Empower your team to recognize their leadership strengths, fostering personal growth and effective leadership in your business.
Leading Your Team
Supply your managers with advanced skills in team building, communication, and performance management to lead high-performing teams that drive store success.
Financial Management
Equip managers with the financial skills to navigate business frameworks and make data-driven decisions using key sales drivers and retail metrics.
Mentoring
Cultivate future leaders by equipping your team with the expertise to mentor effectively, fostering a culture of growth and development.
Merchandising Management Tactics for Store Operations
Prepare retail professionals with key merchandising and store operations strategies to boost sales and improve customer experience.
Merchandising Management Strategies for Buyers
Enhance your managers’ and buyers’ expertise with advanced training in buying and merchandising to boost store performance and profitability.
Safe, Not Sorry
1025 E. 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400 NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org
Greg Cole 317-775-2206 | gcole@YourNHPA.org National Sales Manager Jordan Rice 217-808-1641 | jrice@YourNHPA.org Regional Sales Director
CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665
COMING IN JANUARY
An Eye on What’s Next
In January, get an inside look at the 2025 Market Measure report, which provides retailers and channel partners an annual overview of the state of the independent home improvement industry. This resource offers opportunities to look back at a year of changes, successes and challenges in the industry and provides insights on where the industry is heading.
The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.
NHPA EXECUTIVE STAFF
Bob Cutter President & CEO
Dan Tratensek Chief Operating Officer & Publisher
David Gowan
Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President, Business Services
Scott Wright Executive Director of Content Development & Executive Editor
NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Ned Green, Weider’s Paint & Hardware, Rochester, New York
EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN
Joanne Lawrie, Annapolis Home Hardware Building Centre, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia DIRECTORS
Jay Donnelly, Flanagan Paint & Supply, Ellisville, Missouri
Ash Ebbo, Clement’s Paint, Austin, Texas Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio
Michelle Meny, Meny’s True Value, Jasper, Indiana
Michael Sacks, FLC Holdings, LaGrange, Texas
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Bob Cutter, NHPA President & CEO
NHPA CANADA
NHPA CANADA
Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8
Stain odern World
gcole@YourNHPA.org
Greg Cole
Recognizing Dedicated Service
Inever thought I would end up working in the home improvement industry. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, I had my sights set on a career in avionics, but fate had other plans for me. After being honorably discharged in 1988, I struggled to adjust to civilian life. The structure and camaraderie of the military were gone, and I felt lost. I switched from job to job, trying to find my place in the world.
In March 2006, I learned of an opening at the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) selling advertising. At first, I was hesitant, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. In the military, attention to detail and problem-solving are crucial skills and are some of the same skills needed to help other companies grow their business.
The initial feedback I received during the interview process was that I didn’t have enough experience to be successful. However, I reminded my interviewer there was a reason they had interviewed me in the first place—they saw something there with my experience in the military.
There is no better place to look for high-value employees than among veterans. We are well-trained, hardworking, disciplined and dedicated individuals. We have valuable skills and a never-give-up attitude. If you give a veteran a task, they will find a way to get it done.
“There is no better place to look for high-value employees than among veterans.”
My story is just one of many shared by veterans working in the home improvement industry. Retailers and dealers alike understand the skill set a veteran can bring to their company and are tapping into those resources. Some even have a dedicated employee whose job is to recruit and hire veterans for their company.
I am so excited that in 2025 NHPA is launching its Helmets to Home Improvement program. Over the next year and beyond, we’ll be celebrating veterans in the independent home improvement industry and the ways independent retailers are supporting veterans and active duty military members.
I believe it is time for veterans to be recognized for the contributions they are making in the home improvement industry and in our communities. Veterans fought for us and have played, and continue to play, a significant role in shaping our nation’s history and future. We must never forget their sacrifice, dedication and commitment to our country. The Helmets to Home Improvement program will be one way we can honor those who served.
You can learn more about the program on Page 36. Be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletters to be the first to read the incredible stories of the outstanding veterans now serving our channel.
Greg Cole National Sales Manager, NHPA
How to Reach Dan Dan Tratensek dant@YourNHPA.org
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Finding Common Ground
IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO when I chose to dedicate my column to the same topic I will address on this page today. No, I’m not going to talk about pricing, customer service, e-commerce or employee engagement. Instead, I want to talk about the poison that continues to course through the veins of our nation—the hatred and divisiveness that unfortunately often precedes the decline of great communities.
As I write this column, the election for our nation’s leadership is still weeks away. I think it’s better I have no idea how the electoral contest turns out because in the grand scheme, it doesn’t really matter. What matters far more than who sits in the Oval Office and what party they represent is how we, as human beings and fellow Americans, choose to treat one another. And I will say it as plainly as I possibly can: If we continue down the path we are currently on, we may reach a point of no return as a nation.
Political disagreements are healthy and even engineered into the fabric of a democratic society. What seems to have been lost is the balance of disagreement with other equally important measures of empathy, self awareness and some sort of desire to support the common good, even when it might require personal discomfort.
“If we all share these common values, we have to simply do better as a society.”
Yes, we are a polarized society when it comes to thoughts on the direction for this country, but we have so much more in common than our politicians and media might suggest. We all have dreams, we all have families we love and we all share a desire to leave a better world than the one we inherited.
These values don’t change based on your political affiliation, your ethnic background, your religion or your gender. And if we all share these common values, we have to simply do better as a society.
I was once visiting a friend in Europe and they mentioned they thought it was so unusual that most Americans identify as something other than what they are. Ask them and they say their families are Irish, Italian, Mexican or German. So few simply say, “I’m American.” Our friend found this curious because she said, “Americans have so much to be proud of, yet they seem to want to deny it.”
I would assert that what Americans have to be proud of is exactly that—we come from everywhere, and we are the one nation on Earth that is truly knitted into a beautiful tapestry from other places. It seems like we have lost touch with what this means. I would hope that in the coming days, weeks, months and years we all reflect a little bit on what we have become and where we want to go.
I intentionally tried to stay apolitical in this column because, like I said to start, for the sake of the point I want to make, political affiliation doesn’t matter. What matters are the choices we make as individuals when we wake up in the morning and interact with our friends, neighbors and family.
Hopefully, the divisiveness will die off as the political spotlight dims, but we can’t wait for the sound and fury to subside. We all need to make the choice to be more accepting of one another’s views, be supportive of our communities and work together to solve our problems—THAT is the American way!
Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operating Officer & Publisher
RESOURCES
What NHPA Can Do for You
Browse the NHPA Academy Catalog to see the training and resources available to make you better and more profitable. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/catalog
Meet Dave B USINESS STRATEG
Before joining the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) over a decade ago, Dave owned and operated one of the largest Wendy’s restaurant chains in Indiana. His experiences as a small business operator inform his decisions and leadership strategies as chief financial officer and executive vice president of business services for NHPA. One key deliverable of his role today is leading the development of the annual Cost of Doing Business Study, a comprehensive benchmarking tool the association has been publishing for over 100 years.
Safeguard Your Store
In this month’s cover story, we wrote about OSHA regulations and the effect they can have on your business. However, one area that impacts this industry significantly as it relates to OSHA is fraudulent claims and specifically, fraudulent slip and fall claims.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), non-health related insurance fraud is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates fraudulent slip and fall claims cost insurance companies roughly $13 to $14 million per year. The National Floor Safety Institute says slip and falls are the No. 1 cause of accidental injury, resulting in around 21% of all emergency room visits. It’s difficult to distinguish fraudulent claims from legitimate ones.
In order to keep your business from being the victim of a fraudulent claim, the NICB suggests some tips for how organizations can protect against slip and fall fraud:
• Be aware of possible hazards on your property and be proactive with corrective action.
• Keep walkways dry and clean.
• Provide walk-off mats for customers and employees to clean their shoes.
• Install cameras, post signage advising that video is in use and review footage regularly.
• Train employees on how to react and what to do if someone falls.
• Secure interviews of witnesses as close to the incident as possible, as memories are best when statements are taken soon after the incident.
• Involve your insurance company as they may recommend other preventative measures.
• Don’t settle a fraudulent claim with a payoff just to make it go away. When it comes to slip and fall fraud, your No. 1 defense between a fake claim being denied and a business being responsible for an illegal claim is video. A fraudulent claim won’t stand up to video evidence, so make sure your cameras are in good working order and as stated above, provide plenty of signage indicating that cameras are recording. If potential fraudsters see a camera nearby, they will look elsewhere to carry out their scheme. Also, the clearer the images, the more protection it provides for you. The cost of a fraudulent claim is estimated to be between $40,000 and $50,000, so they can be quite expensive for a retailer.
Email dgowan@YourNHPA.org
LinkedIn Dave Gowan
If you believe you might be the victim of fraud, contact the NICB at 800-835-6422, and you can even report suspected fraud anonymously.
Dave Gowan Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Business Services North American Hardware and Paint Association
MARKETING MINUTE
RESOURCES
Marketing That Works
Discover marketing insights and resources to get the word out about your operation at YourNHPA.org/marketing-guides
Meet Austin
With an authentic and contagious enthusiasm and unrivaled data knowledge, Austin Diehl leads the team at Randy’s Do it Best Hardware as their director of retail operations. He was promoted to this position after serving as a store manager for nearly three years. Though the operation experienced a major store fire in 2022, Austin found ways to keep employees staffed at other stores, led the rebuild of the store in a new location and implemented efficient ways to operate the store.
RETAILER INSIGHTS
Creating a Consistent Customer Service Experience
Congratulations! You have found a marketing strategy that communicated your brand, helped you stand out from the competition and drove traffic to your website. The customer noticed you have positive Google reviews, and they decided to give you a shot. Now here is the real question: What does that shopping experience look like?
After a busy travel month, including attending multiple hardware conferences, I took a minute to review my notes from those trips. While sifting through all the hastily written notes, I came across a single word written all by itself. There was no context given or explanatory side notes, just the word “omnichannel.” I started to think back, and I remembered why I had written that. I wanted to examine the entire customer experience shopping with us, not just in-store but through every channel we offer. You spend a tremendous amount of time and energy marketing yourself online to drive business to your website, or, better yet, directly into your store. Your teams are fully trained and engaged, ready to help any customer who walks into your store, but are they just as prepared to deliver your brand through a buy online, pickup in store (BOPIS) order? Does your website deliver the brand that you marketed? How about a phone transaction?
Just like you have defined the customer experience in your store, you need to equally define what the customer’s experience looks like no matter what channel they are engaging with. The truth is, more customers are expecting an omnichannel shopping experience. They expect the same level of customer service regardless of how they shop with you. Your company’s brand must align whether customers come into your store, shop on your website or call the store. Are you delivering the same experience through all channels?
One thing we have started doing is creating a style guide for all company communications and signage. This guide lists the specific fonts, colors and logos we want to use consistently in our messaging to customers. It can be as basic as a one-page quick reference or as in-depth as what logos and font to use in email, on the website, social, in-store signage and so on. We do this to align our brand messaging both online and in-store.
There are numerous touchpoints to consider when evaluating your brand’s omnichannel experience. You can focus on the look and feel or the execution of the order process. Either one is a great starting point. The goal is to start moving in that direction. What steps can you take right now to evaluate your store’s omnichannel experience?
Austin Diehl Director of Retail Operations
Randy’s Do it
Best Hardware
OPERATION S
Ho Ho Ho for the Holidays
Discover the ways retailers are connecting with customers during the holiday season at PDRmag.com/holiday_joy
Santa
GOES DIGITAL
CATERING TO THE E-COMMERCE CROWD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
WHILE HOLIDAY RETAIL SALES are expected to cool compared to the heights of 2023, e-commerce holiday shopping will see an uptick, according to projections from Deloitte, an audit, consulting, tax and advisory services firm.
Make a List, Check It Twice
Whether you offer e-commerce, fully rely on brick-and-mortar customers or a combination of both, here are some ways to prepare for the holiday shopping season.
Secure and enhance your website so when online shoppers do visit, they have an easy and safe e-commerce experience.
Get active on social media to share online and in-store deals and discounts and drive traffic to both.
Connect with wholesalers and vendors to assure the holiday items your customers will want to buy will be in stock.
Prep employees for the increase of customers with additional customer service and product knowledge training.
Deloitte predicts holiday sales will increase between 2.3% and 3.3% in 2024, compared to 4.3% growth in 2023, totaling $1.58 trillion to $1.59 trillion. The forecast shows likely growth of e-commerce between 7% and 9%.
“
“Our
forecast indicates that e-commerce sales will remain strong as consumers continue to take advantage of online deals to maximize their spending. While this holiday season reflects a return to trend levels of growth, retailers who focus on building loyalty and trust with consumers could be well positioned for success.”
Send an email to editorial@YourNHPA.org telling us about the products your customers love and why they are such a hit in your business.
CLEANING CLOTH
CROCODILE CLOTH
crocodilecloth.com
The PowerSCRUB from Crocodile Cloth is an oversized, multipurpose cleaning cloth available in 40- and 80-count packs. The wipes are 15 inches by 10 inches, made of a highly-absorbent, non-woven material and can stay wet for over one hour. Each wipe is infused with aloe and vitamin E and has a texture made for scrubbing.
EXTRA STRENGTH DUCT TAPE
DUCK
BRAND
duckbrand.com
Designed to maximize Duck Tape’s three interlocking layers, Duck Max Strength® duct tape has received best-in-class ratings for its strong adhesion and holding power to wood, masonry, plastic, glass and more. This heavy-duty silver tape is durable enough for all long-lasting repair needs, from hanging plastic sheeting to sealing, bundling to waterproofing.
PAINT ROLLER
STARKE LLC
cornerroller.com
The Corner+Roller from Starke LLC is an enclosed paint roller, giving users the ability to paint corners without the need for a brush. To achieve full coverage, slide the roller in a paint tray then dip the end, covering the enclosed end of the roller.
Photo courtesy of Duck Brand
MINI VACUUM
SONIC POWER sonicpower.co
The Sonic Power Mini Vacuum is a portable and rechargeable on-the-go cleaning solution. With its 2,000 mAh battery and USB Type-C charging outlet, this vacuum can be charged in 2.5 hours. The mini vacuum comes equipped with three multiuse attachments that run at three different speeds. The vacuum also features a removable dump tray and filter for dust collection and containment.
CAULK GUN SILIGUN siliguns.com
The SILIGUN Compact 4-Inch is a lightweight, drip-free caulk gun with a patented design made of ABS plastic that weighs less than one pound. The gun has a built-in antidrip feature that fits all 10-ounce cartridges. The gun allows for use in tight spaces and delivers a 12-to-1 high thrust ratio.
SALAD
BOWL FINISH CLAPHAM’S claphams.com
Clapham’s food-grade beeswax salad bowl finish is made with organic carnauba wax, pure beeswax from the Peace River valley and natural mineral oil. It protects wood and gives it a soft, lustrous shine, making it suitable for all things wood in the kitchen. It’s perfect for salad bowls, wooden spoons, butcher blocks, cutting boards and countertops, as well as children’s toys and furniture.
PORTABLE JUMP STARTER
NEBO
nebo.acgbrands.com
The Assist Air Jump Starter from NEBO can jump-start a dead battery, inflate a flat tire, charge a battery or phone and provide light. With 1,500 amps, users can jump-start any 12-volt car, SUV, truck or marine battery.
GRAB BAR
OATEY
oatey.com
The Dearborn 1 ½-Inch Grab Bar is ADA-compliant for use in residential and commercial settings. The bar is constructed of 18-gauge stainless steel, features a concealed screw mount for a smooth finish and comes in a satin finish.
TAPE MEASURE
CRESCENT TOOLS crescenttools.com
The Shockforce G2 NITE from Crescent Tools is a 17-foot tape measure with a wider and thicker blade that has a protective coating. The tape measure is drop tested from 120 feet and has a diamond-coated end hook with a redesigned belt clip, making attaching and releasing from a tool belt easier.
EXTENSION LADDER ACCESSORY
MONKEY RUNG PRODUCTS monkeyrung.com
The Monkey GRIP is the only patented extension ladder accessory that makes ladder jobs safer, faster and easier by allowing users to maintain three points of contact. Users can safely complete tasks without having to balance unsafely or go up and down the ladder to grab their tools.
CABINETS
SAUDER CABINETRY
saudercabinetry.com
The ForeRunner cabinets from Sauder Cabinetry are quality, full-access cabinets with finished edges, fewer visible seams and a laminate finish. The cabinets are available as base, wall, oven, linen, utility or vanity cabinets and have multiple accessory and vanity options.
NATURAL
STONE TILE COUNTRY FLOORS
countryfloors.com
Echoing the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest with swirling green, black and white tones, the Verde Tia collection from Country Floors offers a wide selection of tiles, mosaics and moldings for limitless possibilities. Brass-accented mosaics infuse a touch of mid-century luxury, emphasizing the marble’s captivating natural green hues.
Photo courtesy of Sauder Cabinetry
Photo courtesy of Country Floors
Stay in Line
A surprise OSHA visit led leadership at Farm & Home Hardware to create a comprehensive safety program for employees.
SAFETY FIRST
OSHA Violation Leads Ohio Retailer to Develop Comprehensive Safety Program
COMPILED BY NHPA EDITORIAL STAFF
It’s a call that no retailer ever wants to get—the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is on-site for a surprise safety inspection.
For Scott Jerousek, owner of Farm & Home Hardware, which operates two stores in north central Ohio, with a third opening by the end of the year, it was more of a wake-up call that led to the development of a comprehensive safety program for the business and a “safety first” culture among his 130 employees.
“I’m out of town and get a call from the office manager at our Ashland store who says there is an OSHA inspector on-site for a surprise visit,” Jerousek says. “Of course, my first thought was, ‘Who turned us in?’”
Jerousek suspected a disgruntled employee they had let go several days prior was responsible. But he says the focus quickly shifted to the nature of the violations and what measures they needed to fix. In this case, it was related to several forklift safety violations.
It started in the warehouse of his Ashland, Ohio, store where employees were using forklifts with a platform attached to get appliances off the upper racks. Employees would take a forklift up 20 feet high and were stepping off and pulling appliances onto it, which is something Jerousek says he knew they shouldn’t be doing and were lucky no one was ever hurt.
Since the OSHA violations, leadership at Farm & Home Hardware has placed additional focus on developing a safety culture among all employees. Pictured here are Heather Stocals, Daryll Mauder, Jennifer Owens and Kate Hartman
“You always plan on making changes tomorrow or next week,” Jerousek says. “Then more pressing issues arise, and the safety program upgrades are put off.”
Ironically, he purchased a clamp truck for this specific purpose six months prior but wasn’t using it yet.
“That was the big violation we received,” he says. “Whenever you go higher than 4 feet, you must be strapped in. We had safety harnesses, but we weren’t making sure everyone was trained on how to properly use them and weren’t documenting training.”
The other OSHA citation they received was also related to forklift safety. In this case it was a Chemical Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM) violation where employees were topping off batteries in forklifts with water without wearing proper personal protection equipment (PPE).
Todd Jensen, director of OSHA’s Toledo Area Office, which oversees the region where Jerousek’s stores are located, says forklift violations are the top infraction he sees in the business classification that includes hardware stores, home centers, lumberyards and paint stores.
“In northwest Ohio, we’ve probably had five or six forklift violations at these types of stores since the first of the year,” Jensen says. “And the one thing that’s common between them all is they all need to improve their forklift safety training.”
The Negotiation Process
As an enforcement agency, Jensen says OSHA doesn’t give any free passes after a citation is issued. And the violations that Farm & Home Hardware was cited for amounted to $40,000 in fines, the starting point for negotiations. From there, a meeting was scheduled to discuss the citations and outline an abatement plan.
As an area director for OSHA, Jensen says he can lower penalty amounts based on the willingness of the employer to cooperate, fixing what’s wrong and thoroughly documenting it. In the case of the fines at Farm & Home Hardware, the initial $40,000 fine was lowered to $18,000, the maximum amount it could be reduced. Farm & Home Hardware also agreed to a six-month payment plan.
After a violation of this nature, Jensen says he wants to see an abatement process put in place.
Jerousek relied on Daryll Mauder, his department manager for delivery, install and warehouse, to set up the abatement process and oversee all company safety initiatives.
He says the timing was also good because developing a safety program would also serve as Mauder’s semester project for the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s (NHPA) Retail Management Certification Program.
The Abatement Plan
OSHA reduced the fine from the maximum amount thanks to Mauder’s swift actions to improve safety after the citation. He implemented a forklift training protocol, obtained proper OSHA certifications and contracted preventative forklift maintenance through his manufacturer, which includes regular battery checks, preventing his employees from performing this maintenance themselves.
The next initiative was to make sure records for all safety training were being properly logged. This required Mauder to take a series of classes, including OSHA 300 Recordkeeping, a 10-hour, online certification.
“Now, instead of reacting to everything, we are being proactive,” he says. “That’s the mindset Scott and I want to have moving
TRAINING Stay Compliant
Browse NHPA’s training courses on workplace safety to keep your employees safe. Learn more at training.yournhpa.org/store
forward for Farm & Home Hardware. Every morning at the start of the shift, we are using an app called Safety Culture, which helps us keep all records current, going above and beyond what OSHA requires of us.”
The app takes the user through a series of questions, with the ability to take pictures and include notes related to the inspection. It requires staff members to physically inspect components like overhead guards, lift cages, tires, tanks and hoses, working horns and seat belts, so they can document any physical damage that would be detrimental to its operation.
“We conduct these inspections every day to make sure our equipment is safe to operate, which will allow us to take better care of our customers,” Mauder says.
The training also extends to analyzing customers’ vehicles for safety purposes.
“We load a lot of bulk items, and sometimes we’re loading up a truck that maybe just came off the farm and it doesn’t look road worthy,” he says. “Our motto is ‘Once we touch it, we own it,’ and we take a lot of pride in that. The only setback to our customers is that we are slowing down to make sure we are doing our jobs safely, instead of hoping for the best.”
Jerousek says their comprehensive efforts to start training employees on forklift safety and the OSHA certifications Mauder obtained immediately following the citation provided the confidence OSHA needed to lower the fine.
“Daryll did a great job showing all of the training we implemented, with daily walk-arounds for each vehicle, to make sure everything is in order,” he says. “We also provided documentation of a service contract with our tow motor provider to maintain the batteries and rest of the equipment.”
Next Steps
Between the 20 hours Mauder has logged for his forklift certifications, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) developed and the safety training being implemented for everyone, abatement has required a lot of time. But it’s something Mauder wants to complete. His next step is a 30-hour OSHA program covering emergency preparedness, including fire escape, tornado safety and other emergency action plans for staff members and customers.
The safety training has also extended to other vehicles owned by the company. Jerousek says every vehicle owned by the company now has GPS trackers, and the plan is to add cameras to see idle time and analyze the best routing for deliveries.
“We have 10 to 15 trucks on the road any given day. Those jobs carry with them the highest possibility for liability. Due to that we focus on controlling as many factors as possible to ensure the safety of our team,” Jerousek says.
Now the company has a regular protocol for safety checks of parts like turn signals and brakes to ensure vehicle safety when out for deliveries or during store transfers.
Other miscellaneous safety training that has been added to the program at Farm & Home Hardware includes electrical safety
Forklift Safety Training Requirements
Proper forklift safety training generally includes two parts.
PART ONE
First is the online piece that is offered through various service providers, including J.J. Keller, which is available through NHPA.
PART TWO
The second part involves one-on-one operator evaluations. When conducting these evaluations, Jensen says it needs to include conditions that forklift operators are going to face in the workplace.
“You just don’t want them driving in the back room, lifting pallets up on shelves, and that’s it,” he says. “When they’re going outside and getting a pallet of rock salt in a dirt lot with potholes, you need to evaluate how they perform in those types of situations, too.”
Jensen also advised retailers not to rely on anyone else’s forklift training for new hires.
“If someone says they have training from another employer, always double down and do it again, because you’re relying on someone outside of your company to make sure that employees and customers are safe in your place of business.”
Top 5 OSHA Violations for Home Improvement Stores
According to Todd Jensen, director of the OSHA Toledo Area Office, the most common infractions for independent home improvement retailers include:
Forklift Safety Training
1
The lack of a formal forklift safety training program is the top OSHA violation among home improvement retail stores, including the daily inspections that need to be done for each unit.
2
3
4
Chemical HAZCOM Training
There are many chemicals used in hardware and paint stores, and anything other than water is going to be considered a hazardous chemical. Be sure team members are trained on the health effects and proper procedures for paint spills and other chemicals that will likely spill at some point and need to be cleaned up.
General Duty Clause
These infractions many times include propane filling operations, where the setup isn’t proper or employers aren’t wearing gloves and base shields when they’re filling tanks. Or, if there are devices being used to make adapters for tanks that aren’t approved. “We have seen plenty of systems that have been completely rigged up to make them work,” says Jensen. “And it’s just not safe.”
Machine Guarding
5
Most retailers have shop tools, such as pipe threading machines or a band saw or bench grinder in the back room, and this equipment has to be properly guarded and shielded.
Record Keeping
If you have more than 10 employees, you must keep OSHA 300 injury logs. Jensen says oftentimes retailers just don’t fill them out properly.
Safe All the Way Through
Learn from retail safety experts on how to protect your operation at all levels at PDRmag.com/safety-operation
training to prevent fires and having guards on all power tools and machines used by the business.
Jensen says the most common electrical-related citations are easy fixes, including not using extension cords with missing ground prongs and not plugging power strips into one another.
When becoming OSHA compliant, Jerousek says there is a greater burden placed on smaller, independently owned operations because they often don’t have the comprehensive safety and training resources that larger organizations utilize
“In OSHA’s eyes, everyone is the same, whether it’s our business with over 100 team members, a typical hardware store with 10 people or Ford Motor with hundreds of thousands of employees,” he says. “All of us must adhere to the same rules and regulations, and OSHA requires the same safety standards from everyone.”
Jensen says OSHA could do a better job providing information to independent retailers, as he says national chains like Home Depot and Lowe’s have entire teams dedicated to safety and compliance.
“We could do a better job getting information out to smaller retailers on what is required for specific employers, but we just don’t have the resources to target every employer in the U.S.,” Jensen says. “So, what we do is put it back in the employer’s lap with information and resources on our website.”
Savings Add Up
An added bonus to the safety program now in place at Farm & Home Hardware is it should help reduce the number of workman’s comp claims recorded each year, which is typically four or five, Jerousek says.
“They are mostly related to employees getting cut in various ways, or on the appliance side of the business, such as foot and back injuries from lifting heavy items and putting them in tight areas,” he says.
The greater focus on safety also reduces the number of damage claims when installing appliances in customers’ homes.
To help train installers, Mauder says they are building a training center at one of their warehouses for delivery and installation team members, where they can get hands-on experience before they go to someone’s house.
The retailer has also developed a safety bonus program using manufacturer spiff dollars that are now divided up three ways, after any damages are paid out to customers.
“We are now utilizing those dollars to fund a pool where our sales team, delivery drivers and service technicians all receive a percentage of the money,” Jerousek says. “We pay for customer damage claims and employee issues first, then divide the remainder up into sizable bonuses twice a year. This has helped to give every member of the team individual ownership of their financial futures, while also creating a culture of accountability.”
OSHA as a Consultant
Jerousek says his experience taught him that OSHA is a great resource to help retailers operate safer stores. If an owner wants OSHA to visit their store to do a consultation, OSHA will not fine them for what they find but will want them to fix any violations.
“Some larger retailers I know spend a lot of money hiring third-party companies to help with safety prevention, but most retailers don’t have the resources to utilize these professional services,” Jerousek says. “So, they try to figure it out themselves or reach out to others in the industry, but the OSHA regulations are difficult to fully understand. When you are in a situation, the last thing you want to do is to reach out directly to OSHA and give them the opportunity to find more issues. But we took the jump and spoke directly with our local OSHA office to ask for guidance. What we received was an honest, empathetic discussion that helped us to fully understand the safety rules we need to adhere to.”
Jensen says consultations are free, with no strings (or fines) attached.
“I can guarantee you, in Ohio, if you call an OSHA office with a question, we are not going to do an inspection just because you call; that would defeat our purpose,” he says. “We’re not going to ask you who you are or where you’re located. We don’t have the resources to send a compliance officer out to everyone who calls.”
Jensen adds that the lack of resources in most OSHA regional offices throughout the country also prevents them from conducting follow-up inspections in most cases.
“If the employer is willing to fix what’s wrong, that’s usually enough for us. We will do follow-up inspections when we don’t think the employer is going to follow through or is fixing the problem temporarily to get us off their back,” he says. “But the likelihood of a follow-up is minuscule.”
Staying Focused on Safety
The events that led to developing the safety program at Farm & Home Hardware have changed the company’s mindset around safety in a positive way. But Jerousek says it is all for naught if they don’t remain laser focused on safety moving forward.
“As a result of everything we have been through this year, we now have a full-fledged safety program, whereas before, it was just a forklift safety program,” he says. “We have grown from one to two stores in the past several years, and now we’re adding a third. We just got so busy that we didn’t focus on safety like we should have.”
Overall, he says the experience dealing with OSHA was very positive, minus the fine, and that everyone they worked with was highly professional and helpful.
“We get up every morning, turn on the lights and try to make a positive impact on our communities with our teams,” Jerousek says. “Somewhere in there we need to allot time for safety.”
OPERATIONS
Making Connections
Discover additional ways paint retailers are engaging with their customers and creating loyal followers at PDRmag.com/building_loyalty
All In for Others
Johnston Paint & Decorating connects with customers and the community through store events.
LOCAL
Focus
PAINT RETAILER SHOWS COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMERS IN UNIQUE WAYS
BY LINDSEY THOMPSON
In 2025, Johnston Paint & Decorating will celebrate 100 years in business and a century of putting customers first.
Co-owner Melissa Murphy says that commitment to customers and the community shines in the way the store, which is located in Columbia, Missouri, chooses to spend its marketing dollars.
“As a company, we believe in nontraditional marketing, which I think may actually be traditional marketing,” Murphy says. “Instead of putting money into newspaper ads or
billboards, we’re hosting store events, investing in other organizations’ events and giving back to local causes when we can, which while harder to measure, has been vastly more effective for us.”
One such marketing effort is the store’s rug giveaway for teachers. What started out as a nice gesture to help out local teachers and schools has turned into a full-blown event for Johnston Paint & Decorating. About a decade ago, Murphy started donating carpet remnants to local schools as a way to clear out the warehouse.
“Many retailers make money selling off remnants, but for us, it was a much better use of our time and energy to give them away to those who need them,” Murphy says.
In 2015, Murphy approached warehouse operations manager Ben Ridgeway about hosting a rug giveaway at the store because she had more remnants than she had previous years. She planned on putting all the remnants out on the loading dock and letting people know via Facebook about the day and time to come pick one up for free.
“So I put it up on Facebook on a Saturday morning, and by dinner that evening, the post had blown up with over 300 shares and 20,000 impressions,” Murphy says. “I had a lot more remnants than I had in the past, but not enough if all these people would have showed up. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, so Ben and I came up with a plan.”
Ridgeway scoured the warehouse looking for additional remnants or other small pieces of carpet, and on the day of the pickup, every piece was claimed quickly. That day ended up being so successful that Murphy decided to make it an official event.
“The goodwill that comes from these crazy ideas is hard to measure, but we see it through these events.”
Melissa Murphy Johnston Paint & Decorating
During the Johnston Paint & Decorating rug giveaway, teachers leave with a free rug and a smile.
Happy Customers
The giveaway takes place in the store’s warehouse over a 2.5-hour period and each remnant is back-rolled so the teachers can see the colors, textures and patterns of the rugs. Employees help teachers carry the rugs to their cars.
Murphy says the giveaway has become a social event for the teachers, with many of them meeting up for breakfast ahead of time or joining the line well ahead of opening to be one of the first in. After they pick out their rugs, many spend time in the store chatting and browsing.
Because of the success of the event, Murphy says they can no longer support it with their own remnants, so she now purchases remnant packages from the mill to supplement.
“The investment is completely worth it, to make those connections with the community,” she says. “Spending our
dollars on events like this makes sense for us. The goodwill that comes from these crazy ideas is hard to measure, but we see it through these events.”
Over the years, Murphy has involved other small businesses, inviting them to provide pies or smoothies or other wares during the event. Shaw Floors even sent a film crew one year to capture the event.
This past year, a local family donated $10,000, with five teachers each receiving $1,000 to use for classroom supplies and another $5,000 given to one school’s parent teacher organization.
“It’s a lot of work leading up to the event, but all it takes is seeing a few of those teachers with their faces lit up to make it all worth it,” Ridgeway says.
Co-owner Melissa Murphy says store events like the teacher rug giveaway provide an effective way for Johnston Paint & Decorating to engage with its customers and the community.
A Magical Approach to Lasting Connections
Annually, Mallory Paint Store organizes its sales and management meeting, bringing together vendors and the sales management team at the Las Vegas, Nevada, location for networking and celebration. This year, Sarah Ross, brand manager for Mallory Paint Store, devised a unique approach to foster connections between salespeople and vendors.
“With approximately 100 attendees at this event, and considering the valuable time vendors invest in us while in Las Vegas, it’s challenging for them to recall business card exchanges,” Ross says. “I aimed to find a creative way to demonstrate our commitment to vendors and ensure the individuals they meet are more memorable.”
Ross says creating lasting connections at this event, and other large-scale gatherings like trade shows, is challenging because attendees talk to so many people during the events.
A large number of Mallory Paint Store employees share a passion for the trading card game Magic: The Gathering. Recognizing this, Ross knew it was a straightforward decision to create a memorable experience.
Just three days before the event, Ross got to work designing over 30 different trading cards for her sales team, complete with normal business card information and fun facts about each employee.
“Being around different types of people with the same interest is what sparked the idea,” Ross says. “I wanted to make business cards with the employees’ faces on them but thought it would be odd to just stick a face on a regular business card. However, the sales team’s love of Magic gave me the idea for the trading card format.”
When she arrived at the venue, Ross set out the cards for each employee to take and hand out throughout the day.
“It built that connection between the individual and the vendor,” Ross says. “The store employees loved them because they’re playable cards. They have abilities and hit points, and I’m sure if you knew what you were doing, you could create an actual game from them.”
Ross intentionally avoided making the cards too formal like regular business cards.
Part of her job is to travel to all of their stores and interact with their employees, which aided her in creating the trading cards.
“I spoke with one of our store managers, and he talked about wanting to uplift everybody in the paint and coatings industry, and I think something like this does that,” Ross says. “It uplifts the employees and the vendors, and when people can visibly see the positive interactions, they see the value in them. I think it made a big difference for everybody.”
Sarah Ross, brand manager for Mallory Paint Store, devised a unique approach—Magic: The Gathering cards—to foster connections between salespeople and vendors at the annual sales meeting.
THE BIG PICTURE
Leadership Essentials
Empower your team to recognize their leadership strengths, fostering personal growth and effective leadership in your business.
Leading Your Team
Supply your managers with advanced skills in team building, communication, and performance management to lead high-performing teams that drive store success.
Financial Management
Equip managers with the financial skills to navigate business frameworks and make data-driven decisions using key sales drivers and retail metrics.
Mentoring
Cultivate future leaders by equipping your team with the expertise to mentor effectively, fostering a culture of growth and development.
Merchandising Management Tactics for Store Operations
Prepare retail professionals with key merchandising and store operations strategies to boost sales and improve customer experience.
Merchandising Management Strategies for Buyers
Enhance your managers’ and buyers’ expertise with advanced training in buying and merchandising to boost store performance and profitability.
Brushing Up
Learn from one retailer who shares how he curates his selection of specialty paints and coatings at PDRmag.com/special-coatings
SPECIALIZATION SELLS
3 Ways to Succeed With Specialty Paints and Coatings
BY JACOB MUSSELMAN
From high performance industrial paint to marine coatings, curating your specialty paints and coatings department for commercial audiences could earn you some large accounts and boost your bottom line in this category.
At The Paint Shop, which has 37 locations around Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, specialty marine coatings make up over 50% of its commercial sales. Almost all of its store locations are
located in coastal cities, making them prime stores for ship owners, repairmen and even the Coast Guard.
“We sell everything from fluorescent paint for buoys to coatings for large cargo ships,” says Amanda Mosher, The Paint Shop senior outside sales representative.
Mosher shares how she relies on purposeful marketing, high caliber customer service and helpful training to find success in the specialty paints and coatings category.
Marketing Matters
When it comes to promoting the operation’s industrial marine coatings and other specialty paints, Mosher says it’s more of a sales pitch that involves cold-calling and visiting potential customers.
“Recently, I visited some of our customers along with two different paint suppliers that we stock,” Mosher says. “We went to their shipyards and talked about new product offerings.”
By physically meeting her customers where they are, Mosher says she’s able to put a face to her store’s brand. When she visits, she leaves a business card so when a problem arises, they will hopefully remember her specifically and reach out for help.
“A lot of our customers are people I’ve talked to in the past eight to 12 months,” Mosher says. ”Marketing industrial marine coatings is all about the long game, rather than multiple small wins.”
Above and Beyond
For commercial customers, the transaction goes beyond selling a product. The sales process doesn’t end when the liquid leaves the can; it continues until the product is applied and the customer is satisfied with the result. Providing this level of follow-up service sets The Paint Shop apart, ensuring customers feel supported throughout the entire process, from purchase to application.
“It’s about the level of service you provide,” Mosher says. “The sales process isn’t over until the paint they purchased is on their boat. After customers apply their paint, I’ll follow up with them to make sure they’re happy with the product we sold them.”
Although The Paint Shop has the capacity to fulfill large quantity orders, their stores are still able to fulfill the needs of everyday customers and large commercial customers who don’t need thousands of gallons at a time. Keeping a small amount of paint for portions of ships that don’t
Decoding Buoy Color Coding Requirements
The maritime industry has established specific colors for buoys to let those on the water know where to go, where not to go and other important information. Paint & Decorating Retailer has compiled a list of these common buoy color requirements so you can use this information to creatively market marine paint in your operation.
Indicates the left side of the channel when entering from upstream.
Indicates the left side of the channel when entering from upstream.
Conveys specific information such as caution areas or recommended routes.
Indicates hazards such as rocks or other obstructions.
ORANGE
Marks areas under constructions, or temporary hazards.
BLUE AND YELLOW STRIPES
Marks emphasized restrictive or controlled areas.
GREEN AND YELLOW STRIPES
Shows that a waterway splits into separate channels.
Source: How To Choose the Right Navigational Buoy, Marine Fenders International
RED AND WHITE STRIPES
Advises boaters to navigate through the middle of the channel.
RED
GREEN
YELLOW
BLACK
require thousands of gallons is another way the store is able to serve large clients with small needs. Their business thrives on being set up to support the needs of both large and small accounts.
Knowledge plays a critical role in the operation’s relationship with its customers. Mosher’s customers know that if she doesn’t know an answer, she’ll do everything she can to find a solution. By building trust and maintaining expertise, customers will continue to return knowing they will receive solutions to their problems, even when they don’t have answers immediately.
Another part of providing an extra level of service is making the payment process easy.
When it comes to pricing large commercial jobs, Mosher says understanding your customer’s timeline is crucial.
If a project won’t begin for several months, Mosher needs to account for potential price increases and leave margins in her quotes to account for those.
“Price is usually the last thing my clients care about,” she says. “They need the product, and they’ll pay for it regardless of the price. But I need to be sure I am protecting my margins.”
Mosher says the majority of The Paint Shop’s large clients place their orders over the phone and have their order delivered to the specific port where their ship will be dry docked for the job.
“Being able to cater to these larger clients by offering easy ordering and the ability to ship directly to them allows us to take on more clients because we don’t have to physically store the paint at each store and wait for customers to come buy it,” Mosher says.
Keep Up On Training
Mosher says training new employees about every aspect of their business is crucial to them succeeding in their roles, especially when it comes to specialty paint and coatings.
“A lot of our training involves product knowledge and knowing what certain coatings are made for,” Mosher says.
Training doesn’t always have to be retail related to be effective, however. Mosher recently completed the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) Coatings Inspector Program Level One certification to better understand protective coatings and how to sell them.
The AMPP course is designed for people interested in a career in coatings inspection who want to learn about protective coatings for pipelines, storage tankers and other key marine infrastructure elements. Mosher says taking the course gave her the knowledge and confidence to share what she learned with her team and be able to teach other employees what she learned at the course, helping everybody better serve their customers.
“The course gave me a better understanding of the protective coating products we sell, why they’re needed, the best way to apply them and how to explain that information to potential customers so they have faith in what we do,” Mosher says. “The more knowledge we have about what we sell, the better we are at our jobs.”
Stock It All
The Paint Shop stocks both large and small quantities of coatings, ensuring availability for any project size.
“Being able to cater to these larger clients by offering easy ordering and the ability to ship directly to them allows us to take on more clients.”
—Amanda Mosher, The Paint Shop
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Gearing for Changes
BY MICHAEL BEAUDOIN Executive Vice President, ALLPRO
LIKE MANY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES,
ALLPRO is in a constant state of evolution to ensure we are more impactful in the future than we are today. This is an important discipline in any business to keep challenging your model and looking for ways to become better and adapt to the changing times. The trends in our industry are very apparent—our members are expanding by adding stores and acquiring other members and suppliers are looking to ship larger orders to combat the increasing freight costs.
To gear the group for the future, ALLPRO has invested extensive resources to open distribution centers that help all members meet the demands of the changing industry. As suppliers raise minimum orders, we have the option for the distribution centers to purchase larger orders and make products available to members. This strategy is evident in the caulk and tape categories where there is considerable growth coming from the distribution centers. The great thing about the ALLPRO distribution model is that all members—from the single store to the largest multistore chain—receive the same benefits.
There is also the trend from the largest suppliers to only want to engage the largest customers. We combat this by allowing
all members to use their warehouses as a “bill to” to make products available to them competitively. In times where sales are growing slower and margins are challenged, members have the option of the distribution centers where they get 60-day terms to help with cash flow. We will always be a direct buying group; however, it is nice to have the distribution centers to augment the direct buy when it makes sense.
Investment and evolution are not just limited to warehouses—our strategy also includes people. ALLPRO has expanded by adding new people such as Bradley Calkins and Annette Jones, who have been instrumental in upgrading and developing all aspects of our systems to ensure they are secure and robust enough to handle the demands of the future. This is not an easy task when we interface with over 160 suppliers and process close to 1 million invoices per year. We also added Melissa Cuebas in accounting to accommodate for the increasing number of warehouse orders per day and all the deliveries needed to keep the warehouses in stock. These additions are on top of the warehouse managers, assistant managers and warehouse associates needed to run the growing operation.
Regardless of the challenges in the future, we will always invest and work hard to help our stakeholders succeed.
News to You
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3 Paint Manufacturers Named to World’s Best Companies of 2024 List
MULTIPLE COMPANIES that have significant stakes in the independent paint industry made the Time Magazine World’s Best Companies of 2024 list, being named alongside some of the largest, most influential companies across the globe. The list is a comprehensive analysis that takes three aspects of a company into account:
1 EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION
Time Magazine evaluated this aspect based on anonymous surveys from over 170,000 participants at these companies. The survey asked employees about the atmosphere, working conditions, salary and equality.
2 REVENUE GROWTH
This category was assessed using data from Statista’s revenue database and targeted research, which contains company growth data for the last three years. The companies had to meet certain criteria to be considered for the evaluation, including generating a revenue of at least US $100 million in the last available fiscal year and demonstrating positive revenue growth from 2021 to 2023.
3 SUSTAINABILITY TRANSPARENCY
The third aspect was evaluated based on data among standardized KPI’s from Statista’s environmental, social and governance database. The evaluation included the carbon emissions intensity and reduction rate, the share of women on the board of directors and the existence of a human rights policy.
Sherwin-Williams Co. 262nd on list
• 89.61 overall score 425th in sustainability transparency 193rd in employee satisfaction
• High revenue growth ranking
PPG 535th on list
• 86.29 overall score 595th in sustainability transparency 402nd in employee satisfaction
• High revenue growth ranking
AkzoNobel 789th on list
• 82.58 overall score 560th in sustainability transparency 378th in employee satisfaction
• Moderate growth ranking
Brush Up on Training
Take advantage of NHPA’s paint library of 17 training courses and over 53 individual modules . Licensing gives you the ability to easily add any of our courses to your LMS, and we’ll help get it set up.
PAINT TRAINING BUNDLE
For an extra $500
$2,700 per store fee includes $99 add 4 essential courses to complete the full package deal
$3,000 per year to license 13 NHPA paint-focused training courses
*Must be a premier member of NHPA and a new licensing customer. Discount applies to year one of a two year contract.
Basic Paint Sales
Advanced Paint Sales
Paint Problem Solver
Retail Terms
Joining a Retail Team
Our Three Pennies of Profit
Internal Theft Prevention
External Theft Prevention
Store Safety
Project Pro - Exterior Painting
Project Pro - Repairing Drywall
Project Pro - Refinishing an Antique
Project Pro - Priming and Painting Interior Walls
Basic Retail Merchandising
Basic Retail Accounting
Basic Pricing
Basic Inventory Management
Dedicated Support
Customer support to address any questions or concerns related to the training courses.
Access to Training Materials
Access to digital training materials, resources, and modules for each store, ensuring consistent training across all locations.
Updates and Refreshers
Updates to the training materials to ensure the content remains current and relevant.
Multi-User Licenses
Includes the ability for stores to register multiple users from each store under the same license, promoting widespread adoption of the training program.
Access to New Course Releases
Early access to any new training courses that NHPA releases. 10% OFF
Orgill Winter Online Buying Event
CALE NDAR
*Events
To add your event to the industry calendar, send an email to editorial@YourNHPA.org.
The Retail Marketplace Can Help You
Buy a Store | Sell Your Business | Post a Job, Get a Business Valuation | Find a Lender and More
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Northwest Farm & Home Supply Co.
Location: Lemmon, SD
Gross Revenue: $3.21 million
The main building is a total 27,213 sq. ft. of retail and warehouse space on 4 acres. The main bldg. was constructed in 1994 with additions constructed in 2002 and 2004. Single story with 22’ clear height in 11,459 sq. ft. of lumber warehouse, three grade level doors and two dock height doors.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Hoosick True Value
Location: Hoosick Falls, NY
Gross Revenue: $1.26 million
Price: $1.875 million
This opportunity offers a turnkey sale of a general hardware business located in northeastern Rensselaer Co., New York. The business serves five towns and southwestern Bennington Co., Vermont, and 25 miles east of Troy, New York.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Home Improvement Supply Store
Location: Missouri
Gross Revenue: $1.04 million
This historic home improvement and hardware store is a staple of its community and operates from its headquarters in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area of Missouri. The Company is a long-standing retailer and installer of consumer and commercial improvement products.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Albrights Hardware & Garden Center
Location: Allentown, PA
Gross Revenue: $1.9 million Price: $800,000
Albrights Hardware is an established hardware store with strong neighborhood ties and has been a Lehigh Valley staple for over 50 years. The current owners have owned the store since 1992. Albrights serves its loyal customer base by providing quality products and exceptional customer service.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Central Vermont Paint, Flooring and Decorating Business
Location: Vermont
Gross Revenue: $2.82 million
Price: $1.1 million
Full-service decorating store providing flooring, paint, window treatments, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, cabinetry product offerings, design assistance, specialized service, and professional installation.
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Private Business
Location: Alabama
Gross Revenue: $2.21 million
Price: $649,000
BUSINESS FOR SALE
Private Business
Location: Pennsylvania
Gross Revenue: $1.6 million
SEEKING BUSINESSES
The Aubuchon Company
For our next acquisition, we are looking for:
• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations
• Located in northeast and southeast United States
• Store size of 5,000-30,000 ft 2
• At least $3 million in average store sales
SEEKING BUSINESSES
Bolster Hardware
We are looking for:
• Geography agnostic
• With or without real estate
• Store revenues of $1.5M+
• We prefer to honor the family name and heritage in the local community by not changing the name
• We prefer to keep all employees as part of the acquisition
SEEKING BUSINESSES
Gold Beach Lumber Yard
We are looking for:
• Single-store and multi-store hardware operations
• Located in the Pacific Northwest
• Store size of 5,000 ft2-30,000 ft2
Honoring Our Heroes
Learn more about the Helmets to Home Improvement program and the ways these hometown heroes will be honored and recognized at YourNHPA.org/veterans
A NEW WAY TO SERVE
NHPA PROGRAM HONORS THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND INDUSTRY
While there is no way to repay the sacrifices made by veterans of the armed forces, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) recognizes that not only have these individuals made a lasting impact on their country, but they are also a prominent and positive influence within the home improvement industry.
To honor the ongoing impact veterans make throughout the home improvement industry, NHPA is launching the Helmets to Home Improvement recognition program, with the National Hardware Show as the program’s exclusive event sponsor.
The program will officially kick off at the 2025 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas
and culminate with an gala event to honor the industry’s military veterans in person at the 2026 National Hardware Show.
“We want to shine a spotlight and illustrate the contribution these folks make in retail, distribution, manufacturing and really every area of this industry,” says NHPA COO and publisher Dan Tratensek. “There is some kind of unique fit that military vets not only seem to gravitate toward this industry but also excel within it. This is our way to make sure they continue to receive recognition for their contributions.”
Throughout 2025 and 2026, NHPA will share the stories of these hometown heroes in all of its media brands, in print and online. Visit YourNHPA.org/veterans to learn more.
