4 Ways AI Will Affect Your Business
Retailers Support Those With Special Needs
Creating a ONE-STOP SHOP for CUSTOMERS
LET’S GET GROWING
Our bold new store design transforms any store into a shopping destination that drives traffic and ignites sales growth.
Join a company that’s committed to taking your business as far as you can dream it.
Read how Mike and Brenda MacKay built for growth at doitbestonline.com/Vassar.
Publisher/Principal: Craig Cope craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666
Editor/Founder/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864
Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609
Senior Editor: Doug Donaldson doug@thehardwareconnection.com 646-508-7904
Founder/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126
Contributing Writers: Gary Pittsford, Craig Webb
By Chris Jensen
Thanking Our Readers For Reaching An Incredible Milestone
Ijoin the rest of the staff of The Hardware Connection in proudly announcing we surpassed the one million page view mark for the year as of September 2023. The industry-leading one million page view benchmark reflects readership for the previous 52 weeks and is verified by Google Analytics. Thanks a million, literally, to all of our loyal readers, because we couldn’t have reached this milestone without you.
As the hardware industry’s leading digital publication, every issue of The Hardware Connection delivers in-depth, retail-focused content that is relevant and useful to hardware and home improvement retailers. That has been our objective since Tom Chasteen and I founded the magazine in 2009, and it remains our mission going forward.
While this news represents a key achievement for 2023, it’s really a reflection of readership support that has flourished and grown over the past 14 years. Our retail readers have grown accustomed to seeing our in-depth reports on the supply chain crisis and the retail consolidation trend as well as breaking news coverage of natural
disasters and profiles of our annual Beacon Award winners.
Then there was the two-part series in 2019 we did on the Century Club: The Innovators and Survivors Who Helped Build America—I greatly enjoyed the research behind that. Since that series came out, I have unearthed another 250 retailers that are over 100 years old, and The Hardware Connection Century Club now includes 763 retailers. These Century Club retailers perfectly capture the resilience and determination of the independent hardware channel and epitomize why I’ve found it so rewarding to cover this industry for 35 years.
The Hardware Connection’s all-digital format has enabled our Creative Director Dan Akers to design a magazine that offers extra layers of information for our readers. All you have to do is click on the links in the articles and the ads and you immediately have additional information at your fingertips. This user-friendly feature is among the reasons our readership has soared to new heights, with a circulation of more than 55,000 that is significantly higher than any other industry publication.
There are other unique components to our editorial content that have
EDITOR’S NOTE
contributed to our readership growth. The Digby’s Hardware cartoon and the Amazing But True Hardware Stories section provide retailers with a dose of humor that is relatable. Publisher Craig Cope’s Shop Talk column offers reviews of products, while the How’s Business section compiled by Senior Editor Doug Donaldson includes regional reports on business conditions around the country directly from retailers.
Retailers love reading about other retailers, and no industry publication contains as many in-depth profiles of retailers as The Hardware Connection. Winning 16 awards for editorial excellence over the past nine years demonstrates that our editorial content continues to hit the mark.
The magazine remains the only industry publication ever co-founded by an independent retailer. Tom Chasteen enjoyed a long career as a third-generation independent hardware retailer and he remains a principal of the company, so when we say we know retailing, we really know and understand retailing.
As I wind down my tenure as editor of The Hardware Connection at the end of this year, I want to express my gratitude to all the hardware and home improvement retailers who welcomed me into their stores and shared insights into their successful business strategies.
It’s been an honor to write about so many innovative companies and I’ve enjoyed all of my store visits.
There’s something unique and different about each and every independent hardware retailer, and I greatly admire how hard you all work to serve your communities and keep a business thriving so it can be passed on to the next generation. If I haven’t made it to your store yet, don’t be so sure I won’t stop in at some point. I’ll never pass up an opportunity to check out a good hardware store.
I also want to thank the 200+ companies who have supported The Hardware Connection with advertising over the past 14 years. Without their support, there is no editorial content to share with retail readers. I especially want to thank the folks at Epicor, who have remained strong supporters of The Hardware Connection since our very first issue in November 2009. It takes a leap of faith to advertise in a magazine that started off as just a concept, and we appreciate their ongoing support.
So once again, thanks a million to all our readers! We will strive to continue producing the industry’s most retail-focused publication, sharing retail success stories that inspire other retailers to improve their businesses while strengthening the two-step channel of distribution. n
TREND WATCH
HBy Craig Cope
Inspiring a New Generation of Tradespeople
ave you ever held a high opinion of someone and then had the opportunity to hear them speak and came away with an even greater admiration of them? After hearing Mike Rowe, host of “Dirty Jobs,” speak at the Ace Fall 2023 Convention in Orlando, this was my first thought.
For those unaware, Mike Rowe has spent decades in the media industry and became popular with his highly successful show “Dirty Jobs.” The show features Mike performing difficult, often disgusting or messy jobs alongside the employees who do it every day. While I was a casual show fan, Mike mentioned during his time on stage that there was never a second take for any of the 169 episodes filmed.
Mike has leveraged his fame and platform to address the pressing issue of the skills gap in the United States. The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, established in 2008, stands as a testament to his dedication to promoting the trades as a viable and respectable career choice. In an era where college education is often considered the only path to success, he has tirelessly advocated for alternatives such as trade schools and apprenticeships. While I am the second generation in my family to receive
a college degree, his message has impacted how I speak to my 11-year-old son about his options after high school.
The mikeroweWORKS Foundation has funded $6.7 million in work ethic scholarships to more than 1,490 recipients in 48 states covering 19 skilled trades. Mike Rowe’s advocacy extends to the broader conversation about the value of hard work and the dignity of labor. He eloquently argues that all work deserves respect and admiration regardless of the field. His work encourages people to take pride in their professions and view their contributions as meaningful, whether fixing cars, crafting furniture or constructing houses.
Many trades are interconnected to the local hardware or LBM store and the entire distribution channel benefits. Can you imagine a better spokesperson for the independent hardware channel than Mike Rowe? For the manufacturers and wholesalers reading this article, I challenge you to find ways for your organization to expand his message. One of the biggest threats to our channel’s prosperity is finding the next generation of tradesmen (and women) willing to pick up tools and get dirty. And if this works its way back to Mike, we all owe him a sincere debt of gratitude. n
Pro battery Built for work
fsa 135 battery-powered trimmer
The innovative STIHL 135 platform of professional battery-powered tools features some of the same proven-tough components used in our legendary gaspowered models. With a product line as diverse as the jobsites you maintain, STIHL professional battery tools set a new standard for power and performance.
Real STIHL. Find yours at STIHLPROBATTERY.COM
HARDWARE HUMOR
HARDWARE STORIES Amazing but TRUE
We have a couple, Bill and Sandy, who have shopped at our store for years.
This is their funny family story about the trip to O.D. Greene’s that they tell at all their family gatherings. Bill and Sandy came to shop one day, because Bill needed some parts to complete a project. They went their separate ways when they arrived at the store, because Sandy had her own shopping to do. After a few minutes in the plumbing department, Bill checked out and headed for home. A little while later, Sandy came to the front of the store looking to see where Bill was as she had looked for him and couldn’t find him. Of course,
Had one customer who drove all the way to Home Depot and then bought too much plywood and 2x4s. He wanted me to buy his extra plywood and 2x4s. I was not going to do that. Plus, it was that Home Depot quality stuff, so wasn’t going to put that in my store.
Dan Robertson Hoch Lumber Yuma, Colo.
neither one had a cell phone. Bill was working outside after arriving home and didn’t hear the phone ring when Sandy tried calling him from our store phone. Sandy was not a happy camper to find out that Bill had left the store without her. She ended up walking home, which was a few miles from the store. When she arrived home Bill said to her: ‘Where have you been?’ Needless to say, Bill never forgot Sandy again. We often ask Bill where his lovely wife is when he comes to shop, just in case.
Rose Fitzgerald O.D. Greene Lumber Adams, N.Y.
Aguy comes in asking for powdered plaster of paris. I explain to him that drywall mud can fix a wall. He insists that he needs plaster of paris. Turns out, he is an artist and needs to repair this casting he made of a nude female body. His current girlfriend found out that the casting is of his old girlfriend, which is why it was in pieces.
Tim Carter Carter Bros. Ace Hardware Reno, Nev.
How’s
Business?
MIDWEST
Sales in 2023: We’re up about 10 percent over last year. We’re in a small, country lake town and a bunch of people from out of state are moving in.
Unique things about business:
Not only are we a 5,000-square-foot Do it Best hardware store, but we have another 4,000 square feet dedicated to electrical products. We’re a destination for electrical and plumbing, and we deliver to 10 different counties within a 50-mile radius.
New initiatives for 2024: No new, big plans. We are going to watch inventory control more closely. Previously, we ordered products based on the last two months. Now, we’re looking at just the previous month and ordering from those trends.
Strongest niche categories: Plumbing and electrical combine for about 92 percent of our sales. Quick-connect plumbing products and Milwaukee tools have been good sellers lately.
Most effective advertising: Local radio. One day a week, we play our ads continuously. We have a jingle that my dad sings. During these ads, we’ll talk about specials and mention brands like PPG Paints and talk about our rentals.
For us, having one day where we have ads all day is better than hearing them once or twice spaced out over the week.
We make use of co-op advertising, often with flyers, where we’ll run it and the manufacturer will pay half after we send in the paperwork.
Chris Lewis Jeffries Hardware & Wholesale Electric
Columbia, Ky.
Above: Jeffries Hardware is a destination for electrical and plumbing.
Left: Chris Lewis recently took over the business from his father, Leon.
NORTHEAST
Sales in 2023: It’s been a good year so far. We’ve seen a little bit of a dip from 2020 and 2021, which is not surprising because we had a 25 to 30 percent increase in 2020. We’re seeing a little bit of a course correction. All in all, sales are strong and about the same as 2022. The building trades have stayed really busy and that has helped maintain growth.
Unique things about business: We’re in a pretty seasonal area here on Cape Cod. So, our customer base transitions throughout the year. From
September to May, we’re 60 to 70 percent contractor. In the summer months, it swings the other way with about 70 percent homeowner customers. We ramp up inventory and buying in the beginning of the second quarter and maintain that through the summer. Come end of July and August, we let inventory in outdoor living and seasonal taper off.
INSTANT CONCRETE REPAIR!
SETTING CRACK/GAP FILLER
James Cote owns Osterville Hardware with his wife Megan.
New initiatives for 2024: We’re constantly doing training. We’re looking into ecommerce. We changed our POS system to Epicor in January, and it has been fantastic.
Strongest niche categories: We started selling Benjamin Moore paint in 2016, and that continues to grow and expand. We’re also known for our grills. Summer grill sales are strong with Weber and Big Green Egg.
Most effective advertising: We do a lot with social media, which I’ve found to be the best bang for the buck as far as reach and the most effective. We also put ads in a local publication that’s a travel guide for our village.
Do you use co-op dollars? A lot of times, we’ll do some co-op advertising with Benjamin Moore. Sometimes, we’ll do co-op promotions with branded products such as five-gallon buckets and t-shirts.
James Cote
Osterville Hardware Osterville, Mass.
SOUTH
Sales in 2023: Not as good as 2020 and 2021. A lot of military families are moving to the area, but we’re more of a hardware store than a building supply, so we’re not benefiting from that as much.
Upper: Kristy and Jim Ransdell, owners of Century Club retailer Burney Hardware in Aberdeen, N.C., continually seek better ways to catch customers’ eyes through digital marketing. Lower: Burney Hardware has indoor and outdoor displays of pumpkins.
Unique
things about business: We’ve been around 100 years and known for customer service and community involvement. Any time a community organization asks for a donation, we give merchandise to raffle. We’ve grown over the years and bought the building next door. With that property, we were able to have outdoor displays of skid steer loaders and zero-turn mowers. Pretty soon, we’ll have hay bales and pumpkins out front.
New initiatives for 2024: Seven years ago, we added a garden center between our two buildings. We’re doing a big remodel and bringing in everything under one roof. The fact that we’re growing draws customer interest.
Strongest niche categories: We’re known for being able to fix anything. We do a lot of repair work, everything from lamps and toasters to picture frames. Services include glass cutting and welding.
Most effective advertising: That would be the True Value circulars. Anything that True Value rolls out, we sign up for automatically. We’re looking at discontinuing the print insertions and going with only email with a link to the digital circular. We no longer put ads in the Yellow Pages. We need to figure a better way to end up in people’s phones. Just because we have been around
100 years doesn’t mean that people coming to town will know who we are. Newspapers are read by older people who already know us. Even Facebook is an older demographic.
Younger people are on Instagram, and even younger people are on TikTok. I put content on Facebook and try to do three posts per week, but I’ve slacked off in the last year.
high-speed cleaning
new!
with
How’s Business?
Do you use co-op dollars? No, we never do co-op. We had bad experiences trying to use co-op marketing years ago. First, we had to pay upfront to run the ad, then get an invoice, and then get the vendor to reimburse us, only to be told we didn’t do some paperwork right, so we weren’t paid.
Kristy Ransdell
Burney Hardware Co. Aberdeen, N.C.
SOUTHWEST
Sales in 2023: We’re up from last year about 5 percent. We’re really pushing sales and trying to do a monthly sale to bring in customers.
Unique things about business: Our people are very helpful. Customers are greeted when they come in the door. Even cashiers greet customers and make sure that another employee takes them to what they need.
New initiatives for 2024: We’re going to keep doing what we do, pushing sales and advertising on Facebook.
Strongest niche categories: Our plumbing department is excellent, and the guy who runs it has the knowledge to help contractors and doit-yourselfers with whatever project they have. We guide customers from start to finish on projects, sometimes taking them to a computer and showing them steps and what to do along with what products they need.
Be Home dishes is a niche category for Ace Hardware of East Texas.
Most effective advertising: We post on Facebook three times a week. Whenever a customer has a question, we respond quickly.
Do you use co-op dollars? We usually do some co-op throughout the year with Exmark, the zero-turn riding mowers.
Cindy Barbee
Ace Hardware of East Texas Center, Texas
WEST
Sales in 2023: Started off pretty darn good up until August. We were up about 2 to 3 percent, then we dropped off a little. We’re in the Lake Chelan area, a 55-mile glacierfed lake just outside Seattle. There are a lot of vacation homes here. I think the price of gasoline has been a contributing factor.
Unique things about business: This is our 65th year in business, and we are old-school. Visitors come into the store and say it reminds them of hardware stores when they were kids. We sell antique, lever-action guns
and have old guns hanging on the wall along with old photos, an elk head and a goat head. We have a 1952 mahogany phone booth with a working payphone. Customers love coming in here because it’s different.
New initiatives for 2024: We’re always looking for American-made stuff—try to carry as much as we can. I love new products that work and make sense. A couple of examples are No-Spill Cans for gas and Tru Pickles. I plan on going through our cleaning department and doing a reset in that department with Ace. Also, I want to do a huge reset with plumbing and irrigation and possibly adjust the lawn and garden department, too.
Strongest niche categories: We have a big electrical department, much broader than typical stores. We’re more like an electrical supply wholesaler. We carry just about every breaker, conduit and fuse you can find. Most electricians in the area have accounts here. We’re really big with irrigation and excavation contractors as well, and they buy PVC and drain hardware here. We’re a destination for guns and sporting goods and do a pretty good job with barbecue grills. We sell a lot of pellets for pellet grills.
Most effective advertising: Definitely radio. Our local radio station reaches about 80 miles in almost
Left: Decorated with a throwback vibe, Kelly’s Chelan Hardware is furnished with a 1952 mahogany phone booth that has a working payphone. Owner Patrick Kelly, pictured, says customers value the old-school feel.
Right: Kelly’s Chelan Hardware in Washington state celebrated its 65th anniversary by conducting a Facebook photo contest with their 1929 Model A truck.
every direction and has quite the following. Mornings, the station has a show called 2nd Cup of Coffee. We run ads with that show and about 12 to 15 times a year, my son and I will go on the show live, which has a good response. We also do some Facebook, some newspaper and a little bit of television during the holidays.
Do you use co-op dollars? Coop used to be so easy, and it’s not anymore. The companies don’t seem to make it as easy. So, I don’t use it. I would like to. But it’s not worth the time to figure out how to do it anymore. If there was a real easy format that I could follow, I would use co-op dollars.
Patrick Kelly Kelly’s Chelan Hardware Co. Chelan, Wash.
HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW ShopTalk
PRODUCT #1:
STIHL BGA 60 BATTERY-POWERED LEAF BLOWER
In May 2021 we had the opportunity to review the STIHL BGA 57 (click here to view). We found the BGA 57 an outstanding option compared to the hassle and noise of traditional gas-powered blowers. We jumped at the chance when STIHL asked if we would be interested in testing the new BGA 60 battery-powered leaf blower. This was the first time in recent memory we had the opportunity to run a follow-up test on the latest model, which did not disappoint.
By Craig Cope
The STIHL BGA 60 Blower is the most powerful, handheld battery-powered blower in the STIHL AK System, providing 45 percent more blowing force than the BGA 57 while delivering a range of features for comfort and convenience. Two noticeable features include the variable-speed trigger and boost mode, which helps clear grass clippings, leaves and other yard debris from hard surfaces. The high-performance AK 30 lithium-ion battery has no battery memory limitation, no gradual drop in power; it runs at full speed until the battery is
depleted. As with everything within the AK System, the batteries can be swapped with other STIHL tools within the system.
The same tester who has been using the BGA 57 since May 2021 was asked to share his opinion on the new BGA 60. Our tester quickly noted the variable speed trigger, enabling the user to control the blower’s force better. The feature increased the blower’s usefulness because now he could use it to clean up yard debris in delicate planting beds. Our tester also noted the increased power is instantly noticeable. When
running on high, the blower pulls his shorts towards the intake vent. Here’s how our tester summed up his experience with the BGA 60: “Stihl took an already exceptional product and made it even better!”
If you are a STIHL dealer, the BGA 60 is a must-have handheld battery-powered leaf blower.
PRODUCT #2:
SENIX 20 VOLT MAX 2-TOOL CORDLESS BRUSHLESS COMBO KIT
SENIX is a new brand in the independent hardware channel offering a wide variety of battery- and gas-powered power tools, trimmers, saws, and lawncare products. As “the Official Power Tools of Richard Childress Racing,” the company “strives to create powerful, affordable products that remain eco-minded with low-to-no emissions and a reduced environmental impact. Bottom line, we deliver premium performance at an exceptional value.” Click here to view a brief company video.
The 2-Tool Combo Kit features a ½-inch hammer drill driver and ¼-inch impact driver. The kit also contains two 20-volt lithium-ion batteries, one battery charger, and a premium storage
ShopTalk
bag. The hammer drill has a keyless ratcheting 19-position clutch with a twospeed gearbox providing up to 2,000 rpm. The impact driver features an autoload hex collet for a secure, one-handed bit connection. Both offer LED lighting to illuminate the workspace and reversible belt clips for convenience.
Because the SENIX line is designed for the DIYer who wants quality tools without breaking the bank, we provided our samples to testers who only had low-quality, disposable cordless drills. Our testers immediately commented on the ergonomics and quality feel of both units. One tester also mentioned
having both driver options provided the opportunity to pair the proper tool with the job versus “just trying to make it work.”
All testers agreed the kit’s $249 retail price point makes this an extremely attractive offer.
If your store carries power tools or is looking to enter the market, consider the SENIX line for a high-quality tool at an affordable price.
PRODUCT #3: CEILUME DROP CEILING TILES
When was the last time you looked up at the ceiling of your store, office, or home and were inspired? Have you ever entered an older building with an ornate metal ceiling and you are immediately transported to a different time? Ceilume seeks to bring back an era where the ceiling is an inspiring design element instead of an afterthought. Ed Davis, president of Ceilume, believes, “there truly is a ceiling treatment to fit every taste, every space, and every budget, and that’s a good thing.”
Ceilume offers drop ceiling tiles and glue-up tiles in numerous colors and finishes with styles ranging from classic to modern and even off the charts. All tiles are manufactured in Graton, Calif., utilizing hand-built molds with relentless attention to detail, and 100 percent of the raw materials used are recycled back into the process. Click here for a video showcasing the company and its people-first culture “from a crew that gives a damn!”
• Discover the limitations of your current POS system and the risks it poses to your business.
• Explore the benefits of upgrading to Retail Automation POS, including enhanced functionality and scalability.
• Seamlessly transfer your existing Point of Sale data from Quickbooks POS and Prosperity with expert assistance and support.
• Future-proof your business and stay ahead of the competition.
ShopTalk
We received samples of the drop ceiling tiles and provided them to one of our testers who owns commercial real estate. Our tester wanted to change the feel of a small office space for rent without spending much money or downtime. The tiles were easily installed into the traditional drop ceiling grid. The company supplies a robust installation booklet with QR codes for how-to videos. Our tester was more than pleased and honestly a little surprised how changing a simple design
element of the office created a more modern feel versus the traditional mineral fiber tiles.
If your store currently carries ceiling tiles, or you would like to give your customers more options than everyone else offers, give Ceilume a call. n
Seamlessly repair torn tents, mend sleeping bags, and secure gear for your outdoor adventures.
By Doug Donaldson
CREATING a ONE-STOP SHOP for CUSTOMERS
Hennick’s Home Center in Bandon, Ore., has taken diversification to the next level, offering everything from furniture and household goods along with a deep hardware assortment.
Mike Hennick Jr. has diversified sales to turn Hennick’s Home Center into a one-stop shop.
As the cranberry capital of Oregon, the town of Bandon has sprawling, beautiful oceanside vistas and an historic lighthouse. Several homes in this coastal community have another thing in common: Hennick’s Home Center. You can walk through many homes here and just about everything you see—including countertops, doors, paint, lighting fixtures and furniture— was purchased from the Hennick family, owners of Hennick’s Home Center and Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center. Everything for building and furnishing a home can be purchased at Hennick’s Home Center. Stocking
building material—except for trusses— to construct a house, Hennick’s draws customers from 50 miles away. Then, with a quick walk across the parking lot, customers can furnish every room. This comprehensive, one-stop-shop approach has grown the company’s sales throughout the decades.
Mike and Sharon Hennick opened Hennick’s Home Center in 1988, providing a full-service lumberyard that does a brisk business selling lumber, plywood, insulation, electrical and plumbing products, drywall and roofing to Pacific Northwest contractors
and do-it-yourselfers. The store offers jobsite delivery along with a suite of services such as pre-hanging doors on site, cutting glass and rekeying locks.
The store’s assortment grew with customer demand. During the past few decades, Hennick’s added flooring, a garden center, heating and air conditioning, kitchen and bath and a full paint line. Responding to customers, the store added design and installation services complemented by kitchen and cabinetry design fabrication.
In 2013, with their son Mike Jr. and daughter-in-law Johauna, Mike and Sharon opened Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center. The nearby furniture store carries dining sets, entertainment centers, lamps, rugs, sofas and décor. Aligning with the coastal community,
Upper left: In 2005, the Hennick family built their new 20,000-square-foot store from the ground up. With the additional space, the store added more diverse product lines, enabling the company to better compete as a building supply outlet.
Lower left: Hennick’s Home Center was one of the first stores to participate in Do it Best’s home décor program. New product lines included flooring and ceramic tile along with cabinets, countertops and vanities.
Right: In 2013, the Hennick family opened Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center, an 8,000-square-foot furniture store, which has provided a constant revenue stream.
the furniture store has an extensive line of beach-themed furniture.
EXPANDING TO DIVERSIFY
The Hennick Home Center has a track record of diversifying, growing and staying relevant in an ever-changing Pacific Northwest market.
In 2005, they built their new 20,000-square-foot store from the ground up, utilizing Do it Best’s design services. With the additional space, the store added more diverse product lines, enabling the company to better compete as a building supply.
A Do it Best member for about 25 years, Hennick’s Home Center was one of the first stores to participate
FEATURE
in the co-op’s home décor program. New product lines included flooring and ceramic tile along with additional cabinets, countertops and vanities. As these new product lines were added, Hennick’s took advantage of Do it Best training resources to learn how to sell this new assortment.
“Customers told us that once we added the home décor they didn’t have to travel all over the valley to find what they needed,” says Mike Hennick Jr. “Home décor and design is now a big part of what we do here, probably about 25 percent of our business.”
Dovetailing flooring sales, the store also offered installation, which has become another steady source of diversified income. Hennick says the vast majority of those who buy flooring from the store also utilize their installation services, which contributes to the ability to sell flooring.
The company has opened another 4,800-square-foot location in Lakeside, about 40 miles south of Bandon.
In 1999, the company opened a 6,000-square-foot store in Brookings, Ore., about 85 miles to the south.
“Trying to manage a business that far was challenging,” Hennick says. “We also didn’t have anywhere to expand in that facility and were competing against much larger competitors with broader lines than we could.”
That store eventually closed, however, Hennick says that the lesson
learned was to make sure that essential employees are in place to make sure any remote facilities can run well.
“The further away another location is, the better the team needs to be to run the business,” Hennick advises.
SETTING THE TABLE FOR TABLES AND MORE
On the opposite side of the parking lot shared with Hennick’s Home Center, a furniture store closed, leaving the area devoid of any place to buy furniture. The Hennick family researched furniture sales.
“We looked and found the furniture business very lucrative,” Hennick says. “The average margin is way higher than a typical hardware store or home center.”
The family decided furniture would fit in their business model and in 2013 opened an 8,000-square-foot furniture store. The family’s decision to open the furniture store has been rewarded with
Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center offers a large selection of coastal-theme furniture and décor.
6 TIPS FOR DIVERSIFYING SALES BY SELLING FURNITURE
Selling furniture can be a profitable way to diversify a hardware business, according to Mike Hennick Jr. of Hennick’s Home Center. In 2013 with wife, Johauna, the Hennicks opened Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center. Here, Mike shares six tips for other retailers looking to diversify with furniture:
1. Partner with reputable furniture supplier. “Ashley has been an incredible partner in the furniture world,” Hennick says. The name-brand recognition along with large variety of products allows Hennick to stock or order just about any home furnishing a customer wants.
2. Examine all costs. When buying home furnishing products, especially mattresses, Hennick suggests shopping around to see which vendor has the best deals in your area. Be sure to ask about any added freight charges.
3. Find employees with furniture experience. The manager of Hennick’s Furniture & Sleep Center has a background with furniture, and Hennick believes that experience has been essential to making sure the store can cater to customers and stock the optimal merchandise.
4. Evaluate competition within 30 miles. When the Hennicks opened the furniture store, there wasn’t another furniture store in town. “We were going to add something locally that wasn’t available,” Hennick says. The family did market research about the furniture-buying customer base to help determine demand and assortment.
5. Visit other furniture stores, markets. Seeing how other furniture stores merchandised and stocked items helped the Hennicks with the set-up of their store. Furniture markets and reps from furniture manufacturers were also an invaluable resource, Hennick says.
6. Prepare for warranty repairs and returns. Hennick says he was surprised at the high level of returns and warranty repairs from furniture sales. “Some repairs may be as simple as tightening a bolt, but we document all and have to spend time following up how we handle those warranties,” he says. Hennick says on average he sets aside about four hours a week for warranty paperwork and follow-up.
With CAD programs, Mike Hennick Jr. helps customers design kitchens, bathrooms and decks. Hennick says the store’s design services have boosted sales of building materials.
a constant revenue stream, even during slow times for the hardware store.
“The nice thing about furniture is that its busy season is the inverse of building season,” Hennick says. “During the summer, we’re occupied with a lot of contractor and builder business. In the fall and winter is when furniture is busy.”
BROADENING PRODUCT SELECTION TO DRAW CUSTOMERS
Being a one-stop shop means that Hennick needs to stay on top of trends and be engrained in their community and know what customers will seek out next.
“Hennick’s is a very independent store, and they’re a recognized part of their community,” says Jesse Sarenana, Do it Best territory sales manager. “They’re well known for bringing in foot traffic and looking for new products to display and sell.”
Hennick’s keeps freshening the look of the store to provide customers with
Adding a garden center has helped attract more female customers.
new choices. In 2020, the plumbing department was reset. Also, the store constantly refreshes home décor with different display vignettes.
Another recent reset includes a 28-foot light bulb planogram, which helped update the store’s lighting selection and make it current with the demand for LED bulbs. Also, the power tool and accessories assortment was refreshed.
“Mike has done a good job of rotating endcaps,” Sarenana says. “Customers come in and see different products rotated in and they’re also working on the main aisle, switching out items on a monthly basis.”
Sarenana also cites the family’s ability to spot trends and be ahead of the curve when they made decisions to expand product offerings. For example, one product line that customers have responded well to is cordless lawn mowers. Sarenana says that the mid-range mowers have helped the store compete with big boxes. n
Welcome to The Hardware Connection Century Club!
The Hardware Connection Century Club, sponsored by Intermatic Inc., recognizes “The Innovators and Survivors Who Helped Build America.” Our Century Club currently includes 763 hardware and LBM retailers, 18 wholesalers and 191 manufacturers that were founded in the United States of America and remain in business after 100 or more years.
You can find the complete list of Century Club members including old store photos and links to company history by clicking here. We congratulate the following 41 retailers who have been added to The Hardware Connection Century Club this year:
Adams Building Supplies, Hartwell, GA—1917
Allers Lumber Company, Lindenhurst, NY—1923
Anawalt Lumber & Hardware, Los Angeles, CA—1923
Andrews Ace Hardware, Citronelle, AL—1923
Arlington Coal and Lumber, Arlington, MA—1923
Bivens Hardware, Pickens, SC—1923
Canaan Hardware and Supply, Canaan, NH—1923
Caribou Jack’s Trading Company, Soda Springs, ID—1903
Carthage Hardware, Carthage, MO—1878
Christensen Lumber Company (now part of Kodiak Building Partners), Fremont, NE—1923
Davis-Hawn Lumber, Dallas, TX—1923
Duvall Ace Hardware & Garden, Duvall, WA—1912
Family Hardware, Bluffton, OH—1912
Farr’s Hardware, Coquille, OR—1916
Fort Worth Lumber Company (formerly H.H Hardin
Lumber Co.), Fort Worth, TX—1893
Gasser Hardware & Farm Supply, Boscobel, WI—1923
Gerretsen Building Supply (div. of TAL Building Centers), Roseburg, OR—1923
Heuser Hardware, Jeffersonville, IN—1923
Jim’s Point Marion Hardware, Point Marion, PA—1903
Kredo Hardware, Broadview Heights, OH—1898
LeVahn Brothers Plumbing and Hardware Hank, Maple Grove, MN—1923
Liberty Lumber Yard, New Orleans, LA—1923
Lozon Hardware, River Rouge, MI—1923
Lyon & Billard Lumber, Meriden, CT—1847
Markel Lumber Company, New Orleans, LA—1923
Maxwell’s Hardware, Downingtown, PA—1897
McDougald’s, Clarkton, NC—1917
Miller Hardware Company, Valdosta, GA—1908
Morrison Terrebonne Lumber, Houma, LA—1923
Mt. Pleasant Hardware, Providence, RI—1923
Nitterhouse Masonry & Hardware Supply, Chambersburg, PA—1923
Olson’s Ace Hardware (formerly Dressel’s Hardware), Oak Park, IL—1923
P.C. Smith & Son Hardware, Saugerties, NY—1914
Pilot Lumber Company, Bellevue, KY—1919
Prince Lumber, Newark, NJ—1923
Rockingham Cooperative, Dayton, VA—1921
San Antonio Lumber, San Antonio, FL—1923
Schneider Hardware, West Orange, NJ--1923
Shattuck Heights Hardware (formerly Wanamaker Hardware), Arlington, MA—1923
Shelly’s Building Supply (now part of US LBM), Telford, PA—1923
Smith Lumber Company, Valley City, ND—1923
By Doug Donaldson
Evaluating Customer Experience — Again
This September, TAL Building Centers unveiled another cuttingedge hardware store redesign with the grand reopening of Browne’s Home Center in Friday Harbor, Wash.
As a second act to winning the Beacon Award for Best New Store for its Tum-A-Lum Lumber location, TAL Building Centers recently celebrated the grand opening of its reimagined and redesigned Browne’s Home Center in Friday Harbor, Wash.
On September 15, Browne’s hosted a grand reopening with a VIP Night and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The following day, more than 500 customers showed up during festivities, which included a free barbecue lunch, product
Above: This past September, TAL Building Centers unveiled the redesigned Browne’s Home Center in Friday Harbor, Wash., which incorporated striking design elements such as the exterior wooden slats.
demonstrations, kids’ activities and raffle prizes.
The new building is a substantial expansion from the previous incarnation. The updated retail areas more than doubled in size from 14,000 square feet to 28,450 square feet. The redesigned store includes a full-service paint center, specialized contractor areas along with more robust assortments in core categories such as electrical, plumbing, tools and lawn and garden. Other product lines that were expanded include clothing, home goods, marine, pet supplies and RV. The store also includes a 27,000-square-foot, all-organic garden center.
“This is more than just a renovation for Browne’s Home Center; it’s a demonstration of our investment in the community,” says TAL Building Centers CEO Jason Blair. “By expanding our offerings and enhancing our service areas, we’re enriching the customer experience and reinforcing our commitment to the people of Friday Harbor and the San Juan Islands.”
ISLAND STORE CHALLENGES
TAL Building Centers acquired Browne’s Home Center in 2017, and
Left: Browne’s new entrance and checkout area are conducive to customers who want to get in and out quickly. The floor plan makes the most of the store’s long, narrow space.
Right: More than 500 people attended Browne’s Home Center’s grand reopening, which included product demonstrations, raffle prizes and games for kids.
the store redesign process began in earnest in March 2022. The redesign of Browne’s was ambitious. The project enclosed formerly open breezeways and a pole barn under one roof.
For the Browne’s remodel design, TAL partnered with award-winning Graham Baba Architects. Design and permitting was finished by the end of 2022, and construction began in January 2023.
Logistics became one of the biggest challenges for this redesign. Browne’s Home Center is on San Juan Island, a 621-square-mile island with 8,000 residents about 107 miles north of Seattle and closer to the Canadian border than to the United States mainland. Semi-trailers can’t drop off building materials at the jobsite. Each trailer of building material—both for stocking the store’s assortment and for materials needed for the renovations—has
DEALER PROFILE
to be unloaded from semi-trailers, repacked in smaller shipping containers and ferried to the island. To smooth the construction process TAL Building Centers even developed its own transportation system.
In addition to island ferry logistics, TAL contends with Northwest weather. The store exterior could not be painted until the rain tapered off, about midSeptember. While redesigning the store, Browne’s Home Center remained open with shelving being moved around as needed like a retail hardware Tetris game.
BORROWING BEST PRACTICES
To increase customer appeal at Browne’s Home Center, the company looked to their other stores and relied on nearly a century of retail hardware experience. Elements such as an upgraded design center and more refined free coffee area from other stores have been incorporated into the newly redesigned stores.
“The previous Browne’s Home Center was not welcoming from the road,” says Katherine Cornelius, TAL Building Centers’ marketing director. “One of the things we’ve done with each of the stores is add windows to the front, so customers can see in. That’s much more welcoming.”
Like the Pendleton and Tum-A-Lum locations, Browne’s Home Center will
Taking a cue from TAL Building Centers’ other locations, even imagery on the company’s trucks conveys a modern design aesthetic.
include a large design center framed with elegant wood and steel elements.
“We want to make the design center a destination,” says Billy Cornelius, TAL Building Centers’ director of property, facilities and asset management.
Not only homeowners will make use of the design center, but contractors will also bring their clients to the design center to view building materials such as cabinets, countertops, doors, hardware and windows, Billy says.
Browne’s HVAC system was enhanced to make the space a more comfortable shopping experience. One of the most visible differences: Lighting. All lighting in Browne’s Home Center was upgraded to LED.
“When customers are shopping for paint, the much-improved lighting enables them to be sure the colors are the right temperature,” Billy says.
The store’s interior and exterior signage and branding have also been elevated. On the exterior of the building, there is a hardware- and lumberrelated word cloud. Browne’s end caps also take a cue from the Pendleton
Here’s what Browne’s Home Center’s exterior looked like before the redesign.
Tum-A-Lum and have a framed, architectural look.
A small, but noticeable customer-centric upgrade: Instead of a typical Bunn double-burner coffeemaker tucked over in a store corner, the store has an upgraded coffee experience. Another bonus: The architecture around the coffee area shows off some of the company’s lumber and laminate. Instead of a run-of-the-mill corkboard, the coffee area has Nordgröna cork tiles.
“It’s a more elegant way to put up community notices,” Billy says. “It’s an elevated coffee experience, and our customers have really appreciated the new look.”
CATERING TO CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
Browne’s customer base is about 60 percent contractor, 40 percent do-ityourselfer. TAL Building Centers added several features to cater to that strong contractor base. Design elements and merchandising for the contractor section of the store were designed for quick checkouts. Following the Tum-ALum example with a long contractor checkout counter, Browne’s contractor
area has a different aesthetic than the rest of the store.
“We wanted our pro customers to feel like they have their own area in the store, some place they can feel at home,” Billy says.
The contractor area in the back of the store is closer to the larger building materials and where the more contractor-focused tools such as Simpson Strong-Tie hangers are displayed.
“Contractors don’t want to go looking for Simpson hardware by going through the lawn and garden department,” Billy says. “The contractor section was built for quick in and out and ready access to sales staff.”
The new Browne’s entrance and checkout area are also conducive to other customers who want to get in and out quickly. On one side of the entrance is seasonal products and the other has multiple registers and the line queue. The flow of the floor plan also made the most of the store’s long, narrow space with the design center prominently standing out when a customer walks in the door.
Do it Best coordinated with TAL Building Centers to ensure that Browne’s had the optimal mix of product categories, and the distributor also assisted with fixture layout, organizing fixtures and merchandising.
“Do it Best has been a great partner and they have been really instrumental in getting in the right product mix for our stores,” Katherine says. n
Evaluating AI’s Exciting Potential
By Craig Webb
Construction supply dealers have reason to be both intrigued and confused by the hubbub over Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whether LBM dealers should care depends both on what you’re doing now and whether AI’s biggest recent advances will be worth the cost.
Here’s my take:
1. AI’s innovations in marketing and data analysis hold the greatest short-term promise for construction supply.
2. Big dealers will benefit by using AI to achieve more consistency across far-flung operations.
3. Most small dealers should continue improving their key processes—particularly dispatch/ delivery, inventory management, e-commerce and ERP utilization—before spending any time thinking about higherlevel AI innovations. Smaller dealers also will have to move their data to the cloud.
4. Except for better pricing, AI’s benefits are more likely to show up on the expense rather than the revenue line.
German DIY giant Obi has introduced a “hey Obi” service on its app that analyzes voiced requests to route the customer to the most suitable product expert on its help desk.
“I think it’s starting to become more important,” said John Carrico, a vice president at Epicor specializing in product management, distribution and building supply. Earlier in the interview, he stressed: “We by no means are saying AI is the endall and be-all. But we see the use of AI, and it comes down to AI helping a user make the best decision and make an informed decision—and sometimes make a decision for them.”
A FUZZY DEFINITION
Within the context of the hardware industry, what exactly is AI?
Arthur Duffy, founder and managing director of Excenta Ltd., a U.K.based IT consultant, cautions that lots of processes cited as examples of AI strike him as just data processing. You could argue that a cash
Sodimac, Latin America’s biggest DIY chain, uses robots and AI to spot which of its branches are having the biggest operational problems.
register that tells how much change to give on a purchase is “intelligent.” But to Duffy, that’s not AI.
As he defines it: “AI is a computer system that is able to perform tasks that ordinarily require human intelligence. These artificial intelligence systems are powered by machine learning.” Another way to put it is that AI’s value arises when the problem comes too frequently, with too many variables, and from too many sources for humans to solve the task at a profitable speed.
Consider direction-finding software like Uber and Waze. A lumberyard’s dispatcher can manually direct deliveries as well as the apps if only a few trucks are involved. But if a dispatcher had to handle Uber’s 15 million daily rides, that person would be overwhelmed. Beyond that, these route-finding apps are constantly “learning” which routes work best by collecting data from lots of resources, such as the crowdsourcing contributions that help power Waze.
8 FORMS OF AI, PLUS ONE
Christina Stathopoulos, a former analytical lead at Waze, calls that type of AI “prescriptive intel.” In a recent
Epicor has produced this list of sample uses of AI for distributors.
speech in Berlin at a summit for DIY dealers worldwide, Stathopoulos broke AI into eight types:
• Descriptive Intel. Here, AI creates relationships between data to understand past patterns, particularly if the connection was unexpected. The classic example is the early 1990s finding of a close correlation between sales of beer and diapers. Humans stumbled on that one. Today, AI can do a much better job finding patterns.
• Predictive Intel. This is where you use past patterns and current demand to predict the future. Most of construction supply’s ERP systems already do this when they suggest stocking levels.
• Prescriptive Intel. Here, AI sorts through multiple options to figure out the next course of action, as with routing software.
• Autonomous Decision-Making Systems. This type of AI gives the computer a problem then lets it “learn” the best ways to resolve the challenge. So-called smart buildings do this now when they strive to reduce energy use while maximizing comfort.
• Hyper Personalization. The more AI knows about you, the better it’ll be able to find and suggest products that meet your needs. Thirty-five percent of Amazon’s sales involve softwaregenerated recommendations, Stathopoulos said.
• Artificial Vision. This is when AI learns to read an image and
Christina Stathopoulos, a former analytical lead at Waze, talks about AI uses at the Global-DIY Summit in Berlin this past June.
convert it into computer-readable data. Starbucks has removed its name from its logo, but AI can enable a scanner to know when a Starbucks mug is on the shelves just by spotting the mermaid.
• Natural Language Processing. Think of Siri, Alexa and “Hey Google.” All of them record human speech and convert what’s said into information that a computer can handle. Natural-language processing also helps computers scan e-mails and then sidetrack the ones it thinks are spam.
• Generative AI. Here you find ChatGPT and software that creates images. In this case, the AI collects information from across the Internet and applies it to the request in a format that fulfills the request. This is the most recent form of AI to win attention.
To these eight types, add Quality Control. John Maiuri, president, LBM & Hardlines Group, Building &
Construction Division of ECI Software Solutions, believes one of AI’s biggest potential benefits for his customers will be how it can spot inconsistencies across large volumes of data, such as when the same customer appears twice in the system because one of the entries has a spelling error or an address change. Poor data hygiene mucks up systems and leads to bad results.
EXPECT TO START BY AUTOMATING WORDS
One of the first places you are likely to see ChatGPT-style AI enter LBM is through communications. AI makes it easier to write standard versions of many e-mails that dealers send out today, such as reminders to pay, requests for information and thankyou notes. You might have many of these sitting around already, but AI helps you employ ever-stronger language when, say, your customer’s invoice is getting further and further past due. It also helps automate the sending of these reminders, including customized info.
Think of the opportunities for your website, too. AI word-generating
tools can make it easy to produce a first draft of how-to articles that you then can customize to your needs. You can pull together information faster, thus allowing you to reach customer segments more regularly. You should review the AI-created content before sending it out to make sure you’re not passing along factual errors, fake information and even disinformation.
Marketing is also likely to get more sophisticated. Bulk e-mail systems such as Constant Contact have begun incorporating ChatGPT into their offerings. Eighty-eight percent of communications leaders say AI will improve their speed and efficiency, and 72 percent believe it will reduce workloads, according to an April 2023 survey conducted by WE Communications and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center for Public Relations.
It’s still early days for these companies: Only 16 percent said they are extremely knowledgeable about AI applications, and just 23 percent said their organization is making changes to how they work due to new AI tools.
All these advances theoretically could boost sales, but it’s just as likely that AI’s main benefit is doing more work with the same or fewer people and resources. As in many other areas, AI’s first benefit probably will be reduced costs and thus higher profit margins.
DOES ANYONE IN LBM USE HIGHLEVEL AI?
Depending on whether you subscribe to Stathopoulos’ loose definition or Duffy’s tight definition of AI, you could say lots of dealers or virtually no dealers use AI today. One of the rare Duffy-level examples is The Home Depot, which has created a program that gives store associates an optimal order for restocking items. Such an algorithm’s suggestions can be based on a myriad of constantly changing factors, including the weather forecast (“Snow coming? Get out the shovels.”), recent sales, whether a promotion is about to launch and how much product is on the shelves.
Big dealers also are likely to find AI can help monitor whether branches are doing what the central office wants. Latin America’s biggest DIY chain, Sodimac, uses robots to scan the aisles for stocking levels, out-ofdate price tags and fidelity to the planogram. The collected data then can be converted into charts (see graphic on P.39) that show overall out-of-stock levels and store-specific inventory. The program also allows Sodimac to zoom in on a particular branch to see how well that branch is keeping up with price changes over time.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
At a conference earlier this year, Carrico put into one slide 21 different
ways AI could help product distributors. Many involve gathering, organizing and analyzing large amounts of data based on something as simple as a verbal request—no code-writing or intense research needed. Others work with software like optical character recognition to “learn” where to find and transcribe the same needed information that appears in different places on different companies’ invoices.
Hyper-personalization goes beyond pricing with AI. By pulling together both in-store and online information about a customer, AI can help with the sales pitch, tone, and timing of efforts. It also will be easier to manage customer relations across media rather than having to sort through records now held in separate silos for text, e-mail, online, and in-person contacts.
“We see ourselves helping with non-value-added activities, doing work faster and more accurately than a human can do,” Carrico said. “That’s where we’re getting our feet wet first.”
Stathopoulos also cited the German DIY giant Obi, which has introduced a “hey Obi” service on its app that analyzes voice requests to route customers to the most suitable product expert on its help desk. She also likes how Lowe’s has created a digital replica of its stores so that product
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
leaders in the central office can—with AI help—rearrange a planogram and predict how moves would affect specific products’ sales.
BETTER PRICING, BETTER UTILIZATION
Duffy sees some of AI’s greatest promise in the pricing advice. Britain’s Bubo.ai claims it can boost gross margins by examining all the discount rules established for every product and every customer. Bubo says its system “then ‘learns’ what worked (profit improved) and what didn’t (no impact on profit) and makes improvements for future transactions. Ultimately, it has the ability to optimize the profit of every customer purchase.”
Naturally, the more customers and products you have, the more complicated your current discounts are likely to be. Thus, big dealers are more likely than smaller ones to benefit here, just as big dealers also can use AI for managing far-flung operations.
For smaller dealers, the next steps are already in your possession. Most dealers’ ERP systems are dramatically underused, officials at software companies say. n
Craig Webb is president of Webb Analytics, a data and research consultancy that helps executives in construction supply spot the trends, threats and opportunities that matter most. Contact him at cwebb@webb-analytics.com.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
X-PROTINT AUTOMATIC DISPENSER
• Ideal for stores looking to automate paint department. Very compact with steel frame designed to handle any type of applications or conditions.
• Truly self-serviceable with ultra-low maintenance and the ability to do samples.
• Proven, reliable piston pump technology, ready for low-VOC paint.
• Air-tight nozzle and tubeless design to sustain the quality of any colorant.
• Patented canister stirrer reduces colorant build-up and larger pump and bi-directional turntable provides 17 oz./min. speed for faster dispensing.
Fluid Management www.fluidman.com 800-462-2466
VX ICE VENDING SYSTEM
• Utilizes a Five Stage Filtration System to remove chlorine, taste, odor and chemicals. UV sterilized to ensure safe, clean ice. Ice can be bagged or dispensed directly into coolers.
• Extras such as credit card reader and filtered water vending station included at no extra cost.
• Locked, steel cabinet protects ice maker from weather and theft.
• Free support from the Everest Service Team along with Everest University resource center.
• At 20 square feet, these ice maker and water dispensers have a small footprint.
HEAVY-DUTY TIMBER DRIVE™ STAND-UP DRIVER
• Ideal for heavy-duty jobs that require repetitive fastening, such as decks, docks, piers and flooring.
• Engineered to vertically drive large structural screws without the operator having to bend over. Ergonomic Timber Drive structural fastening system causes less fatigue for knees, back and shoulders, increasing user comfort, speed and productivity.
• Patent-pending drop-feed loader allows for semi-automatic driving of a variety of Simpson StrongTie fasteners.
• Versatile use with 4 adjustable countersink depth settings and 2 interchangeable nosepieces that accommodate either face-screwing or connector fastening and can drive 3” to 6-1/4” structural screws.
RAISED CEDAR PLANTER
• Made from 100 percent Western red cedar in the United States. Ergonomic height makes it easier for gardeners to tend flowers or vegetables in planter.
• Durable red cedar is resistant to pests and weather.
• Elevated height helps protect plants from animals such as rabbits and rodents. Ideal size for balconies or patios.
• Plenty of growing space for vegetables, flowers or succulents.
• Features a positive placement tip that locates connector holes and provides true, straight, perpendicular driving when fastening metal straps to mass timber panels.
• Drainage allows excess water to move through planter while helping prevent rot.
HALLOWEEN SPIRIT
The Hardware Connection shares a spooky and fun look at how hardware retailers celebrate Halloween. Send pictures of your store to chris@thehardwareconnection.com.
Bethlehem Ace, Bethlehem, Pa.
Crown Ace Hardware, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Opera House Hardware, Fort Gaines, Ga.
Family Hardware, Cape Coral, Fla.
HomCo Lumber and Hardware, Flagstaff, Ariz.
J.P. Hart Lumber, Austin, Texas
Exeter Mercantile Company, Exeter, Calif.
Powell Ace Home Center, West Lebanon, Ind.
Quincy Hardware & Lumber, Quincy, Wash.
Zoller Hardware, Cashiers, N.C.
Pini Ace Hardware, Novato, Calif.
Cameron’s Ace Hardware, Oxford, Pa.
IN THE NEWS
NEW STORES:
• Sequim Ace Hardware opened in Sequim, Calif.
• Fresno Ag Hardware is opening in Clovis, Calif.
• Westlake Ace Hardware has opened in Twin Oaks, Mo.
• Great Lakes Ace has acquired Bellerive True Value Hardware in Nicholasville, Ky.
• Lugbill Supply Center held a grand reopening in Archbold, Ohio.
• Century Club retailer Spahn & Rose Lumber Co. has agreed to purchase City Lumber Co., a lumber and building-materials supplier, truss manufacturer and hardware store in Huntsville, Ala.
• Robert Noble III purchased Williams True Value in Poultney, Vt., and will rename the store Noble Ace Hardware.
• True Value Rochester celebrated a grand opening in Rochester, Pa.
• Henery Hardware Inc., Port Townend, Wash., has acquired Hadlock Building Supply in Port Hadlock, Wash., and Deer Park Ace Hardware in Deer Park, Wash.
KUDOS TO:
• Stanley’s True Value Hardware in Philadelphia celebrated its 75th anniversary.
• Bliffert Lumber & Hardware has been named a 2023 Future 50 company by BizTimes Media and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE:
• Bill Axline has retired after serving the past 10 years as managing director of Hardware Group Association (HGA). He has been succeeded by Steve Draeger, former CEO of United Hardware.
• Sebastian Rosito is returning to Koelnmesse to take over as senior vice president in Cologne with responsibility for the International Hardware Fair, Asia-Pacific Sourcing and spoga+gafa.
• Wilson Lumber Company in Huntsville, Ala., is promoting Josh Hendrickson to president and COO.
• Do it Best hired Ryan Moreno as associate merchandise manager, Joe Burcham as retail performance manager and Whitney Bullion as forest product trader; and promoted Shannon Merkel to market planning assistant manager, Emily Morris to communications coordinator, Lauren Mungovan to HR talent manager, Makenzie Eggebrecht to LBM sales support lead, Sam Huff as store operations manager and Jake McGee to building materials trader.
WHOLESALER NEWS:
• Do it Best has set the date of its fall Open Buying Day for November 1, at Do it Best world headquarters in Fort Wayne, Ind. Qualified vendors will
City Lumber
meet with the merchandising team to introduce their company and products, as well as learn about the potential of a business relationship with Do it Best.
• House-Hasson Hardware attracted 35 new vendors to its Fall Dealer Market, held Oct. 5-7 in Sevierville, Tenn., along with 114 vendors who had not exhibited in the past 4 years.
IN OTHER NEWS:
• Teague Lumber in Kansas City and Rock Creek Lumber in Red Lodge, Mont., will now operate under the Mead Lumber name. This name change streamlines the Mead Lumber brand across its 52 operating locations in nine states.
IN MEMORY:
• John “Jack” Swift passed away September 12 at age 77. A U.S. Navy veteran, Jack worked alongside his father Paul at Swift True Value in Houghton, Mich., before taking over after Paul retired.
• Bill Lee, former president of NRHA, passed away September 29 at age 72.
FOR THE FULL STORY:
• The Hardware Connection Hits 1 Million Page Views. Click here.
• Mt. Pleasant Hardware marks
100th anniversary. Click here.
• Pleasants Hardware opens in Virginia. Click here.
• Park Hardware celebrates grand opening. Click here.
• ECI hires Riz Karim as chief customer officer. Click here.
DO IT BEST’S DAN STARR HONORED AS SAGAMORE OF THE WABASH RECIPIENT
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb visited the Electric Works campus for the first time since his initial visit for the announcement of Do it Best as the anchor tenant on February 13, 2020. As part of his visit, he met with business leaders from the Fort Wayne community and toured the bustling mixed-use campus. He then joined the Do it Best team and others in the Don Wolf Conference Center as he presented Do it Best President and CEO Dan Starr with the Sagamore of the Wabash award—bestowed to exemplary Hoosiers in recognition of distinguished statewide service.
Gov. Holcomb presented the award in front of hundreds of attendees, including the Do it Best team and community leaders. “Indiana’s own Dan Starr’s leadership over the years has been exemplary. As the leader at Do it Best, Indiana’s largest privately-held company, Dan’s contributions have had immense positive impacts on his community and our state,” said Gov. Holcomb. “As a driver of relentless innovation and company culture he’s set a standard for facing difficult
Riz Karim
House-Hasson’s Fall Dealer Market attracted a strong turnout.
Do it Best President and CEO Dan Starr (right) was honored as a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb.
challenges head-on, never losing sight of the customer. For all of his accomplishments and model servant leadership, I’m proud to recognize Dan today before his peers with the Sagamore of the Wabash award.”
Starr has held several leadership roles within the greater Fort Wayne community, participating on civic, charitable and business boards.
To read more, click here.
ACE HARDWARE UNVEILS ENHANCED YARD RX LAWN AND GARDEN PROGRAM
A year shy of joining the Century Club, Ace Hardware is poised to step into 2024 with an enhanced lawn and garden program called Yard Rx. Ace CEO John Venhuizen shared the framework of the new, customizable lawn and garden program at the Fall 2023 Convention in Orlando September 19-21.
As part of his remarks during the opening general session, Venhuizen described how current lawn and garden sales are dependent on weather and that lawn and
garden products—such as Scotts, which are also sold at big-box stores—don’t offer enough differentiation in the marketplace.
The Ace Yard Rx program will be a custom shopping experience, delivering lawn and garden products based on customers’ specific lawn-care and gardening needs, according to Venhuizen. In the spring, the program will provide customers a discounted, initial bulk purchase of lawn and garden products, then throughout the season additional products can be delivered as needed.
Venhuizen drew the parallel between Yard Rx’s service-oriented approach to how offering grill assembly increased grill sales. Such a service could potentially mean customers would spend seven times more on lawn and garden products in an Ace store, according to Venhuizen.
Venhuizen offered retailers three promises as Ace prepares to turn 100 years old: Increase relevance to customers, improve economics for owners and create an irresistible value proposition for customers and employees.
To fulfill these promises, Venhuizen said Ace will aggressively pursue enhanced digital marketing. He called digital marketing “an escalator to success” and said that Ace has underinvested in SEO. Venhuizen shared how Ace’s Digital Plus program has paid off this past year: In 2023, Ace spent $9.5 million on the program, which has led to a 90 percent increase in consumer spending at Ace stores, according to Venhuizen.
To read more, click here. n
Recent Features From TheHardwareConnection
September 2023: 2023 Beacon Award Winners—Read in-depth profiles of this year’s Beacon Award honorees: Carr Hardware, Townsend Building Supply, R.P. Lumber and Tum-A-Lum Lumber.
July-August 2023: Preserving the Store’s Legacy With Employee Ownership—As third-generation owners of Clark-Devon Hardware in Chicago, Ed and Ken Wlachak found that employee ownership allowed them to retire while preserving the store’s legacy.
May-June 2023: How a Store Pet Became a Marketing Star--Meet Daniel, the feline attraction at Shoppers True Value Hardware in Maine who has turned into a viral sensation with 67k followers on TikTok.
April 2023: Striving for 5-Star Experiences at Hagan Ace—As Hagan Ace Hardware opens its 11th location in north Florida, the company builds on four generations of retail hardware experience by embracing new technology and remaining true to business principles that have sustained the company for six decades.
March 2023: How to Revitalize and Reinvent Business with C/I Sales — With new, bolstered ecommerce capabilities, the current generation of Hacienda Home Center leadership saved a New Mexico family business by cultivating commercial, industrial and government customers.
Jan/Feb 2023: Solenberger’s True Value Hardware: Surviving and Adapting for 135 Years—Learn more about Solenberger’s True Value Hardware in Winchester, Va., which has been adapting and thriving for 135 years under five different generations of Solenberger family leadership.
UPCOMING EVENTS
OCTOBER
Equip Exposition 2023
October 17-20, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky.
Orgill Online Winter Buying Event
October 30-November 12
NOVEMBER
Epicor Insights Building Supply User Conference
November 8-10, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tenn.
Hardlines Distribution Alliance
2024 Executive Planning Conference
November 14-16, Sawgrass Marriott, Ponte Verda Beach, Fla.
NAWLA Traders Market
November 8-10, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio
JANUARY 2024
House-Hasson Hardware Dealer Market
January 26-27, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tenn.
FEBRUARY 2024
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo
February 13-15, Music City Center, Nashville, Tenn.
International Builders’ Show
February 27-29, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR INDUSTRY CALENDAR
Stay up to date with important event dates. Click the corresponding link below to add our industry event listings to your device calendar automatically.
For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here. iCalendar
Calendar
365 Outlook Live
Orgill Spring Dealer Market
February 22-24, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
Orgill Spring Online Buying Event
February 19-March 3
True Value Spring Reunion
February 2-4, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.
MARCH
2024
Ace Hardware Spring Convention
March 12-14, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, Texas
Do it Best Spring Market
March 23-25, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston
International Hardware Fair / Eisenwarenmesse
March 3-6, Kolnmesse, Cologne, Germany
National Hardware Show
March 26-28, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev.
HARDWARE RETAILERS SUPPORT THOSE
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Many hardware and home improvement retailers continue to struggle to find employees to fill open positions. More should consider hiring people with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder.
Each year, 50,000 students on the autism spectrum leave high school, with many hoping to find jobs. Yet, only 58 percent of young adults with autism ever worked between high school and their early 20s, according to the National Autism Indicators Report. Recent studies reveal that 85 percent of autistic adults with a college education are unemployed. Neurodiverse individuals offer a largely untapped market for retailers who are willing to look beyond their limitations and instead see the possibilities.
MATTHEW EARNS HIS RED VEST
Upper: Matthew proudly earned his red vest after participating in a school work-learning program and on-the-job training at Selkirk Ace Hardware in Oldtown, Idaho.
Lower: Selkirk Ace Hardware Owners Jim and Patty Perry provided Matthew with training, mentoring and a ceremony when he received his red vest.
When Matthew started working at Selkirk Ace Hardware in Oldtown, Idaho, his name badge had the words “In Training” on it. During his first month on the job, store owners Jim and Patty Perry mentored Matthew and trained him about store operations.
Matthew, who is autistic, participated in a work-learning program at
RETAIL IDEAS
Newport High School. Matthew’s mother and one of his teachers approached the Perrys to hire him. While discussing work possibilities at school, Matthew expressed interest in working at Ace Hardware.
Selkirk Ace Hardware fit well with Matthew. The store’s training program provided structure and training to learn about store operations. Matthew enthusiastically learned the retail hardware business.
After training and mentoring, Matthew had learned enough. No more “In Training” badge. One morning, Matthew came to work and Selkirk Ace Hardware employees lined up for a special ceremony as Matthew received an Ace red vest of his own.
“The day I got my vest was a pretty big deal,” Matthew says. “It was like a promotion. I just felt like I was a part of the team.”
Throughout the country, other retailers like Jim and Patty Perry have been helping those with special needs, including these other examples:
CROWN ACE SUPPORTS AUTISM ORGANIZATION
Since 2021, Crown Ace Hardware in Huntington Beach, Calif., has regularly contributed to the local non-profit Autism By the Sea, which provides education, support and autism awareness throughout Orange County.
A family-owned company, Crown Ace has 22 stores in California, Arizona and Hawaii and during the past three years has raised about $25,000 for the non-profit. Crown Ace Owner Mark Schulein, who grew up near Huntington Beach, believes in providing grassroots support for local community organizations such as Autism By the Sea. The company has three stores near Newport Beach. The store has also sponsored speakers and workshops to raise awareness about autism.
“We are incredibly proud to support such a fantastic organization that does incredible work in our community,”
Autism by the Sea President Debbie Painter presents Crown Ace owner Mark Schulein (right) with an award for raising $25,000 to support the organization.
says Skip Snead, Crown Ace Hardware’s multi-store marketing manager.
The gratitude from the non-profit can be seen through a social media post that thanked the company for another donation this past spring: “Thank you to Ace Hardware for supporting Autism by the Sea again this year!! Ace is at the heart of our community supporting families with children on the Autism Spectrum!”
Giving back to the community is vital to Crown Ace Hardware. The company has also raised more than $1.2 million for the Children’s Miracle Network along with thousands of dollars for other local charities including the Ben Carlson Memorial Foundation, Newport Junior Guards, Open Water, Project Hope Alliance and Wildlife Care Center.
To help fundraise, Crown Ace Hardware created a round-up program, where store cashiers asked customers if they would like to increase their purchases to the nearest dollar to help raise money for these local non-profits.
MR. ACE DISCOVERS A STANDOUT EMPLOYEE
For Peter, going on a job interview can be a very anxious event. He has a condition that makes such interaction a challenge and may impair the ability to communicate with others in social situations.
Leading up to working in the store Mike Patel, owner of Mr. Ace in Hoffman Estates, Ill., gave Peter some
At Mr. Ace in Hoffman Estates, Ill., Peter (pictured, right) has found many ways to contribute to the store while gaining more independence and confidence.
projects to evaluate his skillset. One of Peter’s standout skills: facing and organizing products on shelves. After he started working at the store, Peter discovered he had an aptitude for window screen repair. Other employees say Peter has an excellent knowledge of the store and products.
His job at Mr. Ace means that Peter has taken a big step in being more comfortable in social situations and is working toward an independent life. During the past year, Peter has increased his confidence and communication skills along with becoming a valuable team member.
“Since day one, he’s been doing a great job,” says Patel. “He did build his self-confidence and knows he can do so much better. We did something good, getting him in this store and helping him grow.” n
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
49%
The total value of the U.S. housing market has surged to slightly less than $52 trillion, which is 49% higher than before the start of the pandemic in February 2020, according to Zillow.
0.7%
From February 2020 to September 2023, the average value of a U.S. home rose 0.7%, according to Zillow.
0.5%
Construction spending during August 2023 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,983.5 billion, 0.5 percent above the revised July estimate of $1,973.7 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
-7.1%
Pending home sales fell 7.1% month-over-month in August 2023, according to the National Association of Realtors.
1,283,000
Housing starts were reported at a seasonal adjusted annual rate of 1,283,000, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 14.8% below the August 2022 rate.
3.4%
From August 2023 to August 2024, home prices are projected to increase on a yearover-year basis by 3.4 percent, according to CoreLogic HPI Forecast. n
