Hardware Retailing March 2017 by NHPA

Serving Hardware, Home Center & Building Material Retailers

Securing Your Store Don’t Be a Victim of Shoplifting 46

How One Store Became A Paint Destination 66

VOLUME 212 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2017 • HARDWARERETAILING.COM

Is Snapchat The Missing Piece of Your Marketing Plan? 92

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It’s About the Relationships “Orgill Just Wants Us To Succeed.”

“We were working on improving our margins, and we decided Orgill would give us a better opportunity to do that.” Roy Mason l Race Brothers Farm & Home Supply, Missouri l An Orgill customer since 2011

Success

Help Growing

“Orgill helps us with the management of our business.

“Orgill’s Smart Start and Market Driven Retailing analysis have

They’re not dictating what we do. They’re trying to be an

been very powerful programs for us. They’ve helped us identify

integral part of our business’ success.”

where we could raise prices and needed to cut prices to build sales and we have still seen margins increase in certain categories.”

Personal Touches “They’re people-driven. Their values lined up with ours.

Support

When we were invited to go to the first Orgill show,

“An Orgill representative visits the store weekly and is always

we knew more of the Orgill staff within the first three

available by phone, offering new product recommendations and

hours than with our previous supplier in 25 years.”

helping us with anything that might arise.”

For more information about how Orgill can help you grow your business, contact us today! 1-800-347-2860 ext. 373 • information@orgill.com • www.orgill.com • Orgill, Inc. P.O. Box 140, Memphis TN 38101-0140

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Securing Your Store Don’t Be a Victim of Shoplifting 46

Gain new knowledge and share business concepts. The NRHA Village stage features a lineup of top-notch industry experts and speakers. This year, learn about the future of retailing through presentations on customer service, omnichannel retailing, leadership and more.

Develop new ideas. Interested in attending? Gain valuable takeaways to apply to your business and join the largest gathering of independent home improvement retailers in the world at the NRHA All-Industry Conference, held at the National Hardware Show®, May 9-11 in Las Vegas. You won’t be disappointed!

“The power of your people is a remarkable advantage to your business. Terrific service doesn’t have to be expensive and will deliver exceptional results for the long run.” Mary Walter | NRHA All-Industry Conference Keynote Speaker FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO NRHACONFERENCE.COM

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2017 NRHA ALL-INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2/14/17 11:32 AM

VOLUME 212 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2017 • HARDWARERETAILING.COM

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Make Mondays Matter

INDUSTRY NEWS

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Get your week started off right with the Hardware Retailing newsletter, which is packed with the latest industry news, retailer stories and association updates. Sign up now to get the newsletter delivered to your inbox every Monday.

How One Store Became A Paint Destination 66

To subscribe to the newsletter, visit hardwareretailing.com/subscribe.

Is Snapchat The Missing Piece of Your Marketing Plan? 92

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MARCH SPONSOR Bring your ideas to the table. NRHA creates opportunities for conversations between independent home improvement retailers of all affiliations and sizes, so you can share your ideas and learn new ones from a variety of industry professionals.

Let’s talk. How can you get involved? NRHA offers topic-focused roundtables, educational conferences, events and retail management programs. With dozens of options and ways to engage, you can explore what’s most important to you. Regardless of how involved you are, your voice matters.

We’re stronger together. “I have met so many successful retailers through NRHA. Regardless of what flags we fly, we thrive by banding together.” Adam Busscher | Picton Home Hardware | Member since 2006 JOIN US TODAY AT NRHA.ORG/MEMBERSHIP

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Serving Hardware, Home Center & Building Material Retailers

Securing Your Store Don’t Be a Victim of Shoplifting 46

How One Store Became A Paint Destination 66

VOLUME 212 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2017 • HARDWARERETAILING.COM

Is Snapchat The Missing Piece of Your Marketing Plan? 92

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NEXT MONTH

Merchandising Matters

n the April issue of Hardware Retailing, we’ll look at what it takes to create effective merchandising. You’ll see how one retailer is finding creative ways to use merchandising to increase sales. Then, in our “Category All-Stars” story, we’ll explore how retailers can engage customers through merchandising techniques in each of the core hardlines categories.

Additionally, this issue will take a look at the future of the electrical category, as you’ll learn more about renewable energy options. The April issue will provide the final countdown to the National Hardware Show® and the NRHA All-Industry Conference. We will provide coverage of what independent retailers can look forward to at this annual gathering of industry professionals.

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March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Headquarters Staff PUBLISHING EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Dan Tratensek

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Whitney Daulton FEATURES EDITOR Liz Lichtenberger

136 N. Delaware St. #200, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 Phone: 317-275-9400 Fax: 317-275-9403 Email: nrha@nrha.org Website: www.nrha.org HEADQUARTERS STAFF PRESIDENT AND CEO Bill Lee COO Bob Cutter DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES David Gowan

MEMBER SERVICES TRAINING MANAGER Jesse Carleton, 317-275-9418, jcarleton@nrha.org MEMBER SERVICES AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Hilary Welter, 317-275-9435, hwelter@nrha.org MEMBER SERVICES AND MEETING COORDINATOR Kamille Stokes, 317-275-9419, kstokes@nrha.org MEMBER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Marci Taschler, 317-275-9421, mtaschler@nrha.org EVENT MANAGER AND RETAIL SUPPORT Katie McHone-Jones, 317-275-9414, kmchone-jones@nrha.org

RETAIL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

ASSISTANT EDITOR Renee Changnon ASSISTANT EDITOR Kate Klein ASSISTANT EDITOR Melanie Moul ASSISTANT EDITOR Chad Husted

WEB DEVELOPER Kevin Trehan

PRODUCTION SERVICES PRODUCTION MANAGER Nancy A. Vondersaar SALES AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Freda Creech

CIRCULATION CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Richard Jarrett

CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTION/ LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES PHONE 314-432-7511 FAX 314-432-7665

SALES/NRHA VENDOR PARTNER

DIRECTOR OF RETAIL OUTREACH Tom Marcum, 317-275-9430, tmarcum@nrha.org

MIDWEST REGION MANAGER Tony Sarantakis, 404 Afton Circle, Barrington, Ill. 60010; 847-934-9515, Fax: 847-934-2494, tonytakis@aol.com

NRHA CANADA

WEST REGION MANAGER Chris Miller, 506 Citadel Circle, Westmont, Ill. 60559; 630-234-3272, Fax: 847-934-2494, cmiller7288@gmail.com

MIDWEST HARDWARE ASSOCIATION John Haka, 2301 Country Club Drive, Suite A, P.O. Box 8033, Stevens Point, WI 54481-8033; 715-341-7100; 800-888-1817; Fax: 715-341-4080 PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION Ronald F. Moore, 3857 Wolverine NE, Suite 20, Salem, or 97305 (UPS, FedEx); P.O. Box 17819, Salem or 97305 (U.S. Mail); 503-375-9024; Fax: 503-375-7980; Alaska, Idaho, Ore., Wash. SOUTHWESTERN REGION Jeff Flora, 638 W. 39th St., Kansas City, MO 64111; P.O. Box 419264, Kansas City, MO 64141; 816-561-5323; Fax: 816-561-1249; Ark., Kan., La., Mo., Neb., N.M., Texas

NORTHEAST REGION MANAGER Jason Harper, 136 N. Delaware St. #200, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204; Fax: 317-275-9403, jharper@nrha.org GREAT LAKES REGION MANAGER Bill Mancuso, 136 N. Delaware St. #200, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204; 317-275-9424, Fax: 317-275-9403, bmancuso@nrha.org SOUTHEAST REGION MANAGER Nick O’Connor, 136 N. Delaware St. #200, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204; 317-275-9409, Fax: 317-275-9403, noconnor@nrha.org CANADA John Magner, 500 Queens Quay W., #101 W. Toronto, Ontario M5V 3K8; 416-598-0101 x220, Fax: 416-598-9191, jmagner@yorkmedia.net

Hardware Retailing (ISSN0889-2989) is published monthly by the North American Retail Hardware Association, 136 N. Delaware St. #200, Indianapolis, Ind. 46204. Subscription rates: Hardware Retailing (Payable in advance): U.S. & possessions $50.00 year. Canada $75.00 year. All other countries $100.00 year. (Air Mail $60.00 year additional). Single copy $7.00. The Annual Report issue can be purchased for $30.00. Periodical postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardware Retailing, P.O. Box 16709, St. Louis, MO 63105-1209. All editorial contents copyrighted 2017 by the North American Retail Hardware Association. No editorial may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. REPRINTS: Contact the Editorial Department at 317-275-9400 for price quotations. Printed in the USA.

He initially managed NRHA’s catalog publishing operation and eventually became vice president of sales. In 2017, he assumed the role of chief operating officer as part of his transition to president and CEO upon the retirement of current president and CEO Bill Lee.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Graeme Haase

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Lowell Huffman

STATE AND REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Bob Cutter Chief Operating Officer Bob joined NRHA 12 years ago after working in his family’s business and then with other independent business owners in corporate printing.

SENIOR DESIGNER Lynnea Chom

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-RETAIL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Scott Wright, 317-275-9417, swright@nrha.org

NRHA CANADA Michael McLarney, 528 Queen St. E., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5A 1V2; +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca

Making Transitions at NRHA

“As I transition into my new role at NRHA this year, I look forward to meeting and engaging with retailers and learning how we can serve retailers for many years to come.”

NRHA MISSION

The North American Retail Hardware Association’s (NRHA) mission is to help independent hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards, regardless of wholesale affiliation, become better and more profitable retailers. NRHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD James Cabirac, Kief Hardware, Cut Off, Louisiana EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN Megan Menzer, Newton’s True Value, Cherryvale, Kansas FIRST VICE CHAIRMAN T.J. Comstock, Northwest Hardware, LLC, Billings, Montana SECOND VICE CHAIRMAN Greg Schlecht, Greg’s True Value, St. Francis, Wisconsin THIRD VICE CHAIRMAN Daniel Harris, Palos Ace Hardware, Palos Heights, Illinois; Lemont Ace Hardware, Lemont, Illinois DIRECTOR Will Aubuchon, Aubuchon Hardware, Westminster, Massachusetts DIRECTOR Jared Smith, Jared’s Ace Hardware, Bishopville, South Carolina DIRECTOR David Dishke, Grand River Home Hardware, Caledonia, Ontario DIRECTOR Steve Fusek, Fusek’s True Value, Indianapolis SECRETARY-TREASURER Bill Lee, NRHA President and CEO IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Adam Busscher, Picton Home Hardware, Picton, Ontario

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Contents MARCH 2017 | VOLUME 212 | ISSUE 3 OPERATIONS

Locked Down

Loss prevention should be a team effort to ensure the safety of customers, employees and, yes, even thieves. Take these tips from the loss prevention team at Buchheit Stores to formulate a plan to protect your store and everyone in it.

80 INDUSTRY EVENT Reimagine Retail Learn about the National Hardware Show’s® Reimagine Retail program and how you can enter to win the grand prize of $100,000.

82 EXPERT COLUMN Retail is Personnel Retail consultant Dustin Kaehr explains the value in developing a strategy to find the right employees and how to ensure they stick around.

86 RETAILER PROFILE Kootenai Drug & Hardware For store co-owner Tyann Hermes, establishing a niche and fulfilling a community need means finding Zen outside the store. Learn how this retailer runs two successful businesses.

58 RETAILER PROFILE

78 RETAILER PROFILE

Phillips Hardware After five generations of service, Phillips Hardware is still dedicated to family and community, with an eye toward moving the business forward.

Munger Paint & Wallcovering Curt Munger of Munger Paint & Wallcovering shares five strategies he uses to sell paint and keep his customers coming back.

66 CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT Paint Revival Sponsored by Sashco Village Paint & Design found success in the paint and sundries category by hiring experienced, knowledgeable employees and appealing to pro paint customers. Learn how to prime your store to break in to your local paint market with these best practices.

“I know my customers

don’t like walking into a place where they’re not sure if they will get an employee who knows about paint.

”

—Tim Stotler, Village Paint & Design

92 MARKETING Quick Tips for Snapchat Success Social media is a crucial element in many retailers’ marketing strategies. Find a new way to tell your story by adding Snapchat to your social media mix.

Departments 06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On the Web 08 . . . . . . . . . Independent Thinking 10 . . . . . . . .Taking Care of Business 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NRHA News 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trends 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Products 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Checkouts 94 . . . . . . . . .Newsmakers/Calendar 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Last Word

On the Cover Brian Clubb, corporate loss prevention officer at Buchheit Stores based in Perryville, Missouri, trains store employees to be prepared for almost any loss prevention scenario . NRHA photo by Lynnea Chom

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

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On the Web

100 Million people use the Snapchat app each day. Source: Snapchat

VIDEO

RESOURCE LIST

Innovative Loss Prevention Tactics

How to Launch and Master Snapchat

Buchheit Stores is making investigations related to shoplifting easier for the local police department with a couple of major loss prevention tactics. Brian Clubb, former law enforcement officer and corporate loss prevention officer with Buchheit Stores, explains the security measures that help the company mitigate loss in a video available at TheRedT.com/buchheit-security.

Sherwin-Williams: Poised Taupe

Snapchat isn’t just for teenagers anymore. In “Quick Tips for Snapchat Success,” we explain how you can use this growing social media platform to promote your business. For more information, retail examples and tips for starting or improving your Snapchat account, visit TheRedT.com/snapchat-resources.

Pantone: Greenery This series of quick lessons on topics such as selling skills, merchandising, product knowledge and operations is geared toward all levels of employees. Visit nrha.org/freetraining to download this month’s lessons, listed below. EXPERT INSIGHTS

2017 Color Trends Benjamin Moore: Shadow

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Want to see paint flying off your shelves in 2017? Check out TheRedT.com/colors-2017 for a detailed explanation from an expert on what colors clients and customers will be searching for this year. This article also provides insider knowledge on the consumer behavior creating these trends.

1 PDF: Making Your Store Safer: A Loss Prevention Checklist

2 PowerPoint: Color Trends for 2017

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

@hardwareretail facebook.com/HardwareRetailing

JLCLIVE RESIDENTIAL CONTRUCTION SHOW

Too get show specials, visit us in booth #414 at JLC LIVE! Providence, RI March 24-25 2017

Starrett Power Tool Accessories and Hand Tools

Your name depends on ours...

What company is a cut above the rest?

Innovation Rules

Independent Thinking

Business Services from Your Association

few years ago, independent retailers asked your association for alternatives to frequently used business services. The goal wasn’t necessarily to find the lowest price, but to partner with companies that provide quality services. Here is an overview of the services that are available.

Group Health Insurance NRHA offers a group health insurance program with a host of options. The plan provides solid benefits at affordable rates and also offers vision, dental and life plan options. For more information or to request a quote, go to cbigi.com/nrha-program or call Bob Chiesa at 888-201-7408.

Credit Card Processing and Payment Services NRHA members can tap in to cutting-edge payment technologies and services, including EMV chip card processing, ATMs and line-busting mobile checkout with Payment Alliance International. To learn more, visit GoPAI.com/nrha or call 866-371-2273, select option one and reference the NRHA program.

“NRHA has recently

Bundled HR Services

negotiated a 35-percent discount on standard ZipRecruiter rates for independent retailers.

”

NRHA partnered with Tilson HR Services to help store owners remain competitive without HR personnel. Through Tilson’s program, retailers can access resources relating to benefits packages, payroll, recruiting, regulatory compliance and retaining high-performance employees. To learn more, visit tilsonhr.com/nrha or contact Scott Hall at shall@tilsonhr.com or 317-701-1200.

General Business Insurance Member Insurance Agency offers various insurance-related services specifically for independent home improvement retailers, including property, inland marine, crime, general liability, commercial auto, commercial umbrella, employment practices liability, equipment breakdown coverage, workers’ compensation and employer liability insurance. Visit memberinsurance.com or contact Mary-Jo Salzburg at msalzburg@memberinsurance.com or 847-277-2601.

ZipRecruiter.com Discounts NRHA has recently negotiated a 35-percent discount on standard ZipRecuiter rates for independent retailers. For more information, contact Scott Berens at 424-285-5332 or scott.berens@ziprecruiter.com.

Your Helpful Connection at NRHA If you have questions or comments about these programs or others you would like NRHA to offer, Dave Gowan, NRHA’s director of finance and business services, welcomes your feedback. He has a wealth of retail management experience and also oversees the NRHA Cost of Doing Business Study, so he’s familiar with independent home improvement financials. Contact him at dgowan@nrha.org or 317-275-9432.

Bill Lee, President and CEO

blee@nrha.org

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

FAMILY FARM & HOME WILL DOUBLE ITS STORE COUNT … because they joined OUR co-op Al Fansler and his family operated a chain of 27 stores, but they had an even bigger vision for Family Farm & Home. To expand the company, Al, Tim and Bob needed a true partner. That’s why they chose the best option—True Value®.

(Left to right) Son-in-law Bob Tarrant, Al Fansler and son Tim.

FREEDOM TO RUN THEIR COMPANY THEIR WAY WITHOUT INTERFERENCE Family Farm and Home proudly shares the business results the company achieved as a member of our co-op. (Your individual results will vary.)

GROWTH

FROM 27 TO

51 STORES

DOUBLE-DIGIT PROFIT INCREASE

IN KEY CATEGORIES

IF YOU VALUE WHAT WE VALUE GIVE US A CALL AT 1-888-291-7229 TrueValueCompany.com

We understood the family’s long-term business strategy. Tim Fansler, co-president and chief marketing officer, says, “True Value demonstrated a level of expertise within our wide range of product categories that we couldn’t find anywhere else.” Today, the company operates 51 stores in three states with plans to keep growing with True Value. True Value offers sound business solutions and resources to ensure Family Farm and Home’s future growth and profitability. Al, Tim and Bob are more than our business partners, they’re family.

TAILORED ASSORTMENTS SUPPORTED BY

MARKET DATA

Taking Care of Business

A Lesson in Loss Prevention

“One thing I learned that really struck me and stays with me today is how much loss actually impacts the profitability of an operation.

”

s we get older, it’s interesting to reflect on those seemingly small incidents that, through the perspective only time can offer, end up changing the course of our lives. For me, one such incident actually involved a potential career in retail. Flashback with me for a moment to the mid-1980s. These were my formative teen years and, like so many people in that age group, I really had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I just needed to make some money for pizza, dates and concert tickets (not necessarily in that order). My sister worked at a major toy retailer that would typically increase staff during the holidays. So when Christmas rolled around, I applied and, with a good word from Sis, I was hired. I assumed I would just be stocking shelves or running a register, but interestingly enough I was placed in loss prevention and security. It’s just a guess, but my stature may have had something to do with that decision. In short order, I actually learned I loved the job. It wasn’t all about catching shoplifters, as I originally thought. There was a lot of paperwork, logging in high-value items, checking doors and signing off on receiving reports. I learned a lot about the different types of loss that can occur in a retail environment and how you can mitigate those losses. One thing I learned that really struck me and stays with me today is how much loss actually impacts the profitability of an operation. I still remember the store security manager explaining that when someone steals one item, the impact is far greater than the missing item. He showed us a chart illustrating how if one $50 item is stolen, the store had to sell three or four of that item to make up for the loss. This was my first lesson in margins. This lesson stuck with me. It’s a lesson you should certainly share with your employees as you discuss loss. One great resource that can help in this discussion is NRHA’s Three Pennies of Profit video, which can be found at TheRedT.com/three-pennies-profit. While the video is not directly related to shrink, it does use a similar premise to illustrate the impact that one lost or damaged item can have on an operation’s profitability. The video and supporting study guides are free for all retailers and would make a great activity for any store meeting. In this month’s feature on loss prevention, beginning on Page 46, we talk to retail loss prevention experts about best practices for securing your store. As you use this as a guide for reviewing your own loss prevention practices, make sure to share the potential impact of loss with your employees. It made an impact on a young kid back in the 1980s, so it’s possible it may hit home with your employees today. Unfortunately, shortly after my time tending the toy aisles, my career in retail loss prevention came to an unceremonious end. I was sure I wanted to pursue this as a career and eventually switched jobs to work with a private security firm that provided loss prevention services for retailers. My first assignment—working loss prevention for a major liquor and grocery retailer in East Los Angeles. While I was passionate about helping retailers protect their assets, I was more passionate about not getting stabbed or shot. Would the assignment have been at a swimwear shop in Laguna Beach, who knows?

Dan M. Tratensek, Publisher

dant@nrha.org

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

ROBBIE HAS PLENTY TO SMILE ABOUT … now that he’s with OUR co-op

Business is booming since Robbie left the other co-op behind to join our family. Although he’s proudly independent, Robbie never rides alone. Our team at True Value® is always at his side. We offer Robbie sound business solutions and resources to ensure his future growth and profitability. We fuel his success. Today, Robbie has real relationships with folks who care. He no longer feels like “just another number.” After all, Robbie is family.

FREEDOM TO RUN HIS STORE HIS WAY WITHOUT INTERFERENCE

Robbie proudly shares the business results he achieved as a member of our co-op. (Your individual results will vary.)

CUSTOMER COUNT

MARGIN DOLLARS

INCREASED 9%

TRANSACTIONS

INCREASED

68,000

IF YOU VALUE WHAT WE VALUE GIVE US A CALL AT 1-888-291-7229 TrueValueCompany.com

PROFITS INCREASED

39%

INNOVATION. AGAIN. In 1989 No Spill put a push button valve on a gas can years before California or the EPA required them. GUESS WHAT? Our simple push button design is still the best available with the fastest flow, tremendous accuracy, an automatic stop and most importantly – it’s the easiest to use.

Now in 2017 we are placing a flame mitigation device (FMD) in all our cans. We’ve added a layer of protection. Independent tests show our patented FMD to be effective yet it won’t affect flow during normal filling or pouring. Our FMD is good news for anyone who uses or sells a gas can.

No Spill cans have the highest customer satisfaction and ratings in the industry. We plan to keep it that way by staying ahead of the game again. Don’t you want the best for both you and your customer? WE DO.

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NRHA News

NRHA Forges New Alliance With Paint & Decorating Retailers Association

he North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and the Paint & Decorating Retailers Association (PDRA), have announced the details of a new alliance designed to provide an even broader array of programs and services to their members. Together, NRHA and PDRA represent more than 50,000 independent retail outlets, offering their members access to training materials, industry information, advocacy programs and a variety of events. Moving forward, these two organizations will begin sharing more resources in an effort to enhance these offerings. “Both our organizations share a common goal: to help independent business owners succeed by providing them access to world-class programs and services they can use to enhance their operations,” says Bob Cutter, NRHA’s chief operating officer. “We know these family-owned businesses face many challenges, but we also know they provide the backbone to the economy.” “Creating an alliance between the PDRA and NRHA allows us to take advantage of our synergies. Moving forward, both organizations will produce a combined effect that is greater than trying to crusade for the independent retailer alone,” says LeAnn Day, PDRA executive director. “We have created an environment where our organizations can work together to ensure the future success of the independent retailer.” Here are some of the details of how the associations will expand their resources: • NRHA, which currently publishes, Hardware Retailing, will begin publishing PDRA’s monthly magazine

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Paint & Decorating Retailer. Dan Simon will remain publisher of Paint & Decorating Retailer and will work together with the NRHA team to produce the monthly magazine. • NRHA will work together with PDRA to offer PDRA members access to a broader range of educational and training materials aimed at topics like selling skills, management development, merchandising and more. • With assistance from NRHA, PDRA will begin hosting two annual member roundtable events where retailers can share best practices and insights. • NRHA and PDRA will jointly conduct two annual research projects to provide their retail members with even greater insights into the channel and consumer trends. • The two associations will work more closely to provide limited joint programming at industry events like the annual National Hardware Show® and Paint and Decorating Show in Las Vegas. • The associations will continue to explore more ways to share resources that could be of benefit to both organizations’ constituents. “This alliance marks a new era for both of our organizations, and in fulfilling NRHA’s mission to help hardware retailers, regardless of affiliation, become better and more profitable operators,” Cutter says. “While we have outlined some of the initial collaborative efforts our two organizations will engage in, we really see a range of possibilities open to us as we move forward working more closely together.”

NRHA News

We Support Each Other When We Come Together

ver the past few months, we’ve introduced you to two of NRHA’s three brand pillars: educate and advocate. This month, we want to elaborate on associate, which is the third area where your association works to fulfill its mission for you. At NRHA, our mission is to help independent hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards, regardless

of wholesale affiliation, become better and more profitable retailers. One way we do this is by bringing retailers together at our annual conference and at networking events throughout the year. For more information, visit nrha.org/membership, contact NRHA Member Services at nrha@nrha.org or call 800-772-4424.

NRHA All-Industry Conference

Retailer Roundtable Series

If you are looking for one place to find new products, expand your knowledge and meet other successful retailers, don’t miss this annual event. The NRHA All-Industry Conference is a series of educational seminars and networking opportunities held at the National Hardware Show® in Las Vegas, May 9-11. Designed for retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and industry professionals alike, the conference lineup offers valuable insights into industrywide topics. For the latest updates, visit nrhaconference.com.

Mark your calendar to join us May 9-11 for the NRHA All-Industry Conference.

retailer roundtable events hosted by NRHA every year .

NRHA provides retailers throughout North America an opportunity to connect with other retailers across wholesale affiliations. Each year, we host roundtable events on a variety of topics like marketing, human resources, IT and more. Attendees share best practices, common struggles and success stories, and everyone leaves inspired with a list of ways to improve their businesses. If you are interested in learning more about a roundtable that may be a good fit for you, contact Scott Wright at swright@nrha.org.

“At NRHA’s Human Resources Roundtable, I got different perspectives from a variety of retailers, which provided me with insights for my day-to-day business.” Kim Tarrant | Family Farm & Home | Member since 2004

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

You Know Retail. We Know Retail. Let’s Grow Together

However you deﬁne growth, Epicor® Eagle® business management solutions can help you focus on what matters most. Designed to reinforce retail best practices, Eagle has the complete solution set for retailers who want to grow revenue and proﬁts, tightly control inventory costs, make smarter decisions quickly, and maximize the customer experience. Contact an Epicor expert today or stop by the Epicor Booth #4761 at the Ace Spring Convention March 16–18, 2017 and experience the Eagle advantage for yourself. epicor.com/HWHC-HR | eagle@epicor.com | 1.888.463.4700

NRHA News

NRHA Abroad: Staff Member Visits European Retailers

RHA staff member Hilary Welter has new, global perspectives on retailing after six months in Europe. Welter is participating in Remote Year, a program that allows her to work remotely while traveling and exploring 12 cities for a year with 75 other professionals from around the world. Within her first six months, Welter traveled through Europe and North Africa. In February she started the second half of her trip, where she is venturing through South America. In addition to working full-time as NRHA’s member services and communications coordinator, Welter has been exploring the retail atmosphere along the way. In her blog, “NRHA Abroad,” she’s been sharing insights on international merchandising, customer service and retail customs. While she was stationed in Valencia, Spain, Welter visited with retailers in Aix-en-Provence, France, and Stockholm, Sweden. To read more about her visits and to read past and current blog posts, visit TheRedT.com/nrha-abroad.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

This is one of many displays at luxury bathroom business Question d’Ambiance, sister company to Quincaillerie Aixoise.

A Tour of Quincaillerie Aixoise Aix-en-Provence, France In January, Welter visited Quincaillerie Aixoise, the largest independent home improvement retailer in Southern France. During her visit, Welter met with company CEO Jean-Francois Dubost and several of his staff. Welter toured three of the company’s five locations, which all mainly cater to a professional clientele. According to Welter, some of the most noteworthy aspects of Quincaillerie Aixoise included the company’s textiles department, successfully executed store-within-a-store concept and the store’s high-end bathroom sister company, Question d’Ambiance. Read more about Welter’s visit to Quincaillerie Aixoise at TheRedT.com/nrha-abroad-france.

Retailer and Association Visits Stockholm, Sweden Welter also traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, in January to meet with Byggmaterialhandlarna, the association serving home improvement retailers in Sweden. Former retailer and president of the Swedish Hardware Heritage Association Göran Sundström took Welter on a tour of stores including XL-BYGG, Flinks Jarn, Fredells Byggvaruhus and more. She was also introduced to a unique home improvement history preservation project. In 2005, the Swedish Hardware Heritage Association funded the opening of a hardware store and museum called “Jarnhandel in Skansen.” The store is part of an open-air market called Skansen, which is dedicated to educating the public on five centuries of Swedish history. Learn more about Welter’s visit at TheRedT.com/nrha-abroad-sweden. For more on the museum and store, visit TheRedT.com/swedish-history.

During her visit to Stockholm, Welter visited independent home improvement store Fredells Byggvaruhus.

Here’s a peek behind the counter at the hardware store and museum Järnhandel at Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stock The Product That Will Be Leaping Off Your Shelves! FrogTape® is the only painting tape treated with PaintBlock® Technology which delivers sharp paint lines the ﬁrst time, every time. Available in off shelf displays, make sure your store has FrogTape® stocked so customers can experience the FrogTape® difference!

frogtape.com

NRHA News

NRHA Announces Keynote Speakers for 2017 Conference

he 2017 NRHA All-Industry Conference, held in conjunction with the National Hardware Show® May 9-11, will offer a stellar lineup of top-notch industry experts and speakers that you won’t want to miss. NRHA has recently announced the seminar schedule for this year’s Conference, including two keynote speakers who are retail experts. The association has slated additional industry and expert speakers to present on a variety of topics related to the future of retail and how independent home improvement retailers can be competitive against online retailers and big-boxes. Retail expert Mary Walter and psychologist Kit Yarrow will share their experiences and expertise in keynote presentations at the conference. All retailers who are attending the National Hardware Show are invited to attend NRHA All-Industry Conference seminars and events for free. For a full schedule, please visit nrhaconference.com.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Keynote Speakers Mary Walter “Your Remarkable Service Advantage” Mary has more than 25 years in Fortune 300 retail companies developing customer engagement and efficiency strategies. Her presentation will focus on how independent home improvement retailers can inspire their teams to provide exceptional customer service.

Kit Yarrow, Ph. D. “Decoding the New Consumer Mind” As a psychologist, consultant and professor, Kit has studied and written about consumer behavior throughout her career. Her presentation will highlight key points about changes in consumer behavior that she outlines in her book, “Decoding the New Consumer Mind: How and Why We Shop and Buy.”

New NRHA Members Win Big for Valentine’s Day

RHA showed just how much it loves retailers with a Valentine’s Day-themed contest for new members. Retailers who signed up as new members of the association between Feb. 1 and Feb. 14 were eligible to win one of two prizes: a free membership for 2017 or a free trip to the NRHA All-Industry Conference and National Hardware Show® in Las Vegas, May 9-11. Weist Hardware based in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, won the free membership for 2017. “I am so excited and honored to begin this partnership with NRHA,”says Weist Hardware co-owner JoLynn Weist. “I certainly plan on using the training modules on the website. I have some new hires who could use the training on products and more seasoned employees who can just use a little refresher on selling and merchandising.” Washburn Hardware & Sport based in Washburn, Wisconsin, won the free trip to the NRHA All-Industry Conference and National Hardware Show. For more than 100 years, NRHA has been helping independent hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards, regardless of wholesale affiliation, become better and more profitable retailers.

Congratulations to the Winners! Weist Hardware Washburn Hardware & Sport

For more information about the benefits that are available through a membership with NRHA or to join, contact NRHA Member Services at 800-772-4424, email nrha@nrha.org or visit nrha.org/membership.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Trends Yardwork That Pays for Itself Selling Outdoor Projects That Enhance Home Values When homeowners start working on their yards this spring, many of them will likely tackle projects they hope will improve the resale value of their homes. The National Association of Realtors surveyed 2,000 real estate agents, who ranked the top remodeling projects for outdoor elements based on the resale value those features add to a home.

Applied to Retail: This spring, keep in mind that real estate agents will be recommending ways to improve homes’ chances of selling. Your staff should be ready to help homeowners with product suggestions for those projects.

An overall landscape upgrade, including shrubs, planters and a stone walkway, is the No. 1 project for helping close a home sale, according to survey respondents.

If customers mention they’re prepping homes to sell, have your workers ask if they have considered the top three yard projects that helped real estate agents sell homes in 2016. Indoor work could tip off your employees that a conversation about curb appeal might also be appropriate. Your staff can then talk about landscaping and lawn care.

However, the survey shows that seeding lawns and standard lawn care, with fertilizer and weed control, provide the highest return on investment. In fact, homeowners could get back triple what they spend for standard lawn care.

Challenge employees to bring up those value-enhancing yard projects and use them for add-on selling. A homeowner who is building a new deck may also need weed killer to spruce up a lawn, or shrubs for landscaping.

Top Landscape Upgrades Most Likely to Add Value to a Home for Resale

Top 3 Updated Features That Helped Cinch Deals When Selling Homes:

Ranked by percentage of return on investment

Overall Landscape Upgrade Standard Lawn Care Value Recovered From the Project:

Sod Lawn Value Recovered From the Project:

New Wood Deck Value Recovered From the Project:

Overall Landscape Upgrade Value Recovered From the Project:

New Patio Value Recovered From the Project:

303%

Standard Lawn Care

143%

New Wood Deck

106% 105% 102%

FOR SALE

Source: 2016 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features, National Association of Realtors

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

In2ition Two-in-One Showers ®

BRING INNOVATION TO YOUR CUSTOMERS The Delta In2ition Two-in-One Shower features a combination shower head and hand shower. This integrated dual-functionality gives maximum ﬂexibility without sacriﬁcing warmth, while choosing to have water streaming from the shower head only, the handheld sprayer only or both the shower head and hand shower at once. ®

It’s the perfect tool for everyday shower tasks as well as washing children or pets and keeping the shower or tub clean. When ﬁnished, simply dock the hand shower back into the shower head and, on select models, Delta MagnaTite Docking technology will pull it precisely into place. ®

New Products

“The Dynamic Discs brand

is still fairly new in our store. However, this Spring I want to partner with the local disc golf club to attract disc golf players to the store for the products.

”

—David Brewer, Brewer's True Value Hardware

1 “The mushroom farm is a

fun way to garden in the off months. We've had it for a few years and it always does well. It can be grown inside or outside.

”

—Joe Franquinha, Crest Hardware & Urban Garden Center

1. Disc Golf Set

2. Small Mushroom Farm

The Prime Disc Golf Starter Set from Dynamic Discs comes with everything a new golfer needs to play disc golf. The starter set includes a putter, a midrange club and a driver. The disc golf set is ideal for all skill levels.

The Organic Mushroom Farm from Back to the Roots allows the user to grow organic oyster mushrooms right out of the box in just 10 days. Open the box, mist with water and harvest 10 days later. The Mushroom Farm lasts for months in the box unopened, making a great gift item for kids, families, foodies and chefs. It includes organic plant-based soil, oyster mushroom spawn, spray mister and a bonus: heirloom tomato seeds to grow with your composter mushroom kit.

Dynamic Discs 620-208-6161 or www.dynamicdiscs.com

Back to the Roots 510-992-9758 or www.backtotheroots.com

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

RETAILER PICKS These four products were selected by retailers like you! Share your favorite products by contacting Renee Changnon at rchangnon@nrha.org.

“The Beneficial Insect House

is a great way to garden without requiring pesticides and chemicals. It attracts beneficial insects that keep the garden in bloom.

”

—Mark Armstead, Beisswenger’s Hardware

“The real advantages of the

FastFerment conical fermenter is that it allows users to brew in one vessel without having to transfer liquids. Plus, it's not as expensive as stainless steel conicals.

”

—David Brewer, Brewer's True Value Hardware

3. Insect House

4. Wine and Beer Fermenter

The Beneficial Insect House by Better Gardens allows homeowners to naturally maintain and improve the health of the plants in their yard, landscape or garden by attracting insects. The multi-chamber design attracts the largest variety of beneficial insects, including mason bees, leafcutter bees, lacewings, ladybugs and more. The house is made of rot-resistant premium cedar and has an easy-mount hanger and an easy-clean chamber to customize chamber contents and easily clean out unwanted pests.

FastFerment is a premium conical fermenter that works for 5- to 7-gallon batches of wine, beer, cider and other fermentables, such as mead and kombucha. Primary and secondary fermentation happen in the same container, which eliminates racking and transferring. This results in better quality homebrew by eliminating exposure to oxygen and sediment. It comes with a stand, a carrying strap, an insulated jacket for temperature control, a thermometer, an extra collection ball and a sampling port.

Nature’s Way Bird Products info@natureswaybirds.com or www.natureswaybirds.com

FastBrewing & WineMaking 800-549-5763 or www.fastbrewing.com

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

New Products

6 8

7 5. Custom-Designed Lanyards

7. Avocado Slicer

Sponsored Product

The OXO GoodGrips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer has a plastic blade to cut through the skin and fruit of the avocado. The pitting tool allows users to remove the pit with a twist, then scoop out the rest of the avocado with the fan blade.

The Designer Lanyard by Lucky Line Products, Inc. introduces lanyards in 10 custom designs. Each design is sold in packs of five. The lanyards are also available in a starter pack of 50, with five each of the 10 designs. The lanyard can easily attach or detach keys or badge holders with an easy-to-use swivel hook. The lanyards are crafted from lightweight, yet strong material and measure 17.25 inches long from top of the neck to the attachment. Lucky Line Products, Inc. 800-654-6409 or www.luckyline.com

6. Oil-Base Enamel Sponsored Product Diamond Brite Oil Base Enamel is a smooth, durable, stain-resistant finish of oil-based enamel. Diamond Brite offers quality enamel in 12 colors and three different size variations. The formula is perfect for use on wood, concrete, plaster, masonry, hardboard and metal. This product is long-lasting and resists scuffs, fading, cracking and peeling. Diamond Brite Paint 773-254-7600 or www.diamondbritepaint.com

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

OXO 800-545-4411 or www.oxo.com

8. Lightweight Garden Hose The zero-G® garden hose offers users a hose that has lasting performance, is lightweight, easy to handle and kink-resistant. The hoses weighs 40 percent less than vinyl hoses. The core prevents kinks and remains flexible to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The high-density jacket is leak- and puncture-resistant. Teknor Apex Company 800-289-6786 or www.apexhose.com

9. Sensor Toilet Flush System The CleanWave™ is a sensor-activated toilet flush system from Jones Stephens. To operate the system, a user waves their hand over the handle to activate a toilet flush. It can be installed on existing front-mount toilet tanks. It can also operate as a manual flush. The flush system has easily identifiable light indicators. Jones Stephens 800-355-6637 or www.jonesstephens.com

Reminisce with Wallace!

April 11-13 • LeConte Center • Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Bringing you the brands you trust for more than 50 years!

For more info, call Eddie Flynn or Richard Snowden 800.776.0976 • marketing@wallacehardware.com • Register today: www.wallacehardware.com

New Products

10 463371316

463672016

MORE FLAVOR

Hotter temperatures vaporize and lock in juices for more flavorful meals.

MORE VERSATILITY Better heat control allows for temperature ranges unattainable by conventional grills.

MORE CONSISTENT Specialized grates separate the food from the flames distributing heat evenly.

EXPERIENCE TRU-INFRARED GRILLING Char-Broil® TRU-Infrared Grills cook food evenly throughout, locking in natural juices and delivering unrivaled taste. TM

10. Saw Stand The Miter Saw Stand PM-6500 from Portamate features heavy-duty construction and folds quickly for easy transport and storage. It features a 500-pound weight capacity and up to 16 feet of material support. The stand includes universal quick mounts for miter saws, band saws, scroll saws and planers as well as two material support stops. Affinity Tool Works, LLC 866-588-0395 or www.affinitytool.com

11. Smart Home System The August Smart Lock, the August Smart Keypad and the August Doorbell Cam create the complete August Smart Home Access Solution. The smart home system allows a user to manage their front door from anywhere. The August Smart Lock turns a smartphone into a smart key. A user can lock and unlock their door, create virtual keys for their guests, and keep track of who comes and goes with a 24/7 activity log. The August Doorbell Cam lets users see and speak with visitors at the door, from anywhere, using a smartphone. August Home Inc. 844-284-8781 or www.august.com

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

NEW!

12. Integrated Sink System The Chef Center system features two versatile, removable, anti-microbial compartments that can serve as a composter, wine bucket, storage bin and more. The system also comes with an array of custom accessories, including a cutting board, colander, grid, mobile drainer board and Franke’s exclusive Roller Mat. Franke 800-626-5771 or www.franke.us/ks

American Made & Profitable For Over 80 Years

With a variety of clearly marked spring assortments, Ajax offers your customers ease of selection for their specific needs. Each assortment comes in their own unique case. Our storage cabinets and kits, provide assortments of Steel Lock, Brass Lock, Music Wire, Stainless Steel, Extension, Compression and more, each making dispensing efficient and economical. Ask for our Product Catalog which provides product descriptions and size specifications.

Toll Free: 855-966-AJAX (2529) www.ajaxwire.com ajaxwire@aol.com 119 Bloomingdale Road, Hicksville, NY 11801

Ask about our comprehensive line of SCENT CONTROL PRODUCTS CALL TODAY:

1-800-247-5102

Ext. 262

WHINK PRODUCTS COMPANY www.whink.com

New Products

13 14 13. Can Light Conversion Kit

14. Air Purification System

The Can Converter is a lighting solution that converts the entire structure of a can light into a strong, stable ceiling mount. This allows users to hang any type of lighting fixture they choose from their existing can light, such as chandeliers, ceiling fans, flush mount lights and pendants. Customers save on professional installation costs and have more cash to spend on the lighting fixtures themselves.

The Blueair Sense Family of air purifiers includes a three-stage filter that helps clear out any impurities around a home. The steel casing helps it blend attractively into the decor. The purification system keeps the volume low, so it can be placed in most rooms and has earned a designation for low-energy consumption. When running the units on the lowest setting, Blueair’s technology captures 99.97 percent of all particles down to 0.1 micron in size.

JSB Enterprises 866-409-9634 or www.thecanconverter.com

Blueair, Inc. 888-258-3247 or www.blueair.com

Magnets attract profits. Increase impulse sales with the industry’s top-selling magnet product line for home, office, garage and jobsite. Booth 7219

Learn more about the advantages of being a Magnet Source® Retailer at magnetsource.com/hr

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

16 15 15. Garden Starter Kit

16. Digital Lighting Control

Veggie Starter Kits combine entertainment and agricultural education in a neat package. Designed to give children and families a starting point for learning how to grow vegetables and flowers, a starter kit comes complete with seeds, soil and a recycled pot to grow them in. The kit is designed for indoor or outdoor use, and the pots come in a variety of vegetable options, including beans, kale and radishes as well as flowers.

The Decora® Digital Controls with Bluetooth® Technology provides users the ability to dim and time lighting or manage a fan’s speed without the need of a hub, gateway or internet connection. Users pair the device with the Leviton Decora Digital Dimmer & Timer App and use on-screen menu options to control lights or fan speed with Apple or Android smartphones or tablets within a 30-foot range. Digital circuitry provides programmable soft fade on and off as well as the ability to set maximum light levels.

Joint Merchant, LLC. 888-998-8877 or www.jointmerchant.com

Leviton Manufacturing Co. 800-323-8920 or www.leviton.com

New Products

Plywoods

Aircraft Plywood

• Material is Birch • Very strong • No “voids” or “ﬁllers” between plys • Suitable for outdoor applications • Smooth surface that is easy to seal and paint • Material is Birch • Strong, but not as strong as aircraft grade • Must be sealed for outdoor use • Smooth surface that is easy to seal and paint

Craft Plywood • Material is Poplar • Lighter than Birch Plywood • Must be sealed for outdoor use • Requires sealer before painting

Micro-Lite Plywood 800.348.3497 | midwestproducts.com | Chicago,IL 34

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

18 17. Novelty Cutting Boards Epicurean offers several novelty cutting boards. These outdoor-themed cutting boards are crafted of a wood fiber material that’s certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The cutting boards are dishwasher safe, eco-friendly, heat resistant up to 350 degrees and made in the USA. Epicurean 866-678-3500 or www.epicureancs.com

18. Outdoor Pizza Oven The Pizzeria Pronto® is Pizzacraft’s® fast, portable outdoor pizza oven that gives users a pizzeria experience in their backyard. It’s lightweight, portable and safe on any surface. Hook it up to a propane tank (it can run for two hours on a 1-pound tank), and turn it on. Let it preheat for 10 minutes, and it’s ready to go. The oven reaches cooking temperatures of more than 700 degrees. The Companion Group 800-521-0505 or www.companion-group.com

NEW

19. Rubber Boot Socks Wigwam’s Outlast® Rubber Boot Socks are designed and crafted for use with tall, rubber boots to keep feet dry and comfortable. The fibers use phase change material, embedded in the fiber, to absorb warmth and release it as the body needs it. The socks will keep a constant skin temperature over long work days or hours in the field. Wigwam Mills Inc. 855-275-0356 or www.wigwam.com

20. Tool System The Milwaukee Knockout System was designed to make every step in the hole-making process faster and easier. The system delivers access and maneuverability for electricians. It features clear alignment in mild and stainless steel, as well as red crosshairs and a clear view of the work surface to make alignment fast and easy. The Knockout System is powerful enough to punch up to 4-inch holes in 14-gauge mild steel. Milwaukee Tool 800-729-3878 or www.milwaukeetool.com

ONE TON

TWO TON

FOUR TON

3/4 -Ton Rope Puller

1-Ton Strap Puller

Fence Pliers

1/2-Ton Wire Grip

Woven Wire Stretcher

Fencing Wire Stretcher

Contact Ancra Consumer / Industrial Customer Service at 800-626-8353 www.ancra.com March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Checkouts COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Village Paint and Design is Going Blue

ho is 7’1”, blue and high-energy? If you are from a community surrounding one of the three Village Paint and Design stores in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area, the answer is easy: It’s Benny! Benny, alter ego and creation of the store’s operations manager of paint sales, Tim Stotler, is more than just a costumed mascot. He’s turned into an effective way of spreading cheer and connecting with the community. Stotler introduced Benny four years ago as the Village Paint and Design’s official Benjamin Moore mascot. He wears the vendor’s logo prominently and sports the number “0voc” on his back. A quick look at the character’s Facebook page reveals Benny has an active social calendar that includes in-store promotions, local gatherings, festivals, minor league baseball games and the local Fourth of July parade. He’s even made a few hospital visits to cheer up sick children. He’s well-known for his energy, enthusiasm and ability to make everyone smile. “When we first took him to a parade, people generally accepted him,” says Stotler. “Now, they are yelling his name, and he interacts with everybody. Working the

parade route is a real workout for me! Whenever there’s an opportunity such as a sports event for a mascot, I try to make sure Benny has center stage.” One of his favorite venues for Benny is the local kindergarten. He offers to come in and spend a half-hour talking to the children when they are learning about colors. Benny, of course, talks about blue. “Benny will come in and talk with the kids. It gets them involved, and the teachers and kids love it,” says Stotler. While he enjoys interacting with the children and the community, Stotler also considers it a good way to make a positive impression for his business, for both current and future customers. “Having this character imprints in kids’ minds the Benjamin Moore brand, so they are comfortable with our brand right from the start,” he says. “It also gets our store out into the community so they know we support them and can connect with positive experiences.” To read more about Village Paint and Design, turn to Page 66.

Ever since Benny appeared in town as the official Benjamin Moore mascot for Village Paint and Design, he’s been in demand at a variety of local events, such as parades, festivals, ball games and educational days at the local kindergarten.

Looking for creative ways to engage customers? Whether it’s promotions, merchandising, special events or unique advertising, we cover it here. Have an idea? Contact Liz Lichtenberger, llichtenberger@nrha.org, to have your story considered for publication.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Checkouts

MERCHANDISING

Greenhouse Makes Gardening Easy

ne of the ways lumberyards can attract more consumer business is to offer simple, do-it-yourself building projects using materials they stock. That’s exactly what April Salsman did for customers at the Foxworth-Galbraith Home Improvement Center in Woodland Park, Colorado. Salsman, who is a department manager at the store, created a plan for a customizable greenhouse that can be made to fit any size backyard. Greenhouses have been popular because they help do-it-yourselfers grow plants in the Colorado environment, which can often be challenging for gardening. It also taps into a larger trend of consumers who want to grow their own food. “I actually got the original idea from an issue of Countryside magazine; I just embellished it,” Salsman says. “I created a plan for it that used a lot of the items we sell in the store. It shows people what we can do with a limited amount of space.” Salsman has assembled a complete kit of building materials used to create the greenhouses, including wood for the base and door, cattle fencing panels for the frame and heavy plastic to cover the panels. Since customers are building the greenhouses themselves, they can customize them to fit their needs. The standard width is 6 feet, but the length can vary, depending on how many panels customers want to add. For inside the greenhouse, Salsman provides a plan for creating raised beds. To guide customers along the project, Salsman created a pamphlet that includes the list of materials, step-by-step instructions and some tips for building. For anyone who has questions, she can provide firsthand experience. Outside the front of the store, Salsman built a small greenhouse to advertise the project, and she keeps it full of blooming, colorful flowers. That helps sell the project and even attracts a few new customers. “We fill the greenhouse up with flowers to help set the mood and draw people in to see it,” she says. “Many of those are people who never even knew we were here. I think it’s also helped draw in more female shoppers.”

“We fill the greenhouse up with

flowers to help set the mood and draw people in to see it.

”

—April Salsman, Foxworth-Galbraith Home Improvement Center 38

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Salsman has a sample greenhouse near the front of the store so customers can see how easy it is to put together. She fills it with flowers so it quickly attracts customers’ attention.

Checkouts

UNIQUE NICHE

Got a Light? Hillsboro Will Help

ot sure what to do with that old pair of cowboy boots? Make a lamp! At Hillsboro Hardware in Nashville, Tennessee, Jason Mathias and his staff have done it all—they’ve made fixtures out of just about everything: boots, wine bottles and car parts, to name a few. And while at first glance you might think it’s somebody’s creative Pinterest project, there’s a lot more to the story. It all started in Hillsboro’s store services department. Mathias has always offered standard store services, such as screen and glass repair. But many customers would come in to the store asking for advice on how to do repairs not on the store’s list of standard services. Mathias and his staff would try to help walk them through a repair, but many times it was evident the customer still wasn’t sure how to do it. “Too often, the customer was overwhelmed, and we could see their lack of confidence,” he says. “So I started telling customers, ‘We can do that for you.’ One of the largest

With a few modifications, nearly any object can be made into a decorative lamp.

redlionproducts.com

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

“People began bringing us

items and asking if we could create lamps out of them. —Jason Mathias, Hillsboro Hardware

”

projects we got asked about was repairing lamps and fixtures, so we added that to our list of store services.” Typically, someone had an old lamp that wasn’t working any more, but that they didn’t want to throw away. Mathias would repair it, and that’s when the custom lamp creation niche started to explode. “People began bringing us items and asking if we could create lamps out of them,” he says. “We said, ‘Of course we can.’” As their reputation for lighting up just about anything grew, so did the demand. Some are quirky, such as the old-fashioned, industrial fire extinguisher with a light perched on top; others are sentimental, such as the champagne bottle from a couple’s wedding they wanted made into a lamp. And sometimes Mathias creates his own lamps to display in the front window or sell. All of them have contributed to Hillsboro’s reputation for being able to fix just about anything, and to be able to put a light socket atop nearly any object. In fact, it’s not unusual to see out-of-towners driving a distance for Hillsboro’s lamp service. Mathias says it’s one of the store’s fastest-growing categories.

Mathias and his staff use lamp repair parts from the store’s stock to make custom lamps for their customers.

Starter Program #302166 Complete Program #302167

Ph:800.444.7313

Checkouts

UNIQUE DISPLAY

Witty Signs Keep Customers Smiling

esidents of Exeter, New Hampshire, know they can find whatever they need at Arjay Ace Hardware— including a dose of humor. The laughs are courtesy of the sayings posted on the store’s exterior signage. While the Arjay Ace staff uses this sign to promote products and special events, as many stores do, it’s with a bit of wit, thanks to one employee, Andy Grigas. “We always had an everyday, run-of-the-mill sign that advertised X percent off a certain product, something like that,” says Arjay Ace owner Dan Jackson. “They just weren’t very motivating. “About five years ago, I gave the sign responsibility to Andy,” he says. “I said, ‘It’s yours—run with it.’” Andy did just that. “He started coming up with creative signs that had a little bit of an edge to them,” Jackson says. “He’s been at it ever since.” The signs have certainly drawn the attention of those in town. Customers are eager to see what the newest sign will say. “Lots of customers come in giggling to themselves and might make a comment,” says Jackson. “It’s really been a plus for our business.”

Customers at Arjay Ace Hardware know they can rely on the store’s sign for a laugh as they head inside to do their shopping.

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HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

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trip in a car can sometimes be a daunting task for an animal. But you’re likely to find a line of happy fourlegged companions heading into Kelton’s True Value Hardware & Pet in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. That’s because Kelton’s has Murfreesboro’s only free dog wash facility. Able to accommodate anything from a pursesized pooch to a Great Dane, the tub allows pet owners a spot to bathe their pets, and snag a treat or toy while they’re at it. “It’s there to get people talking about the business, and there’s no money tied up in it other than equipment,” Kelton says. “It’s to raise awareness of the store and what we have, and hopefully they’ll tell their friends.” The wash consists of a purpose-built tub with steps, hot and cold running water and supplied shampoo and conditioner. Owners can bring their own cleaning supplies if they wish, and while the facility has a forced-air dryer, Kelton recommends customers bring towels for their pets. It isn’t a surprise that Kelton’s puts so much emphasis on its pet department. Kelton says his store was in pet supplies even before it added hardware in 2009. “For us, working with the pets is a very emotional engagement. We tend to sell higher-end pet products, and it’s a market that we’re trying to push pretty heavily,” Kelton says.

Kelton’s True Value Hardware & Pet in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, offers a tub where pet owners can give a bath to pets of any size.

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By Liz Lichtenberger, llichtenberger@nrha.org

Shutting Down Shoplifters When It Comes to Loss Prevention, This Retailer is the Picture of Confidence

rian Clubb remembers the day he caught an escaped prisoner in his store. After a man successfully returned, and received a gift card for, about $400 worth of product he had taken just minutes earlier, he got in line at the checkout counter to purchase some clothing with that same gift card. “Then he got greedy,” says Clubb, former law enforcement officer and the current corporate loss prevention manager for Buchheit Stores. “We were watching him at this point. He left the checkout line and headed to sporting goods. I saw him on camera taking a knife and putting it in his pants.” Clubb approached the man and proceeded to get the knife back. He called 911 while the man was in his office. When the police arrived, the man turned over drugs in his pockets and told the officers he was an escaped prisoner from the department of corrections. While most shoplifting stories aren’t this dramatic, and while Clubb would never

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

recommend you approach a shoplifter who has a knife, it’s one of several stories he has to tell. He’s spent the past few years working in loss prevention for Buchheit and its eight stores in Illinois and Missouri. During that time, he’s helped implement a stronger loss prevention program—and the results show it’s working. Read on to learn more about what Clubb and the Buchheit team are doing to lessen external theft in their stores, and how businesses of any size can make their stores safer and help deter shoplifters.

Keeping an Eye on the Store A good camera system is one of the most common ways to monitor what’s happening inside and outside your store, and to help deter shoplifting. Camera systems can range from a couple of cameras at the door to a full system that covers the entire salesfloor, backroom and parking lot. Each Buchheit location has a high-quality camera system—most have more than 100 cameras on-site—to see all shoppers as they come and go.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

The camera system is tedious, Clubb says, as it can take hours to scroll through minute-by-minute footage, but it’s especially helpful as he and his team work loss prevention cases. Before turning anything over to police, the loss prevention team puts together as complete a video as possible of a suspect’s visit to the store, from the time they pull in to the parking lot to the time they leave. “Sometimes one of our employees will find empty packaging from something that was stolen,” Clubb says. “They mark the date, time and location where they found it. We can go backwards from there, which greatly expedites our research time.” Despite their thorough work, some cases simply can’t be proven. When that happens, Clubb says they don’t turn those over to the local police department or sheriff’s office. He knows he’ll most likely get another chance later.

“One of the most positive steps we’ve taken is to develop very good relationships with law enforcement agencies. —Brian Clubb, Buchheit Stores

”

“If there’s even a doubt from our side, we let them go,” he says. “They’ll be back.” The loss prevention team at Buchheit also has access to a database commonly used by law enforcement, which helps them identify alleged shoplifters and their vehicles. They had to get special permission to access this database, and Clubb says it’s well worth it for the information it provides to help them learn more about a suspected shoplifter after an incident. They work closely with the local police forces in each of their markets, too. “One of the most positive steps we’ve taken is to develop very good relationships with law enforcement agencies,” says Clubb. “There’s a high level of trust between us and the local police, and that makes it much more successful when prosecuting someone.” If you don’t already, work to improve the relationship you and your staff have with your local law enforcement agencies. Invite them to partner with you for community events, such as a safety day, or, if you have the space, invite them to host workshops in your store. Building those relationships is helpful in the day-today operations of your business, as well as in emergency or criminal situations. Additionally, the presence of police officers at your store— whether they are helping with an event or just shopping for something they need for their home—may help hinder shoplifters.

Each of Buchheit’s eight locations has more than 100 cameras throughout the store and in the parking lot.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

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Merchandise in glass cases is easy for customers to see but hard for them to access without an associate’s help.

Along with the cameras, sensors are one of the Buchheit team’s most-used methods of security. “We put sensors on higher-priced items, but sometimes they go on things that cost $19.99, or even $9.99,” Clubb says. “That may not seem like much, but if someone steals five things that are $9.99 each, the cost can add up quickly.” There’s no set minimum of what gets tagged, he says; rather, he and his team keep an eye on what’s getting taken and make adjustments as needed. There are many types of sensors available, and these are smaller and less expensive than cameras, but still effective ways to improve your security measures. EAS (electronic article surveillance) tagging can include the small tags commonly found on clothing, as well as types that are specially made to fit on peg hooks. You can use these sensors just about anywhere in your store: on commonly stolen items, on products above a certain price point or on products in a certain category that you want to track more closely.

Improving Store Layout If your loss prevention budget isn’t big, don’t worry—there are several small things you can do to help make your store less attractive to shoplifters without spending much money.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

First, analyze your store layout. Ensure your aisles are wide and easy to navigate, and check for any poorly lit areas on the salesfloor. Change any burned-out lightbulbs right away. Arrange fixtures so you have clear sight lines throughout the store. Put up a large sign outside that states that shoplifters will be prosecuted. It’s informative to all customers and may make a potential shoplifter think twice before trying to steal something from your store. If it isn’t feasible to install a full camera system, you can still put in several camera domes. These show customers you are making an effort to prevent shoplifting, which may deter them from any attempts to take something. Camera domes are helpful even if they don’t all have cameras inside. Would-be thieves don’t know which are and aren’t functional. It’s best to avoid any blind spots in your store, but for the unavoidable ones, try putting in mirrors so you can see what’s going on in those areas. Finally, try locking up some of your high-dollar items. Put them in clear cases so they’re easy for customers to look at, but require an associate to access the products. Associates should keep keys on their person and not hanging near the case where shoplifters can reach them.

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“We just recently had a

lady with a big purse come in and steal a high-dollar, lightweight chainsaw— just put it in her purse and walked out.

” —Brian Clubb, Buchheit Stores Know Your Products

It’s important to look at your inventory and determine the most commonly stolen products, so you know where to best focus your efforts as you work to stop shoplifting. At Buchheit, all firearms and more expensive optics and knives are kept in a glass display, under lock and key. Less expensive knives are on peg hooks, but each hook has a sensor, which means customers must get an associate’s assistance to remove the knife from the hook. Outdoor power equipment and power tools are popular items for shoplifters, too, especially several well-known brands Buchheit sells, including Stihl, DeWalt and Milwaukee. And shoplifters may be brave. “Some people just walk out the door with these things,” Clubb says. “We just recently had a lady with a big purse come

in and steal a high-dollar, lightweight chainsaw— just put it in her purse and walked out.” Other products likely to be stolen are knives, clothing and even pet medicine and high-dollar pet products, such as invisible fence systems. Clothing above a certain price point is tagged with a security sensor, and the pet supplies are kept locked up in a glass case.

Training Keeps Everyone Safe Good customer service is the most effective means of deterring shoplifting. That means you need to have good employee training methods in place. First, look at the training you provide your current employees. A good training program will tell your employees the ins and outs of theft, including what they can look for if they suspect someone may be shoplifting and what role they can take to help hinder shoplifters (while not putting themselves in harm’s way). One such training program is NRHA’s Loss Prevention Training Series, which includes three modules that cover internal theft prevention, external theft prevention and store safety. Or you may have your own internal training program you’d like to use. “It’s about training and awareness,” says Clubb. “Having employees properly trained in how to spot shoplifting can really help you reduce shrink in your store.” He says it’s important for employees to communicate well with the loss prevention team, if your business has one. “We have worked

Types of Sensors Buchheit uses multiple types of sensors to keep tabs on various items throughout the store. Sensors are effective and generally a less expensive form of loss prevention. If your loss prevention budget is small, these may be a good way to add a little extra security in your store—some sensors can cost as little as 20 cents each.

Spider Wrap Sensors These twist around a box and cinch tightly. Buchheit uses them on products such as power tools.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Tag With Lanyard These sensors are hung on anything from outdoor power equipment to boots.

Tag With Tack These types of sensors can be pinned or tacked to products such as various types of clothing.

Peg Hook Sensors These hang on each peg hook. Customers must ask an associate for help in getting these products.

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Brian Clubb, corporate loss prevention manager, ensures Buchheit’s power tools are safe from potential theft.

hard to develop this culture where employees know we care about loss prevention,” he says. “We want them to bring information to us, and we want them to know it’s a priority.” If it’s in the budget to hire a loss prevention manager, he suggests hiring an experienced, qualified person who has law enforcement or similar experience. If that’s not in the budget, you still want to make sure you’re fully staffing each store. Fewer staffers on the floor mean fewer people to help customers and keep their eyes open for any suspicious activity.

“We want to get

What’s Your Plan?

Buchheit is serious about deterring shoplifting and frequently prosecutes those who are caught. “We want to get the word out to the community, including to any potential thieves, that we are not going to tolerate shoplifting,” Clubb says. “We will prosecute. We want to get that message out to deter potential shoplifters.” However, they don’t do live apprehensions, he says. “We approach loss prevention with customer service in mind. Word gets out if we grab someone and embarrass them in the parking lot. We don’t want any of our customers to see that confrontation.

Establishing a consistent policy for apprehending or prosecuting shoplifters will keep all employees on the same page. Will you do live apprehensions? Will you prosecute? Will you prosecute only if the theft is above a certain dollar amount? Having a policy in place, regardless of the size of your business and whether or not you have a loss prevention team, is not only helpful as you train your employees, but necessary so you can be consistent in practicing it, especially if an incident arises.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

the word out to the community, including to any potential thieves, that we are not going to tolerate shoplifting. —Brian Clubb, Buchheit Stores

”

“And, of course, nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our employees,” he says. “We don’t want anyone to be put in what could be a dangerous situation. Nothing in the store is worth dying over.” So how can a typical employee help with loss prevention? Clubb says all employees should stay watchful but not put themselves in any dangerous situations. “We ask them to note the date and time if they see something suspicious, and if they can get any descriptions of the alleged shoplifter, that’s really helpful,” he says. “Then we ask them to turn that information over to us, and we do our job. We don’t want our team members to ever be at risk, so we have a zero-intervention policy. We just ask them to provide good customer service.” There are definite liabilities to employees attempting to stop shoplifters. Many companies recognize these liabilities and, as a result, have policies in place that make it against company rules to attempt to stop someone who may have stolen something. In fact, this past December, four Home Depot employees in Florida were fired for their

attempts to stop a shoplifter, as it is against Home Depot’s store policy. Make sure you have a clear policy in place letting employees know what is and isn’t OK when it comes to stopping a shoplifter. Perhaps employees are allowed to talk with the suspect in an attempt to gather information, but cannot follow the suspect to the parking lot or try to touch a piece of possibly stolen merchandise. Or maybe you’d prefer your employees not say anything to the suspect, but make observations about that person’s appearance and behavior. Whatever your policy, put it in writing in your employee handbook and make sure all employees are aware of what is and isn’t allowed. If an employee does something that goes against store policy, the store will most likely be held liable if the customer decides to pursue legal action if they are injured by employees or wrongfully detained by an employee who suspects shoplifting is at play. It’s in your best interest, both for your business and for your employees, to make sure you clearly explain your store’s policy so everyone will understand.

Some Common Shoplifting Tactics Teach your employees to keep an eye out for some of these common shoplifting tactics: • Hiding smaller products inside larger products, and paying only for the larger product. • Pre-assembling products (such as fittings or fasteners) in an attempt to pay for just one item, rather than all pieces. • Holding one item in full view or leaving it in the bottom of the cart and “forgetting” to pay for it, while paying for all other items. • Working in groups to create a diversion or cause distraction so the shoplifting is less likely to be noticed. • Causing a distraction, such as faking a medical emergency or knocking over a display. • Asking an employee for a certain product not on the shelves, so the employee has to go to the back room to find that merchandise.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Balancing Businesses Finding Happiness Managing a Hardware Store and Yoga Studio

he town of Troy, Montana, is home to about 1,000 people. If you passed through, you wouldn’t find a traffic light, but any local could point you toward the combination drug and hardware store or the yoga studio. Tyann Hermes grew up in this picturesque mountain town. She worked in Portland, Oregon, as a graphic designer for two years after graduating college and then moved to a few other cities before she returned to work at and eventually gain co-ownership of Kootenai Drug True Value.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

By Renee Changnon, rchangnon@nrha.org

“My business partner, Chris Hermes, had been working at Kootenai Drug True Value for many years,” she says. “I moved back to Troy and began working in the store, but we didn’t purchase the business until 2006.” A lot has changed in the time since her journey as an entrepreneur began, but for Hermes, she has found balance in running two different businesses and helping bring together people from all walks of life. And last year, Hermes received an award for her entrepreneurial endeavors, and from that, she continues to grow and help others in her town come together.

The staff at Kootenai Drug True Value includes 15 employees, many of whom have been working for the business for 15 years or more. Hermes says the loyal staff is more like family, and if she can’t answer a customer’s question, she knows one of her employees can.

“Although I’ve learned

a lot about home improvement since I began, I have a great staff that can help any customer find what they need. —Tyann Hermes, Kootenai Drug True Value

”

Mixing Creativity and Knowledge While Hermes had never worked in the hardware industry or any other retail environment prior to 2000, she gained first hand knowledge from her dad. Hermes says before purchasing the store, she was building her house with help from her father, a professional contractor. Through this work, she learned as much as she could about home improvement projects. “I did a lot of work with my dad—tiling, wiring, everything you would need to know in order to build a house,” Hermes says.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

“By working with him on my home, I built equity to buy the store, and it gave me firsthand knowledge I now have to help a customer in the store.” Although her previous jobs range from being a firefighter in the summers to being a graphic designer, entering the world of retail and later owning and operating a retail business gave Hermes the flexibility she wants and needs. Plus, she says working with her staff of 15 employees, many of whom have been with the business for 15-plus years, is even more special. “The employees we have are loyal and hardworking, and we’ve seen hardly any turnover,” she says. “Although I’ve learned a lot about home improvement since I began, I have a great staff that can help any customer find what they need.” For Hermes, co-owning and operating Kootenai Drug True Value has allowed her to learn and grow, and she can use her creativity to make the store even more appealing to her customers. “There are many things I enjoy about being in this industry, like going to hardware markets and buying new items and trying them out at the store,” she says. “I love resetting and making things look good inside the store and constantly refreshing the layout.”

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BUILDING THE SUCCESS OF AMERICA’S INDEPENDENT HARDWARE RETAILER SINCE 1953 Vendor Partners:

Top: Hardware manager Dana Wallace, owner Tyann Hermes and business partner and pharmacist Chris Hermes keep things running smoothly. Right: The Montana Ambassadors honored Hermes as the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year at an award ceremony in early 2016.

“These two businesses

work very well together, and my yoga studio gives me another outlet. —Tyann Hermes, Kootenai Drug True Value

”

Bringing Peace to Town While Hermes enjoyed the everyday changes in the world of retail, in 2009, she was going through a hard time in her life personally. It was at this point that she was searching for an outlet to bring her happiness and strength. That’s when the practice of yoga became a large part of her life.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

“I needed something to get me through some tough times, and I found yoga,” Hermes says. “However, I was driving an hour away to take classes once a week.” After doing this for nearly a year, Hermes decided she wanted to explore the idea of opening a yoga studio of her own in town. “I was searching for a building in town, and there was an old, abandoned gas station that had been vacant for years,” Hermes says. “I decided to refurbish and create my space in this building using my hardware talents and knowledge.” In 2013, Hermes completed renovations and opened her studio, Shakti Soul Yoga & Movement, in the old gas station. The property also offers space to another local business, and behind the studio, Hermes built a two-story loft space that she calls home now as well.

“The beauty of opening and running my yoga studio while also co-owning the hardware store is that I’m able to offer classes and take instructor training, but my work at the hardware store helps cover expenses that a yoga studio wouldn’t be able to on its own,” she says. “These two businesses work very well together, and my yoga studio gives me another outlet.”

Recognition Leads to Empowerment After a few years of running both the hardware store and yoga studio, in 2016, the Montana Ambassadors, a non-profit group of leaders in business and education and state and local government in Montana, honored Hermes as the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year. “I received a call in December 2015 from the governor of Montana telling me I won the award,”

she says. “And about a month later, I got an email detailing the award and what went along with it.” For Hermes, receiving the award helped her step up and take risks, although she says she prefers to be behind the scenes. “A community member nominated me, and from this, I feel like I found myself in a much more stable place,” she says. “Before the awards ceremony, they created a video and filmed me at the store and the yoga studio. My staff and all of my students I instruct were very supportive and excited for me.” Although Hermes says she isn’t always the best at public speaking, prior to speaking to the crowd at the awards ceremony, she gained inspiration from simply watching the video they put together. “After watching my video, I was so moved and I stood up and was able to speak to March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

everyone naturally,” Hermes says. “I didn’t feel like the younger, shy Tyann. It was great.” Since receiving the award, Hermes continues to manage both businesses, but she says she has found a way to slow down and give her body and mind a break.

Since winning the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year award, Hermes says she will no longer hold herself back.

“I have overdone it in the past and even got sick from trying to do too much,” Hermes says. “I’ve learned to balance and slow down and not go in to the store all the time. I have amazing employees who I know can get the job done even if I’m not there.” At both the hardware store and yoga studio, Hermes says she enjoys being able to bring people together who may not have otherwise interacted or met. “The yoga studio has become a community in itself, a gathering place for people, which I really am happy about,” Hermes says. “The same thing is true in the hardware store, with people coming together and helping each other,” she says. Juggling two businesses may not work for everyone, but Hermes says any retailer considering taking on the challenge should make sure their additional venture is something they are excited about. “To find success owning and operating two businesses, you have to find something you’re passionate about,” she says. “If you can do that, it will be more than just another business.”

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HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

When Hermes wanted to open her own yoga studio, she had a vision for transforming a long-abandoned gas station into a peaceful yoga retreat. She considers the former filling station a “filling station for the soul.”

o r St

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By Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@nrha.org

One Retailer’s Fast Climb to the Top of the Local Paint Market This month’s Category Spotlight is sponsored by Sashco

even years ago, few, if any, painters would have considered Village Ace Hardware a destination for their projects. The 100-square-feet the store had dedicated to the category was more of a convenience. Stiff competition from factory and specialty paint stores had the owners focusing on other core categories. But today it’s a different story. The Village Ace family of stores, located in the Milwaukee area, now include specialty paint stores, and they’ve become the first choice of do it yourselfers and professional painters alike. Last year, the company sold enough paint to be Benjamin Moore’s No. 1 retailer in sales volume in the state of Wisconsin.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

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The inside of the newest Village Ace Hardware blends a full-service paint and design store with a complete hardware store so paint customers can pick up any extra items they might need for their projects.

How did they make that happen? Village Ace Hardware got serious about selling paint. While not every independent home improvement retailer may be positioned to dedicate a full store to a single category, the story of Village Ace Hardware’s fast track to the top of its paint market has plenty to show everyone about what it takes to be successful in this rewarding category.

Beginning of Growth Today, there are multiple locations in the Village Ace family of stores: three full-line hardware stores; two Village Paint & Design specialty paint stores; Village Outdoor Living, a store specializing in outdoor power equipment; and the Hunter Douglas Gallery store, which specializes in window coverings. They are all situated within a short drive of each other in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. Most of that growth happened within the past decade. Brothers Jim, Mike and Mark Meinecke are second-generation owners of Village Ace, a store their father, Jim, purchased in 1954. Not long after they took over the business about 10 years ago, the brothers purchased a second hardware store.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

“I know my customers

don’t like walking into a place where they’re not sure if they will get an employee who knows about paint.

”

—Tim Stotler, Village Ace Hardware The family had built a solid reputation in the community and a strong business, and now they were ready for new opportunities. That’s when a former employee of a competitor approached them with a proposal. Tim Stotler had been in the paint sales industry for most of his life when the specialty paint store he was working for closed. “I was really just looking for a job,” he says. “I approached the owners of Village Ace, one of my former employer’s competitors, and told them they had a tremendous opportunity to grow their paint business.”

Stotler’s plan was to rent and rehab a 3,000-square-foot retail space that stood empty next to the hardware store, and turn it into a stand-alone paint store. In addition to having nearly three decades of experience selling paint, he had a working relationship with a wide customer base throughout the city. After setting up the paint store, he would pick up the phone and call his former customers to invite them to his new store. Given Stotler’s experience in the industry, the Meinecke brothers decided to give the plan a try.

Designing a Store for the Pro Stotler knew that to attract the professional painter, he would need a store that catered to their needs. “I know my customers don’t like walking into a place where they’re not sure if they will get an employee who knows about paint,” he says. “They want specialized treatment. When I worked for a specialty paint store, I would listen to my customers complain about what they didn’t like about going to the average hardware store to buy paint. I knew I had to create a store that avoided those issues.” First on the list was assembling a group of experienced employees who were dedicated to the paint department. Paint employees must be able to paint, mix, match and troubleshoot. “You have to invest in people, people who are dedicated to the paint department and won’t spend half of their

time working somewhere else in the store,” he says. Paint customers who don’t get the answers they need and can’t find the products they want will go somewhere else. The other big complaint Stotler often heard from his pro customers was that they don’t like to be treated like just another retail customer. “They don’t want to walk through the middle of a crowded store to get their supplies, and then stand in line with retail customers,” he says. Stotler says a paint store should have a separate checkout counter and entrance dedicated to pro customers so they can get in and out quickly without having to wait behind slower retail customers. He says those customers also usually demand a discount structure comparable to other paint stores—not only are they buying more paint than traditional retail customers, but they also require less time from a sales staff. At Village Paint & Design, Stotler could offer everything his customers wanted, and where the pros shopped, retail customers would soon follow.

A Hybrid Store While there are plenty of merits to having a stand-alone paint store, there are even more to adding in other core hardlines categories. “Our latest store is more of a hybrid,” says Stotler, who is now the operations manager of paint sales at Village Paint & Design. “I call it a hardware store inside a paint store.”

One event at Village Paint & Design involved a paint vendor based in the Wisconsin area seeking feedback from painters on one of its products.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Last year, Stotler and the Meinecke brothers opened a new Village Ace Hardware store in Milwaukee. Customers walking into the store see a full paint and design area occupying about 2,000 square feet at the front, fully capable of serving the needs of any type of customer. While the first Village Paint & Design store had a hardware store next door, this latest store has it inside. Toward the rear of the store is 3,000-square-feet of hardware, which includes a full-line of hardlines categories in addition to a warehouse with a variety of bulk goods and convenience lumber. It’s a perfect match. Many painters need a few other hardware items after they pick up their paint. “In addition to painting, many of our pro customers are changing out switch plate covers or replacing the vent covers after they finish a paint job,” he says. “It’s surprising how painters are doing a little bit of handyman work for their customers, much more than they might have 20 years ago. If they need those extra items, they might as well buy them here instead of going somewhere else.” Just as importantly, after establishing a reputation among the professional painter community, Stotler believes he has a store where both the pro and retail customer can feel at home. In addition to

the reputation his business carries as a destination paint store for the pro, he has an outside salesforce dedicated to commercial sales and a product line that goes deep into specialty paint products and sundries. An inviting showroom, a knowledgeable staff and an in-home design service makes the do-it-yourself painter feel comfortable shopping there as well. Each Village Paint & Design stores also offer window treatments. “The atmosphere around the paint counter is always positive,” Stotler says. “Our paint counter is always busy. People are mingling and networking with each other, both pros and retail customers.”

Vendor Loyalty Stotler says he believes it would have been a mistake to try to include too many major paint brands on his shelves. He sells Benjamin Moore and Clark + Kensington®, but says whatever vendor a paint retailer chooses, the more business they do with that vendor, the more opportunities they’ll have to take advantage of pricing and special programs. With three trucks from Benjamin Moore arriving at his store every week, Stotler purchases enough to get volume discounts. His vendor also offers support when he pursues larger commercial accounts.

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“One mistake I see some independent paint retailers make is that they cherry pick lines from several paint manufacturers instead of teaming up with one vendor, taking advantage of the pricing structure that is usually there and developing a relationship with that vendor,” he says. Of course, there are plenty of specialty products he knows he must stock. Village Paint & Design goes deep into sundries—customers have their choice between multiple brands of paint brushes—and specialty products. When a customer searches online for a specialty paint product provider, Stotler wants his store to be first on the list.

The Name Everyone Knows Stotler has learned to be as much a marketing guru as a paint salesman. One of his best known marketing tools is Benny, the store’s official mascot representing the Benjamin Moore brand. The costumed mascot, created and played by Stotler, draws a crowd wherever he goes. Benny not only creates brand awareness, but he also gets the store involved in the community in a way that is accessible to every age. (You can read more about Benny on Page 36).

To help area residents get rid of unused paint, Stotler sponsors an annual paint recycling day.

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Community involvement has always been a priority for Village Ace Hardware, and that didn’t change when the Meinecke brothers introduced paint stores to their company. One service Stotler discovered he could offer the community was paint recycling. A local business in town accepts old latex paint and puts it through a special manufacturing process to create a UV protectant coating that can be applied to a variety of products. One year, says Stotler, his store helped collect 2,500 gallons of paint. He believes the program is having a positive impact, as residents are recycling their paint rather than dumping it. It also offers Stotler some insights into his customer base. “By seeing the cans of paint people bring in, we can see our market share in certain areas,” he says. “If we see a lot of cans from another vendor coming from homes in a certain area, we can use that information to know how to target our advertising more effectively.” Stotler also looks for new ways to present some of the tried-and-true events standard in most retailers’ playbooks. For example, at his wine and cheese event, designers get

together to talk about trends while enjoying an elegant snack. Or, he gives them a chance to give product feedback directly to the manufacturer, which is what happened when he invited a local tape manufacturer to hold focus groups with his customers as part of a product research project. When Stotler was planning a contractor appreciation event to celebrate the grand opening of the latest store, he wanted to offer more than just the standard hot dog and popcorn fare. He contacted a couple of local food trucks and paid them to cook up a lunch for his customers. “Doing that took the weight off my shoulders of planning a meal, and the price was comparable to a caterer,” he says. “We got a great response from our customers. We’d like to use the idea for future events and expand it to more trucks.” More than 150 contractors turned out for the grand opening, and the enthusiasm present at that event is evidence Village Paint & Design is not just another paint store. For the customers crowding around the paint checkout counter, it’s now their first stop.

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Sashco Opens Up About Caulking Confusion hen consumers are searching for sealants and caulking items, it’s often for specific projects. To help independent retailers establish their businesses as problem-solving destinations for their customers, Sashco Sealants produces high-quality sealants that deliver top-notch performance, along with in-store POP and marketing support to drive customers into stores.

Manufacturing its entire line of products from its headquarters in Brighton, Colorado, Sashco is entering its 81st year of business. The company’s 110 employees have helped develop some of the most recognized names in caulking, including Big Stretch® and Lexel® brands. Hardware Retailing caught up with Sashco’s Brand Manager Darci Kunard to discuss the company and its place in the industry as a leading manufacturer of sealants. In this Q&A, she shares why Sashco leads the industry in quality, as well as why retailers gain a strong partner when they carry Sashco products. What makes Sashco caulking and sealants stand out for independent retailers? Darci Kunard (DK): Our goal is to teach people about caulking and make it easy to shop for caulking. There really is a difference in caulking, and our mantra is “Products that work.” What that means is that Sashco cares about the ingredients we put into our caulking products. We are very intentional about how we formulate our products to ensure they work right the first time, every time. Another advantage of our products is that they provide great adhesion to a wide variety of substrates. The products are all paintable, stick to themselves and are freeze-thaw stable, and we have a unique stop-flow plunger in our cartridges as well. We want to simplify retailers’ sets. We want them to have products that add value for their customers, which is part of our teaching endeavor. There’s a lot of caulking products out there.

We want to eliminate the confusion by teaching people how to organize a caulking aisle. We’ve learned people shop by type or by performance characteristics, then they look to match a color or for caulk that’s paintable. Our goal is to teach people that quality, high-performance products exist, and our color-branding solution does just that. It communicates the project type and associates a brand color to that project type. That color can be seen on packages, ship cases and our demonstration blocks. What are the most popular Sashco products that retailers carry? DK: Big Stretch and Lexel have become our ubiquitous brands in the industry. Big Stretch is water-based, and it’s great for windows, doors and siding. We have a large following for its use in crown molding and interior trim. It’s elastic, which means it allows movement to happen while still sticking to substrates. It provides great adhesion without cracking. Lexel was the first clear caulking in a clear cartridge and continues to lead the pack in clarity and performance. It’s a synthetic rubber caulk, is not made of silicone and was one of the first products Sashco launched into the independent hardware channel because it was so unique and its properties were so vastly different. It can stick to almost any surface, wet or dry. It doesn’t matter if there’s standing water or freezing temperatures. How does Sashco assist retailers in merchandising its products? DK: Our merchandising system is heavily color-branded to help customers shop by project type. Plus, all of our products are color-branded, so customers correlate the color with the project. We send out bin liners, channel strips and demonstration blocks, among other merchandising solutions, all at no charge to retailers. Colors on the products are matched with merchandising options, so when an employee greets a customer who is looking for help with windows, that employee can easily point to an aisle and color for a customer. With the Sashco Fully Loaded Retail Partner (FLRP) program, we provide retailers everything they need to make shopping for caulking simple. This continues our dedication to high-performance products—even with our merchandising, we want to make sure it’s a product that works. Does the wide range of Sashco products help retailers when assisting customers? DK: We want there to be a high-performance sealant destination in a retailer’s aisle. Sashco products provide customers with peace of mind, knowing they won’t have to redo the job in a few months, because they used the right product. Retailers have fewer headaches from complaints and are the heroes for their customers. And selling high-performance sealants results in higher profits for retailers! For more information on Sashco, call 800-767-5656 or visit www.sashco.com.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

By Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@nrha.org

How to Earn the Paint Sale Five Ways Munger Paint & Wallcovering Keeps Customers Coming Back

urt Munger knows that just being a retailer with a specialty paint store doesn’t mean he will get a flood of customers. He has to earn each customer’s business, every day. How he earns that business is different today than it was a few decades ago when his father, Marvin, opened Munger Paint & Wallcovering in Warr Acres, Oklahoma. In order to remain the retailer of choice, Curt and his father had to respond to the changing competitive landscape and do what they do best—provide good customer service. Here are a few of the ways they provide that service.

2. Offer Customers More

1. Talk Value, Not Price

3. Educate the Consumer... and the Pro

Munger Paint is within an easy drive from two bigbox home improvement stores and three specialty paint stores. Some of those retailers engage in price wars, but Curt Munger says advertising can be misleading, so it’s important for him to educate his customers. “It’s important to explain the differences in paint,” he says. “I need to explain why the most expensive can of paint at my store is higher than the most expensive can at the big-box. It all has to do with quality.” He’ll explain the different features of a premium paint, such as how much resin is in the paint versus water content. Customers need to know they may not be comparing similar products.

When Munger first entered the business, the professional painter was a fairly low-maintenance customer. Pros purchased a high volume of product and knew exactly what they needed to finish the job. That has been changing, he says. He’s seen more painters who are going pro, or hiring themselves out for work, when they only have a small amount of experience. “We spend almost as much time explaining to pros how to do something as we do our retail customers,” he says. Conversely, the typical walk-in consumer may already know a lot about the project they’re currently tackling.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

While Munger admits he’s scaled back his wallpaper sales since they peaked in the 1980s, he still keeps this niche because it remains a need among a segment of his customers. And, there are few other retailers that sell it. Keeping this important niche allows him to offer his customers more than the average paint store, which is why he’s added a few hardware items to the store. He carries items most paint stores don’t carry but which most painters need, such as light bulbs, hand tools and a few cleaning supplies.

Above: A wide selection of wallpaper has helped Munger Paint & Wallcovering diversify its customer base.

“Walk-in customers may actually be over-informed because of what they’ve found on the internet. They may need help sorting out what can sometimes be conflicting information about how to do something,” he says. Munger finds that helping customers gain first-hand knowledge helps, even if it means handing them a brush and opening up a can of paint so they can see how the paint applies.

Left: Marvin Munger (left) opened his store in the late ‘70s, and now operates the business with his son, Curt.

4. Service is More Important Than Ever With competition all around, Munger says it’s more important than ever to provide outstanding customer service. He wants every customer to get personal attention through every step of the process. “When you walk in our store, the same person will wait on you the entire time. All of our employees can mix paint, and everyone can work the cash register,” he says. “This allows employees more of an opportunity to establish a relationship with the customers.”

5. Don’t Try to Chase Everyone Sometimes, achieving success in selling paint means targeting a specific audience, and then finding the best way to meet their needs. Munger sells paint to anyone, but he doesn’t believe he needs to pursue the business of all customers in his market.

“The bulk of our sales go to contractors, but we’ve intentionally not chased the new home market,” he says. “That market typically offers low margins and requires little in the way of customer service.” He lets that business go to his competitors, as he would rather sell higher-quality products and maintain the store’s reputation for providing expert product knowledge.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

C O N G R A T S

Date: 5/10/17

Your Name $100,000

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National Hardware Show

Your Big Break The National Hardware Show® Will Give You $100,000 to Reimagine Retail

s an independent business owner, you know that the success or failure of your operation rests squarely on the shoulders of you and your staff. Unlike big corporations, you aren’t likely to be receiving much in the way of interest-free loans or grants, and as a family operation, it’s not like you can ask shareholders for additional capital for business improvements. But what if there was a way you could receive a one-time cash infusion of $100,000 that you

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

could invest in your business to take it to the next level? This kind of investment could help you completely reimagine your store, your business and your future. That’s exactly what the National Hardware Show® is hoping to do with its Reimagine Retail program, which launched in late February. “We know that independent retailers are resourceful, creative and determined,” says Rich Russo, vice president of the National Hardware Show. “We know that so much innovation comes from these independent small

business owners, and oftentimes, the one thing keeping them from dreaming about how to take their operations to the next level and actually being able to do it is access to capital. That’s where we can help.” According to Russo, the Reimagine Retail program isn’t just about helping one business succeed. Instead, the National Hardware Show team is hoping that the program will help highlight the ideas and dreams of independent home improvement retailers everywhere. “We want to hear from independent retailers about their ideas,” Russo says. “We want to award $100,000 to one of these retailers to help them realize their dreams, but we also want to share the stories of all these innovative retailers and the ways they would improve their operations and reimagine what independent home improvement retailing could look like.”

Helping Retailers Reimagine The idea for the Reimagine Retail program was born out of the National Hardware Show’s interactions with the thousands of independent home improvement retailers who come to the show every year. “We have gotten to know so many of these independent retailers, and we get to see firsthand how they are already innovating their operations and exploring design concepts, retail technologies and product categories that really push the envelope,” says Russo. “We want to be able to showcase this innovation, and the Reimagine Retail program will help us do that, while at the same time providing us a way to give back to the industry.” Entering the Reimagine Retail program is simple. Retailers can go to nationalhardwareshow.com/reimagine-retail and submit a 500-word description highlighting exactly how they would improve their business if they were given $100,000. The National Hardware Show will be looking for projects that focus on four key business improvement areas: • Store Design • Technology • Employee Improvement (training, retention or recruitment) • Products and Expanded Categories Together with the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and a panel of retail professionals, the National Hardware Show team will review the entries and determine which project is most worthy of winning $100,000. The finalists will be flown to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, and the winner will be announced during the show on Wednesday, May 10, during a special presentation that will take place on the NRHA Village Stage in the main concourse of the Las Vegas Convention Center. “We want to look at all the submissions and share some of the most creative ideas with the industry, so even retailers who don’t enter or don’t win will still be able to benefit from the program,” Russo adds. The National Hardware Show making this kind of investment in helping independent home improvement

retailers succeed says a lot about the show’s dedication to the channel, says Bob Cutter, NRHA chief operating officer. “Independent retailers account for more than half the sales of products flowing through the home improvement channel,” says Cutter. “The National Hardware Show recognizes how important these retailers are to the overall health and future of this industry. Not only have they worked to make the National Hardware Show more focused on meeting independents’ needs, but now, through the Reimagine Retail program, they are really making an investment in the success of these hardworking family businesses.” For Russo, the launch of the Reimagine Retail program is just the beginning of what he hopes will be a long-term commitment to helping independent retailers in this channel. “This is just the first year of the program, but we see this as something that will continue, and hopefully we can help multiple small businesses succeed through it—not just by awarding the prizes but also by sharing some of the innovative ideas that the program should help bring to light,” Russo says. “After all, the National Hardware Show has always been about driving innovation in the channel.” In fact, the National Hardware Show has been a fixture in the hardware and home improvement industry for more than 70 years. This year’s event will take place May 9-11 in Las Vegas. For more information about the National Hardware Show, visit nationalhardwareshow.com.

It Could Be You! The National Hardware Show® will be giving away $100,000 to one retail operation to invest in the future of their business through the Reimagine Retail program. To enter, visit nationalhardwareshow.com/ reimagine-retail and explain how $100,000 could help you improve your business in one of four key business improvement areas: store design; technology; employee improvement, including training, retention or recruitment; or products and expanded categories. Entries will be accepted until Friday, March 24, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Finalists will be notified by Friday, April 28, and will be flown to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, May 9-11. The grand prize winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 10, on the NRHA Village Stage at the National Hardware Show.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

By Dustin Kaehr, dk@dustinkaehr.com

Expert Perspective: Retail is...

Personnel W

hen you look throughout your store, one asset is clearly more important than all the others: your employees. Without them, it doesn’t matter how great the building looks, how well the store is merchandised or how much you have invested in technology. Your employees are the lifeblood of your organization, and without them, you’re doomed. The difference between a good or great busy Saturday can all come down to the workers you have in the store. Usually, finding people is not a problem. Now, finding good people? Well, that’s another story. If you happen to find some great employees, retaining them is something that can keep even the best retailers awake at night. If your people truly are your most important asset, how do you not only find the right ones, but make sure they stay for the long term, remain engaged and help move the organization forward? Whether you operate a hardware store, home center, lumberyard or similar type of company, and no matter if you like to hire high school students, retirees or former contractors looking for a change, there are three big ideas related to employee recruitment and retention you should embrace and could benefit from.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Stop Hiring, Start Recruiting If you have ever posted a help-wanted ad in a newspaper, you know what to expect—lots of poorly written and incomplete applications. My most recent favorite? On an application, where a potential employee was asked to answer the question “Why would you make a great employee?”, in all sincerity, the candidate wrote, “I know employees don’t give 100 percent at work. But, when I’m here, I’ll give you 40 percent, and you get all 40 percent.” If that makes you laugh and cry at the same time, you can see the issue with placing a help-wanted ad when you’re looking for quality employees. Instead of approaching the process as simply hiring, consider finding potential candidates by recruiting. In order to do this, you need to have a list of qualities you want in your employees. You need to know what is important to your store and find people who care about the same things. You can train your staff on product knowledge and proper processes, but you can’t teach work ethic and personality. When you see the qualities that make a great employee who’s a good fit for what your store needs, take action. If it’s the waitress at breakfast, leave her your card and tell her you’re always looking for great people like her to join your team.

“Recruit great people, get them to buy into a purpose bigger than themselves and empower them to make decisions.

”

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Don’t assume that just because someone appears to be happily employed, that they aren’t willing to have a conversation about a new career opportunity. Leaving your business card may not create an instant conversation with a potential candidate, but it may be something they will hold on to. They will remember being recognized for doing good work. And if that individual decides to leave their current job, you will be top of mind when they are ready.

Give Them a Purpose People will only work “for the money” for so long. Your employees want to know their

“We exist to provide a

world-class customer experience and help our neighbors solve their home improvement problems.

”

work matters. In order for this to happen, you have to help your staff members understand they are more than cashiers or the people who work in the plumbing department. They need to know what their purpose is while they are at work, and you can help them define it. Does your store have a mission statement? If not, it may be time to define one. “We exist to sell more stuff than we did last year” is not a mission statement. Your mission statement should put words to the purpose of your business. This statement should clarify why you do what you do. “We exist to provide a world-class customer experience and help our neighbors solve their home improvement problems.” That’s a statement full of purpose. Once you know your purpose, clearly and passionately communicate it to your employees so they can embrace it. When people have purpose, they act passionately. They take things personally. While they may not have ownership of the store, they will embrace the idea of being great stewards of your company and live out its purpose.

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Don’t Just Train, Empower Many retailers train employees well, and there are numerous tools available to help, including great resources from the North American Retail Hardware Association. However, training is only one piece of the puzzle. Empowering well-trained employees is a step many retailers miss. Training employees ensures you can run a great operation. Empowering employees ensures they can run a great operation. See the difference? If you find your employees are always bothering you with questions that you think they should be able to answer on their own, perhaps they aren’t feeling empowered. If you find yourself giving employees directions because they’re hesitant on what to do, they probably don’t feel empowered to make decisions. What are the two most likely reasons employees aren’t empowered? Perhaps you, the business owner, feel the need to be involved in every decision, every time. Secondly, maybe employees are not encouraged to make decisions, and they’re nervous to make a bad choice that will get them in trouble.

When a task doesn’t fit an employee’s training or job description, they will look at a duty that obviously needs to be done by someone and say with confidence the words unempowered employees say all the time: “It’s not my job.” When you recruit great people, get them to buy into a purpose bigger than themselves and empower them to make decisions. If you do this, you will find yourself with a store full of the strongest, most confident and loyal employees you’re ever had. Dustin Kaehr is a retail consultant with over 17 years of experience working with independent retailers, national retail chains and small businesses. He will present a keynote called “Customers Uncensored: What They Wish You Knew” at the NRHA All-Industry Conference, held in conjunction with the National Hardware Show®, May 9-11 in Las Vegas. Learn more about Dustin at dustinkaehr.com.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Continuing a Legacy of Kindness Phillips Hardware Has a Long History of Giving and Adapting By Kate Klein, kklein@nrha.org

fire on Christmas Day destroyed a Phillips Hardware employee’s apartment building, and his co-workers were quick to help. The staff from the Waterford, New York, store used social media to let customers know the 18-year-old employee’s family had lost everything. They asked for donations of money, blankets and clothing. The family needed to pay a deposit and rent for a new apartment and buy groceries, gasoline and medicine. Within two weeks, the employees had raised about $3,500, and stockpiled supplies for the family at the store. That prompt action and generosity reflect what owner Jon Phillips believes makes his 131-year-old business successful. “My passion is social work. It’s service,” Jon Phillips says. “The business is a means of doing what my real passion is.” He encourages his employees to be community servants, not just people who do their work and go home with paychecks, he says. He strives to create that service culture in all five of his stores, which are located in Altamont, Delmar, Schenectady, Voorheesville and Waterford, New York. That doesn’t mean Jon isn’t an ambitious businessman, but he has more dominant priorities. Prioritizing public service is his hallmark, and he is building on a family legacy of kindness. “Our philosophy has really been to help whoever

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

we can help,” Jon’s father, Abbott Phillips, says. Customers remember Abbott’s father, who owned the business before him, for his kindness. “People say, ‘Your father was a real gentleman,’” Abbott says. “That’s what our inheritance is.”

Building an even stronger serving culture reflects Jon’s personality and values, which have helped shape the company since he joined it in 1991. “At this point in my life, it’s most important how my kids view me and how my community views me,” Jon says. “It’s more about the social impact.”

Successful for Over a Century

Jon Phillips cuts a ribbon to celebrate opening a new Carhartt clothing department at one his stores and launching a program to help inner city youth.

Jon has mostly bought out his father’s stake in the family business, but Abbott still works and talks to him daily about how operations are going. “Whatever he suggests, I basically agree with him,” Abbott says. “As good as I thought I was at his age, I believe he’s 10 times better than I was.” Abbott has supported the many changes his son has led, including switching hardware cooperatives three times and updating the company’s business model. “He’s asking, ‘Where are we going? That’s cool. Have you thought about this?’” Jon says of his father. “He’s excited to see where I take the company next to bring his grandchildren in.” Phillips Hardware has survived two world wars, the Great Depression, recessions and the entrance of big-box businesses like Home Depot and Lowe’s.

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Adaptation over more than a century has kept the business successful over time, with people coming first and sales staying secondary. “A lot of people in the community respect us, respect the business,” Jon says. “You do business for the right reason and hope you earn the right income.” Jon is the fifth-generation owner of the company, which his great-great grandfather Teddy Phillips started in 1886 after emigrating from Russia to the U.S. The Phillips family’s first store started out as a locksmith shop that also sold parts for steam-powered machinery. By the 1920s, Phillips Hardware focused more on hardware merchandise and still offered locksmith services. In the 1970s and 1980s, Abbott led the company’s expansion into multiple locations. He bought out other local hardware store owners to grow the company. Now, Jon is diversifying the company with other businesses. For example, Phillips Hardware now owns mixed-use buildings that house hardware stores as well as other tenants. And he is working toward constructing a sports facility for activities such as indoor soccer. Jon is also designing the first ground-up Phillips Hardware location, which will feature the company’s first gas station.

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Phillips Hardware owners Jon Phillips (left) and his father, Abbott Phillips, receive a community service award.

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Jon Phillips (second from right) poses for a picture with his nephew, sons and the Phillips Hardware mascot at a 5K race sponsored by his business.

“In 26 years, I’ve never gotten to build what I want a store to be,” Jon says. “It will have a Phillips Hardware museum, but also have a flavor of it being modernized and a cool place to shop for this day and age.” He’s also always looking for ways to improve the existing stores, and has expanded niche product areas, such as Carhartt clothing and Stihl power tools. Abbott supports Jon’s approach to giving generously without monetary gain in mind, valuing family and emphasizing business adaptation. Abbott also believes in keeping promises to customers, even if doing so might lose the business some money, he says. Those family values have earned the company respect and loyal shoppers, Abbott says.

A Serving Culture In addition to running the business and planning ways to expand and diversify, Jon keeps a crammed schedule of volunteer activities. He leads by example when he encourages employees to serve their communities.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

He coaches multiple children’s sports teams and is active in his local chamber of commerce. He has also poured money and volunteer time into organizations, including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and sports program for injured military veterans and special needs athletes. In addition, Jon works with local police departments to build relationships with urban teens and teach them basic skills to help them find jobs. He conducts practice job interviews with the teens and reinforces the importance of simple things like a firm handshake and eye contact. He also takes the children’s sports teams he coaches out volunteering, encouraging them to help with Special Olympics events and run the bases with special needs baseball teams.

“If you don’t push things, it’s more natural,” he says. “I don’t want to make them be me. I wasn’t my father. I grew the company because I had a community mindset. I want to open my kids up to other avenues. If they bring back other things to our business, it will help us stay around for another generation.”

The Next Generation Jon thinks each of his five children may end up bringing unique skillsets back to the business, after they have first gone out into the world to try other careers. His kids range in age from 8 to 21. All them have shown interest in Phillips Hardware, but Jon isn’t pushing any of them to commit to taking over when he’s ready to retire.

Jon Phillips (far right) and his wife Amy (far left) unload supplies for Hurricane Sandy victims with their children Tyler, Connor, Morgan, Lindsey and Dylan.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Quick Tips for Snapchat Success Engaging Your Customers in 10 Seconds or Less sk the next 20-something-year-old who walks into your store about their morning routine. They’ll likely say they check social media, and Snapchat is probably part of the mix. What is Snapchat? In basic terms, Snapchat is a smartphone app that allows users to share photos or videos with followers. Content can be customized with filters or by writing text or drawing on the image. Users can send one-on-one snaps, which followers can view only once, or they can share content through Snapchat Stories, which can be replayed multiple times and are viewable by all followers. On Snapchat, all content is temporary, allowing users to share new photos and videos each day. The Snapchat Stories feature creates a compilation of photos and videos that appear in chronological order as a narrative. When a user posts content to their Snapchat Story, their followers can view it for 24 hours before it disappears.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Why is Snapchat important to retailers? According to Snapchat, 100 million people use the app each day. Forty-one percent of those users are adults ages 18 to 34. More than 10 billion videos are viewed on the platform every single day. Retailers can use Snapchat to reach a younger customer demographic innovatively and in the moment. You may already be using photo- and videosharing platforms that reach this demographic, like Facebook and Instagram. However, Snapchat is a growing platform. When it comes to social media marketing, business owners should be present on the mediums their customers are actively using.

How do you get started? 1. Download the free Snapchat app on your smartphone. 2. Create an account for your business. 3. Follow the eight tips on the next page to launch and master Snapchat.

Followers

Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat does not recommend accounts for users to follow based on interests or other activity. Therefore, you need to build your follower base by cross promoting content on your other social media profiles or through in-store signage and promotion. One way to boost your follower count is to host a sale that requires your customers to follow you on Snapchat in order to get the deal.

New Products

When you get new, exciting products in your store, share with your Snapchat followers first. Post photos or videos of the product coming out of the box on your story, or post a video of your employees or customers using the new product. If you have a popular item that’s flying off the shelves, use Snapchat to keep your customers in the loop in real-time when you’re restocking the shelves.

DIY Project Demos

Use stories to educate your customers on common DIY projects. Post a series of videos that show your employees completing a project step-by-step, along with an explanation of the products needed to complete the project. Additionally, follow up the project series by answering questions that customers frequently ask regarding the specific project.

Special Offers

Reward your followers for their engagement by offering them incentives. For example, consider a giveaway to the first 20 followers to respond to a video on your Snapchat Story. To convert followers into customers, offer a 10 percent discount to anyone who mentions your Snapchat account at the register on a certain day. This could encourage your followers to remain engaged.

Behind the Scenes

Give your followers a peek at what goes on behind the scenes at your store. Snap a video of the delivery truck coming in, share your adventures at a buying market or highlight your staff setting up a display after hours. Snapchat is a great tool for connecting with your customers on a more personal level. Sharing behind-the-scenes content gives your brand a personality and makes your business more relatable to your customers.

Partner With Local Influencers

Customers trust the opinions of people they recognize and admire. Have a local celebrity like a politician, athlete or radio or television personality come into your store and take over your Snapchat for a day. This person could go around your store picking out favorite products. This can help you gain rapport with your Snapchat followers and create legitimacy around your brand.

Highlight In-Store Events

Hosting an annual sale or community event? Get your customers excited beforehand by sharing photos and videos of the event prep. Then, give your followers a play-by-play at the actual event. Seeing the excitement in real time may convince your followers to attend a future event or even stop by your event that day.

Keep It Fun

Snapchat is unique because it allows for lighthearted and casual social media interactions with customers. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Try out different types of content to see what works for your followers. Don’t be afraid to post goofy snaps of the store owner telling a joke or the store pet doing a silly trick. Also, be sure to experiment with Snapchat’s many funky filters during the editing process.

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Newsmakers

To Fight Terrorism, ‘Be Observant’

n mid-September, three men entered Lyell Crest True Value and bought pipe caps, pipe nipples, cable ties, roofing nails, electrical tape, timers, wooden matches and wire. At the checkout counter, the trio asked the cashier if the store carried fertilizer. “They said ‘we need a lot of fertilizer,’” says Jack Cardillo, who owns the store in Rochester, New York. “Everyone I’ve told this story to, their eyebrows go up at that point.” The cashier gave the customers directions to the local lawn and garden store for fertilizer. They paid for $125 worth of merchandise in cash and left the store. Less than an hour later, three plainclothes officers with guns and badges came into the store and asked to speak to Cardillo in private. The three customers also returned to the store a few minutes later to join the conversation. All six people were members of the joint terrorism task force from the Department of Homeland Security that monitors and investigates potential terrorist activity throughout the country. “Fortunately, this wasn’t a sting operation. It was just an informational visit,” Cardillo says. “We shut down the store for a few minutes and had a meeting. They weren’t trying to arrest anyone or penalize the store at all. They were just trying to raise awareness about people who come into stores and buy products that can be used to make bombs and other types of weapons.” Just two weeks before the incident, a uniformed New York state trooper had visited the store with a brochure about the Department of Homeland Security’s See Something, Say Something campaign as part of a regular canvass promoting the program. The Department of Homeland Security launched the campaign in 2010 to combine the efforts of federal and local law enforcement with local communities. The campaign encourages retailers across several industries to watch for and report suspicious activity or questionable purchases. See Something, Say Something Federal agencies recommend retailers watch for customers who buy items listed here, especially in large quantities or if customers aren’t specific about how the items will be used.

• Pool sanitizers • Cleaning products with hydrogen peroxide or strong acids • Solvents with acetone or benzene • Fertilizer • Batteries • Steel or PVC pipes, pressure cookers or tool boxes

Upcoming Events March 2-4 Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo Atlanta

16-18 Ace Hardware Spring 2017 Convention & Exhibits Atlanta

17-18 Blish-Mize Spring 2017 Buying Market Overland Park, Kansas

18-21 International Home + Housewares Show Chicago

April 1-4 Home Hardware Market St. Jacobs, Ontario

May 9-11 National Hardware Show® and NRHA All-Industry Conference Las Vegas

19-22 While Cardillo wishes he had been more proactive after that initial visit from the state trooper, he recognized the learning experience that resulted from the situation. “It would have been smart to get their license plate and call them in, but now we know what to look for,” he says. Cardillo has made an effort to continue educating his staff and getting them the information they need to be prepared. The task force left their contact information, which Cardillo photocopied and had his employees add to their cell phones. He also circulated the brochure from the state trooper and had each employee sign off that they had reviewed the information. Cardillo’s advice to other retailers is simple. “Be observant,” he says. “Have a system in place to alert other team members so you can get a license plate or a description. We make a store announcement saying ‘customer assistance in aisle 20.’ We don’t have an aisle 20, so it gets employees’ attention.” The safety of store employees and other customers is key in these situations, he says. “Don’t confront them; don’t do anything suspicious,” says Cardillo. To learn more, visit dhs.gov/See-Something-Say-Something or contact your local Department of Homeland Security office.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Do it Best Spring Market Indianapolis

June 15-17 House-Hasson Hardware Dealer Market Sevierville, Tennessee Find more details about these events and others online at TheRedT.com/calendar. To have your event added, contact Kate Klein at kklein@nrha.org.

Bring your ideas to the table. NRHA creates opportunities for conversations between independent home improvement retailers of all affiliations and sizes, so you can share your ideas and learn new ones from a variety of industry professionals.

Newsmakers

Home Depot Turns to Wind Farm for Renewable Energy

Sears Spinoff Building Relationships With Independents

The Home Depot is making major moves toward sustainability through a recent investment in a Texas wind farm. TheRedT.com/home-depot-energy

Sears Holdings Corp. may be struggling financially, but its spinoff, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, is growing with the help of independent retailers. TheRedT.com/sears-hometown

Walmart Makes Changes to Free Shipping Policy Walmart is ending its free shipping subscription program ShippingPass in favor of a free two-day shipping policy for purchases of $35 or more for all customers. TheRedT.com/walmart-shipping

Exclusive: Target Talks Open House Relaunch Target relaunched its smart home concept store on Feb. 10 based on feedback from consumers and smart home product entrepreneurs. TheRedT.com/target-open-house

Amazon’s Voice-Activation System Becoming Standard in Appliances Smart appliances with built-in voice activation are becoming standard for many manufacturers, and Amazon’s voice-activated smart home assistant Alexa is the system of choice. TheRedT.com/amazon-appliances

Target CEO: Strong Online Sales Didn’t Help Overall Sales Target Corp. recently announced overall comparable sales fell 1.3 percent

in November and December from a year ago, even though digital sales grew 30 percent during the same time frame. TheRedT.com/target-online-sales

How Home Depot Analyzes and Uses Customer Data A Home Depot executive at the National Retail Federation’s annual convention discussed how the big-box retailer uses data to better target its advertising and marketing efforts. TheRedT.com/home-depot-data

Walmart to Add 10K Retail Jobs in the U.S. Walmart plans to add 10,000 retail jobs in the U.S. within the next year as part of its plan to build, expand or relocate 59 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores and distribution centers. TheRedT.com/walmart-retail-jobs

AD INDEX

Abatron ................................................................. 90 www.abatron.com; 800-445-1754

Flame Engineering................................................... 91 www.flameeng.com; 800-255-2469

Red Devil .............................................................. 39 www.reddevil.com; 800-423-3845

Ace Hardware ....................................................... 51 www.myace.com; 630-990-6900

Franmar ................................................................... 88 www.franmar.com; 800-538-5069

Red Lion ............................................................... 40 www.redlionproducts.com; 844-250-4981

Ajax Wire Specialty Co.......................................... 31 www.ajaxwire.com; 855-966-2529

Hardware Retailing Newsletter ................................. 97 www.hardwareretailing.com/subscribe

Re-Grip (A Division of Preval)................................ 43 www.re-grip.com; 800-607-8931

Allway Tools ...................................................... 37, 69 www.allwaytools.com; 800-422-5592

Hero......................................................................... 73 www.hero.ca; 604-522-6543

S-Line by Ancra International ................................ 35 www.ancra.com; 800-626-8353

Amteco ................................................................. 84 www.usetwp.com; 800-969-4811

Howard Products Inc............................................... 20 www.howardproducts.com; 800-266-9545

Sashco ...................................................... IFC, 76-77 www.sashco.com; 800-767-5656

Calico Brands Inc. ................................................. 21 www.calicobrands.com; 800-544-4837

Hy-Ko ....................................................................... 65 www.hy-ko.com; 800-292-0550

SaundersMidwest................................................. 34 www.midwestproducts.com; 800-348-3497

Century Brass Plumbing ....................................... 74 www.luminance.us.com; 800-794-0224

IPG............................................................................. 5 www.itape.com; 888-898-7834

Sears Hometown Store ........................................ 72 www.OwnASearsStore.com

Channellock Inc....................................................... 1 www.channellock.com; 800-724-3018

Jack Links................................................................ 85 www.jacklinks.com; 715-466-2234

ShurTech Brands LLC.............................................. 19 www.frogtape.com; 800-321-1733

Char-Broil .............................................................. 30 www.charbroil.com; 866-239-6777

Master Magnetics Inc. ............................................ 32 www.magnetsoure.com; 888-293-9190

Starrett.................................................................... 7 www.starrett.com; 888-674-7443

Cole’s Wild Bird .................................................... 49 www.coleswildbird.com; 877-426-8882

Midwest Fastener................................................. 41 www.fastenerconnection.com; 800-444-7313

Sunnyside Corporation.......................................... 64 www.sunnysidecorp.com; 800-323-8611

Convenience Products .......................................... 89 www.touch-n-foam.com/pest; 800-325-6180

MiTek USA Inc. ....................................................... 59 www.mitek-us.com; 314-434-1200

SureCan USA ................................................... 56-57 www.surecanusa.com; 801-827-0500

Delta Faucet..................................................... 24-25 www.deltafaucet.com; 800-345-3358

National Hardware Show ...................................... 53 www.nationalhardwareshow.com

The Grommet Wholesale................................. 44-45 wholesale.thegrommet.com; 844-244-4486

Diamond Brite....................................................... 33 www.diamondbritepaint.com; 773-254-7600

No-Spill Inc....................................................... 12-13 www.nospill.com; 913-888-9200

True Value......................................................... 9, 11 www.truevaluecompany.com; 888-291-7229

Do it Best Corp. ................................................ 3, 23 www.independentsdoitbest.com; 888-364-8237

NRHA All-Industry Conference..............................BC www.nrhaconference.com

Wallace Hardware................................................. 29 www.wallacehardware.com; 800-776-0976

Dutton-Lainson Company........................................ 97 www.dutton-lainson.com; 402-462-4141

NRHA Membership............................................... 95 www.nrha.org/membership

Warner..................................................................... 42 www.warnertool.com; 800-444-0606

Echo Valley .............................................................. 18 www.echovalley.com; 800-592-9678

Old Masters .......................................................... 75 www.myoldmasters.com; 800-747-3436

Whink Products Company....................................... 31 www.whink.com; 800-247-5102

Epicor....................................................................... 17 www.epicor.com; 888-463-4700

Orgill Inc. ......................................................100-IBC www.orgill.com; 800-347-2860

Wooster Brush Company...................................... 67 www.woosterbrush.com; 800-392-7246

Fiskars Brands Inc. ............................................ 15, 71 www.fiskars.com; 866-348-5661

PRO Hardware ...................................................... 61 www.prohardware.com; 303-792-3000

*This index is provided for the convenience of our advertisers and readers. The Publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

Lowe’s Reducing Its Workforce Lowe’s has plans for laying off and changing job descriptions for thousands of people in its workforce, which will affect about 3,000 employees, or about 1 percent of its workforce. TheRedT.com/lowes-workforce

Walmart to Cut Corporate Jobs Walmart announced 1,000 jobs in human resources, technology and e-commerce would be eliminated by the end of January, one of the retailer’s largest corporate cuts. TheRedT.com/walmart-job-cuts

CANADA Ace Canada Eliminates Spring Show, Offers Online Alternatives Ace Canada has cancelled its Spring Buying Show in Winnipeg this year. Instead, the hardware wholesaler, which is a division of Lowe’s Canada,

will offer dealers the opportunity to make their bookings online, including special promotions, pallet offers, vendor specials and extended dating for their fall and winter seasonal needs.

Lowe’s Introduces 2-Percent Deduction off Invoices, Causing Concern Among Vendors Lowe’s Canada is looking for ways to save money and invest in the consolidation of its business following the acquisition of RONA last year. But its latest move has sent a chill through the vendor community. A letter was sent out to vendors, addressing the company’s efforts to combine the Lowe’s and RONA businesses and to enhance its stores to drive sales. It then goes on to ask the vendors themselves to support the costs attached to growing the Canadian business by accepting a 2-percent discount on all invoices.

Make Mondays Matter

Operational Tips

Castle Continues to Grow Castle Building Centres Group continues to grow its ranks, as its mandate to leave member-dealers to operate under their own banners in their own markets resonates for independents. The banner’s half-dozen new stores hail from Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia. For the full story of each of these briefs, visit hardlines.ca/hardwareretailing.

…Our commitment to helping you increase proﬁts!

New Products

Start your week off right with the Hardware Retailing newsletter, which is packed with the latest industry news, retailer stories and association updates. Sign up now to get the newsletter delivered to your inbox every Monday.

Canada’s international trade regulator has upheld complaints made by domestic drywall manufacturers about the dumping of U.S. gypsum in the Western provinces. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal found the dumping injurious to the domestic industry and recommended imposing final duties, putting an end to the provisional duties that have been collected to date.

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D-L Brake Winches

Industry News

CITT Upholds Gypsum Tariff, Stands by Dumping Ruling

Ag-Industrial Jacks

To subscribe to the newsletter, visit hardwareretailing.com/subscribe.

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March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Last Word

Through the Eyes of a Shoplifter

n the June 1968 issue of the magazine, then-managing editor John J. Sullivan tried his hand at shoplifting from a few independent stores, just to see how easy it was to get merchandise past the sales register. He didn’t have much trouble. With prior permission from the owners, he hit six stores in and around one city in one weekend, for a total of almost $250 worth of merchandise in about an hour—more than $1,700 today. Then-editor Bob Vereen got in on the experiment too, taking nearly $25 worth of merchandise in about 10 minutes from one store. The point wasn’t, of course, to steal product from hardworking, honest hardware retailers. It was to show how easy it was to do so. On Page 46, we talk about the importance of loss prevention and steps retailers can take to deter shoplifters from their stores. Take a look to find tips to help you tighten security in your business. For a quick checklist you can share with your employees to make sure everyone is working to improve store security, visit nrha.org/freetraining and download our Loss Prevention Checklist.

Security Mirrors Didn’t Stop Sullivan In the story, Sullivan asks, “What’s the message from all this?” The message, he says, wasn’t to complain about careless employees or a faulty store layout. Instead, he said, “I’m telling it the way it is.” He wrote that while shoplifting cannot be completely stopped, it may be possible to find ways to make your store less attractive to shoplifters. “Alert, trained, conscientious and courageous employees are part of the answer,” he wrote. “Some of the people in the stores I visited suspected me, some might have even seen me pocket items. But no one stopped me. “So-called ‘security mirrors’ don’t help the retailer, in my opinion, as much as the shoplifter,” he wrote. “I could use the mirrors to see if someone was watching me just as well as the employee could use them to keep an eye on me, and I could do it better because I had no distractions from other customers.” It all comes down to customer service. While you can’t completely prevent shoplifting in your store, exceptional customer service can make it more difficult for a shoplifter to be successful.

John J. Sullivan, then-managing editor of Hardware Retailing, stole two lawn mowers and several other products during a shoplifting experiment.

HARDWARE RETAILING | March 2017

A Store-By-Store Look at John’s Shoplifting Spree Store 1 Items Stolen Worth About $19.00

Store 2 Items Stolen Worth About $20.00

• Travel Iron • Electric Trimmer

• Socket Wrench • Pliers

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

15 Minutes $19.00

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

35 Minutes $39.00

Store 4 Items Stolen Worth About $110.00

Store 3 Items Stolen Worth About $69.00

• • • • •

• Wrenches • Tape Ruler • Lawn Mower

Hammer Faucet Aerator Box of Rivets Wristwatch Band Electric Lawn Mower

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

52 Minutes $218.00

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

42 Minutes $108.00

Store 5 Items Stolen Worth About $18.00

Store 6 Items Stolen Worth About $7.00

• Paint Brush • Push Drill

• Wrenches

*Switched price tags and paid $7.95 for a $13.95 drill.

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

54 Minutes $236.00

Estimated Time Spent

minutes

Running Total

64 Minutes $243.00

March 2017 | HARDWARE RETAILING

Roy Mason Race Brothers Farm & Home Supply Missouri

We were working on improving our margins, and we decided Orgill would give us a better opportunity to do that.

It’s About the Relationships “Orgill Just Wants Us To Succeed.”

Success

Help Growing

“Orgill helps us with the management of our business.

“Orgill’s Smart Start and Market Driven Retailing analysis

They’re not dictating what we do. They’re trying to be

have been very powerful programs for us. They’ve helped

an integral part of our business’ success.”

us identify where we could raise prices and needed to cut prices to build sales and we have still seen margins increase

Personal Touches

in certain categories.”

“They’re people-driven. Their values lined up with ours. When we were invited to go to the first

Support

Orgill show, we knew more of the Orgill staff within

“An Orgill representative visits the store weekly and is always

the first three hours than with our previous supplier in

available by phone, offering new product recommendations

25 years.”

and helping us with anything that might arise.”

2017 NRHA ALL-INDUSTRY CONFERENCE