REGION-BY-REGION LOOK AT BUSINESS CONDITIONS
February 2021 Vol. 13, No. 1
THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER
ALSO INSIDE: Q&A With Orgill President Boyden Moore Paint and Decorating Category Trends
How to SNAG the BEST EMPLOYEES
A CUSTOMIZED APPROACH Orgill gives us the tools we need to compete and succeed! Why We Like Working With Orgill: • Innovative retail programs • Sales representatives who make our business stronger • Dealer Markets & Online Buying Events that offer an extensive look at the industry 1-800-347-2860 ext. 5373 information@orgill.com www.orgill.com
“Orgill recognizes that no two businesses are alike. They help us tailor our programs and product selection to best serve the needs of our customers.” Pete Meichtry Ganahl Lumber California
CONTENTS February 2021 ■ Vol. 13, No. 1
32
HARDLINES DIGEST: HOW TO SNAG THE BEST EMPLOYEES
WHOLESALING: 5 QUESTIONS FOR BOYDEN MOORE
Editor’s Note: Chris Jensen Trend Watch: Craig Cope Digby’s Hardware Cartoon: Scott Jensen Amazing But True Hardware Stories How’s Business? Regional Reports on Business Conditions Shop Talk: Hardware Products Review Hardlines Digest: How to Snag the Best Employees Tips for Hiring Employees Quickly 5 Questions for Boyden Moore Dealer Profile: Do it Best Hardware of Clinton Hill Product Spotlight The Hardware Conference: Nominations Now Open for Beacon Awards Category Report: Paint & Decorating In the News Upcoming Events Retail Ideas Behind the Numbers The Hardware Connection app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon. Download here.
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www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 3
IT’S GROW TIME. A REBATE LIKE NO OTHER PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES LIKE NO OTHER. Faced with the year’s many challenges, Do it Best member-owners still found ways to shatter existing sales records and earn a record rebate of $128 million. Now, you have exciting opportunities to invest in your business like never before.
“THE ABILITY TO DELIVER LARGE PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS BUILDS A STRONGER CONNECTION BETWEEN MY CUSTOMERS AND MY BUSINESS.”
“MAJOR REBATES MEAN MAJOR CHANGES — THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE MY BUSINESS FORWARD IN A BIG WAY.”
Kelvin Zafke Hackensack Lumber & Hardware Hackensack, MN
Matthew Fox Southern Wholesale Harlan, KY
Professional contractors and do-it-yourselfers alike
Harlan, Kentucky, is about to have a new shopping
rely on Hackensack Lumber & Hardware to meet their
experience at Southern Wholesale. Do it Best member
needs for building materials and hardware. This year’s
Matthew Fox is using his rebate to launch an ambitious
exceptional rebate empowered Do it Best member
store improvement project, adding lawn & garden and
Kelvin Zafke to make strategic moves in his business —
sporting goods to his product offerings for the first time.
enhancing the service his customers value. With a new
He is also investing in several new flatbed trucks to bring
flatbed truck to upgrade his delivery fleet and dynamic
his hardworking fleet up to date.
new product assortments, Kelvin’s rebate is being put to use as an investment in growth.
As a Do it Best member, you’re starting a new year with strong momentum and the resources to make a major difference in your business. Now is the time to fuel your growth — contact your Do it Best territory sales manager or call 888-DO-IT-BEST (888.364.8237) today. doitbestonline.com
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX A.O. Smith/Reliance Water Heaters | www.RelianceWaterHeaters.com . . 34 Do it Best Corp. | www.doitbestonline.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Duracell | www.duracell.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 ECi Software Solutions | www.ecisolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Emery Jensen Distribution | www.emeryjensendistribution.com. . . . . . . . . 15 Epicor Corp. | www.epicor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Ettore Products Company | www.ettore.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ganymede Technologies Corp./J3 Point-of-Sale | www.j3pos.biz . . . . . . . 18 Hardlines Digest | www.hardlinesdigest.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Kaba Ilco | www.ilco.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Orgill Inc. | www.orgill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Police Security Flashlights | www.policesecurity.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 RESCUE! / Sterling International Inc. | www.rescue.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Retail Automation | www.retailautomation.biz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Robert Bosch Tool Corp. | www.boschtools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Shurtape Technologies/FrogTape® | www.frogtape.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Skeeter Hawk | www.nebotools.com/skh/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 STIHL USA | www.stihlusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 SureCan Inc. | www.surecanusa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 WD-40 Company | www.wd40.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 37
Connection
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91900 Overseas Highway | Tavernier, FL 33070 | www.TheHardwareConnection.com Publisher/Principal: Craig Cope craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666 Editor/Founder/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864 Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609 Founder/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Senior Business Advisor: John Hammond jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com National Account Manager: Dan Beck dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 Contributing Writers: Doug Donaldson, Gary Pittsford, John Fix III The Hardware Connection is published eight times a year by The Hardware Connection, Inc. All editorial contents copyrighted 2021 by the publisher. No editorial may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 5
EDITOR’S NOTE
W
By Chris Jensen
Century Club Retailers Continue to Innovate
hen I first tackled the project of compiling a list of centuryold hardware and LBM retailers back in 2019, I thought I would be able to identify 250, maybe 300. The Hardware Connection Century Club now includes 617 hardware and LBM retailers, along with 14 wholesalers and 183 manufacturers—all companies founded in the USA that have continued in operation for at least 100 years. You can view them all here. You can view the two-part series here and here. We welcomed 11 new Century Club retailers to the club in 2021: Bates Ace Hardware, Atlanta, Ga.; Big C Lumber, Granger, Ind.; Fuller and Son Hardware, Little Rock, Ark.; Hammer & Wikan, Petersburg, Alaska; Haynes True Value Hardware, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Hills Flat Lumber Co., Colfax, Calif.; Lowe’s Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C.; Randall Lumber & Hardware, Taos, N.M.; Stewart Builder Supply, Brentwood, Tenn.; Townsend Building Supply, Dothan, Ala.; and Wallauer’s Paint & Ace Hardware, White Plains, N.Y. All of these retail companies were founded in 1921, including the industry’s second-largest big-box chain, Lowe’s. A century ago, Lucius Lowe opened a small general store in North
6 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
Wilkesboro, N.C., that was called North Wilkesboro Hardware. Fuller and Son Hardware started out in 1921 when Walter “Pop” Fuller opened a feed and plow store in Little Rock, Ark. Still owned and operated by the Fuller family, the business today features six high-performance hardware stores that are closely connected to the neighborhoods they serve. The Hardware Connection recognized Fuller and Son Hardware with the 2016 Retail Beacon Award. Third-generation owner Bobby Fuller points out the importance of innovation, saying “If you’re not moving forward, then you’re backing up.” Edward Pardini co-founded Hills Flat Lumber Co. a century ago as a wholesale lumber mill, quickly growing to three mills to meet the area’s expanding lumber needs. The company’s lumber was used to brace hundreds of miles of underground tunnels in the local gold mines. The company, which is still operated by the Pardini family, diversified into hardware and rental in the 1950s. The Pardini family business philosophy has remained the same for 100 years— provide superior service and the highest-quality building materials available. Coming from a Century Club retailer, that’s pretty sound advice. ■ www.TheHardwareConnection.com
TREND WATCH
By Craig Cope
Looking Forward to Gathering Together Again
T
he year 2020 will be one not soon forgotten. COVID-19 affected every continent on the planet after a research base in Antarctica reported 36 positive cases in late December. The impacts of the global pandemic and response will be studied for decades to come. Now with a vaccine rollout underway, it raises an important question: How much of the “new normal” will just become “normal” for years to come? One of those impacts is on mass gatherings and what will trade shows look like in the future? The independent hardware channel has a rich history of trade shows with early pictures of Orgill hosting a show dating back to 1863. During the onset of the pandemic wholesalers quickly reacted by shifting to virtual platforms, which will continue through at least the spring show season. Last year marked the first time in its 32-year history that we were forced to cancel the annual Hardware Conference. Initially, we evaluated moving to a virtual platform but quickly ruled it out.
The Hardware Conference is a threeday learning and networking event, and it is a celebration of the industry at a 5-star beach resort that no technology can replicate. During the down year, we evaluated every aspect of the Conference in hopes of a widely distributed vaccine. As of writing this article, we are cautiously optimistic to host the 32nd Annual Hardware Conference at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort from August 13 to August 15. We have opened registration on our website, mailed “save the date” postcards and will begin sending manufacturer invitations in February. Click here to register and pay for the 2021
8 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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TREND WATCH Hardware Conference or you can always call our office at 305-853-0049. If for any reason we are unable to host this year’s Conference we will provide a full refund. Like last year, we will follow the CDC’s guidance for large groups and actively work with the JW Marriott to keep the safety of our guests, employees and hotel staff as our number one priority. Marriott International has launched a COVID-based safety initiative titled “Connect with Confidence.” The program has the following six key pillars: 1. Commitment to Clean – enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the hotel. 2. Contact Lite Experience – leveraging technology giving attendees their choice of interaction. 3. Hybrid Meetings – providing options with technology and AV partners to provide customized solutions. 4. Physical Distancing – Reimagining space to enable more distance. 5. Redesigned Food & Beverage – Offering a wide variety of food and beverage options. 6. Flexible Terms – offering flexible contract terms for meeting planners. The full guide is posted on The Hardware Conference website. Click here to view. This years’ Hardware Conference will also feature some deviations from our normal schedule. Traditionally, we host the Beacon Awards banquet honoring 10 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
the best independent dealers in the hardware industry on Friday night. Saturday night’s feature event is our booth auction supporting the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation (NCHF). Since The Hardware Conference’s founding in 1988, we have raised more than $1.2 million supporting the foundation’s work of providing world-class pediatric care. This year will feature two nights of Beacon Award honorees. In 2020, we modified our award categories to focus on the outstanding community service hardware dealers were performing all over our country. This year we will return to our normal format with our traditional categories—best new store under/over 20,000 square feet and wholesalers’ Retail Beacon Award winners. Charity has always been an important aspect of The Hardware Conference and that will never change. We are evaluating unique and fun ways to raise money to continue our support of the NCHF. As we get closer to this year’s event, we will keep you updated on what to expect when you attend the 2021 Hardware Conference. In closing, I sincerely applaud the outstanding independent hardware dealers for all their efforts in supporting their local communities during this trying time. We are getting close to the finish line and let’s keep our eyes on the finish line and continue with our safety practices. I hope to see you in Marco Island, Fla., in August! ■ www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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HARDWARE HUMOR
12 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Dear Dealers: There is no denying 2020 was an extraordinary year. Early on we all faced uncertainty and conflicting information on a daily basis. It was easy to feel anxious and confused. We knew that the worst thing any of us could do, as either individuals or a business, was to act impulsively or out of fear. At STIHL, we chose to stay the course, remain focused on quality production, logistics and service to ensure we continued to support you, the dealer, and our customers around the country. The results of our combined efforts are clear. Your dealerships, and other essential
services, like arborists, landscapers and first responders were able to continue their critical work in our communities and keep our country running. Thank you! As we look forward in 2021, there are still many things we don’t know. But what we do know is that STIHL will continue to invest in our American manufacturing and distribution. We are adding to our American workforce and strengthening our supply chain, while also expanding and modernizing several of our wholesale operations. And we are delivering new technologies to the market — launching a new line of high-tech professional STIHL battery products, in addition to
expanding the gas and battery range for both professionals and homeowners. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi’s formula for success was to stick to the fundamentals. In tumultuous times like these, STIHL will continue to stay the course and focus on the things that have made STIHL and STIHL Dealers successful for 95 years: quality products, sold and serviced by quality dealers. Wishing you a prosperous year, Sincerely,
BJOERN FISCHER – PRESIDENT, STIHL INC.
HARDWARE HUMOR
E U R T t u b g n Amazi
E R A W D HAR
S E I R O ST
O
ur store, along with so me of the other downtown Seat tle retailers, have noticed one shoplifter who leaves bad Yelp re views after being caught. Odd way to use Yelp. Ramon Cumberbat ch Hero Ace Hardware Seattle, Wash.
W
hat surprises me are the things that some people will shoplift. They will take the time to pry open a package of tacks. Not too long ago, someone shoplifted some Gorilla Glue. It seems like if someone is doing a project, repairing something, that they wouldn’t be the type to shoplift. Trudy Chuoke LeSage Johnnie Chuoke’s Home & Hardware San Antonio, Texas
d at what ’m very surprise Thumb tacks people shoplift. e things that pried open. Littl g—they’ll tear in th y n a st co ’t n do at are not easy th n e p o s e g a ck pa to get open. ell Kathy Campb Rental 360 Hardware & Manquin, Va.
I
H
ere’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in the store. It was a busy Saturday morning, and I was on my way to the basement to grab some products for customers. We’re pet friendly and before I went downstairs, I noticed this guy walk in with a big dog. When I come back upstairs, I see at the top of the stairs a huge pile of crap. I start looking for the guy with the dog to make him clean up. Turns out, it wasn’t the dog, but a little kid who left the crap. The dad grabbed his kid and ran out, and I haven’t seen them again. Mitch Epstein | Anchor Ace Hardware | Denville, N.J.
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FEBRUARY 23 - 26, 2021 Join us for the Emery Jensen Edge, our semi-annual trade show featuring top vendors, great promotions, and pricing to drive your profitability. Attend our 4-day virtual event February 23-26 and gain an edge over your competition! Not just a buying event, but a complete digital experience:
Broadest assortment in the industry Massive savings on our biggest promotions of the year Vendor demonstrations on the newest products in the market To learn more about the Emery Jensen Edge and to register, visit emeryjensendisribution.com/edge.
COVID-19 UPDATE:
How’s
Business?
MIDWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? Excellent. We’re up about 28 percent over last year. It’s sad because of why, but COVID-19 has been good for business with people forced to stay home. New initiatives planned for 2021? We just remodeled the store a year and a half ago and doubled the size, so right now we’re still getting organized. We were 8,000 square feet, now we’re at 16,000 square feet. Strongest niche categories? We sell a lot of paint. It may sound odd, but we also sell a lot of Norwegian products, like Lefse, a kind of Norwegian pastry. There’s a big Norwegian community here, and we’ve sold those type of things for years. We have about four feet of shelf space devoted to that, so it’s a small niche. Best methods for finding new employees? Mostly word of mouth. We have people come here who want to work here. We just hired a guy who
16 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
Singelstad Do it Best Hardware doubled in size after a 2019 expansion.
worked for a plumber customer of ours. It’s also a family business, so my son and nephew work here. What have you learned during COVID that will make your business stronger for the future? We need to keep going out of our way to provide service. We told customers that if they’re uncomfortable coming in, we’ll bring their orders to their cars. We’ll also deliver to homes. I think we learned how customer service is important, and in these times, we want to reassure our customers that we are there for them and will do anything to help them. Kermit Singelstad Singelstad Do it Best Hardware Lake Mills, Iowa
NORTHEAST
Sales and customer counts in 2020? www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? We are down about 10 or 15 percent. When COVID-19 first hit, we were doing curbside pickup, and none of my customers took a shine to it, even though it’s safer for them and more work for us. We lost business there. We sell sporting goods, and there are hardly any firearms or ammunition to be had, so we have nothing to sell. Where we’re located isn’t as affluent as other areas, so there aren’t as many professional people with money looking to do projects to their homes. New initiatives planned for 2021? We have a simple website and True Value does digital marketing for us. I’m getting close to retirement, within the next year or two. We’re a third-generation store and no one in the family has any interest, so I’m looking to sell. Strongest niche categories? In addition to plumbing, electric, paint and sporting goods, we sell a fair amount of dock hardware. There’s a beautiful lake here with a lot of people having second homes on the water. We sell a lot of hardware and fasteners for docks, like brackets that hold pipes, dock connectors for planks and galvanized carriage bolts. Best methods for finding new employees? We don’t have a lot of www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Fortune’s True Value Hardware is located in the Adirondacks.
turnover. We’re a small, family-type business with six employees including my brother and I, who are coowners. But when I need to hire, usually word of mouth works. What have you learned during COVID that will make your business stronger for the future? People don’t like curbside delivery, at least not here. Only
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
contractors who know exactly what they need like to phone in an order and have us leave it outside. Those customers are easier, too, because they have house accounts. Other customers need to look at things in the store. Maurice Fortune Fortune’s True Value Hardware Tupper Lake, N.Y.
SOUTH
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? Sales were up 22 percent.
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 19
How’s Business?:: COVID-19 UPDATE Average transactions were up 4 to 5 percent. Obviously, the supply chain has been impacted in a negative way. We live in a resort area, about two hours from Atlanta, and the housing market and real estate here are as tight as we’ve ever seen it. People from urban areas are moving to the mountains. A lot of people who used to work in offices in Atlanta moved here. On the contractor side, prices have elevated in building materials, but that doesn’t seem to have slowed custom home building. We’re near an area with trout fishing and we haven’t been able to keep fishing supplies in stock. By the third quarter of the year, all of our fishing poles were gone
The Reeves family operates six stores, four in Clayton, Ga.
and ammunition was very hard to get. This is a thirdgeneration hardware company, and this past year, we lost my mother, my father, our top contractor sales person and my grandson— all in one year and many other friends. New initiatives planned for 2021? We purchased a new location and closed on it in December. It’s not an Ace, but a furniture and outdoor recreation store. The company has five Ace Hardware stores and two are going through renovations that should be
Jeff Reeves (left) and his brother Lewis are proud of their family’s ownership of Reeves Hardware, which dates back to 1928.
completed this year. We’re also looking to add power equipment and tool rental. Strongest niche categories? Three of our stores are located within two miles of each other, so each of the stores has a different assortment. For example, the one that is located in a Main Street shopping district has a mix of primarily outdoor living, barbecue supplies and clothing as well as home furnishings. Two blocks away, we have a store that is more focused on contractors with building materials. That store does heavy business in windows and doors. The other is a farm and feed with power equipment and pet supplies. Because this is a resort area, we sell a lot of cleaning supplies to cleaning crews. Grilling has also been a strong niche. We sell Traeger and Big Green Egg grills along with lots of charcoal. Demand for grills went up 400 percent this past year. Best methods for finding new employees? I don’t know if we’ve found anything that’s been good and reliable. We post online that we are taking applications. When we post online, we try to quantify what we are looking for to get better candidates. The best www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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outlets have been through Facebook and our web page. What have you learned during COVID that will make your business stronger for the future? We found that we can make better use of alternative products that weren’t as high in demand but do the same job. One example was Clorox. No one was getting any Clorox bleach, but we were able to sell another brand of bleach that did the same job. Ace really stepped up to the plate getting out of the box and finding assortment items for us, including toilet paper, soap, masks and gloves. Finding charcoal was a big problem, but Ace was able to help. The pandemic allowed us to recognize the value of co-ops. We also work with LBM Advantage, and I don’t know how we would have kept in stock without the buying power of our distributors. Jeff Reeves Reeves Ace Hardware | Clayton, Ga.
SOUTHWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What overall impact has COVID-19 had on your business? Fantastic—we’re up 33 percent over the previous year. I’m not quite sure how COVID-19 impacted our business. Hopefully, we got a whole bunch of brand new customers. Maybe the coming year won’t have the same numbers, but we have more exposure. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Grills and barbecue accessories are a strong niche at C&D Hardware.
New initiatives planned for 2021? No big plans to do anything crazy. We’ll continue doing curbside service. I have a strong feeling that customers will still want to place phone orders and pick up curbside. Rather than adding new categories, we’re looking to fill the categories we do have. Strongest niche categories? Gifts and grills. Our gifts department is about 2,500 square feet. I like the gifts, because it does well and the margins are high. For grills, we have about 800 square feet. My aunt does the buying for the gift department, and she looks for products that are at a price point attractive to all—right in middle. The gifts department includes kitchen goods, Christmas niche gifts and local items like hand towels with “Texas” and “Houston” printed on them. In the barbecue department, we focus on Texasmade products. Best methods for finding new employees? Word of mouth has been best. Facebook hasn’t worked. An ad in a local paper worked better than Facebook. Finding new employees is a big challenge. We currently have about THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 23
How’s Business?:: COVID-19 UPDATE 17 employees, and we’re about two short right now. What have you learned during COVID that will make your business stronger for the future? Trying to keep good stock on hand was the biggest challenge, so we learned how to be smart with purchasing and what arrives on our weekly deliveries. We also learned to keep a sharp eye out for pricing. We also learned to cross-train employees. If cashiers are out, we now have others who can work a cash register. Duane Meyers C&D Hardware and Gifts | Houston, Texas
Greg Mahler is the owner of Hoy’s Ace Hardware, which is next door to Hoy’s Home Improvement Center.
Strongest niche categories? Our business model is carrying a little bit of everything. We are well known for plumbing, a destination for contractors. Best methods for finding new employees? We’re in a small, outlying area, so it’s been tough. This past year, I’ve used Indeed.com and that’s been working for us. We have about two dozen employees and probably half a dozen Sales and customer counts in came from Indeed.com. 2020? What overall impact has What have you learned during COVID-19 had on your business? COVID that will make your busiGood, but it was like a rollercoaster. Overall, we are up about 5 percent from ness stronger for the future? We the previous year. In the first part of the need to identify what is made in America versus what’s made in China. We relied year, we did real well and sales spiked. Then sales died off because we ran out too much on what’s made in China. In the future, I will look for versions of products of product. Then, once wholesalers got that are made in America and stock it if products back in their warehouse, we got products back on our shelves. So it’s the price is competitive. I want to be proactive in having product on our shelves. been up and down. New initiatives planned for 2021? Greg Mahler I have a little bit of hesitation when think- Hoy’s Ace Hardware | Sweet Home, Ore. ing that 2021 will be like 2020. I have a little hesitation with a new president in the White House and not knowing if things open back up. The hesitation is from not knowing if we’ll get back to normal. Hoy’s Hardware dates back to
WEST
1939.
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THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 25
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EVIEW
iving in South Florida has many benefits, but our insect and pest season is yearlong with no real break. Our climate also provided us the ability to test traditional summer products in our “winter.”
PRODUCT #1: RESCUE! ANT BAITS RESCUE!/STERLING INTERNATIONAL While ants serve an important ecologic role, we don’t want them in or around our homes. Numerous products and applications are on the market to address the issue. However, each has its faults. RESCUE! has designed an innovative product combining two of the most common methods used to bait ants—solid and liquid bait— into one easy-to-use, child-resistant product. Ants entering homes are either searching for food/water or trying to escape the outdoor climate. RESCUE! Ant Baits include both carbohydrates (sugar), which naturally attracts ants, and protein. When ants enter the bait station to consume the sugar they carry the protein back to the colony, effectively killing the larvae and queen. Click here to view an animated overview. We had the opportunity to test the ant baits in numerous scenarios both inside and outside the home or office. Our testers were quick to point out the ease of use and no mess that traditional liquid ant baits leave behind. One of our testers has two small www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 27
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children and was concerned about using poison inside the home. Before he placed the trap he tried to open the station by hand and eventually tried with a pocket knife to no avail. While you do not want children or pets to play with the bait station. it was reassuring for this homeowner that his children were safe. The RESCUE! ant baits are an outstanding no-mess, child-resistant, highly effective alternative to other products on the market.
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PRODUCT #2: PERSONAL MOSQUITO ZAPPER & LANTERN — SKEETER HAWK Anyone who has watched the movie Jurassic Park knows mosquitoes have been around for years— around 210 million years. We also know they spread numerous diseases, some of which can be deadly including yellow fever. They can also www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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quickly turn a great outdoor experience into a nightmare. The market is not short of products claiming to keep the biting bugs at bay with a varying degree of success. Skeeter Hawk, a brand of Alliance Consumer Group that manufactures NEBO among other brands, shipped us samples from their line of mosquito and flying insect defense products. They offer repellents, zappers, bait stations and traps. We decided to try their Personal Mosquito Zapper & Lantern model. The personal zapper features a patent-pending UV light technology that attracts mosquitoes and other flying
insects. The UV light is surrounded by a 360-degree electrical grid protected by a slotted plastic fence. Mosquitoes and flying insects are attracted to the UV light and fly directly into the electrical grid. The zapper comes in two sizes: Premium powered by 110 volts and Personal utilizing a micro-USB rechargeable battery. The Premium Mosquito Zapper & Lantern also features a foldable handle for hanging and up to 100-lumen lantern. Our tester used the premium model in various conditions both day and night to test the effectiveness. The zapper proved to be effective at
eliminating mosquitoes in small patio size areas. One of our testers who is a mother mentioned she does not want to apply traditional DEET sprays on her children. DEET only stops the mosquitoes from biting, but they will still land on someone who is sprayed. There are more than 2,700 species of mosquitoes in the world and odds are they are in your market. Take a look at the Skeeter Hawk line of mosquito and flying insect products, which can provide your customers with a quiet, no chemical alternative to traditional sprays.
straightforward. After the surface is prepared, simply apply RapidFix UV and then cure the adhesive with 10-20 seconds of UV light. The product will not cure until the application of the UV light. Both products can be sanded, filed, drilled and even painted. Click here to view the application process and the PRODUCT #3 virtually unlimited uses. RAPIDFIX UV We used the same group of testers as RAPIDFIX/LHB INDUSTRIES the Dual Adhesive System, since they were familiar with the product. Our If the name RapidFix sounds familtesters were just as impressed with the iar it’s because we tested their Dual UV version as they were with the Dual Adhesive System in our September 2019 issue. Click here to read the review. Adhesive. One of our testers used the UV Adhesive to close a hairline crack in The company has now introduced a the middle of a PVC pipe without any liquid plastic adhesive with accompanying UV light. Both products offer the leaks. One of our testers commented same wide range of application, but are that the RapidFix products are the “Swiss Army knife” of adhesives. designed to solve different problems. Carrying RapidFix in your store not RapidFix UV fills and adheres to only provides your customers with a numerous surfaces including wood, highly versatile adhesive product, but plastic and metal and can even also supports a great cause. The prodbe used as a low-voltage insulauct is manufactured by a 501(c)3 suptor. The difference in the two prodporting services for the legally blind. ucts is the UV light must be able to LHB Industries also employs 48 people reach the surface where the Dual who are legally blind for assemebly Adhesive System bonds two surfacand packing in St. Louis. ■ es together. Application is easy and www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 31
hardlines digest
How to SNAG the BEST EMPLOYEES By John Fix III
A
s we continue to operate during a pandemic, staffing issues become even more critical. Read on to learn what hardware retailers were saying on Hardlines Digest recently about the best methods to find new employees and the impact of an increase in the minimum wage. 32 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
Above: Maine Hardware in Portland, Maine, came up with a creative Facebook promotion to recruit new employees. Shown left to right: Rick Tucker, Paul Gross and Kristen Bisson.
Brandon Buckalew, who operates Local Ace in East Grand Forks, Minn., wondered if other retailers were finding the hiring situation different since the pandemic started. “I’m advertising a www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Bomberger’s Store in Lititz, Pa., posted this picture in Facebook to recruit new hires.
full-time job and two part-time jobs. The full-time job has benefits, vacation, retirement, the whole nine yards. The part-time position offers quick training to become a supervisor with a raise to follow. Been looking for a few weeks and haven’t even gotten an application in,” he posted. Karla Robson of Slavens True Value in Cortez, Colo., responded, “We have gotten very few applications—mostly school age, high school and college kids. We hired five this summer, full time, they have all officially left as of Monday. We have been looking to replace them for a month—to no avail. Super frustrating. I have actually had adults be honest and say they will stay home as long as the money keeps rolling in. We are still running on average 40-60 customers/day more than same day last year, now with an even shorter crew—it’s great and tiring.” Danny Meendering of True Value of Concord in North Carolina, added, “We’ve had good luck with Indeed. We spend $10-$20/day advertising and usually get 3-5 applicants per day. Ninety percent are not worth reading, but I have hired two small engine parts counter guys and two cashiers for two stores in the last month. I’d call that a success.” Andy Wilkerson of Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, N.C., posted, “We are having the same trouble as everyone else. Seven out of 10 people that we set up interview times are no shows. We are going through Indeed www.TheHardwareConnection.com
so we can mark them down to other employers as no shows. Also, Indeed has 85 percent of the job searches in the U.S. So that and a sign in your window covers most of the traditional job market. Some non-traditional places that we have had luck with: felon placement programs, halfway houses, domestic violence organizations. We are setting up a relationship with an organization that helps place people with autism and Down syndrome as well. We have had some great employees come from those nontraditional places, stable dependable employees who were with us or have been with us for years. I can’t recall one that hasn’t worked out reasonably well.” Rick Heuser of Handyman Hardware in St. Cloud, Fla., thanked Wilkerson for bringing up those nontraditional places to find employees. “Prior to getting into hardware, I ran a halfway house for juveniles in Orlando. Our kids were in great demand. Employers knew that they would show up on time, that if they needed them to work later, all they had to do was call us and let us know. They knew that we would also do spot checks, and that if there ever was a problem we would respond. The kids that worked learned work ethics that they carried with them when they went home,” he posted. THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 33
hardlines digest Taylor Cox of Cox Hardware & Lumber in Houston added, “We have a decent-sized LED sign outside our business that’s consistently our number one source for hires—just put a big “NOW HIRING” with a 3-4 word description of position like ‘Floor Sales F/T’ and we start getting a decent amount of applications after a week or so. We are situated along a U.S. Highway, so the sign gets a lot of eyeballs, and we find that it’s nice to have folks in the neighborhood who know who and where you are rather than someone coming in from 45 minutes away and have no idea what to expect. Same results for online job offerings—lots of chaff, very little if any wheat.”
MiniMuM Wage going up Bruce Phillips of Crowder Bros. Ace Hardware in Lakeland, Fla., expressed concern over a coming increase in the minimum wage in his state. He noted Florida’s current minimum wage is $8.50—that will jump to $10 an hour in September, then an increase of $1 every year for five years. Phillips was seeking other retailers’ advice on how they have handled this situation. “Were you proactive and started increasing employees before the increase date? Did you have employees that were already above the minimum wage ask for a pay increase because everyone under the new minimum wage were getting raises?” he asked.
Phillips has already starting looking at each employee and has bumped up a few. Here’s the way he sees it: • We’re going to have to do more with less staff. • We’re going to have to be much more selective with any new staff we have to hire. • Retails will have to be raised. He continued, “Of the 47 employees I just looked over, there were 23 that are just under the $10 wage. Quite a few are high school and college-aged employees working part-time positions. Up until now, I have been setting our starting wage for a full-time sales associate between $10-$12. We just interviewed two different candidates that had been working at the nearby Lowe’s, both making $11.50 per hour.” Alan Talman of Karp’s Hardware in East Northport, N.Y., responded, “Long Island and Westchester County (the counties just outside of New York City) saw their minimum wage rise to $14 from $13 an hour on December 31. We’ve been paying a few cents over minimum for our bottom tier, usually $13.00 to $13.50 for the past couple of years. It hurts my heart to pay $13.00/hour to get the floor swept, but it’s the cards we’ve been dealt. I also provide bottled water (and Gatorade in the hot weather), I buy lunch pretty regularly on Saturdays, I buy bagels and coffee once a week or so. I have much fewer employees than you do, so it’s easier for me to do the extra things.” Carrie Dickey of Dickey Bub Farm & Home, posted, “We are in Missouri and
our state has been moving to $10 the last two years. We are almost there. We eliminated (mostly through resignations) a full-time department manager position at each of our four locations and moved all full-timers to $12-13/hour. We had meetings with everyone, and discussed that we are consolidating some responsibilities across 4-5 people so that everyone can get a pay increase. It went over well, since the responsibilities went to many people. We did not use the increase in minimum wage as our explanation. We spun it a little different to seem like we weren’t reacting but looking out for their best interest, which is true because I wanted to pay my reliable team members more.” Dickey added, “My advice is to act quickly on your full-time salary, because all the other retailers and businesses will be going to $12 or maybe more. And then your team will see and hear what is out there and you will have a hard time finding new employees.” Buckalew with Local Ace posted, “I’m in Minnesota. We are around $10 minimum and our minimum goes up every year with inflation. I start my high school and college kids out at $10, but
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THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 35
Andy Wilkerson of Blackhawk Hardware has had luck finding good employees in nontraditional places.
hardlines digest have them do so some Ace training and get bronze certification in Stihl and bump them up to $10.50. Other parttimers get to start at $11. I try and get more raises as fast as possible. Full timers start at $12; if they have experience they can start as high as $15-$18.” He added, “A few years ago when Minnesota started raising the minimum by inflation, I was worried about it. When you think about every dollar in raises being $2,000 out of your pocket it gets worrisome. I’m on a border city with North Dakota and their minimum is still the Federal rate. Instead of getting mad about it, I realized if I’m required to pay that much more, I can have that much higher of standards. Until this past spring, when Burger King, Qdoba and Target all on the North Dakota side were starting all part-timers at $12. I couldn’t get anyone until I became okay with having to pay more.” Buckalew continued, “The argument is that you are going to have to raise your prices to pay for this, but honestly changing any prices that ended in .09, and .19 to end in .29, prices that ended in .39 and .49 to end in .59, and everything else to end in .99 covered it. Ten cents on every item helped and it wasn’t even noticeable. Bumping my labor rates up $10 more an hour helped cover the guys in the shop.” He concluded, “The question is what do you do with people making more than the minimum? Bump them up 36 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
the same dollar amount, not the same percentage. They’ll be happy to get a raise. Obviously, there’s a difference between getting a nickel for a raise and $5 an hour, but you have to avoid being pennywise and dollar dumb. Your staff is an investment and an asset. You want quality staff, and one way to get that is through their paycheck.” Jessica Bettencourt of Klem’s in Spencer, Mass., posted, “I am in Massachusetts and we are well on our way to $15.00. I would start by figuring out your dollar increase in wages based on historical payroll, then you have an idea what you’re up against. Yes, all staff who are close to the new minimum will ask for raises; they won’t sit around and wait for minimum to catch up to them. We honestly haven’t been profitable since these increases started, but are at least keeping up with it and will hopefully return to profitability once minimum stabilizes. Price changes matter, expenses matter, add-on sales matter. Once you know your hit, then you can design additional revenue/cost reductions to help control it.” ■ John Fix started Hardlines Digest in 1996. The list was run for many years using servers in John’s hardware store, Cornell’s True Value in Eastchester, N.Y., but the list has migrated to Google Groups. There are currently more than 2,300 subscribers reading Hardlines Digest. To read more or subscribe, go to www.hardlinesdigest.com.
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
emploYee Hiring
By Tim Austin
new postings will not only help you draft descriptions quicker than before, but it can also make them easier to scan for potential applicants. In terms of what format you should use, it can depend on exactly what type of position you need for your business. iring the right person isn’t an If you had a past job description that easy task. It’s even harder to do worked out well, you can use that as a so in a timely fashion. When base and modify it as necessary. If not, your business is ready to hire, it benthe following format is a good start: efits you to do so quickly. Not only do • Job summary (what it is and why long hiring processes cost you time and it’s appealing) money, they also delay you from filling • Qualifications for the ideal candia needed role on your team (and that’s date (both mandatory and ones not including your onboarding process). that would be beneficial) Every hour spent during the hir• Company benefits ing process is an hour taken away • Clear call to action for how to apply from other essential business tasks. and next steps However, it’s also vital to recognize From there, you can add in different that rushing a hire can lead to other costly issues. Settling for a bad fit—or sections based on what’s important to you and your business. Is company culworse, dealing with negligent hirture a huge part of your hiring process? ing—will only set your business back even further. Hiring means you need to Include a section about it in the format. You can also fill in specific parts of each perform an important balancing act— speed up the hiring process while find- description ahead of time, such as specific benefits that would apply to every ing the right candidate. potential employee. Adding these details While tricky, it’s not impossible to to a base template now will only save you speed up the hiring process without rushing. Here are ways you can stream- time on every description in the future. line your hiring process to get the candidates you need quicker than before. WriTe clear Job DescripTions While a template will help, it’s imporTemplaTize Your Job DescripTions tant to make sure that your descriptions are specific enough to weed out certain Every job description you write from applicants. One way to sidetrack your hirscratch is extra time and effort you can ing process is to accidentally attract the avoid. Using a consistent format for
rapid recruitment: Tips for Hiring employees Quickly
H
38 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
www.ThehardwareConnection.com
wrong types of candidates. It’s important to be very clear about exactly what you want in a potential new employee to clear up any confusion from people who either aren’t right for the job or simply don’t have the qualifications. That means thinking very carefully about the following factors: • Which objectives the position should achieve • The core skills required to meet these objectives • Description of a typical day in the position, including regular duties, occasional tasks, etc. By spending a little extra time going into detail about necessary skills and objectives, you can signal to unqualified applicants that the job isn’t right for them. This in turn will save you from going through these applications (and potentially interviewing extra unqualified candidates).
be more selecTive abouT THe canDiDaTes You bring in for an inTervieW
hoping that a fringe applicant might exceed expectations. This also applies to people during the first-round interviews as well. If someone isn’t impressive, it’s best not to give them more of your time just because you had hoped for a certain number of finalists. In the end, being discerning will save you hours of wasted time, especially if you have a more rigorous hiring process.
cuT ouT unnecessarY sTeps Speaking of a rigorous hiring process, try and see if you truly need every step to find the right candidate. The hiring process is different for every company, so you may be able to eliminate some measures that aren’t as important for you. A good example of this is the traditional request for references. If you don’t find that much value in talking to a candidate’s references, don’t include it in your process. You could also wait to ask for references for a few key candidates after you’ve interviewed them. This will cut down on the amount of calls you need to make or having to wait for these contacts to respond to your message—and that’s if you decide you need to talk to them at all. Try and identify which steps are really important for your search. If you find some are just there for show, get rid of them and use that time for something else.
While a good description can cut out some less satisfactory applicants, you’ll still likely receive some resumes that don’t quite meet your standards. However, some people are tempted to still interview some of these applicants to try and reach a nice, round number of candidates. The problem with this approach is that it’s more important to interview the right can- Have a prepareD lisT of didates instead of trying to hit a quota. inTervieW QuesTions If you’re only impressed by two or three Like your job description, it’s good to candidates, focus on just them instead of have a base list of interview questions www.ThehardwareConnection.com
The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 39
emploYee Hiring made ahead of time. This list will make sure you’re asking the right questions every time to quickly see if a candidate is right for your position. It can also help you from going into an interview and asking all your questions off the cuff—nobody wants to accidentally bring up a taboo interview topic that can lead to problems. In terms of which questions to include, you will want to focus on inquiries that will identify certain skills and behaviors. Monster.com suggests breaking down questions into a few different groups: • Icebreakers to build rapport and help candidates relax; • Traditional questions to gather general information about a candidate’s skills and experience; • Situational questions to understand what a candidate would do in specific, relevant situations; • Behavioral questions to learn about how a candidate handled a past experience; • Culture fit questions to gauge whether a candidate would thrive in your workplace environment.
consiDer group inTervieWs Sometimes, you have openings with several qualified candidates, but it’s hard to devote enough time to give every person a one-on-one interview. Instead of cutting a few promising people because of a time crunch, consider 40 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
having multiple people participate in one interview at a time. Not only will this create massive time savings, but it also has some interesting advantages. For one, multiple candidates mean that you will get different perspectives (and the opportunity to see how other candidates react to those perspectives). In addition, group interviews can help interviewers from getting too comfortable with a candidate. While it’s good to feel relaxed with a candidate, that newfound comfort level can prevent some people from asking some of the tougher questions that will help you gather information.
a beTTer, more efficienT Hiring process When it comes to hiring, you don’t need to choose between hiring quickly or finding the perfect person. By tweaking your approach, you can achieve both goals for your business. Tim Austin is vice president of sales for GMS, a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and a benefits administraTim Austin tor. Founded in 1996, GMS has helped thousands of companies take control of their HR functions. Contact GMS today to learn how to save time and money by managing your employee recruitment and onboarding processes. www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Wholesaling
5 Questions for Orgill President
Boyden Moore L
Boyden Moore is president and CEO of Orgill Inc.
aunching a series of interviews with key wholesaler execs this year, Editor Chris Jensen interviewed Orgill President and CEO Boyden Moore. be the best way the pandemic made us stronger for the future. 1. How has Orgill and its retail cus2. E-commerce capability, BOPIS tomers weathered the pandemic and curbside pickup service have so far and in what ways has this all taken on increased importance made the company and its retailduring the pandemic. How ready ers stronger for the future? was Orgill for these challenges, The challenges that the pandemic how have you stepped up your presented last year has definitely efforts in these areas and how strengthened business at our customhave Orgill retailers embraced ers and Orgill. As people spent more these retail programs? time at home and less money on dinWe launched a semi-annual eComing, entertainment and travel they merce symposium in 2017 with less than spent more in our industry investing a dozen of our customers who wanted in their homes. Orgill’s sales were up to work with us to see if we could lever21 percent last year, over $3 billion for age a better solution for eCommerce the first time. The sustained extraordiby working together. We used our own nary demand in our industry required CNRG stores to test three different solunew ways for us to expand our capactions in a live environment in 2017 and ity and also accelerated the adoption shared those results with everyone of eCommerce and curbside pickup. Additionally, the unpredictable environ- in subsequent symposiums. Working ment the pandemic presented required with our customers, we developed and incredible adaptability and agility to be introduced our Integrated eCommerce program in 2018. It is unique in the successful. We found that these chalindustry in that it provides data for ALL lenges also strengthened our relationships with our customers, our vendors of a retailer’s stocked items, whether we supply them or not, customized to and throughout our teams. That may www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 41
Wholesaling the retailer’s brand and assortment. It is integrated to the retailer’s point-of-sale system and matches local pricing and inventory availability in real time. We added functionality in 2020 to support curbside pickup initiatives and improving the interface with store operations. The program has been growing fast and now drives eCommerce for almost 600 stores and is being implemented in many more. Last week we held our eighth eCommerce Symposium with over 300 attendees participating in the two-day event. Many of our early adopters shared success stories, lessons learned and best practices to help others navigate their path to eCommerce success. It’s a lot of fun innovating with this incredible group of industry leaders. 3. 2020 was a challenging year for the industry’s supply chain. What are some of the steps you have taken to address this and when do you anticipate all of Orgill’s distribution centers being back to normal fill rates? It was an incredibly challenging year for the supply chain. Our Operations and Logistics team did a phenomenal job increasing the capacity of what we could do with our current distribution network by adding 2nd shifts, working weekends and hiring almost 1,000 people in our distribution centers just since June. In addition, we effectively accelerated our construction timeline 42 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
Boyden Moore gave a virtual presentation before Orgill’s February online buying event.
to open a new 800,000-square-foot distribution center in Rome, N.Y., that was originally planned to open in Spring 2022. We’ll begin shipping out of it now before midyear 2021. It’s amazing to think that we began moving dirt in April and had the building completed before snow began to fall in winter all in the midst of a pandemic. This additional capacity will have an impact throughout our entire network in addition to driving more efficiency and faster response times in the Northeast. Our merchants are working with our vendors on recovery. Interestingly, only 30 of our approximately 1,700 vendors make up 50 percent of our line cuts. We are experiencing sustained slow improvement and continued extraordinary demand in January. We believe the current pace of improvement will continue through the first quarter. 4. It’s hard to operate a wholesale company when you can’t meet face-to-face with your retail customers and vendors. Explain your www.ThehardwareConnection.com
new approach to shows, buying events and dealer education going forward and why you felt this approach was necessary. We were actually very fortunate to be able to host one of the last industry events before the pandemic impacted our ability to gather with our dealer market last February. It was a great event, and gave us the most time possible to plan for our first online event in August. We named our Fall online buying event “eVolution,” as we expected that the lessons we learned in executing our first online buying event would transform the way we think about all events going forward. At this first event, we focused on the online buying experience and delivering the special buying opportunities that our customers depend upon. Our sales team really engaged with our customers and helped ensure that the process was as easy as possible for our customers. eVolution was very successful, breaking all records for participation and sales by a large margin. As we approach our upcoming online buying event, February 8-19, we’re excited to introduce some enhancements to the online buying event including easyto-use ordering tools for multi-location dealers, enhanced features for dropship ordering and expanded communication options between our dealers, reps and vendors. Additionally, we’ve also launched Orgill Distance Learning in January where we’re delivering the seminars, educational events and www.TheHardwareConnection.com
eCommerce Symposium via Zoom. It has been very well received with over 2,000 unique attendees in the first two weeks. We’re also working on some other new ideas for the future that this pandemic has made possible. When we are able to gather and invite our customers and vendors to join us at a dealer market, it will be an entirely new experience with new complementary in-person and digital strategies that we believe will make the experience better than we ever anticipated. 5. What major initiatives are on tap for Orgill in 2021? First of all, we must restore our service level to our historical standards as quickly as possible. Everything else we plan really depends upon that. We have planned for 7 percent growth this year and are continuing to build capacity to serve the increased business. We’ll need to stay on track opening our new distribution center in Rome, N.Y.; and begin planning additional expansion of our distribution network in the West. We are developing an exciting new vision of the role technology plays in our mission “to help our customers be successful” that we’ll discuss in more detail later in the year. We’re also continuing to develop new strategies, processes and best practices in the lab at CNRG to share with all of our customers. We’re very excited about the opportunities we see for our customers and Orgill in 2021. n THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 43
Recent Features From The Hardware Connection December 2020: Breathing New Life Into a Tired Store— Stace Heston took a big leap of faith when he bought an iconic store that had fallen on hard times and closed. See how he has breathed new life into Miller’s Do it Best Hardware in Spokane, Wash. November 2020: Unleashing the Power of Digital Marketing—Discover how two retailers, Town Hardware & General Store in N.C., and Nabors Do it Best Home Center in Miss., are taking advantage of digital marketing tools to help them attract new customers and grow their businesses. Sept.-Oct. 2020: Striving Toward a More Diverse and Inclusive Industry—Gina Schaefer of A Few Cool Hardware Stores explains what diversity, equity and inclusion mean for her 13 Ace Hardware stores in the Washington, D.C. area.
July-August 2020: Dealer Profile: Developing a Unique Identity—Read the inspiring story how Tony Powers turned a parttime job at Intown Ace Hardware 35 years ago into an ownership stake in 1996. His hard work and ideas have helped turn the Decatur, Ga., store into one of Ace’s “Coolest Hardware Stores on the Planet.” July-August 2020: Down on the Farm: Farm and Ranch Segment Showing Strong Growth—The farm and ranch segment continues to enjoy strong growth. Discover how farm and ranch retailers are taking their business to new heights while meeting the unique needs of their customers. May-June 2020: Dealer Profile: A Ray of Sunshine in Challenging Times— Learn how Michael Wynn of Sunshine Ace Hardware in Florida has stepped up to take care of associates, neighbors and the whole community during this challenging period while maintaining high standards for 11 top-performing stores.
Click here to see our archive of past issues.
By Chris Jensen
DEALER PROFILE
MAXIMIZING
TIGHT RETAIL SPACE
Walid “Wally” Abulawi Do it Best Hardware of Clinton Hill Brooklyn, N.Y.
I
Owner Walid “Wally” Abulawi is excited about the potential for the store, which merchandises hand and power tools behind the checkout counter.
n Brooklyn, retail space is at a premium and rents are exorbitant. Merchants must get creative finding a balance between effective displays and packing in so much it looks cluttered. Do it Best Hardware of Clinton Hill has dialed in that formula by cleverly using a variety of merchandising techniques to get 6,000 square feet of merchandise into a 4,000-square-foot store. Owner Walid “Wally” Abulawi worked with his co-op to develop a store plan that took an example of how the city itself expands—grow up. Do it Best Hardware of Clinton Hill opened in May 2019.
Weber grills are stacked high near the front entrance. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Stack displays and ninefoot gondolas help the store maximize space.
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 45
DEALER PROFILE
Left: Customers comment on how neat and organized the store is compared to others in the city. Right: Do it Best Hardware of Clinton Hill has been doing brisk business throughout the pandemic.
How much have you continued to change since opening? Every week we get two orders Store opened: May 2019. Previously I from Do it Best and we keep searching for new items to add. When a customer had been in the supermarket business. requests something we add it, so we Wholesaler: Do it Best Corp. keep increasing our inventory even Sales floor: 4,000 square feet more each week. We just started buildTop-selling categories? All catego- ing new shelves on top of the checkout ries are selling well so far. Garden prod- counter to maximize the space there. ucts and live plants are really doing well We will display more power tools there. as is Benjamin Moore paint. What role did Do it Best Corp. play Key niche categories? Housewares in getting the store started? Do it Best has definitely been involved in every and household items, especially what aspect of getting this store up and runpeople need in a small apartment. ning. It was my duty to finalize a location, What were your goals when set- so I had Do it Best do a study of two possible locations. We found out this location ting up the assortment plan for on Fulton Street in the Clinton Hill neighthe store? We only had 4,000 square feet to work with, but I wanted to bring borhood is a much better location for a hardware store. Do it Best’s team drew up in as much product as possible. So the assortment and merchandising plans the solution was to go as high as possible. We went with 9-foot gondolas— with planograms. We’ve been trying to keep the same original look while contwo extra feet more than most stores. With rent so high in NYC—two to three tinuing to add new stuff. times what it is in the suburbs—we How has the store weathered the knew we needed to utilize all the space pandemic? When the pandemic hit it we could for retail. 46 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
was kind of scary. We didn’t get much business the first few weeks, but we stayed open. Then people realized we were open while other hardware stores were closed, and that we were in stock with protective gear, kitchen items and other things they desperately needed. We were there for our customers. People learned they could find it here, and our store traffic started picking up every week. Some customers would call in and request something and we’d bring it outside or to the curb for them—whatever was convenient for the customer. Some retailers took advantage of the pandemic and raised prices, especially on items like masks and hand sanitizers. I did the opposite. Everyone is suffering, with lots of people off work, so they didn’t need to be paying more for in-demand items. We offered the best prices in the area on masks and hand sanitizer, and my customers realized this is a store that is not taking advantage of them. This situation is only going to be for a short period of time and I don’t want to look bad in front of the customer. We’re still making money, so it’s good for business in the long run. What sort of feedback have you received from customers? For people in the city to see a new store that’s neat and organized, they’re just not used to that. People say it’s not like a city store. Some of my customers come from other states and they are used to shopping hardware stores that are neat and well-organized. They say they enjoy www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Space above the Benjamin Moore paint chip display is used to stock plants and watering cans, while below is used to merchandise firewood and cases of bottled water.
walking around the store and seeing what we have to offer and that everything is easy to find. What have you learned about hardware retailing so far? We have an unlimited opportunity to grow and keep growing and that’s what I love about the hardware business. If you’re willing to make an investment and take a chance it will pay off for you. If someone walks five or 10 blocks to come to your store, they expect you to have what they need. I keep bringing in items that other hardware stores don’t carry. It’s about customer service and the relationships you build with people. If they enjoy their visit to your store, they will be back. It’s incredible to see how you can build off that. What initiatives are planned for 2021? New initiatives for 2021 are to build more shelves and bring in more power tools. For the next four or five years there will be some high-rise buildings going up nearby. The construction workers come in asking for power tools and accessories, since we are their first choice. About 25 percent of sales are currently coming from pros and contractors. ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 47
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT DOMINATOR® ECONOMY CURVED PRY BAR • Dominator® Economy Curved Pry Bar series is ideal for any lifting or prying applications. • Each item in this new pry bar series is presented in convenient retail packaging. The sets featuring (8”, 13” and 17” pry bars) and (13”, 17” and 24” pry bars) are offered in clamshell packaging, while the individual pry bars are offered with a sturdy hang tag. • The ergonomically designed handle provides maximum comfort, and its capped end allows for the user to apply striking force without causing damage. This capped end also
doubles as a shock absorber, reducing hand fatigue. • A hardened and tempered alloy steel shaft runs from the cutting edge straight through to the handle for maximum durability and prying power. Each pry bar offers a black oxide finished blade to help prevent rust and reinforce long-lasting toughness. Mayhew Tools www.mayhew.com 800-872-0037
FROGTAPE™ TOUCH UP CUP
without a stir stick. Airtight closure keeps paint • Innovative paint storage solufresh for up to 10 years tion that makes touch-up projects when stored in a cool, easy and mess-free. Once your dry place away from painting project is complete, pour direct sunlight. leftover paint into the 12 oz. cup • Innovative design feaand then twist the lid to lock it in tures plastic cup and place. Holds enough paint for touch stainless-steel mixing up projects, while reducing the ball to avoid the risk of amount of storage space needed. rust and clumps that • Includes clear container to easily can occur when storsee paint color and label to note the ing paint in original container. room, date and color of paint project. Frog Tape/Shurtape Technologies • Stainless steel rapid mixing sphere www.frogtape.com | 800-321-1733 makes it easy to reconstitute the paint, 48 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
LOOKOUT HEADLAMP 4AA • Featuring a high-quality LED chip, with an impressive 970-lumen output, Police Security’s Lookout Headlamp is one of the brightest on the market and an ideal lighting option for hands-free activities. • The Lookout features Slide Focus optics, three modes and a pivoting head for added flexibility. • The adjustable headband is comfortable for long-time wear.
MS 400 C-M CHAIN SAW • Featuring the industry’s first chain saw with a magnesium alloy piston, the MS 400 C-M chain saw gives professional users added power and performance, without adding weight. • Built with STIHL M-Tronic™ engine technology to deliver low-emission, fuel-efficient performance under most operating conditions.
• Features 4 hours runtime and 180 meters beam distance. Police Security www.policesecurity.com 866-820-9297
• A lifetime HD2 air filter reduces the number of costly filter replacements. And the pre-separation system removes large debris before it even gets to the air filter, increasing run time between cleanings. • Built with tree care and forestry professionals in mind, the powerful MS 400 C-M is designed to help tackle a variety of tasks including tree felling, bucking and delimbing. STIHL www.stihl.com 800-467-8445
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 49
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT PLYLOX™ WINDOW CLIPS • PLYLOX™ window clips are the ingenious, inexpensive, nondestructive way to protect your windows from high winds and airborne debris. • Installed in seconds, PLYLOX™ window clips slide onto the edge of a plywood sheet, which is then easily inserted into the exterior window casings. No drilling holes. After protecting a home or business from high winds and flying debris, the plywood can be removed in seconds without tools.
• PLYLOX™ window clips are patented h-shaped carbon steel clips engineered to fit plywood without nails, screws or adhesives. • Available in stainless steel or carbon steel. Three sizes to choose from: 1/2”, 5/8” and 3/4”. Plylox Hurricane Window Clips www.plylox.com | 800-583-4289
WAX-IT-ALL FOOD-GRADE WAX • Enhances beauty and protects surfaces to make them look better and last longer, including wood, stone, metal, cement, paint, plastics and more. • Easy to use—simply rub the wax on, let it absorb and buff off any excess. • Made in USA and safe for indoor and outdoor countertop surfaces. • Helps delay tarnishing and oxidation of bronze, copper, brass, and even wrought iron. Does not contain silicone, linseed oil, solvents or VOCs. 50 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
Howard Products www.howardproducts.com 805-227-1000 www.TheHardwareConnection.com
STANDARD PAINTED ERGO 360° BAR • Ancra’s standard painted Ergo 360° bar can be rotated a full 360° to provide optimum leverage and control to the user, making it both efficient and convenient. • With an ergonomic and economical design, the handle and tip remain parallel with each other to offer improved control, while a flanged mushroom tip easily keeps the bar in the winch cap while in use. • Made with high-quality heat-treated materials, the standard painted Ergo 360° bar has improved strength and durability, meaning you will be able
to rely on it for securing heavy cargo for years. • The Ergo 360° bar has been cycletested to simulate years of heavy use and corrosion, so you can be confident using the bar in any condition. Ancra Cargo www.ancracargo.com 800-626-8353
RE-CAP CONCRETE RESURFACE
as skim coat. The renewed • Renewing worn out concrete concrete can driveways, sidewalks and patios be walked on in is easy, affordable and effective eight hours and with QUIKRETE Re-Cap, which driven on in is a special blend of portland 24 hours. cement, sand, polymer modifi• Designed to proers and other additives. vide a shrinkage • The repair material is four times compensated stronger than the concrete itself, repair material which means the concrete surfor making thin faces being renewed will fracrepairs to sound ture or crack before its bond with concrete in need QUIKRETE Re-Cap will break. of surface renewal. • Applied with a squeegee, trowel or brush, one 40-pound bag will cover approximately 20 The QUIKRETE Companies square feet at ¼ inches thick or www.QUIKRETE.com approximately 90 square feet 800-282-5828 www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 51
BeAcON AwArds
Nominations Now Open for Beacon Awards
T
his year’s Hardware Conference, set for August 13-15 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla., will give independent retailers a chance to gather in person and share ideas with fellow dealers. The 32nd Annual Hardware Conference will again be highlighted by the Beacon Awards, a recognition program that was introduced in 2013, but this year there will be two Beacon Award banquets. The Beacon Awards, which are cosponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection, are designed to honor the “best of the best” independent hardware/home improvement retailers while encouraging a new generation of retailers to make their mark in the industry. Since we weren’t able to honor the 2020 recipients in person, those 10 Beacon Award winners will be honored the first night of the Conference. On Saturday night, we will honor the 2021 winners. Beacon Award sponsors for 2020 included Epicor Software Corp. and Ettore Products. Additional wholesaler sponsorship support comes from Do it Best Corp. and Orgill Inc. The 2021 Beacon Awards will again honor the Retail Beacon Award winners
52 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
Presented By
for each of the participating wholesalers, plus the Best New Stores in two categories: under 20,000 square feet and over 20,000 square feet. Whether it’s an existing retailer opening a branch store or a newcomer opening a ground-up business, these new stores represent the future of the industry. Here are last year’s 10 Beacon Award honorees, who earned recognition for their community service during the pandemic: • Retail Beacon Award (Do it Best) — T & M Hardware & Rental, Ellwood City, Pa. Owners: Tim and Mary Post. • Retail Beacon Award (Orgill)— McGuckin Hardware, Boulder, Colo. Owners: Barry and Vicki Hight. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Wholesale Lumber Company, Clint, Texas. Owners: Joe and Jody Burks. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Jabo’s Ace Hardware, Keller, Texas. Owners: Bill and Renae Jablonowski. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Aubuchon Hardware, Westminster, Mass. Owner: www.ThehardwareConnection.com
The honorees and sponsors of the 2019 Beacon Awards.
Aubuchon family; President: Will Aubuchon IV. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Mazo Hardware, Mazomanie, Wis. Owner: Renee Zaman. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Island Home Center, Vashon, Wash. Owner: Earl Van Buskirk. • Beacon Award for Community Service—ToshCo, Gustavus, Alaska. Owners: Tosh & Cassia Parker. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Miner’s Ace Hardware, Grover Beach, Calif. Owners: Miner and Filice families. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Akard True Value Hardware, Zionsville, Ind. Owner: Leigh Ann Akard. Get your nominations in now for the Best New Store award, as the deadline of May 3 is fast approaching. Any dealer can nominate his store and nominations are also accepted from wholesalers. Judging will be based on any or all of the following criteria: financial performance (sales, profits, margins, etc.); community involvement; store design; merchandising displays; promotion activities; specialized product areas/niches; employee training/ www.ThehardwareConnection.com
The 2020 and 2021 Beacon Award winners will be honored at the 2021 Hardware Conference in Marco Island, Fla.
recognition programs; and innovative retailing concepts. Store must have been open at least one year, to a maximum of 4 years. It can be a store built to replace one destroyed by natural disaster and it can be a branch store. Store must feature all the core departments: electrical, plumbing, tools, hardware, paint and lawn & garden. The 2021 Beacon Awards Banquet will be held Saturday night, August 14, 2021 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island, Fla. Honorees will receive: allexpenses paid trip for two to the 2021 Hardware Conference in Marco Island including conference registration, airfare, hotel and meals; Beacon Award plaque and feature article in The Hardware Connection.
TO cOMPLeTe NOMINATION Please include detailed information for each of the judging criteria, attach any relevant pictures, list the date of new store opening and also provide retailer name, store name, square footage, address, phone number and email address. Email nominations by the May 3 deadline to Editor Chris Jensen at chris@thehardwareconnection.com. ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021■ 53
category rePort
PAINT AND DECORATING TRENDS Sales of Removers and Strippers (Independent Hardware Channel) 12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago Removers and Strippers: Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.2% Removers and Strippers: Dollars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.7% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Unit Sales Breakdown for Removers and Strippers Total of 356 Items with Sales Total Category Top 5 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.4% Top 10 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.1% Top 20 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51.2% Top 30 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.2% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Seasonality of Sales of Removers and Strippers (Index=100) 170
170 146
152 130 122 123
125
146
122
122 86
98 74
98
50
Oct. 74 2019
116
89 67
55
68
Nov. Dec. Jan. 2019 2019 2020
68 Feb. March Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020
Source: Vista 50 Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Removers and Strippers Share of Sales (Latest 12 Months) Paint Strippers 0
10
Removers
55.9% 20
Cleaners
30
40
50
60
36.8%
5.3%
Misc.
2.0% 0
10
20
30
54 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
40
50
60
Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Manufacturers and retailers use Vista’s retail POS and Consumer Panel data to better sell to their customers. Go to www.vistainfoservices.com.
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Paint and decorating Buying uPdate • Ace Hardware named its Clark+Kensington® 2021 Color Trends: Understated Impact, Mindful Living and Creative Escape—three color palettes heavily inspired by natural materials and aimed to conjure a sense of calm in our otherwise Left: Riles Home Hardware in Linton, Ind. hectic lives. Upper Right: Thompson True Value in • Understated Impact palette includes Marshalltown, Iowa. colors like: Magic Fountain 32ABottom Right: Total Hardware in Sayreville, N.J. 2, Red Tulip 05B-7 and Midnight Stroll, N-C16. Mindful Living palette includes warmth. To see Rust-Oleum’s trending colors like: Blue Spruce 29A-5, Fair palettes for 2021, click here. Isle 26A-1 and Swiss Coffee CW-W3. • The Sherwin-Williams Color of the Creative Escape palette includes Year is Urbane Bronze SW 7048. To colors like: Midnight Oil 36Bview the Sherwin Williams Colormix® 7, Fiddlehead Fern 28A-4 and Subtle Forecast 2021, click here. Gray 38A-1. • Pantone 2021 Colors of the Year are • The Benjamin Moore Color of the PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and Year, Aegean Teal 2136-40, creates PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, two natural harmony. For the rest of the independent colors that highlight how Colors Trends 2021 Palette, click here. different elements come together to • Rust-Oleum’s 2021 Color of the Year, support one another. To read more, Satin Paprika, brings earthy and cozy click here. n www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 55
IN THE NEWS NEW STORES: • Alma Ace Hardware has opened in Alma, Mich. • Westlake Ace Hardware is opening new stores in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Derby, Kan., and is opening Ace Hardware of Livermore in a former Orchard Supply Hardware store in Livermore, Calif. and acquiring Town Center Hardware locations in Kirkland and Lake Forest Park, Wash. • Bryan and Char Herrera have acquired Holyoke General Store in Holyoke, Mass., and renamed it Home Store at Holyoke. • Nation’s Best has acquired BTU Do it Center in Las Vegas, N.M.
•
•
•
•
•
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has acquired Sip’s Ace Paint & Hardware in Long Branch, N.J., which will be rebranded as Costello’s Ace next year. Costello’s Ace now operates 37 stores. Adam Bakener and Stephanie Armoska have purchased Orion True Value Hardware in Orion, Ill., from John Hathaway. The Helpful Hardware Company has acquired Walker Hardware in Springfield, Tenn. Jesse and Jackie Kueter have acquired Lampe True Value in Bellevue, Iowa. Mark and Erika Sailer and Bill and Mallory Stoderl have acquired Murdock’s Ace Hardware in Perham, Minn., and renamed it Lakes Ace Hardware. Atwoods Ranch and Home is building a new 63,000-square-foot store in Hewitt, Texas. The Lochner family is selling four Ace stores in Wisconsin to Niemann Foods Inc. Diana Newton and David and Cynthia Brunjes have opened their third store, South Bay Hardware in Redondo Beach, Calif.
• • Gillman Do it Best Home Centers opened its 13th location in Gas City, Ind. • Curtis Lumber has acquired Wiley Brothers Inc., a lumber and hardware retailer in Schaghticoke, KUDOS TO: N.Y., that is celebrating its 75th • Schreiner Ace Hardware, with anniversary in 2021. four stores in the Columbus, • Ace Hardware has opened in Ohio, market, is marking its 75th Parma, Ohio. anniversary. • Costello’s Ace Hardware • MJK Ace Sales and Feed in 56 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Craig, Colo., is celebrating its 45th anniversary. • Bernie Marcus, Home Depot co-founder, is donating $80 million to Shepherd Center, one of the nation’s only neurorehabilitation facilities specializing in spinal and brain injuries. • Southern Lumber and Millwork in Charleston, S.C., is marking its 80th anniversary. • Nancy Grabusnik, owner of G&S Hardware & Supply in Hackensack, N.J., was recognized as Woman of the Month for November 2020 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized).
independent retailers. • Taylor’s Do it Center and Pleasants Hardware collectively raised $46,418 for Wreaths Across America, which coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies during the holiday season at 2,500 veterans cemeteries across the country and abroad to honor our nation’s heroes.
Taylor’s Do it Center partnered with Wreaths Across America for the fourth year.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: • Independent We Stand (IWS) is marking 10 years of promoting the vital economic role independent businesses have on our communities’ success. For a decade, IWS, through founding sponsor STIHL Inc., has aimed to educate consumers about the importance and strong economic benefits of buying local and encouraging small business owners to tout their locally owned status, while providing support to www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Ben Skoog
Chris Snyder
Jim Robisch
• Do it Best Corp. named Ben Skoog director of brand integration, Russ Kathrein LBM business Russ development Kathrein manager and Chris Snyder associate merchandise manager. • Jim Robisch, senior partner of The Farnsworth Group, has retired. • Ace Hardware Corp.
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 57
announced David Groh will become president and general manager of Ace International David Groh effective April 5, replacing Jay Heubner, who is retiring after 38 years with the company. • Greg Galen, national account Jay manager-hardware for Heubner Fluidmaster, retired at the end of last year. He spent 15 years with the company, Greg Galen following a 27-year career at Amerock. • GreatStar Tools USA has promoted Arrow Fastener CEO Gary DuBoff to group president, CEO; Melissa Karlovitch to group vice president, chief human resources officer; and James O’Rourke to group vice president, CFO and treasurer.
WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS: • PRO Group announced its 2021 Group Merchandising Conference will be a virtual event June 21-24.
OTHER NEWS: • Member Insurance Agency announced that the company will begin operating as American Hardware & Lumber Insurance Agency Inc. • HMAN Group Holdings, the 58 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021
parent company of The Hillman Group Inc., has entered into a merger agreement with Landcadia Holdings III Inc., which will result in Hillman becoming a publicly listed company. The combined company will be named Hillman Solutions Corp.
IN MEMORY: • Francis “Frank” Falkenhan, a master plumber and Navy veteran who owned Falkenhan’s Hardware in Baltimore, passed away November 24 at the age of 89. He is survived by his daughter Debbie Falkenhan and grandson Tyler Falkenhan. • Reynold Belletete, a World War II veteran who inherited a general store and with his brother Homer turned it into a chain of nine Belletetes hardware stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, passed away January 1 at the age of 101. He served as president of the New Hampshire Retail Lumberman’s Association and director of the Northeast Lumberman’s Association. He is survived by sons Jack and David, daughter Anne, 9 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
FOR THE FULL STORY: • HRM Enterprises, the parent company of Hartville Hardware, is acquiring Lehman’s in Kidron, Ohio. Click here. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY Emery Jensen Edge Digital Show February 23-26; Learn more here. International Builders’ Show AllVirtual Event February 8-11 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show Online February 9-12 LBM Advantage Virtual Annual Buying Show & Shareholders Meeting February 22-24
Home Hardware Spring Virtual Market March 22-29 Home Improvement eRetailer Summit March 7-9, Aloft Chicago Downtown, Chicago Wallace Hardware Spring Online Dealer Market March 29-April 4
APRIL Hardware Eurasia Fair April 1-4, Istanbul, Turkey
Monroe Hardware Spring Dealer Market MAY February 13-14, Myrtle Beach Convention National Hardware Show Center, Myrtle Beach, S.C. May 11-13, Las Vegas Convention Center, Orgill Online Buying Event Las Vegas, Nev. February 8-19 (pre-event planning period spoga+gafa Feb. 1-7) May 30-June 1, Koelnmesse, Cologne, True Value 2021 Spring V-union Germany Virtual Show February 23-25
JUNE
MARCH Ace Hardware Spring Digital Show March 9-12 Blish-Mize Spring Dealer Market March 18-20, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan. Do it Best Spring Virtual Market March 7-19
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo June 23-26, Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Ky. House-Hasson Hardware Summer Dealer Market, June 17-19, Sevierville Events Center, Sevierville, Tenn. PRO Group 2021 Virtual Group Merchandising Conference June 23-26
For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 59
Real-World Advice from Independent Hardware Store Owners
Join a growing community of thousands of independent hardware retailers Practical tips from fellow retailers delivered fresh daily to your email inbox Share your expertise and learn from your peers
Get in on the conversation at
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“ I created Hardlines Digest in 1996 as a way for my fellow retailers to swap tips about the nitty-gritty of running an independent hardware store. Today, it’s grown to a community of thousands of independent hardware store owners just like you. I hope you’ll join today and start sharing your own expertise.” —John Fix Owner, Cornell’s Hardware Eastchester, NY
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retail ideas In this scene filmed in McDaniel’s Do it Center for an upcoming episode of HGTV’s “Unsellable Houses,” sisters Lyndsay Lamb (left) and Leslie Davis (right) discuss how to build an outdoor fountain to help drown out road noise.
lights, Camera, aCtion at mCdaniel’s do it Center
“She remembered Lyndsay as a highenergy girl who stood out because she talked a lot,” which is why she had her Twin sisters Leslie Davis and Lyndsay desk close to the teacher,” McDaniel Lamb have built a growing and success- shares. “So it’s not surprising to learn ful real estate consultancy in the Seattle she has a TV show now.” Both the production crew and the area over the past several years—so McDaniel’s team exercised extreme causuccessful, in fact, that they have parlayed it into an HGTV show, “Unsellable tion and safety during filming. Leslie and Lyndsay, along with the entire Houses,” in which the sisters help desperate homeowners sell lifeless homes. show crew, are consistently tested for COVID-19, while the McDaniel’s team The sisters recently began filming was in masks the entire time. for the second season of “Unsellable “There were six or eight crew memHouses,” and paid a visit to McDaniel’s bers involved in the filming, so because Do it Center in Snohomish, Wash., as of COVID we had to wait until there was they were researching products and less traffic in the store. We waited until solutions to turn a nearby unsellable it was a gloomy day to improve our house into one ready to hit the market odds,” McDaniel says. and fetch top dollar. The sisters recorded three scenes at McDaniel’s for an episode that will air supporting a Community when the second season debuts in early mural projeCt 2021. “It was fun to see everything going on with the filming,” says Owner Brad Kevin McCormack, owner of McDaniel, who adds that he made a cam- McCormack’s Hardware in Gowanda, eo appearance that will probably get cut. N.Y., has been an enthusiastic supThe sisters had previously come porter of the Gowanda Mural Project, a into the store to shop a few times, grassroots community collective of local which is when they discovered a fun artists and volunteers who have been fact—McDaniel’s wife, Amy, had been revitalizing neglected areas around this Lyndsay’s fifth-grade teacher during her western New York town with creative first year of teaching. and colorful murals. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 61
RETAIL IDEAS
Upper & Lower Left: McCormack’s Hardware has supported an ambitious mural project in Gowanda, N.Y., that has united the community.
The project evolved out of a community effort to bring new life to eyesores around town, as volunteers saw an opportunity to add beautiful murals throughout the area and create a sense of shared purpose and inspiration in the process. Since its start in June 2020, the Gowanda Mural Project has overseen the creation of more than a dozen murals around town, with another dozen or more planned for 2021 and beyond. Just as importantly, the project has attracted a diverse group of contributors—from high school students to art teachers, from young children to former residents who have traveled across the country to participate. McCormack’s Hardware has supplied much of the paint and supplies to the community improvement project—no small effort or commitment as the number of murals continues to grow. Where before a community had seen blight, it now sees
canvases ripe for creation. And the Do it Best store has been happily providing these artists with the tools and paint they need to bring their visions to life. McCormack credits Heather Rydzik, the high school art teacher, who got together with a few people and painted a mural under a bridge, where there had been a lot of graffiti. “Everything snowballed from there. Businesses volunteered their walls for murals, then they got kids involved painting the concrete abutments. I’m no artist, but I figured I could donate the paint,” he says. “I’ve been in business for 35 years, and the town has been very good to me.”
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www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Lower Middle and Lower Right: The Gowanda Mural Project has involved contributions from young and old artists and even led former residents to return home to lend a hand.
A former student who graduated in the early 2000s even came back from California with her husband and kid to work on a mural, according to McCormack. You can view more of the project’s murals here.
Blackhawk Hardware has introduced a dog wash station.
displaying a special art exhibit of BLACKHAWK HARDWARE GOING “Pandemic Portraits,” black and white photographs taken by Taylor TO THE DOGS Sesselman, a New York City-based fine arts photographer. Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, “When the pandemic started, I wanted N.C., has discovered a creative way to a way to photograph my community bring more traffic to its expanded pet products section—by introducing a dog safely and from a distance, feel human connection, be of comfort to my friends, wash service. The iClean Dog Wash station lets dog take comfort in them and document that unique and bizarre moment in history owners give their beloved pet a thorough 10-minute wash—including sham- that we are still living through,” says poo, conditioner, flea treatment and dry- Sesselman, who thanked Crest Hardware ing—using the automated, touch-screen Owners Joe and Liza Franquinha for the system that operates like a self-serve car opportunity to display the series. The photos, which are available for wash. The iClean dog wash business purchase, will be on display at Crest has been around 13 years, with 1,750 units up and running around the world. Hardware from January 20 through February 10. ■ The dog wash station can handle dogs up to 265 pounds, using 8-13 galCrest Hardware & Urban Garden Center lons of water per wash. in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been displaying After an introductory price of $5 “Pandemic Portraits,” a photo series by per wash the first month, Blackhawk Taylor Sesselman. Hardware is now pricing the service at $10.
PANDEMIC PORTRAITS UNVEILED AT CREST HARDWARE Crest Hardware & Urban Garden Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., has been www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ February 2021 ■ 63
e h t d n i h e B Numbers 16%
Percentage increase in shipments of outdoor power equipment in 2020—a jump of more than 5 million units— with those elevated levels expected to continue in 2021, according to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).
7.7 million
20
Number of puzzles sold per minute in 2020 by Ravensburger North America, a leading puzzle brand, compared to seven puzzles sold per minute in 2019.
29.3 million
Number of handheld power equipment units shipped in 2020, up 17% from the prior year, according to OPEI.
$158.6 billion
Number of consumer lawn mower units shipped in 2020, up 15% from the prior Size of kitchen year, according to OPEI. and bath remodeling market in 2021, up 16.6% from 2020, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
259%
Percentage increase in curbside pickup orders for August 2020 compared to the prior year, according to Adobe Analytics. 64 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ February 2021
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