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25 Years Young CELEBRATING A QUARTER-CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE PAST 26 YEARS, I have had the pleasure of working for the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA), serving independent home improvement retailers by providing programs and services to help you become better and more profitable in your business. After all, that’s been our mission for the past 120 years. But for the last 25 of those years, one of the most successful and enduring offerings from this great association has been the Young Retailer of the Year awards program. It’s an incredible milestone for this program to reach its 25th year. During that time, we have honored 186 young men and women who have helped define what true success is through their accomplishments at such an early stage in their careers. While we had to move the program to a virtual stage the past two years, it didn’t deter us from showcasing the best and brightest retailers under the age of 35 who represent the future of our industry. These are the retailers who continue to raise the bar in how they operate their stores, motivate and inspire their employees through their leadership and serve their customers and communities. They are a testament to what is great about our industry and our future. They make all of us, and all the former Young Retailer of the Year honorees who have been recognized since the program was established in 1996, very proud. With all the uncertainty our industry has faced and overcome over the last 18 months, our 2020
and 2021 Young Retailer of the Year honorees have shown us that despite all of the challenges we face, the future is still very bright with these young entrepreneurs leading the way. Of course, we couldn’t bring you this program without the support of our sponsors, which include Fluidmaster, Intertape Polymer Group, Midwest Fastener, Arrow Fastener, MiTec, Pony Jorgensen, Epicor and the National Hardware Show. We owe these companies a huge debt of gratitude for helping us honor these young men and women each year. When it comes to retailing, there is no other industry whose independent sector has remained as viable and essential as ours. And no other organization can bring us all together like NHPA. It doesn’t matter what affiliation you hold or what banner you fly. You are first and foremost an independent retailer. And together, we will continue to support and develop future generations to continue moving us forward. Scott Wright Executive Director NHPA Advanced Retail Education Programs
Visit YourNHPA.org/yroty to watch videos of these honorees and to see an inside look of each retailer’s operation.
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YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
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25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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Disrupting the Future 6 YOUNG RETAILERS WHO ARE RESHAPING THE INDUSTRY
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evamping company cultures, expanding sales, adopting new retail innovations and mentoring future leaders are among the many accomplishments of the 2020 Young Retailer of the Year honorees—and they’re just getting started. The NHPA Young Retailer of the Year program annually recognizes outstanding retailers age 35 or younger who have demonstrated how they have improved their businesses, invested in their own career development through industry education and bettered their communities. Honorees are selected from three categories: stores with less than $2 million in sales, stores with more than $2 million in sales and operations with multiple stores. The six retailers NHPA honored in 2020 stepped up as leaders in the businesses they operate and in the communities they serve. They also stand out as rising retail stars who are advancing the industry during unprecedented times. “The 2020 Young Retailer of the Year honorees represent the bright future of the independent home improvement industry,” says Scott Wright, executive director of NHPA’s advanced retail education programs. “Each one demonstrates the ambition and innovation that will continue moving our industry forward, as well as a passion for serving their communities, making them irreplaceable contributors to every market they serve.”
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YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
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Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Katie DEMARIS OWNER | DEMARIS HARDWARE
Location St. Ansgar, Iowa Category Under $2 Million in Sales
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atie DeMaris first dreamed of owning a hardware store in 2014, after a visit to see her husband’s family in St. Ansgar, Iowa. On the trip, she and her husband noted that the local hardware store was for sale, and during the four-hour drive home, they discussed the possibilities the store presented. Nearly two years later, they decided to leave their jobs at a major agricultural equipment manufacturer and move with their three children to St. Ansgar to pursue this new dream. Their first several months weren’t easy— the family moved into the basement of the hardware store while they renovated their home. They also worked to revamp the store by themselves, replacing ceiling tiles and floors, painting the interior, overhauling the exterior and installing new LED lights. DeMaris Hardware opened for business on April 17, 2017. They hired their first part-time employee that September. In the first year, they saw a 152 percent increase in sales from the previous owner’s final year in business. DeMaris credits her work history and education for her success as a hardware store owner. Her high school job at a plant nursery, her undergraduate degree in art education and her MBA gave her experience with relevant products, creativity, marketing and inventory control. In their prior careers, DeMaris and her husband oversaw million-dollar department budgets and managed employees and inventory. The family’s turn-of-the-century home has also served as a source of inspiration and
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
experience relevant to their store. They test many products on their own home and use this firsthand knowledge and their relationships with the tradespeople they hire to work on their home to better serve customers. DeMaris Hardware has adapted to the needs of its customers. The store boasts a profitable niche selling custom school sports apparel, local and seasonal live goods and free services, such as replacing watch batteries and bird food delivery. The DeMarises value giving back to their community. They donate regularly to the American Legion, the local fire and rescue department, the local school district, various historical projects, multiple cancer benefits and town festivals. They also try to pick a different organization each month for which to raise or match funds. For example, on their dog Gracie’s birthday, they offer in-store specials, hand out treats and donate a percentage of their sales to the local animal shelter. DeMaris is an active member of the local chamber of commerce and a parade organizer for the annual town festival. She also volunteers on the city’s park renovations committee, helping her establish new connections across St. Ansgar. The business has also partnered with the local school to employ students with special needs at the store so they have the opportunity to gain real-life work experience in a safe setting. For DeMaris and DeMaris Hardware, community comes in the form of a friendly hello, a welcoming canine and genuine customer service.
Photo by Hannah Rosholt
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The struggle for St. Ansgar is much the same for many communities across America, but we have one thing that big-box stores and online shopping will never have—and that’s community. 25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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Photo by Marshal McIntosh
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My dream is what’s down the road. What is the next store? What does it mean to serve other communities?
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YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Weston JACOBS
OWNER-OPERATOR | WEAKLEY-WATSON HARDWARE
Location Brownwood, Texas Category Under $2 Million in Sales
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eston Jacobs had no retail experience when he took over his hometown hardware store in 2017 to prevent it from closing. He’s met the industry’s demands and established his business as a reliable community partner. Weakley-Watson Hardware in Brownwood, Texas, had been family run and operated since 1876. However, the fifth generation of the Weakley family was ready to retire when they prepared to shut down the operation in 2017. Jacobs’ parents, Tim and Kerri Jacobs, were entrepreneurs who saw an opportunity in the business, which is one of the oldest hardware stores in Texas. Jacobs embraced their vision. He and his family purchased the store in 2017, wanting to preserve Weakley-Watson’s 140-year legacy in Brownwood, the town where Jacobs grew up. He had left Brownwood when he went to college at Texas A&M University and then pursued a career with a large trucking company in Dallas. When he and his family bought Weakley-Watson, Jacobs and his wife moved to his beloved hometown so he could run the store. From the start, Jacobs took full responsibility for running the operation and set out to learn about retail and the hardware industry, while also growing the business. In the first year, he led the store’s change to a new wholesaler and saw sales grow 13 percent. The following year, Weakley-Watson’s sales grew 5 percent.
Jacobs looked to the store’s longtime employees for help learning about the business and understanding the industry. They were gracious teachers and Jacobs was eager to learn. He also pursued home improvement industry training opportunities to learn about the products and projects that are important to his customers. Jacobs considers his parents mentors who have taught him the importance of valuing relationships, no matter how frustrating or stressful a business situation may be. They operate a gift shop and pharmacy and never worked in home improvement, but they have shown Jacobs how to serve customers and employees well. Jacobs has taken his role as a local business owner seriously, seeing it as an opportunity to give back to the community. When wind destroyed granite veterans’ memorials in Brownwood, he worked with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion groups to raise money to rebuild the monuments. Working together, they raised $30,000 for the repairs. Jacobs also collects coats and cold weather gear for needy kids, donates money to an organization that advocates for abused and neglected children and works with local businesses and residents to provide bottled water for local volunteer fire departments. Looking to the future, Jacobs plans to continue growing his business by adding sporting goods to his existing store and opening or buying additional locations.
25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Sam OLSON
CO-OWNER AND MANAGER | BUFFALO HARDWARE
Location Buffalo, South Dakota Category Over $2 Million in Sales
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am Olson was just 24 years old when he helped negotiate the acquisition of Buffalo Hardware. He studied business entrepreneurship in college, where he got to create his own learning experience outside the classroom by buying the Buffalo, South Dakota, store with his parents in 2014. Born and raised in Buffalo, Olson grew up visiting Buffalo Hardware. The owner hoped a local entrepreneur would eventually buy the business from him to ensure it remained a community asset. Olson was just the man for the job as he is deeply invested in and passionate about his hometown. Olson was also committed to growing as a retailer and pursued multiple opportunities to learn about leadership, management and retailing. He participated in a state leadership program and completed the NHPA Retail Management Certification Program. After taking over Buffalo Hardware, Olson oversaw a store remodel and expanded the outdoor selling space and lumberyard. Sales tripled during the first year under his leadership. Olson also spearheaded the acquisitions of three other local businesses, including a gas station, propane company and a ranch supply store. Reflecting the demographics of the county, the businesses’ customers are primarily ranchers. Buying and running local companies is a way to keep a small community thriving, and Olson hopes his entrepreneurial efforts
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
help improve the quality of life in Buffalo for present and future generations. Taking care of employees, customers and the community as a whole are motivators. For Olson, helping people includes offering stellar customer service and knowing the names of all 350 people who live in his small town, volunteering with the local chamber of commerce and economic development corporation, supporting fundraisers and lending a hand when people are in trouble. He is president of the chamber, vice president of the economic development corporation and vice president of the Olson Livestock Foundation, an organization that provides calves to young ranchers. Buffalo Hardware is a conduit for other people’s generosity, and Olson takes the role seriously. Every winter, community members give Olson cash and ask him to provide residents in need with gift cards and propane to help them get through the coldest months. The store matches the donations and identifies community members needing help, who only know that the gifts are given anonymously. The Buffalo community has partnered with Olson wholeheartedly in giving. When Olson donated to and helped support fundraisers to assist with medical bills for two local children who needed specialized care, the fundraisers raised $80,000 each—a significant amount of money coming from a county with only about 1,200 residents.
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I’ve got to keep making my town better. I want to provide opportunities for my future children and make the community a place people want to stay in and return to.
25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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Location Brownwood, Texas Category Under $2 Million in Sales
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I love this company, I love my community and I am excited to grow with this business. It is an absolute honor to be recognized for all of the accomplishments we have been able to achieve in our first year as owners.
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YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Ryan BUCK
OWNER | BUCK’S HOME BUILDING CENTRE AND NEW GERMANY HOME HARDWARE BUILDING CENTRE
Location Bridgewater and New Germany, Nova Scotia, Canada Category Multiple Store Operations
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yan Buck’s unofficial career in retail began 26 years ago at his parents’ store, then known as Beaver Lumber, stocking shelves on Friday nights. Those small moments still resonate with Buck to this day, and they are what propelled him into his career as a home improvement retailer. His career officially began at 16, working in the family’s then 5,000-square-foot store—the building would later be replaced with a 21,000-square-foot facility. Buck says starting in the smaller retail store allowed him the opportunity to grow his skills in all areas of the business. After returning home from college in 2005, an opportunity presented itself in the installed sales department. Buck stepped up to the challenge and made the department his passion. At the time, the installed sales dexxpartment typically saw $250,000 in annual sales. But after 15 years under Buck’s leadership, adding two full-time associates and a part-time administrative assistant, the department has grown to surpass $1.5 million in annual sales. In 2017, while still managing the installed sales department, Buck’s focus shifted to the operational side of the business. He began having more frequent conversations with his parents about succession planning. On Jan. 1, 2019, Buck and his wife, Julie, purchased the business, now known as Buck’s Home Building Centre, from his parents. Four months later, they purchased their second location, New Germany Home Hardware Building Centre.
Since taking ownership of the New Germany store, Buck has seen store traffic increase at the location by 60 percent. As a small business owner, Buck believes in giving back to his community. In his first year as owner, he has been able to contribute to various sports teams, auction fundraisers and other local events. When a community outdoor pool needed a new deck and ramp, Buck donated the materials for the project. The store also donated labor to help build a playhouse for a local elementary school. And each year, the Bucks choose a charity or local organization to support through special fundraising events. After purchasing the New Germany store, the Bucks sought to invest in the future of the community by creating a scholarship for each high school in the area. These scholarships go to deserving students who are actively involved in the community and have a financial need. Buck also served for seven years as a member of the Bridgewater Volunteer Fire Department and is an active member of the local chamber of commerce. At age 34, Buck has already become a multistore operator and a valued member of the community, where he has put down roots with his wife and their three daughters, Madison, Ellianna and Kenzie. As Buck looks to the future, he says he hopes to continue empowering his staff, building their knowledge and skill sets to ensure they remain the retailer of choice within the communities they serve.
25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Cody GOEPPNER RETAIL MANAGER | BLEYHL CO-OP
Location Grandview, Washington Category Multiple Store Operations
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ody Goeppner has integrated a passion for community and independent retail into the latest phase of his career. Goeppner is the retail manager for Bleyhl Co-Op and serves on the company’s senior leadership team. He oversees the co-op’s Grandview, Washington, retail store and adjacent convenience store, but also spends much of his time assessing ways to improve the company’s overall retail operations. Goeppner began his career in the independent home improvement industry working for his family’s hardware store in Ferdinand, Indiana, first as a child and later as an adult after pursuing a career in theater. When he rejoined the family business, he sought leadership training and made plans to become the seventh generation of his family to own and operate the store. While participating in NHPA’s Retail Management Certification Program, Goeppner connected with leaders from Bleyhl Co-Op and appreciated their passion and commitment to their business and the communities they serve. When Goeppner's family business closed in 2018, the team at Bleyhl Co-Op invited him to come to Washington. Goeppner was not immediately interested in working for the co-op because of his enthusiasm for family-owned operations, but Bleyhl CEO Dan Morano shared about his commitment to serving the organization’s members, piquing Goeppner’s interest. The company’s executive team was ready to make significant changes to its retail operations and was eager to bring in Goeppner’s fresh ideas and desire to innovate.
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 25 Years
Goeppner joined the co-op’s leadership team to focus on improving Bleyhl Co-Op’s retail stores. His vision was to turn the stores, which needed facility and business practice updates, into the modern face of the company. Goeppner set to work on projects ranging from remerchandising the stores to developing a new system for hiring and onboarding employees. Goeppner helped lead changes such as adapting the product mix to a more focused selection that serves core customers more comprehensively and having signage and marketing materials translated into Spanish to better serve the stores’ Spanish-speaking customer base. As part of the ongoing business improvement process, Goeppner mentored peer staff members, encouraging them to expand their leadership skills and grow in their confidence to share creative ideas for improving the business. A significant change for the operation, which has nearly eliminated turnover at the retail stores, was introducing the company’s customer service model during the interview process for new hires. Doing so enables employees to start their jobs understanding the company’s standards and values. Mentoring other employees has become Goeppner’s passion, and he encourages staff members to innovate, develop and bring forward ideas that make the business stronger. Goeppner has also plunged into contributing to his community, serving as president of the chamber of commerce, volunteering for the local fair and rodeo and hosting community events.
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As with the family business, my goals are always legacy driven. I don’t want the successes of the business and what I’m doing to only be good as long as I’m a part of it. I now sit with an entire team of engaged individuals who are moving mountains in retail.
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To keep job stability and security and be a long-term investment in our community, customers and employees, retailers need to be forward-thinking.
Young Retailer of the Year | 2020 Honoree
Matthew HOLMES
OWNER | HOLMES BUILDING MATERIALS
Location Baton Rouge and Denham Springs, Louisiana Category Multiple Store Operations
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s the fourth-generation owner of Holmes Building Materials in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Matthew Holmes got his start like many others in the industry—by sweeping floors and stocking shelves in the family business. His father, John, always wanted him to work outside the family business to get more exposure to the industry as a whole. So after majoring in construction management with a minor in business at Louisiana State University, Holmes worked for several years at a large custom home building company. In 2011, he returned to Holmes Building Materials with the aim to eventually succeed his father in the leadership and ownership role. He worked to prove himself in outside sales before being promoted to operations manager in 2014. That year, his redesign of the contractor services warehouse space paid off with huge gains in efficiency and sales. Previously, the warehouse team produced 30 to 40 doors a day, but Holmes’ redesigned space allowed them to deliver 100 doors each day. Holmes next turned his focus to gaining more exposure to local contractors in Baton Rouge. In 2015 and 2016, he opened two new showroom locations. Then, in August 2016, a complex thunderstorm system flared up in southern Louisiana, resulting in constant torrential downpours in the Baton Rouge area. The day the flooding started, Holmes sprang into action. Holmes Building Materials partnered with vendors to donate building materials to rebuild
32 homes for needy residents. The store also matched each dollar that was donated to the cause. After rebuilding efforts in town reached a manageable level, a new, larger location for the Baton Rouge store became a priority—and a clear turning point in the leadership transition at Holmes Building Materials. Holmes took full control of the new store, which opened in 2017. When his father retired the next year, Holmes took over as president of the company. The ownership transition is in progress and will be completed in a few years. Holmes also devotes his time and energy toward service in his community. He and his family attend a local church, where he volunteers his time at events while helping with needed improvements at the facility. He coordinates Holmes Building Materials’ participation in the Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge’s annual Dream Home auction, which has raised more than $20 million for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. A few years ago, Holmes also stepped in to help save the local Salvation Army’s Angel Tree giving program, which assists families in need, by volunteering the former Baton Rouge location as a sorting and storage area for donations when the organization lost the use of its former building. Since Holmes’ return in 2011, sales at Holmes Building Materials have doubled. Holmes has already carved out his own legacy at the family business, and he will be making his mark in the industry— and his community—for many years to come.
25 Years | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
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or 25 years, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has highlighted the achievements of outstanding independent home improvement retailers 35 years old and younger through its Young Retailer of the Year program. Honorees are selected from three categories: stores with less than $2 million in sales, stores with more than $2 million in sales and operations with multiple retail stores. The honorees stand out as leaders in their businesses and in the communities they serve. This year also marks the first time NHPA has included paint retailers in the award program
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after the organization expanded its membership to include paint and decorating retailers in 2020. The 2021 honorees have improved their businesses, invested in their own career development through industry education and bettered their communities. “Being chosen as a Young Retailer of the Year is a high honor. Each year, manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers in the industry look forward to celebrating the honorees’ contributions to their communities and the industry,” says Scott Wright, executive director of advanced retail education programs for NHPA. “These retailers exemplify the determination and innovation that keeps our industry growing.”
Visit YourNHPA.org/yroty to watch the virtual ceremony recognizing this year’s honorees and to see an inside look of each retailer’s operation.
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Ryan Rennells
Alexandria Lavaroni
Robin Smith
Colton and Danielle Hallgren
Jay Donnelly
Jonathan South
Tyler Nowochin
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Dani Estenger
Colton & Danielle
HALLGREN OWNERS | OSAGE HARDWARE
Colton and Danielle Hallgren own and operate Osage Hardware in Osage City, Kansas. They both grew up in Osage City, and it was during high school that Colton first worked for Willie and Mary Sue Atchison, then the owners of Osage Hardware. After high school, Colton served in the Marine Corps, and the Hallgrens got married and were stationed in California for four years. When they decided to move back to Osage City in 2016, Willie jokingly told Colton he would sell him the store and his home so he could retire and move to Arizona. After the Hallgrens returned to Osage City, Colton visited Osage Hardware with the intention of purchasing a dog house. He made the purchase, but he also left with an invitation for dinner and to discuss buying the store. After one meeting, the Hallgrens decided to work for the Atchisons and began saving money to purchase the store. After two years of learning the business, the Hallgrens saved enough money for a down payment and bought Osage Hardware in September 2018. The Hallgrens didn’t shy away from tackling big projects during their first years in business. They updated the interior, installed a new roof, partially redid the tile floor, painted the walls and converted the store to LED lights. Next, they repurposed the adjacent empty lot, which they owned, into a garden center. This new space has allowed them to offer an expanded selection of offerings in lawn and garden and outdoor living.
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Additionally, Danielle started a community farmers market. Between business from the garden center and extra foot traffic from the farmers market and revamping the store, the Hallgrens saw a 12 percent increase in sales their first year in business and a 41 percent increase during their second year. In 2020, Osage Hardware was recognized as an Emerging Business of the Year by the Kansas Small Business Development Center. As small business owners, the Hallgrens take great pride in serving their community. Danielle coaches gymnastics at the Osage City Parks and Recreation Department. For Colton, this service also extends beyond his career in the Marine Corps and current status as a volunteer firefighter.
“This community is the only reason we can keep the doors open, and we want to support them in return.” The Hallgrens are members of their local chamber of commerce and host various local events at their store. After they experienced a record-breaking year in 2020, the Hallgrens sought ways to give back to the community. They held an in-store fundraiser to boost the local economy and help local families; all proceeds were used to purchase gift cards from each small business in town. The gift cards were then offered to anyone who came into Osage Hardware. Colton and Danielle have big dreams and future plans for their store, with many involving their community. “This community is the only reason we can keep the doors open, and we want to support them in return,” Colton says.
The Hallgrens had a 41 percent increase in sales in their second year in business.
Location Osage City, Kansas | Category Under $2 Million in Sales 2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Lavaroni increased store sales by 25 percent each year.
Location San Andreas, California | Category Under $2 Million in Sales
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Alexandria LAVARONI MANAGER | TREAT’S GENERAL STORE
Alexandria Lavaroni, manager of Treat’s General Store in San Andreas, California, is the fifth generation of her family to work at the store, which dates back to 1852. It is a staple in the Calaveras County community and is the only hardware store in the town of San Andreas. Lavaroni has held a management role at Treat’s General Store for four years. She had little knowledge of the industry when she began working in the store, but she was able to use her business education and previous work experience to help increase sales, attract new customers and build even greater customer loyalty. Since the year she took on a management role, store sales have increased by 25 percent each year. Like many hardware stores, Treat’s General Store saw business increase in 2020, and it was not immune to the effects of COVID-19. Lavaroni says the store’s role in the community permanently shifted after becoming such an essential service to the community. When an initial panic over a shortage of supplies set in a year ago, Lavaroni says the community turned to her store for products. She ensured the store always kept toilet paper, cases of water, face masks and shields, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer in stock. But while the rest of the country saw an increase in online sales during the pandemic, Lavaroni says her store and community were the exception to the rule. “We live in a poor, rural community with vast socioeconomic diversity and an even greater digital divide,” she explains.
Many local residents did not have access to technology in order to place orders. Lavaroni says Treat’s General Store resorted to old-fashioned pen and paper to get customer orders placed. She helped oversee the efforts for dedicated customer order phone lines, curbside pickup and home delivery options. She also helped fill these orders and personally made each delivery. Prior to the pandemic, Lavaroni was active in local events. Treat’s General Store provided donations to school fundraisers and classroom improvement projects and local events. Today, she provides supplies to pet shelters and donates cleaning supplies to schools.
“Winning this award has provided me with a newfound confidence to continue with my creativity and future growth within the industry.” In the past, she helped young local entrepreneurs in 4-H and National FFA Organization programs by providing a space for them to sell their crafts in the store. Now, she has opened the store to an entire department of locally made products by people of all ages. She says that many individuals in the community lost their jobs, and these crafts help generate income. “I am grateful for the credibility this award will bring to our business,” Lavaroni says. “Winning this award has provided me with a newfound confidence to continue with my creativity and future growth within the industry.”
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Tyler NOWOCHIN OWNER | NOWCO HOME HARDWARE When Tyler Nowochin, owner of Nowco Home Hardware in downtown Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, took ownership of the family business in 2010, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. In the years since, he has more than doubled Nowco’s sales. When his grandparents purchased the store in 1986, the store was roughly 5,000 square feet and only produced about $100,000 in revenue. Over the next 20 years, the store underwent a series of expansions and upgrades to reach its present size of about 9,400 square feet with a separate 2,000-square-foot warehouse. Nowochin took over the store in 2010, and it underwent a full rebranding and remerchandising initiative. In 2017, he oversaw a store renovation that relocated the entrance to allow for better traffic flow and also shifted the store’s layout with a focus on wheelchair accessibility and a big-store feel. In 2018, he added a 1,200-square-foot DIY area to the store for large events, hands-on training and small construction projects where he hosts regular children’s events and ladies’ nights. Nowochin and his store have been nominated for numerous awards by the local chamber of commerce, including the People’s Choice for Customer Service and Large Business of the Year awards. In 2020, the store also received Reader’s Choice Awards in eight categories from the local newspaper, Lacombe Express. Serving the community—through his store and local philanthropy—is always a priority for Nowochin.
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Among other activities, he currently serves on the local municipal planning commission. The store is a sponsor for many local organizations and events. Nowco has an open-door policy to support any local events or needs that may come up. Nowochin’s team also organizes the local Chairs for Charity event, which raffles off Adirondack chairs decorated by small businesses, provided by Nowco at cost, to raise funds for various charities. As an owner, Nowochin places an emphasis on his people, whom he views as family. “It’s every owner’s dream to deliver the best customer service, but I think many people struggle to define what that means,” Nowochin says. “I define it through feedback from my customers and the community. My people are my biggest strength.” He schedules daily employee training and encourages his staff to watch how-to videos on products and home improvement topics so they can better serve their customers.
“It’s every owner’s dream to deliver the best customer service, but I think many people struggle to define what that means.” Nowochin says he will always push his store toward more—whether it be more products and services, more community involvement or more employee training and development. “I challenge myself to push past my comfort zone, and I try to guide my staff in the same direction so they can also grow and feel more confident in themselves,” he says.
I challenge myself to push past my comfort zone.
Location Lacombe, Alberta, Canada | Category Under $2 Million in Sales 2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Photography by Chrissy Lynn
In the independent channel, I can cater to my customers.
Location San Francisco, California | Category Over $2 Million in Sales
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Dani ESTENGER PURCHASING MANAGER | CENTER HARDWARE & SUPPLY CO. INC.
Dani Estenger has converted her woodworking hobby and her enthusiasm for personalized service into a career in the independent home improvement sector. She began working at a multinational grocery store chain after college and developed strong customer service, buying and merchandising skills. She also pursued woodworking as a hobby, putting hardware stores on her radar when she decided to make a job change. She joined Center Hardware’s staff in 2017 as an assistant manager and plunged into nearly every aspect of the business, including social media marketing, merchandising, event planning, product ordering and margin growth. A year later, Estenger was promoted to inventory manager and buyer. In her new position, she connected with vendors that hadn’t previously sold in San Francisco and worked with them to stock popular and exclusive items at Center Hardware. She also revamped the store’s merchandising and inventory management, increasing the store’s inventory value per square foot, growing the store’s average margin by nearly 4 percentage points, growing average transaction size by $3 and expanding the store’s product array to better serve industrial customers. Her woodworking experience has informed some of her decision-making when adding new products to the store, such as specialty wood finishes, which have attracted new customers. Estenger consistently uses data to examine purchasing trends and watch for product areas that need improvement. She also increased the frequency of product ordering to improve the company’s in-stock position and corrected some cash-flow challenges.
She helped organize Toolapalooza, an event the store hosted in 2018 and 2019. At the event in 2019, vendors demonstrated products to a crowd of 1,000 attendees. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused the store’s sales to decline 80 percent in April 2020, Estenger researched products and vendors and talked with customers about the items they needed. She brought in 30,000 new product SKUs and helped convert part of the salesfloor into a pandemic supply section. Estenger’s purchasing and merchandising acumen helped the store achieve year-over-year sales growth of 2 percent, despite the deep decline in sales early in the pandemic. Commercial and industrial customers cut back on their spending as their businesses shut down, but Estenger’s savvy buying brought in the products DIY customers wanted. Cleaning supplies and paint became top categories for the store when they had not previously contributed significantly to sales.
“Conversations about products are really important, and that’s what keeps everything in the store lively.” The reasons products sell well, don’t sell or get returned frequently are a constant conversation at Center Hardware, giving Estenger a chance to engage in a way that wasn’t possible in her work outside the independent home improvement industry. “Conversations about products are really important, and that’s what keeps everything in the store lively,” she says. “We can make decisions immediately as a team instead of trying to figure out what corporate would like. In the independent channel, I can cater to my customers. That regionality is so important.”
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Robin SMITH
PRESIDENT & CO-OWNER | PETERSBURG HARDWARE Robin Smith knew from an early age that she wanted to work in her family’s hardware store, but she planned to have an accounting career first. When she graduated from college in 2009, the economic downturn changed her plans. Accounting jobs were hard to find and Petersburg Hardware needed her talents. “The opportunity was there for me to make an impact on my family’s business, and I went for it,” Smith says. She helped her father with the store’s finances and began growing the store’s cellphone business. In 2014, she began focusing on the hardware operation. She saw potential to grow Petersburg Hardware and better meet the needs of her community. The store had a 5,000-square-foot salesfloor at the time and customers were asking for more products. Smith negotiated a deal to buy a 28,000-square-foot building with a parking lot and began expanding the store’s entire product mix. Moving into the larger building allowed Smith to reorganize the store, rethink the product mix and improve merchandising. She grew all of the store’s existing product categories and added new departments over time. She introduced gourmet snack foods, clothing, toys, home decor, appliances, sporting goods and zero-turn riding mowers, all of which have become successful categories. She also made the store a destination for high-end chicken, goat and horse feed and expanded the operation’s small selection of convenience lumber to 8,000 square feet of lumber and building materials. “At the old store, we had the essentials and that was it,” Smith says. “Now we’ve got the latest and greatest products, and we have to show our customers the benefits of these products in order to sell them.”
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
She also revamped the store’s marketing strategy, growing the store’s print advertising, planning in-store events and adding Facebook and text message marketing, promotional videos for social media and a customer loyalty program. The store’s loyalty program now has 2,700 members—a group larger than Petersburg’s population. Under Smith’s leadership, store sales grew 384 percent in five years. In January, she and her husband, Eric, bought the business from her parents, Dennis and Sherry Bishop. Smith plans to continue growing the store, and adding an outdoor drive-through lumberyard is one of her goals. In addition to spearheading growth in her family’s business, Smith has been heavily involved in her community. The store contributes financial and product donations to fundraisers.
“Now we’ve got the latest and greatest products, and we have to show our customers the benefits of these products in order to sell them.” Smith also teaches business skills to local eighth-grade children, serves as a trustee at her church and was president of the local chamber of commerce for five years. She is currently serving as treasurer for the chamber, which she helped revitalize. She also helped develop a community involvement program and served on the board of directors for the local economic development corporation. “When I wake up in the morning, I know I’m making a difference for somebody,” Smith says. “That is a huge deal for me.”
Under Smith’s leadership, store sales grew 384% in five years.
Location Petersburg, Indiana | Category Over $2 Million in Sales 2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Within four years, South had grown sales by 24 percent.
Location Columbia City, Indiana | Category Over $2 Million in Sales YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Jonathan SOUTH
STORE MANAGER | TEGHTMEYER ACE HARDWARE
Jonathan South began working at Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware in 2008 at age 17 doing product assembly and delivery. His summer job has evolved into a career of serving a community he loves. He continued working at the store during college and while pursuing training as a police officer and gained experience working in nearly every area of the retail operation. He worked on the salesfloor, oversaw the screen and window department, trained other employees, served as co-head of the electrical department and eventually became a floor supervisor. The closer South got to becoming a police officer, the more he considered what it might mean for him to leave Teghtmeyer Ace. He sat down with owner Alicia Teghtmeyer Johnson to discuss what a long-term role with the business might look like. “It was during that conversation that I realized my passion was truly and simply serving people, and I could pursue that passion right where I was at Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware,” he says. Johnson promoted him to store manager shortly after that. In his new role, South began actively looking for ways to improve and grow the operation. He also pursued leadership training through his store’s wholesaler, NHPA and local organizations. “I have always had the mindset to not only succeed, but to excel,” South says. He overhauled the store’s manual of policies and procedures to improve employee productivity and clarify store processes for the staff. Making standards and procedures specific and consistent helped remove ambiguity about responsibilities and improved the store’s culture. He also revamped the store’s employee training program and added offsite training opportunities.
South then improved the company’s scheduling system by switching to a scheduling app. “My experience with training helped shift my mindset to make sure I’m actively invested in our most valuable asset: our staff,” South says. In addition, he added a premium power tool brand to the store product mix and sold more than $150,000 of the tools during the store’s first year selling them. Several members of his staff also became certified technicians to service these power tools. South also worked steadily to grow the store product assortment and added top brands in grilling, coolers and drinkware, outdoor power equipment and paint. In addition, he looked for ways to improve store margins and decrease operating costs. He has partnered with other local Ace retailers to buy in bulk together to increase their profit margins. He also cut the store’s costs for buying lumber in half by changing suppliers. As a result, the store’s lumber sales margins tripled.
“My experience with training helped shift my mindset to make sure I’m actively invested in our most valuable asset: our staff.” South has also worked diligently to expand the store’s social media presence; he has grown the store’s Facebook following from 600 followers to nearly 4,000. Under his leadership, the store’s sales have grown significantly. Four years after South became store manager, he had grown sales by 24 percent. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the store continued to serve its community well and sales increased another 25 percent.
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Jay DONNELLY
VICE PRESIDENT | FLANAGAN PAINT & SUPPLY After graduating from college in 2010 with a degree in construction management, Jay Donnelly began working with his father at Flanagan Paint & Supply in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis. Donnelly’s father, Jim, had purchased Flanagan Paint in 2007 and asked him to join the company after his business partner died. Jim’s experience was in outside sales, whereas his former business partner had managed the in-store retail and contractor side of the business. Donnelly learned the ins and outs of running a paint store while on the job, and by 2012 he was promoted to vice president of Flanagan Paint. The title made it official, but he had been overseeing operations management, purchasing, hiring, social media and more from the time he started working at the store. By 2013, the father-son duo had grown the business 25 percent year over year. But Donnelly felt unfulfilled and was ready for a new challenge. He and his father decided to open another store location. They settled on a retail space in the greater St. Louis area, in Ellisville, Missouri, and purchased the business in 2014. In 2017, they sold the original Soulard building and moved everything to the Ellisville location. Then in 2018, they opened a new store in Creve Coeur, Missouri; and in November 2020, they acquired a third location in Webster Groves, Missouri. Donnelly views the stores’ employees as family— and he spends most of his time investing in his team and the company culture they’ve created together. The company motto at Flanagan Paint & Supply is “Making friends is our business.”
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
“When you start making friends with customers, the competition goes away,” Donnelly says. Flanagan Paint is a regular supporter of local charitable organizations. Donnelly takes his role as an independent paint retailer seriously and seeks ways to empower his colleagues. He previously served on the board of directors of the Paint and Decorating Retailers Association (PDRA), which closed operations in September 2020. Donnelly is now part of an advisory group of paint retailers that is helping NHPA tailor its programs and services to best address the needs of independent paint retailers. He also participated in the Small Business Administration’s Emerging Leaders program, a six-month, MBA-style course. Donnelly says the program helped him define the direction he wanted to take the company. He now helps promote the program to other small business executives.
“People ask me all the time, ‘How many stores do you want?’ We’ll see—it depends on the team I have in place.” Donnelly has plans to open more stores, further expanding Flanagan Paint & Supply’s footprint in St. Louis. His goal is to not only expand his business to more locations, but strengthen the team supporting those brick-andmortar destinations. “People ask me all the time, ‘How many stores do you want?’” Donnelly says. “We’ll see—it depends on the team I have in place.”
When you start making friends with customers, the competition goes away.
Location St. Louis, Missouri | Category Multiple Stores
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Trying to do good for people is my main motivation for growth.
Location Owego, New York | Category Multiple Stores
YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR | 2021 Honorees
Ryan RENNELLS GENERAL MANAGER | HOME CENTRAL
Ryan Rennells accepted a job stocking shelves at Home Central’s Owego, New York, home center in 2011 when he was undecided about his career path. He had no idea he had found his ideal long-term fit. “I was in a transition period when I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Rennells says. He had retail experience from working at a regional home improvement chain. He quickly began applying his knowledge and experience to improve his Home Central location. Every department needed a merchandising facelift, so Rennells began systematically restocking and remerchandising the entire store. His responsibilities grew as he demonstrated motivation and skill. He moved into a management position after about three years with the company. As a manager, Rennells pursued leadership training and began improving all of the company’s stores. He upgraded the paint departments in all three Home Central locations, adding new paint brands and remodeling the stores. Under his leadership, paint sales doubled within five years. His promotion to general manager over all three stores came as the company’s ownership team worked through a succession plan. Owner Aaron Gowan retired and his daughter Katherine Whittemore didn’t want to be as active in the business as her father. Rennells was the right person to continue leading company growth. “The whole thing just feels natural,” Rennells says. “I feel really blessed for having found Home Central and for the opportunity to leave a lot of positive impacts.”
The company’s Candor, New York, store was located in a small feed mill with limited opportunities for growth, so Rennells worked on building a new facility from the ground up. He then led the remodel of the company’s Vestal, New York, location. In December 2019, renovations on the Vestal store finished shortly before the biggest tests of Rennells’ leadership. In February 2020, a fire damaged the freshly remodeled store. Rennells transferred the Vestal store staff to the company’s Owego location to keep them employed. Just weeks later, he and his team faced the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges, Rennells led his team to grow sales and retain most of the closed store’s commercial customers. He kept his displaced staff members busy, and the team worked together to offer product deliveries, curbside pickup and other services to meet customers’ pandemic needs.
“I’ve always been treated well here. I want to grow for the sake of offering that positive work culture to other people.” They reopened the Vestal store in April 2021 after more than a year of repair work. In addition, Rennells and his team are working to open a showroom for the company’s outside sales team to use that showcases products available for special order. Rennells also hopes to eventually open more stores. “I’ve always been treated well here. I want to grow for the sake of offering that positive work culture to other people,” he says. “Trying to do good for people is my main motivation for growth.”
2021 Honorees | YOUNG RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Thank you to our Young Retailer of the Year sponsors. This program would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. These companies have invested in the
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