was on was unsustainable.
I’m working now with an HR consultant who does culture fit assessment testing. For key positions, you have to look for a certain type of person. We want to screen and really look to find the right fit, because if a person is happy with what they’re doing they’re more likely to be a good worker and stick around. Money gets people in the door, but employee motivation and retention is about culture.
The most surprising thing about this shift in hiring strategy is I now have much more capacity to work on growing my business instead
Continued from P.35
• A lot of the questions are geared to judge general stupidity. Thus, questions like “Where is Canada?”
• Once they are done we sit down for the interview.
• I will verbally ask any questions they skipped or got wrong on the questionnaire. I want to see how they react when pushed on something they are not comfortable with. I don’t tell them the correct answer if they get it wrong.
• From there I have a structured set of questions as a guide. I got the idea for the questions from here.
• I try to make them uncomfortable during this interview. All the questions are open-ended behavior questions. Their answers are less important to me than how they react.
—Can they think on their feet?
—Do they get flustered?
—Are they defensive?
—Do they seem to answer genuinely?
—Do they freely admit mistakes and are proud of what they have learned from them?
—Do they feel like a professional or a monkey?
—Do they seem inclined to growing professionally?
—Are they proud of the things they have accomplished?
• I try and have two people involved in the interviewing process. We generally don’t hire unless both interviewers agree.
of spending all my time trying to hire people. I was surprised at the pushback I got from current employees even though they were getting raises of $3 to $5 an hour. They were mad that someone was coming in at their same pay level. I said this isn’t prison—you don’t get credit for time served. If someone new achieves the same results they should get the same pay. You have to be prepared to lose a few people who feel slighted. After a while, I started getting compliments from the old-time employees about how good the new people were.
You are investing in your business and it won’t pay off for three or four months. Makes it less scary if you view it that way. My friend at Chick-fil-A said he was in a cold sweat running the numbers, but he had to do it. The employee issue is everything. Everything in your business is done by a person and every problem is fixed by behavior. You can’t run a successful retail business until you figure out an effective way to hire and retain employees, and I’m sleeping a lot better at night now that I’ve figured out the best way to do that.
Upper: Christine Howard is in charge of customer service and front-end management.
Lower: Kathryn, an outdoor living sales associates, has a degree in horticulture.
If you have any questions about how to adopt a similar hiring process in your store, contact Andy Wilkerson, CEO and co-owner of Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, N.C., at awilkerson@blackhawkhardware.com or 704-258-1764 (mobile). Blackhawk Hardware, a member of Ace Hardware, was started by Andy’s parents, Jim and Barbara Wilkerson, in 1977.
how Blackhawk handled raised exPectations with current emPloyees
When Blackhawk Hardware
moved to a new hiring process almost everyone moved up to the new Retail Professional wage. Some of our outstanding A-players we moved a little higher.
One problem that we had gotten ourselves into over the years was having people work every other weekend. To have enough people on the weekends we became very overstaffed on the weekdays. We took the opportunity this transition gave us to help start solving that problem. Now we only hire people that are willing to work every weekend and have a shifted weekend (two consecutive days off during the week). I let all of our staff choose what they wanted to do.
• Under 18 - Variable my choice
• Part Time - $13 per hour
• Full Time who want to keep alternating weekends - $14 per hour
• Full Time working every weekend - $15 per hour on weekdays and $17 on weekends
I wrote up a letter with an explanation and a clear list of more robust expectations if they accepted the
raise. I handed the letter to each employee and explained what we were doing. I tried to explain it in groups of five or less.
If I had to do it over again, I would have prepared and rehearsed my explanation more. We have 120 employees, so by the end I was very good at it, but I had to circle back with many. I also gave the same short explanation every night at closing for two weeks.
see how Blackhawk hardware does it
• Click here for Retail Professionals job description.
• Click here for pre-interview questions.
• Click here for initial interview questions.
• Click here for second interview questions.
• Click here for interview progress sheet.
feature
My updated explanation: “We need to increase sales by $4 million over the next three years to pay for the expansion (we converted part of our basement warehouse into 12,500 square feet of retail), raising rent and labor cost. We believe that the best way to do that is to invest in our people. To do that we are changing our wage structure and going to a Retail Professional wage. If you are part-time you are going to $13 an hour. If you are full-time and want to keep your alternating weekend schedule, you will be $14 per hour. If you are full-time and elect to work every weekend you will be making $15 on the weekday and $17 on the weekend. There is a catch. There is always a catch. We are raising expectations across the board. With everyone meeting the new robust expectations Blackhawk will become an even more enjoyable and less stressful place to work.
25 years.
In the envelope, you will find a list of our new robust baseline expectations. I need you to read each one and initial
whether you currently can or cannot fulfill the expectation. I do not expect you to say yes to all of them. That is perfectly fine to say you currently cannot do one. I have only had two people say yes to all of them, and I don’t believe them. What we are going to do is gather people who don’t know how to run a register for example and train them as a group.
I fully expect you to have questions. I am more than happy to answer
Jeff has been with Blackhawk Hardware for
them now or if you feel more comfortable asking me in private, my door is always open. I’m excited about what we are going to build together as I hope you are!”
We also raised our area managers and department managers to between $16 and $18 an hour. I would say that it is a good idea to take your outstanding A players aside first. They are the ones that you have no problem paying more. When we pulled them aside first, we basically said: “You have done a fantastic job. Thank you. We are moving you to X per hour. We are going to be making a big change that will allow us to surround you with people that are up to your level. I appreciate you keeping this to yourself for now.”
There were some feathers ruffled over these changes. A smarter person than me once said: “If you want to make an enemy, change something.” Despite giving raises, be prepared to tick people off. You will be the enemy until their bigger paycheck comes out.
Our A players were happy and all said something along the lines of “Finally! This is what you need to do. Let’s get rocking selling more stuff!”
Longer-term C players were the most problematic. People getting a $2 or $3 per hour raise were ticked off that the new guys would be earning the same as them. Or they were annoyed that they would have to learn to run a
register. Or they are too busy to sit and help direct customers. Or no one ever helps them so why should they blah blah blah. Take note of how people react. So far people’s reactions have been pretty telling about who I am going to replace.
Having gone through this with more than a few people, I found the best response is something like: “Yes, you can choose to look at this change in that way. Just like I could have chosen to be extremely angry that I will be spending an additional $400K a year on labor. I could have chosen to not increase everyone’s pay. I didn’t, because that is not who I am or how I operate. I choose to be extremely excited about the amazing potential that having more incredible professionals brings. How that will make everyone’s life easier. Including yours. I am excited about what we are building here, and I hope that you choose to see it that way too.”
I kept two things in mind:
• All change requires pain, whether learning a new skill or working out to build muscle.
• I was already in pain. Nonprofessionals are stressful, distracting and require more attention. I was not adding more pain. I was choosing to temporarily change the type of pain to ultimately eliminate it. n
Product
Spotlight
If you want to attract new customers, you have to keep bringing in new products to keep your store fresh. The National Hardware Show® offers the industry’s best opportunity to see the latest product innovations from top manufacturers. The products featured on the following pages can be found at the upcoming National Hardware Show (April 5-7 in Las Vegas) or at upcoming wholesaler shows.
PROCELL ALKALINE BATTERIES
• Procell Alkaline AA industrial batteries are general-purpose batteries, ideal for powering mid- and low-drain professional devices such as smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, security keypads, remote controls, wireless mice, keyboards, motion sensors and flushometers.
• Featuring long-lasting, reliable power, Procell batteries are also available in AAA, C, D and 9V sizes. Operating temperatures from -4°F to 129.2°F.
• Manufactured using superior cell design to ensure high-quality cell
construction. Each battery comes with a ‘quality warranty.’ Design, safety, manufacturing and qualification follow Procell’s stringent battery standards, which incorporate parts of the ANSI and IEC battery standards.
• Economically packaged in bulk and individually date-coded for effective inventory management.
Duracell Procell
CARPENTER BEE TRAPSTIK®
• Carpenter bees get caught on the sticky surface. They’re drawn to the trap with exclusive VisiLure technology, the colors and patterns under the glue.
• Saves structures from damage and is weather-resistant, pesticidefree and odor-free.
• Easy to use—hang it right where carpenter bees cause damage.
• Bird guards provide protection for birds and other small animals. Rescue!/Sterling International www.rescue.com Booth W2935
SIKACOLOR ®-400 OPAQUE
CONCRETE STAIN
• A reactive acrylic solid color concrete stain that provides excellent physical properties intended to stain concrete or cement-based material.
• Has the capabilities to adhere to the concrete, resulting in no peeling of the coating.
• With its unique feature to etch concrete surfaces, it eliminates an acid etching surface preparation step, which prevents the runoff of hydrochloric acid into soil and drainage systems.
• Features include excellent UV resistance, low VOC-content, low
odor, low sheen, moisture tolerant, superior adhesion properties and excellent abrasion resistance and durability. Sika USA
www.usa.sika.com Booths W1109, W2209
NHS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
PORTABLE WATER STATION
• The Utility SureCan with Spigot was designed to be the most versatile all-purpose water jug on the market. It is the perfect way to keep your hands clean wherever you go.
• Built with an innovative bottom feed technology and legendary toughness, the rotating spigot provides a fast, convenient dispensing experience that is unmatched.
• It can be used for camping, tailgating, disasters, boating, storage, construction, outdoor recreation and picnics.
• Built in the USA.
TORQUEMASTER ANCHORS
• Whether you’re looking for concrete anchors, hex screws or any number of other crucial fasteners, you can always trust the durability of TorqueMaster.
• Available in a number of display options, including counter, hanging packs and bulk displays, the TorqueMaster brand has gained a reputation for being the safest, easiest and most reliable anchoring solution available, great for indoor and outdoor applications.
• Features serrated washer head for a secure grip to the install surface, serrated threads for superior hold to concrete and superior exterior coating suitable for ACQ lumber.
Midwest Fastener www.fastenerconnection.com
Booth W2435
ZAPIT® GLUE
• ZAPIT® is the light curing glue that bonds virtually anything. The key is the unique dualcure system that allows the adhesive to cure with or without the light, giving you flexibility in completing your project.
• This system also ensures that the adhered surface is cured throughout the bond and not just where the bond is visible.
• The bond line is dry to the touch so no dust will stick to the cured surface.
• Odorless, gap filling, paintable, sandable and strong — the perfect glue for every situation.
The Original Super Glue Corporation www.supergluecorp.com
Booth W4337
TEAR MENDER INSTANT ADHESIVE
• Tear Mender Instant Fabric & Leather Adhesive permanently repairs rips, tears or holes in any porous fabric in as little as 3 minutes.
• This wash-proof, non-toxic adhesive essentially eliminates the need for needle and thread.
• Includes one 2 oz. bottle of Tear Mender Adhesive.
• One bottle equals 50 clothing repairs. That’s only $0.15 per repair!
Tear Mender/LHB Industries www.tearmender.com
Booth W4445
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANING WIPES
NHS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
FISKARS PRO SAWS
• RTS All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes are super soft, biodegradable wipes designed to clean hard surfaces.
• Tough on grease and grime.
• These pre-moistened cleaning wipes are made from spunlace rayon, a non-woven biodegradable material made from bamboo pulp.
• Spunlace rayon is softer and more absorbent than traditional cleaning wipes while being more sustainable for the environment.
RTS Companies
www.rtscompaniesinc.com Booth W4123
• General-use wood saws, available in multiple sizes, make controlled, powerful cuts through all types of wood.
• The large and small pull saws also cut wood, but are more adept at detail and finishing work with thin, flexible blades for clean flush cuts.
• A perfectly tensioned hacksaw is best to have available for quickly cutting metal, plastic, PVC and piping, and the hacksaw frame includes on-tool hacksaw blade storage.
• For an ultrafast pocket saw, choose the compact utility saw that fits most standard reciprocating saw blades.
Fiskars www.fiskarspro.com
ORGILL GATHERS TO CELEBRATE 175TH ANNIVERSARY
Orgill held its Spring Dealer Market from February 24-26 in Orlando, welcoming thousands of retailers for its first in-person buying event in two years. It was an extra special occasion, as the company also celebrated its 175th anniversary.
The live Spring Dealer Market ran concurrently with an Online Buying Event, which kicked off February 21 and ran through March 4. These combined events gave Orgill’s customers and vendors the opportunity to network and interact both live and online for the first time ever.
“We have all waited a long time to be able to gather together in person, but we have also learned a lot over these last two years about how to make these buying events as productive as possible for our customers,” said Boyden Moore, Orgill president and CEO. “We have found that there are distinct advantages to an in-person event that are very difficult to replicate online but that our Online Buying Events also offered additional opportunities for our customers.”
“Perhaps it’s fitting that this event where we are combining the more traditional Dealer Market format with an Online Buying Event is also serving as the stage for celebrating our 175th anniversary as a company. While we honor and
Thousands of retailers were on hand to attend Orgill’s first live in-person dealer market in two years.
CliCK here For A GAllery oF orGill shoW PiCtUres
celebrate our deep roots in the industry and the community, we also have a strong focus on the future,” Moore said.
While Orgill has been hosting Online Buying Events since the onset of the pandemic in North America, the return to Orlando and an in-person event marked a significant step toward getting back to business as usual.
“The Online Buying Events started as a way to allow retailers to take advantage of buying opportunities during the pandemic, but it was also
Upper: Two concept stores on the show floor were based on actual stores for Central Network Retail Group.
Lower: Orgill rented out Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure Friday night for the exclusive use of its retail customers, vendor partners, employees and their families.
a natural progression,” said Greg Stine, Orgill’s executive vice president of marketing and communications. “Retailers who can’t attend the physical market can take advantage of the Online Buying Event, and retailers who attend the physical event now have the opportunity to work the market more efficiently using both resources.”
175th AnniversAry CelebrAtion
Retailers, employees and vendor partners in Orlando—plus their family and friends—were invited to celebrate Orgill’s 175th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Orgill rented out the Universal Orlando
Custom Orgill-themed beers paid tribute to Joe Orgill and Mike McDonnell, family members who led the company to longterm success.
Resort, including Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure, to celebrate on the evening of February 25. An excited crowd of 12,000 enjoyed the special evening.
“It’s humbling to be part of a company that has such a rich history that stretches back 175 years. We wanted to honor that history and the milestone and not just celebrate the company but also the customers that have made this kind of longevity possible,” Moore said. “Orgill’s mission is to help our customers be successful, and if anything, this kind of longevity is proof that we have and will continue to fulfill this mission.”
A highlight of the event and Orgill’s anniversary celebrations were custom Orgillthemed beers from High Cotton Brewing Co., local to Memphis, where Orgill is headquartered. The two beers include “Joe—A Smooth Lager” featuring an image of Joe Orgill and “Mike—A Strong Ale,” with an image of Mike McDonnell.
Joe Orgill and Mike McDonnell were Orgill co-owners and family members who led the company and structured Orgill for long-term success and growth into the 21st century.
For more on Orgill’s Spring Dealer Market and 175th anniversary celebration, click here. n
By Chris Jensen
When Will the ChainSupply Recover?
The past two years have put an overwhelming amount of strain on the hardware industry’s supply chain, making it difficult for retailers to keep up with the constant changes.
During Orgill’s Spring Dealer Market in Orlando, Jeff Curler, executive vice president of purchasing, gave an overview on what the company is doing to help dealers overcome the supply chain challenges.
“The actions we took in January 2020 really helped us that spring. We learned it was not just a China thing,” Curler said. “Then we all spent 13 months working offsite, which created a new set of challenges.”
Covid has stabilized a little, he said, so there are three factors that are currently holding up the supply chain: raw materials, transportation/logistics and labor.
Demand has put pressure on raw material supply for plastics, wood, metals and paper. Competition for those materials has resulted in higher pricing, according to Curler. “This has mostly impacted North American manufacturing for paint products, plumbing and electrical due
Supply Chain
to resins. We are seeing some signs of improvement,” he said.
Transportation and logistics are truly experiencing a global problem with equipment shortages (ships, containers, trucks, trailers/chassis), driver shortages, longer lead times and higher transportation costs, Curler said, adding that freight costs have more than tripled since 2019.
In 2021 more than 47 million workers quit their jobs—that’s 14 percent of all Americans. The one factor where we see improvement is the labor market, Curler said. “Many of those who quit are now being rehired. A decline in covid is helping. Competition for workers is fierce and there are higher costs for employees,” he added.
Orgill started out 2020 with a fill rate of 95.7 percent, but that eventually fell to 82 percent for the year. The situation didn’t improve in 2021, as Orgill’s fill rate came in 78 percent, according to Curler, who said the biggest impact came from domestic manufacturing. He pointed out
Jeff Curler is Orgill’s executive vice president of purchasing.
that 52 percent of their line cuts come from 30 vendors—23 are in the paint, plumbing or electrical categories. Sixty percent of cut lines are showing as “late” from the vendor and 43 percent have been identified as back-ordered from the vendor, Curler said.
What iS Orgill DOing?
Orgill is pursuing a number of initiatives to improve the supply chain situation, according to Curler. “We are looking at some alternate vendors—we’ve added dozens of new suppliers and hundreds of new SKUs especially in PPE, cleaning supplies and commodities. We have pointed to alternatives that already exist in the system,” Curler said.
He added, “When Jarden/Ball had an inability to supply the industry with canning jars, we discovered Gossi to be a good alternative. Dealers are finding our Exclusively Orgill brands as an alternative to the brands when supply has been difficult.”
Curler said Orgill has plans to add vendors so that they have more options, particularly with commodities like PVC, coatings and plastics. “Unfortunately, many of those vendors do not currently have the capacity to take on a new distributor like Orgill as they are maxed out on production. We are also looking to consolidate vendors to drive more volume through a few vendors and therefore increasing our leverage with those vendors,” he said.
At Orgill’s Spring Dealer Market, Executive Vice President of Purchasing Jeff Curler gave a presentation outlining how the company has addressed the supply chain challenges.
Inventory investment is another key initiative. “Our inventory on hand is currently up 34 percent from a year ago. Dealers are really using Exclusively Orgill, which is up $60 million. Fill rates for our Exclusively Orgill brands are approaching 95 percent,” Curler said. “On order is currently at more than $300 million. We have built up our on-hand inventory in preparation for the Spring Buying Event. We are releasing our promotional programs earlier than usual. We are ordering and receiving seasonal merchandise earlier than we would typically like.”
He added, “We migrated more than 1,700 warehouse vendors to our new buying system, Demand & Fulfillment, by the end of 2021. The system features more tools on hand, better seasonal algorithms, better Orgill-vendor information sharing and optimized promotional buying.”
CliCk here tO COntinue reaDing the full StOry
Nominations Now Open for Beacon Awards BeAcON AwArds
This year’s Hardware Conference, set for August 19-21 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla., will give independent retailers a chance to gather in person and share ideas with fellow dealers. The 34th annual Hardware Conference will again be highlighted by the Beacon Awards, a recognition program that was introduced in 2013.
The Beacon Awards, which are cosponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection, are designed to honor the “best of the best” independent hardware/home improvement retailers while encouraging a new generation of retailers to make their mark in the industry. On Friday night, the industry will honor the 2022 winners.
Beacon Award sponsors for 2022 include Epicor Software Corp. and Ettore Products. Additional wholesaler sponsorship support comes from Do it Best Corp. and Orgill Inc.
The 2022 Beacon Awards will again honor the Retail Beacon Award winners for each of the participating wholesalers, plus the Best New Stores in two categories: under 20,000 square feet and over 20,000 square feet. Whether it’s an existing retailer opening a branch store or a newcomer opening a ground-up
2022 Beacon Award winners will be honored at the 2022 Hardware Conference in Marco Island, Fla.
Presented By
business, these new stores represent the future of the industry.
Here are last year’s Beacon Award honorees:
• Retail Beacon Award — Ambridge Do it Best Home Center, Ambridge, Pa., owned by Frank Strano.
The
The honorees and sponsors of the 2021 Beacon Awards.
• Retail Beacon Award — Bartlett’s Lumber & Hardware, Canadian, Texas, owned by Terrill Bartlett.
• Best New Store, Under 20,000 sq. ft. — Wood Shed Lumber & Hardware Supply, Carrollton, Mo., owned by Sharona and Cecil Eiserer.
• Best New Store, Over 20,000 sq. ft. — Bomgaars, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Owned by Roger and Jane Bomgaars.
Get your nominations in now for the Best New Store award, as the deadline of May 5 is fast approaching. Any dealer can nominate his store and nominations are also accepted from wholesalers.
Judging will be based on any or all of the following criteria: financial performance (sales, profits, margins, etc.); community involvement; store design; merchandising displays; promotion activities; specialized product areas/niches; employee training/recognition programs; and innovative retailing concepts.
Store must have been open at least one year, to a maximum of four years.
It can be a store built to replace one destroyed by natural disaster and it can be a branch store. Store must feature all the core departments: electrical, plumbing, tools, hardware, paint and lawn & garden.
The 2022 Beacon Awards Banquet will be held Friday night, August 19, 2022 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla. Honorees will receive: allexpenses paid trip for two to the 2022 Hardware Conference in Marco Island including conference registration, airfare, hotel and meals; Beacon Award plaque and feature article in The Hardware Connection.
TO cOMPLeTe NOMINATION
Please include detailed information for each of the judging criteria, attach any relevant pictures, list the date of new store opening and also provide retailer name, store name, square footage, address, phone number and email address. Email nominations by the May 5 deadline to Editor Chris Jensen at chris@thehardwareconnection.com. ■
Join us for this important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.
The Beacon Awards are held annually at The Hardware Conference in beautiful Marco Island, FL, and are co-sponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection magazine. The Hardware Conference will be held Aug. 19-21, 2022
For more information about attending this event along with all other educational seminars, open floor discussions and social activities at the 2022 Hardware Conference, visit www.TheHardwareConference.com
HAND AND POWER TOOL TRENDS
Sales of Pliers
(Independent Hardware Channel)
12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago Pliers:
Pliers:
Source:
Unit Sales Breakdown for Pliers Total of 1,466 Items with Sales
Epicor’s Industry Data Analytics tracking information is based on sales from a representative sample of hardlines retailers located throughout the U.S. For more information, call 512278-5800 or email
Source: Epicor’s Industry Data Analytics epicorindustryanalytics@epicor.com
Hand and Power Tool MercHandising :
Upper Left: Hartville Hardware in Hartville, Ohio.
Middle Left: Ames True Value Supply in Wiscasset, Maine.
Lower Left: University Ace Hardware in Oviedo, Fla.
Upper Right: Vermont Outlet True Value in Los Angeles.
Middle Right: Texas Tool Traders in Weimar, Texas.
Lower Right: Riles Home Hardware Supply in Linton, Ind.
STORE EXTERIORS AN INSIDE LOOK
The Hardware Connection provides a pictorial look at store exteriors. Send pictures to chris@thehardwareconnection.com.
Abita Do it Best Lumber, Abita Springs, La.
Hardman’s Hardware, Summersville, W.Va.
Lewter Hardware, Huntsville, Ala.
Pierson Building Center, Eureka, Calif.
Mission Ace Lumber & Home Center, Santa Rosa, Calif.
El Clavo Hardware Stores, El Paso, Texas
Chadron Ace Hardware, Chadron, Neb.
Nelson Agri-Center True Value, Viroqua, Wis.
Old Forge Hardware, Old Forge, N.Y.
W.S. Jenks & Son, Washington, D.C.
Recent Features From TheHardwareConnection
February 2022: Special Section: Orgill Celebrates 175 Years of Innovation and Service—Orgill, the industry’s oldest wholesaler, is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year. Learn more about the company’s long history of innovation, read a timeline of key dates in company history and gain insights into future initiatives through Q&A interviews with CEO Boyden Moore and Executive VP Marc Hamer.
December 2021: Special Report: Supply Chain Crisis: When Will It End?—Find out some of the background behind the supply chain crisis, discover how it has impacted retailers and others in the two-step channel of distribution, and see what experts have to say about when this crisis will end.
November 2021: How America’s Biggest and Best Hardware Store Got Better—It has been nine years since we introduced readers to Hartville Hardware’s massive 305,000-square-foot store in Ohio. Discover how America’s biggest and best hardware store has found new ways to improve. Learn how this impressive retailer has improved in four areas: merchandising, operations, technology and employee training and development.
September/October 2021: Beacon Award Profiles—Read profiles of the 2021 Beacon Award winners: Wood Shed Lumber & Hardware, Carrollton, Mo.; Bomgaars, Council Bluffs, Iowa; Ambridge Do it Best Home Center, Ambridge, Pa., and Bartlett’s Lumber & Hardware, Canadian, Texas.
July-August 2021: Century Club Retailers Share Success Strategies—Read profiles of three Century Club retailers: Chagrin Hardware, HPM Building Supply and Curtis Lumber. Find out how these retailers are finding new ways to grow and improve their businesses.
May-June 2021: Retailers Share Their Best and Worst Business Decisions—Independent hardware and home improvement retailers share the best and worst business decisions they have made and what they have learned from those decisions.
Click here to see our archive of past issues.
IN THE NEWS
NEW STORES:
• Barry Spain opened his second Thacker Ace Hardware in Colonial Heights, Va.
• Breed & Company has opened a new Ace Hardware store in Austin, Texas.
• Ace Hardware Marketplace opened in Owensboro, Ky.
• Nation’s Best has acquired Weiss Do it Best Lumber in Perryville, Ark., and Woodland Building Center in Springerville, Ariz.
• The Borre family has acquired Watervliet Hardware in Watervliet, Mich., from Brian Conrad.
• Westlake Ace Hardware is opening a new store in Overland Park, Kan.
• TAL Holdings has acquired Midway Building Supply stores in Oroville, Republic and Tonasket, Wash.
• Olson’s Ace Hardware has acquired Dressel’s Hardware in Oak Park, Ill., which turns 100 years old in 2023.
• Jon Herring is opening Down East Ace Hardware in New Bern, N.C.
KUDOS TO:
• City True Value Hardware in Bristol, Conn., is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
• Hellenbrands Ace Hardware in Marshall, Wis., is marking its 50th anniversary.
• Crown Ace Hardware stores in Orange County raised $120,000 for Children’s Hospital Orange County in 2021.
• Holmes Building Materials in Baton Rouge, La., is marking its 65th anniversary.
Grabill Hardware (Grabill, Ind.) co-owners Jim Gerig (far left) and Len Schrock (far right) join Do it Best Territory Sales Manager Rick Kramer in honoring Claude Schrock with an Estwing Golden Hammer for 50+ years in the industry.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE:
• The SherwinWilliams Company has elected Heidi Petz as president and COO, Justin Binns as president-The Americas Group and Karl Jorgenrud as president-Performance Coatings Group.
Heidi Petz
WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS:
• Do it Best Corp. is hosting a spring Open Buying Day for prospective vendors on March 22 at company headquarters in Fort Wayne, Ind.
IN MEMORY:
Lumber Co., a Century Club retailer in Hartford, Conn., passed away January 11 at the age of 95. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II.
FOR THE FULL STORY:
• Sam Costa Jr., retired owner of Costa’s Hardware in Smethport, Pa., passed away February 1 at the age of 80. He built and opened Costa’s Hardware in 1971, retiring in 2000. Sam was one of the early adopters of computerized inventory control. He served on the board of directors for Cotter & Company from 1988-1996.
• Maurice Lezzer, longtime CEO of Lezzer Lumber in Curwensville, Pa., died January 10 at the age of 95. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
• Everette Gloyd passed away January 1 at the age of 101. He and his brother Archie owned Gloyd Brothers Lumber Mill until the tooling was needed for the war effort. He fought during World War II and was awarded two bronze stars. For more than 30 years, Everette managed Bonsteel Lumber Yard in Branson, Mo.
• STIHL’s Erin Ashcroft to receive the STEP Ahead Award. Click here.
• Ace Hardware reports record 2021 revenue. Click here.
• Webb Analytics’ 2021 Deals Report shows sharp rise in LBM acquisitions and openings. Click here.
• Do it Best and Epicor expand partnership. Click here.
• Do it Best’s Dan Starr provides company and market outlook. Click here.
• Do it Best hosts virtual spring market. Click here.
• National Hardware Show to join IBS and KBIS in 2023. Click here .
• Ace Hardware Foundation announces Ace Cares for Kids AllStar. Click here.
• Robert Fechtor , owner and chairman of The Hartford
• Central Network Retail Group has acquired HomeFront Home Improvement Centers. Click here.
• ECi research reveals U.S. home builders couldn’t keep up with demand in 2021. Click here.
• Taylor’s Do it Center opens new location. Click here.
Sam Costa
Erin Ashcroft
Everette Gloyd
“Where Relationships Are Formed”
3 Days of Networking, Relaxing and Learning
Meet colleagues and new friends at the industry’s largest conference for independent hardware retailers. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend educational seminars, all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive 5-star resort setting.
Learn More About Your POS System at the Hardware Technology Forum
Epicor will offer full-day, hands-on training sessions for their retailers. Bring your tablet or laptop so you can log right into your store as you learn new “tips and tricks” to make your POS software more productive in your store.
Honor the Industry’s Best Retailers at the 2022 Beacon Awards
The Beacon Awards are an important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.
Sponsors: Co-Sponsors: FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ATTENDING THE BEACON AWARDS ALONG WITH ALL OTHER EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, OPEN FLOOR DISCUSSIONS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT THE HARDWARE CONFERENCE, VISIT WWW.THEHARDWARECONFERENCE.COM
UPCOMING EVENTS
MARCH
Blish-Mize Spring Dealer Market
March 18-19, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.
Emery Jensen Edge Spring Show
March 10-11, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
Home Hardware Virtual Spring Market
March 7-14
Wallace Hardware 100th
Anniversary Market
March 22-24, LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
APRIL
National Hardware Show
April 5-7, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
Orgill Online Summer Buying Event
April 25-May 6
May
Epicor Insights 2022
May 23-26, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tenn.
JUNE
House-Hasson Hardware Summer Dealer Market
June 10-11, Sevierville Events Center, Sevierville, Tenn.
spoga+gafa
June 19-21, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany
AUGUST
Ace Hardware Fall Convention
August 15-17, McCormick Place, Chicago
Emery Jensen Edge Fall Show
August 18-19, McCormick Place, Chicago
Orgill Online Fall Buying Event
August 15-26
The Hardware Conference
August 19-21, JW Marriott, Marco Island, Fla.
SEPTEMBER
Blish-Mize Fall Dealer Market
September 16-17, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.
Do it Best Fall Market
September 9-12, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis
Eisenwarenmesse International Hardware Fair
September 25-28, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany
True Value Fall Reunion
September 16-18, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colo.
For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here.
Turning ExpErTisE inTo a CompETiTivE advanTagE
Do it Best member-owners Rick and Tonya Lovell were excited to open their second store, Lexington Hardware & Feed in Kelso, Wash., in December 2019. As it turned out, their first day would dramatically change possibilities for the business, which had been struggling under previous ownership.
On that first day, Greg Moore walked in the door and asked for a job. As Rick explains, “Greg has 40 years of experience managing garden centers including owning his own nursery for 20 years. He’s an icon in the area. He said he’d been retired but was bored and wanted to come work for us.”
When the area’s foremost lawn and garden expert—who’s literally written the book on gardening—offers to work for you, you quickly say yes. Rick and Tonya’s plans to boost store sales by emphasizing lawn and garden had just been given a dramatic lift.
“Someone just came here from hours away and bought 15 plants,” Rick says. “People come from Portland and Vancouver and all over just to buy plants from Greg. He does large garden designs for people. We’ve become the go-to place for plants in the area.”
At their other store, Toledo Hardware and Feed in Toledo, Wash., lawn and garden is also the biggest category, but nowhere near as huge as Lexington, which devotes 10,000 square feet of
Upper two: Greg Moore brings 40 years of gardening experience to his new responsibilities with Lexington Hardware and Feed, turning the store into a destination for plants.
Lower: The store takes advantage of the expertise of local gardening expert Greg Moore, who shares weekly gardening tips on the radio and Facebook.
outside space to plants. Their new store places a major emphasis on locally focused live plants, fertilizers and garden art, all curated by Greg.
“In March and April, we’re slammed in the garden center. We’ll sell 2,000 baskets on Mother’s Day,” Rick points out, adding that they sell plants year-round.
Greg’s former manager at the garden center for 10 years, Zack, followed him to Lexington Hardware shortly after. He’s now the manager of the hardware store.
Greg does weekly radio ads with a gardening tip of the week. His weekly tips are also posted each Thursday on Facebook. This partnership is helping Lexington write the next chapter of its growth and success.
loCals and TourisTs likE going To ThE sCrEw & BrEw
Cannon Beach is a small beach town of 1,700 people on the coast of Oregon that did not have enough people to support a hardware store by itself.
Between the locals and tourists, there are enough people to support a hardware store that doubles as a bar, restaurant and gift shop. When it opened in 2010, Cannon Beach Hardware & Public House became Oregon’s first hardware store to serve beer and wine.
Owner Ryan Dewey got the idea to open Cannon Beach Hardware & Public House
Upper & Middle: Cannon Beach Hardware & Public House doubles as a hardware store and full-service bar and restaurant.
Bottom: Popular with locals and tourists, the store and pub is affectionately known as the Screw & Brew.
from his father, who saw a hardware store with a pub (Foxy John’s Pub) while visiting the coastal town of Dingle, Ireland.
The business features two floors of hardware, home improvement and garden items and a staff knowledgeable enough to sell you solid and liquid screwdrivers. While waiting for your Cajun tater tots or smoked pastrami Reuben at the full-service restaurant, you can sit at the bar and drink a pint of beer, or go wander the aisles checking out the selection of tools, paint supplies, camping and sports gear.
With such an eclectic offering, the store is affectionately known as the Screw & Brew, a catchy slogan that can be purchased on shirts, hoodies, caps, pint glasses and tape measures. Click here to see the online shop.
auEr aCE disCovErs a profiTaBlE hoBBy
Auer Ace Hardware in Coshocton, Ohio, stumbled onto a profitable niche when Owner Tom Edwards started selling remote control (RC) cars and parts in 2001. It’s a niche that proved especially popular during the pandemic.
Auer Ace Hobbies, which is part of Auer Ace, is committed to sharing the fun of the hobby whether you are new to RC cars or are a hardcore racer. They are a one-stop shop both with their in-store assortment and online shop (www.aueracehobbies.com), and also sell RC boats, planes, drones and rock crawlers.
Upper: Auer Ace has been selling remote control cars since 2001.
Lower: Auer Ace has become a regional destination for RC cars and parts.
RC cars can cost anywhere from $20 on up to $1,000, with parts available for repairs or upgrades. People who enjoy the hobby travel from hours away to shop at Auer Ace, where Michael Hunt oversees the impressive RC department. n
Behind the Numbers
83%
Percentage of new movers who do home projects, according to V12’s 2021 New Mover Trends Report.
45%
Top home improvement project planned or in progress by new movers is painting, followed by redecorating (38%), kitchen remodel (38%), landscaping (35%), bath remodel (32%), updating flooring (31%) and adding a deck/patio (27%), according to V12’s 2021 New Mover Trends Report.
64%
Percentage of new movers who purchase home improvement items before the move, according to V12’s 2021 New Mover Trends Report.
11 million
Number of new pets that have been brought into U.S. homes over the past two years, according to Petco. A survey by Lowe’s reveals that 67% of respondents have found their greatest comfort in pets recently.
1%
Percentage of U.S. homes that have particular features needed to support aging in the home, according to the AARP.
80%
Percentage of people aged 50 years and older who would like to stay in their current home but lack the expertise or resources to adapt their home to their needs as they age, according to the AARP.
