Issuu

Starting Strong

Ace Hardware South Fulton Opens to Serve a Community in Lockdown

Page 32

Page 42

The 4 Steps to Project Management Success

How to Source and Sell Local Products

Page 54

MARCH SPONSOR

Starting Strong

Ace Hardware South Fulton Opens to Serve a Community in Lockdown

Page 32

Page 42

The 4 Steps to Project Management Success

How to Source and Sell Local Products

Page 54

A CUSTOMIZED APPROACH

STOCKED AND LOADED

FILL YOUR SHELVES WITH THE MOST RELIABLE PEST CONTROL IN RETAIL

The Antidote for Ants RESCUE!® Ant Baits

When customers come rushing this spring, make sure you have an arsenal of RESCUE!® products to offer. For insects of all kinds, offer the full line of USA-made baits, repellents and traps that are free of harsh chemicals. Visit Rescue.com/BookNow for more information.

CONNECTIONS Follow Us Online

HEADQUARTERS

136 N. Delaware St. #200 Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400

NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org

OUR MISSION

The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.

NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Daniel Harris, Palos Ace Hardware, Palos Heights, Illinois; Lemont Ace Hardware, Lemont, Illinois

EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN

Jared Smith, Jared’s Ace Hardware, Bishopville, South Carolina

DIRECTORS

Craig Bond, Tommy’s Paint Pot, Eugene, Oregon

David Dishke, Grand River Home Hardware, Caledonia, Ontario

Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio

Ryan Ringer, Gold Beach Lumber Yard Inc., Gold Beach, Oregon

Jackie Sacks, Round Top Mercantile Co., Round Top, Texas

Matt Woods, Woods Hardware, Cincinnati, Ohio

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Bob Cutter, NHPA President and CEO

STATE & REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

MIDWEST HARDWARE ASSOCIATION

John Haka, 201 Frontenac Ave., P.O. Box 8033 Stevens Point, WI 54481-8033; 715-341-7100; 800-888-1817; Fax: 715-341-4080

NHPA CANADA

Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8

CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665

COMING IN APRIL

Key Retail Metrics

In 2021, every win counts. That’s why understanding the key retail metrics that define your business is critical. By evaluating certain core figures like conversion rate, total occupancy costs, employee productivity and marketing and loyalty program engagement, you can make informed decisions to bring about success. Next month in the magazine, explore the key retail metrics gaining more prominence among retailers and how regularly reviewing them could be one of your most important strategies for ongoing success.

Join Us for a Webinar “Exploring Key Retail Metrics” Featuring Dan Tratensek, NHPA and Jim Robisch, The Farnsworth Group Wednesday, March 17 Register at YourNHPA.org/webinars

Overcoming the Odds

Opening Ace Hardware

South Fulton during a pandemic was not part of the plan for owners Charlston Austin and Warren Pegram. However, the timing turned out to be right for two retailers to open an essential business and serve a community in quarantine.

Be a Project Whiz

Seeing a project from start to finish requires a well-defined strategy and keen leadership skills. Discover some project management best practices that will help you finish on time and on budget.

Counting on Power

Helping people in the market for power tools is all about project knowledge. We look at the data to get your team up to speed on how they can make the sale.

Selling Local

Locally made products add to your bottom line and support your local community. See how retailers source local items to connect with the community.

Home Connections

Learn the products and projects to suggest to help customers create comfortable and functional home offices and classrooms.

ON THE WEB

CONNECTIONS Stay Informed

There’s much more to discover from this month’s issue of Hardware Retailing. Visit hardwareretailing.com/march to read these articles and find new ways to drive your business.

Find More Stories Online

ASSOCIATION

Frontline Fortitude

Leaders from major home improvement companies and NHPA advocate for vaccinating essential home improvement workers. Read and share the letter now.

The First Step Forward

How well you’re organized will play a huge role in the success of any project your team undertakes. To enhance this month’s focus on improving project management skills, explore these practical resources to aid your planning process.

Online Instruments

With many project management software packages on the market, find out which is best for your team with a checklist of the pros and cons of some of the top-rated tools.

Extra Resources

If you want to learn more about project management methodology, start with these resources recommended by industry professionals.

Sample Project Plan

Starting out with a clear idea of your project’s scope is critical for a successful finish. Use this guide to make sure you’ve thoroughly outlined your plan.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Historic Sales for a Historic Year

Major home improvement chains are posting their 2020 financial returns, offering clear insight into the industry’s dynamic sales performance through a challenging year. Review financial statements from Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co. and more.

In its 2020 financial report, Tractor Supply confirms it’s seen three consecutive quarters of triple-digit e-commerce growth.

Source: Tractor Supply Co., FY 2020 Statement

Head to hardwareretailing.com/subscribe to sign up for newsletters on industry headlines, new products and more.

We manufacture a full line of Made in the U.S.A. products for your screen repair service, including

Phifer has special order and drop ship programs in place for all major wholesalers, buying groups and co-ops.

EDITORIALLY SPEAKING

CONNECTIONS

Send Melanie a Message mmoul@YourNHPA.org

Melanie Moul YourNHPA.org/es-pod

“It’s your responsibility to give your team the tools and knowledge they need to navigate customer service.”

Teach Your Children

TODDLERS. AM I RIGHT? Earlier this year, we surprised our two-year-old son with a post-Christmas gift, a tradition that will quickly disappear if we ever have another child. Really, this present was for us. We wanted to watch his eyes light up at the thing he never knew was the only thing he ever really wanted.

What’s that toy, you ask? A foam bowling set, with rocket ships as pins and balls that look like the moon and Earth. Theo has a special affinity for the blue rocket ship, and the worst thing that could ever happen to a toddler’s favorite toy happened this week. It was lost.

Now, any good editor would call me out on that phrasing, “it was lost.”

“Melanie, that’s passive voice. You’re removing the ownership of the action of losing the rocket ship. Who lost it?”

Well, I have a hard time saying my toddler lost it just because he put it some place no one could find it for 48 hours. But I also don’t want to take responsibility for the loss because I’m not the one who put it down and then couldn’t find it again. However, I suppose I am responsible for the wellbeing and care of my child, so until he knows better (or at least more fully develops his spatial memory), I’m the loser in this situation.

I don’t want you to have to call yourself a loser, so I’m here to relay some lessons you can take from this to hopefully avoid any situation that brings the dread of bedtime with a toddler whose favorite toy has disappeared into the abyss.

As Theo grows up, it’s my job to give him the tools and knowledge he needs to navigate the world. I’ll teach him to say “please” and “thank you” and that our favorite things should have a special place where we always put them when we’re done playing. In the home improvement retail environment, it’s your responsibility to give your team the tools and knowledge they need to navigate customer service. A key part of that is project and product knowledge.

In this month’s issue, you get a broad swath of these lessons, including project management best practices, leading your customer through a renovation project and selling skills for high-ticket items like power tools. Don’t lose out on these sales and skills because you didn’t prepare your team accordingly.

Oh, we found the rocket ship. In a lunchbox I haven’t touched in a year. Toddlers. Am I right?

Melanie Moul Managing Editor

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

CONNECTIONS Send Dan a Message

dant@YourNHPA.org

Dan Tratensek YourNHPA.org/tcb-pod

“The important thing to understand is that it is okay— healthy even—for you to admit you don’t know how to do something.”

Broadening Your Skill Set

FROM THE TIME I was about 12 years old, I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up. This was, of course, a different day and age, and along with my traditional childhood heroes like Ron Santo and Walter Payton, I would also include less common icons like Bob Woodward and Mike Royko in my preteen pantheon.

That’s right, I wanted to join the ranks of those ink-stained wretches who pounded away on their IBM Selectrics into the wee hours of the morning, all the while wearing a rumpled suit with a worn-out PRESS badge tucked into the lapel.

Eventually, I did become a journalist. In fact, that’s how I joined the North American Hardware and Paint Association, starting out writing features for this very magazine.

When I was promoted beyond my story writing days, it was expected that I would now perform duties like managing people and projects—things I never trained for and quite frankly had little idea how to do. I had to learn a lot about people and project management on the fly. As you can imagine, there could have been better ways for me to learn these skills than through trial and error.

I’d imagine many of you reading this column find yourselves in a similar situation. You were promoted to a position of authority because you did something well. Oftentimes that “something” you did well may or may not have any bearing on what you are asked to do now.

The important thing to understand is that it is okay—healthy even—for you to admit you don’t know how to do something, no matter your position or status.

In this issue of Hardware Retailing, we look at the concept of project management. Believe it or not, there are right and wrong ways to go about managing a project, and there are even professionals out there who specialize in best practices for project management.

So for all of you who may find yourselves having to direct, manage and perform tasks the 12-year-old you never would have imagined, I’d encourage you to take a look at our story starting on Page 42. Hopefully, you’ll pick up some pointers that can complement your other skills and support your team in a way that catching pop flies, fixing sinks or writing scintillating news stories just can’t.

Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operations Officer & Publisher

PRO•MASKBLUE® WITH CLEAN LINE TECHNOLOGY TAPE & PAINT

LIKE A PRO!

FEATURES & BENEFITS

• Designed for exposure to sunlight up to 14 Days

• Edge treated for clean, crisp paint lines

• Smooth backing for superior paint lines and reduced fingertip abrasion

• For use on lacquer or polyurethane coated surfaces, unfinished wood, wallpaper, or new, unpainted or painted wallboard

Introducing Our Full

At

We build for the builders. We make for the makers.

CONSTRUCTION

We innovate for the craftsman, those who accept only the very best.

In the recent decade Midwest entered the Construction Fastener business with our Midwest brand and the SaberDrive® brand. We are excited to announce, in 2021 we are re-launching our brands and launching new brands, with new items; Innovation across all construction fasteners.

BuildRight™ Replaces our Midwest brand – Quality products to complete your job, BuildRight™

SaberDrive Platinum™, premium and innovative. Certified tough – to ICC, ASTM, MCQ and ACQ standards*.

FASTENER PROGRAM

Better

tter

Tip™ Deck Screw

Cabinet Screws

Truss Wood Screws

Lag Screws

Ledger Screws

Timber Screws

Structural Screws

Apply Today

Visit YourNHPA.org/rmcp to apply or learn more about the Retail Management Certification Program.

Propel Your Store Profits

APPLY FOR THE RETAIL MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s (NHPA) Retail Management Certification Program prepares owners and key employees with profit-focused store operations training.

Cecilee Cochran Assistant Manager Grandview

Bleyhl Co-op GRANDVIEW, WA

Cochran graduated from the Retail Management Certification Program in January. She was an NHPA Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship recipient and her business improvement project on a centralized onboarding and training program was selected as the top presentation in her class.

“Participating in the RMCP Program has been an amazing and eye-opening experience,” she says.

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY for the upcoming class session is approaching. Here are five ways the program can help you develop in your career.

1. You’ll learn how to grow top-line sales and bottom-line profits. Retail Management Certification Program students learn key aspects of how to grow sales and profits, including:

• The incremental improvement process (and how little things add up) and the sales/profit equation.

• Loss prevention best practices that can add to the bottom line.

• Merchandising best practices and salesfloor layout strategies to drive sales of higher-margin items and projects.

• Training programs that help employees sell and increase customer satisfaction.

• Leadership topics that reduce turnover and drive employee engagement.

2. A return on investment (ROI) is built into the program.

Students work on a business improvement project and “quick wins” that can provide ROI that often exceeds the course tuition and travel expenses. On average, students earn five times the total tuition paid after implementing these components.

3. You can grow your network and resources.

Students build relationships with a network of high-achieving peers. Whether it’s an idea from a peer dinner or roundtable discussion, or referencing the extensive archive of past business improvement projects, students and sponsors gain access to expert resources.

4. It’s an opportunity to focus on new ideas.

Students travel to Indianapolis for three in-person course sessions where they are immersed in learning away from the day-to-day distractions of the business. They return energized with new ideas.

5. You can immediately apply what you learn.

Unlike other college-level programs, classes and assignments are based on what’s going on in your business today.

“It’s real-world education, where students apply what they learn in class to immediately benefit their business,” says Scott Wright, executive director of NHPA’s Advanced Training Programs. “Our students say that what they learn in each visit they take back and put into practice and see immediate improvements.”

Strength MATTERS.

3M ™ High Strength Large Hole Repair

Fix it, paint it and get on with the job. Makes repairs fast with no shrinking, cracking or sagging on holes up to 5". Fiber reinforced to be two times stronger*, so it holds up to your high standards. Because your work demands our best.

built to perform

CONNECTIONS

Check Your Email

Confirm your email preferences by visiting YourNHPA.org/subscribe.

Webinars to Watch

Reserve your seat for upcoming live webinars or view past webinars at YourNHPA.org/webinars

Past Webinar

Leading Through Change

Featured Webinar

Key Retail Metrics

MARCH 17 AT 2 P.M.

Key metrics are gaining prominence among high-performance retailers. Learn how to evaluate the success of your business by unlocking insight into employee productivity, marketing and more.

Podcasts to Play

Subscribe or listen to podcasts at YourNHPA.org/podcasts

“If the employer is going to mandate the COVID vaccine [to enter the workplace], you have to take into account possible accommodations for medical issues or sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Taking Care of Business

EPISODE 35

Dan talks to legal expert Mick Terrell to gain insight into what employers need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Half the time we’re really not selling hardware as much as we are selling time, because most of the people we are dealing with have way more money than they do time.”

Tell Me More...

EPISODE 27

Renee chats with father-son duo Jim and Andy Wilkerson of Blackhawk Hardware in Charlotte, North Carolina.

FEBRUARY

Retailers who take on projects in their businesses are often initiating changes. Discover how to manage change and the leadership skills needed for success.

Upcoming Webinar

How to Lead Diverse

Teams

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21 AT 2 P.M.

Does your team reflect the diversity of the community you serve? This webinar covers hiring practices and the steps you can take in your business.

“We don’t want to have a competition between stores. We wanted a team approach to this. If we decide to expand again, that’s something we want to continue.”

Editorially Speaking

EPISODE 9

Melanie talks to Mike Kokesh about his experience opening a second location for his store, Gopher Ace Hardware.

3M ™ Ultra Durable Sanding Discs

3M™ Ceramic Precision Shaped Grain Technology takes on tough surfaces and keeps on going. Cuts fast and lasts long for removing, leveling and finishing. Quick attachment and easy removal with universal hole pattern for random orbital sanding tools. Premium abrasives that last from one job to the next.

built to perform

Stock these 3M products for pros in your store.

ASSOCIATION

Explore Business Services

Save time and money with NHPA’s business service resources. Visit YourNHPA.org/business-services.

Attract Employees With Affordable Health Insurance

DID YOU KNOW?

The NHPA Health Insurance Program offers a discount dental plan. NHPA members enjoy a 30 percent discount at a monthly rate of $6.95 (for families or individuals) with a one-time joiner fee of $9.95. This dental plan is a voluntary benefit that can be billed to employees directly.

For information about the NHPA Health Insurance Program, visit YourNHPA.org/health-insurance.

AFFORDABLE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE

can help you attract and retain employees for your small business. This is particularly important during a pandemic and what has turned out to be a busy and competitive time in the industry. Have you taken a recent look at your benefits?

The NHPA Health Insurance Program, managed by Custom Benefits Insurance Group Inc., is a group health insurance plan that allows independent operators to access benefits at lower rates due to the volume of retailers who participate in the nationwide program.

Build Up Your Team

“We are finding more and more hardware stores are taking a look at benefits and seeing what they can do to improve their benefits packages,” says Bob Chiesa, president and CEO of Custom Benefits Insurance Group. “It costs nothing to take a look at insurance, no matter if you have an existing insurance policy or you do not currently offer insurance to your employees. It’s an easy process with a very quick turnaround—give us a call.”

To speak with a member of the Custom Benefits Insurance Group team, call 888-201-7408.

Find the group activity sheet “Role Playing With DiSC” at YourNHPA.org/trainers-toolbox

WHEN THERE’S CONFLICT IN THE RANKS , or it just doesn’t seem like everyone is playing on the same team, you may look for a way to draw your employees back together. Help your team members understand each other’s unique personalities with the Everything DiSC® assessment. This tool measures four basic styles of behavioral preferences and styles of engaging with other people.

Once everyone in a group understands their dominant behavioral traits, they have a foundation for implementing best practices to enhance communication and collaboration among the team. Better teamwork will result in a stronger company culture and operation. NHPA offers retailers three different options for taking the DiSC assessment. After everyone on your team takes the assessment, NHPA will create a personalized webinar to help you get the most out of your results. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/team-training

You can also reinforce what you’ve learned from the DiSC assessment with a brand new Trainer’s Toolbox, “Role Playing With DiSC.” This activity offers a chance for employees to role play different DiSC styles so they can learn more about communicating with other team members who have different styles than their own.

ONE BATTERY. MULTIPLE TOOLS. REAL BENEFITS. Legendary STIHL performance in an easy-to-use battery platform — and now built right here in America*. One battery. Multiple tools. And the power to boost your bottom line.

Explore Market Data

Get more home improvement sales data at hardwareretailing.com/2021-momentum

Top 5 DIY Projects in 2020

Building outdoor living structures

A Year of Growth

UNCOVERING 2020’S MOST POPULAR DIY PROJECTS

LAST YEAR WAS UNQUESTIONABLY a year of sales momentum for independent home improvement retailers. New insight from Home Innovation Retail Labs pinpoints specifically which projects grew in popularity from 2019 to 2020 as millions of North American families spent more time at home. Featuring input from 110,000 respondents, Home Innovation Research Labs’ 2021 Consumer Practices Survey reveals the top trends that emerged from 2020. Explore the data as you prepare to continue strong sales in 2021.

3 Tips to Maintain the

Upscale outdoor living sales.

Momentum

The top five most popular projects all involve outdoor living . As 2021 progresses, DIYers who invested in outdoor living projects in 2020 will look to refine those areas this year. Bolster your outdoor furniture and cooking promotions to meet their needs.

Promote exterior improvements.

One of the most popular areas of spending was in home exteriors . Be sure to promote the easy upkeep of siding, the energy-saving potential of new windows and durable roofing options for homeowners to improve their properties.

2. Help DIYers keep home comfortable.

Other product categories showing sales strength throughout the year were paint, cabinet and flooring sales . As customers spend more time at home, help them invest in quality materials in the spaces where they will spend much of their time.

Exterior or interior door installation

Up 21% from 2019

Up 21% from 2019 Outdoor accessories

Up 20% from 2019

Fireplace and stove installations

Up 19% from 2019

Siding and exterior finishes

Up 15% from 2019

Source: Home Innovation Research Labs’ 2021 Consumer Practices Survey

NEW PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS Retailer Recommendations

Send a note to editorial@YourNHPA.org about products you can’t keep on the shelf. Include your name your business name and reasons why you love them.

Cleaner and Rust Remover

Diamond Shine Outdoor™ Cleaner is strong enough for outdoor cleaning jobs, yet NSF® certified for use on food prep areas. It polishes chrome, brass, aluminum, porcelain, stainless steel, bronze, tile and copper. It can also remove rust and hard water stains. Outdoor Cleaner can be used on sporting equipment, grills, outdoor signage, outdoor commercial light fixtures, railings, door hardware, ceramic pool tiles, garden tools and more.

DIAMOND SHINE

diamondshinecleaner.com or 833-444-7224 name,

Mobile Beverage Center

No-Touch Hand Tool

The 3-inch Hy-Genie is made of brass and its ergonomic design reduces direct point-of-contact areas by over 99 percent, allowing users to open doors, press buttons, sign names on touch screens and pull levers without touching.

MARK FELDSTEIN & ASSOCIATES INC.

markfeldstein.com or 800-755-6504

Dometic’s MoBar 550 is a mobile beverage center featuring commercial-grade 304 stainless steel, soft-close hinges and rotomolded insulation. It includes a dual-zone refrigerator compartment that can hold up to 40 bottles and 155 cans and a presentation basket that can keep 22 bottles or 32 cans ice cold.

DOMETIC

dometic.com/en-us or 800-366-3842

Cordless Chain Saw

“ We recently decided to expand our selection of NordicWare products. Customers love the quality, the fact that it’s made in the U.S., and they appreciate being able to find it locally.”

Makita’s 18V X2 LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 16-Inch Chain

Saw Kit includes (4) 5.0 Ah Li-ion batteries and features toolless chain adjustment for convenient operation and maintenance. It is designed for reduced maintenance and low noise levels with no gas, no emissions, no oil mixing and no pull starts required.

MAKITA USA INC.

makitatools.com or 800-462-5482

Outdoor Shower Kit

RDI’s Outdoor Shower Kits are made from low-maintenance vinyl and include a limited lifetime warranty. The kits come with all necessary hardware and install over standard 4x4 posts.

RDI rdirail.com or 877-420-7245

—Cindy Jorgensen, True Value Hardware and Home Store, Carroll, IA

Nonstick Baking Pans

NordicWare’s Harvest Bounty Loaf pan is made of cast aluminum with a nonstick interior that ensure fine details are baked right into the cake. It features a warm bronze finish and a 6-cup capacity. It is oven safe to 400 F.

NORDICWARE nordicware.com or 877-466-7342

Window Bird Feeder

Built from 4mm thick polycarbonate, Nature Anywhere’s Birds-I-View Window Feeder attaches directly to windows with industrial-strength suction cups, allowing an unobstructed view of birds as they feed from the dual-compartment sliding feed tray. Up to two types of feed can be used at once to attract many varieties of birds. The sliding tray is removable for filling and cleaning.

NATURE ANYWHERE info@nature-anywhere.com or 800-242-0295

Corner Clamp

The Kreg® 90-degree Corner Clamp holds 90-degree corners and “T” joints together during assembly of boxes, cabinets, cases and more. It features Automaxx® auto-adjust technology, padded handles and cast aluminum “V” and wedge clamp pads. Cutouts allow driving pocket hole screws without removing the clamp and it has a 1 inch maximum capacity.

KREG kregtool.com or 800-447-8638

Mechanical Cleanout Plug

Cherne Mechanical Cleanout Plugs are built for quick and easy mechanical operation. Built with durable and replaceable rubber pads, the plugs fit PVC, ABS and cast-iron cleanout tees. They can be installed and removed without tools and no backsplash draining will occur.

OATEY

oatey.com or 800-843-7584

Metal Connector Nailer

Paslod’s 1 ½ inch Positive Placement® Metal Connector Nailer features a new design that improves reliability and minimizes jamming. It delivers enough power to drive nails flush into LVLs and harder woods and even most metal connectors. The nailer’s aluminum housing is designed to withstand tough job site conditions.

PASLODE

paslode.com or 800-222-6990

At Mi-T-M, we pride ourselves on building mighty, damn good equipment. It’s what sets us apart from our competition. Our industrial line is built to withstand demanding work conditions. When you purchase equipment with the Mi-T-M name on it, you are buying dependable equipment that is designed, built, and tested by good people. Mighty. Damn. Good.

Multicatch Mouse Trap

Ramik®’s Multicatch Mouse Trap can trap and hold over a dozen mice at a time. It is nontoxic, child and pet safe, and requires no assembly. It features a clear window for easy viewing and is suitable for use as a reusable catch-and-release trap. It can be used with a glue board.

NEOGEN

animalsafety.neogen.com or 859-254-1221

Smart Countertop Microwave

The Sharp SMC1139FS Smart Countertop Microwave Oven is a family-sized 1.1 cubic foot, 1,100 watt microwave oven designed to work with Alexa for hands-free operations using voice commands. The brushed stainless steel finish is easy to clean. Once connected to Wi-Fi, the extra-large white LED clock will always display the correct time. The Smart Countertop Microwave Oven features one-touch controls, auto defrost and the Carousel® turntable system.

SHARP

sharpusa.com or 800-237-4277

“ Mr. Butternut (the cat) and I always recommend purchasing Scotts Triple Action Built for Seeding when someone purchases grass seed.”

—Ken DeBruyn and Mr. Butternut, DeBruyn Seed Home & Garden Showplace, Zeeland, MI

Grass Seed

Scotts® Turf Builder® Triple Action Built For Seeding feeds and strengthens grass while controlling weeds and helping new grass grow. It protects against crabgrass, dandelions and other weeds for up to six weeks without harming new grass. One 17.2 pound bag covers up to 4,000 square feet. This product will not kill existing weeds.

SCOTTS

scotts.comor 888-270-3714

Tongue and Groove Pliers

Pitbull Auto-Bite Tongue and Groove Dual Material Pliers feature the Auto-Bite™ lever, enabling single-handled jaw adjustment. Aggressively angled teeth increase grip and a pinch-stop design prevents the handle from pinching palms or fingers.

APEX TOOL GROUP gearwrench.com or 800-688-8949

Trash Can Labels

Trash Cards are interchangeable plastic cards that attach to trash cans inside a clear vinyl envelope. They identify the contents for trash pickup services and work on flat and curved trash cans. Cards include TRASH, RECYCLE and YARD WASTE.

TRASH CARDS

trashcards.com or 248-410-0009

Wall-Mounted Shower Seat

The Innovato SwapAble Foldaway Shower Seat is a complete shower chair set that includes back support and hinged arms. The seat is rated for up to 330 pounds and is made of plastic for low maintenance. It provides a safe wall-mounted alternative to shower benches or stools. It is available in white or ebony gray.

DECOTEAK decoteak.com or 888-965-0070

NO OTHER HEADLAMP

Introducing the next generation of MORF™ Removables, the brand that made ordinary headlamps obsolete. When the MORF headlamp is removed, the base stays lit. It’s more than bright. It’s brilliant. Contact Sales@PoliceSecurity com.

CHECKOUTS OUTREACH

Share Your Stories

Send your merchandising tips, event recaps, employee morale boosters and other stories to editorial@YourNHPA.org

Carving Out

LUMBERYARD BECOMES A DESTINATION FOR UNIQUE PROJECTS

The pandemic has changed business for Shapard Lumberyard in Columbia, Tennessee, and a little niche has become a big deal for the company. Craftsman Tim Owens has shifted his responsibilities by focusing only on custom orders.

“LUMBER AND BUILDING MATERIALS have risen drastically in price, so customers are looking to spend wisely,” owner Terrance Blakesleay says. Making his business a destination for unique wood and custom projects has been a way for him to compensate for industry changes, use his team’s talents and sell higher-margin items, he says.

“We’re carving out a niche. People know we’re able to be a little flexible and help them by any means we can,” he says.

Shapard Lumberyard still sells lumber, building materials, millwork, windows and doors, but customers can also special order unusual types of wood, such as African mahogany and purpleheart, for special projects.

Blakesleay and Owens coach people who want to make their own unique projects and offer to make all of the specialty cuts needed. Customers can buy slabs of wood to cut at home, have Shapard Lumberyard cut every piece or have Owens cut and build whole projects.

Craftsman Tim Owens (left) and Shapard Lumberyard owner Terrance Blakesleay have built a woodworking niche. When he isn’t creating custom orders, Owens is making one-of-a-kind cutting boards, tables and other items to sell in the lumberyard’s showroom.

Supporting Fellow Locals

Every month, employees at Orme Hardware’s seven locations in Ohio choose a variety of local brick-and-mortar businesses in their communities to promote on social media.

Staffers at each Orme Hardware store research independently owned restaurants, salons, floral shops and other businesses and contact the owners to ask if they can post about them on store Facebook sites.

The cross-promotion boosts traffic on Orme Hardware’s social media pages and the other businesses’ sites. It also strengthens relationships among local owners, who appreciate the shoutouts, marketing director Rob Bond says.

“We’re developing communication lines with other local businesses that we never had before.”

—Rob Bond, Orme Hardware

Building Skills

Lyndon Building Materials in Lyndon, Kansas, has partnered with a teacher at a local school to provide a skills class for 7th and 8th grade students at the store.

Co-owner Jeff Clark teaches the kids how to identify species of trees and types of lumber, use tools and build and finish a small wooden box. The work allows the students to get out of the classroom and learn about practical applications for the facts they learn.

“It’s a great way for Lyndon Building Materials to give back and pay it forward to the community’s future leaders, our customers’ children,” Clark says.

Shelly Eickhoff, manager of L.A. True Value Hardware in Kansas City, Kansas, chose to have a sense of humor about toilet paper shortages and used rolls to build a Christmas tree at the front of the store.

Holiday Rolls

Jeff Clark from Lyndon Building Materials spends one hour a month teaching students to build and stain or paint a box with a hinged lid.

Retailers With Growth Plans

Read about retailers who have grown their businesses at hardwareretailing.com/expansion

Unexpected Beginnings

Ace Hardware of South Fulton launched early in the COVID-19 pandemic, just in time to serve a community that needed a hardware store.

BY KATE KLEIN

Charlston Austin and Warren Pegram knew their plan to open their first store in April 2020 and then four other locations in successive years was ambitious, but their new business launch was much different than they expected.

The owners of Ace Hardware South Fulton in Georgia didn’t think half their staff would leave before the store opened. And they certainly never dreamed a pandemic would force them to postpone their grand opening, limit their ability to stock much-needed products or change how their wholesaler could help them prepare to open.

And yet, while the state of Georgia was under a state-mandated lockdown in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Ace Hardware South Fulton opened in the Atlanta metro area. As crazy as it seemed to them, the timing turned out to be just right for two retailers to open an essential business and serve a community in quarantine.

Getting Started

Ace Hardware South Fulton is a new entrepreneurial endeavor for Charlston and Warren, who had no experience in home improvement retail before they opened their 9,000-square-foot store.

Ace Hardware South Fulton opened in time to provide its community with needed cleaning supplies, as well as the paint, tools and grills locals wanted to spruce up their home spaces.

Warren currently works as a division manager for a federal agency in Washington, D.C. Charlston, who is his stepson, worked for communications retailers and later opened and operated a car rental business.

Warren wanted to invest in a new venture, and he and Charlston liked the idea of partnering. They investigated restaurant franchises, but Warren felt drawn to home improvement. He previously worked as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Air Force and did countless repairs to rental properties he owned.

“When I started doing some research, I thought, ‘This is where we need to be.’ I have mechanical experience and Charlston has retail experience,” Warren says. “We felt hardware was more in line with our personalities and a better fit for our skills and how we do business.”

Charlston now works full time overseeing daily operations at Ace Hardware South Fulton, where he is in the midst of training employees and figuring out an evolving product mix. He is learning as much as possible about the industry, getting to know his customers and working through pandemic-related supply chain challenges.

“It’s been a day-by-day learning experience,” Charlston says.

Warren plans to retain his position with the federal government until he retires. He meets weekly with Charlston to strategize and talk through business challenges. He primarily provides behind-the-scenes support and manages the company’s finances.

Pandemic Snags

Opening the business during a pandemic created challenges and opportunities Warren and Charlston hadn’t expected.

They opened their business at the end of April 2020, as originally planned. But prior to opening, they had to alter their preparations.

For example, Charlston found many people who were eager for work, but once he built his team of 12 employees, six of them quit showing up to training and stopped returning calls. He had to replace half his staff before the store opened.

Charlston discovered some people were trying to get hired while they were furloughed from other jobs and weren’t planning to stay longer than a few weeks. Within the first five months of business, his turnover rate was almost 100 percent.

Help your customers build their dream backyard with Deck Planner Software™ and Pergola Planner Software™ from Simpson Strong-Tie. Easily design a strong and beautiful deck, pergola or other popular structure in just minutes using prebuilt templates or custom dimensions. Work in 2D or 3D environments and select wood species or additional features from a full library of options. Then just print out the plan view and materials list. Your clients, and your business, will thank you.

To learn more about our free downloadable software, visit our website at go.strongtie.com/pergolaplannersoftware or call (800) 999-5099.

PANDEMIC PROJECTS

Early in the pandemic, cleaning supplies and paint were hot products at Ace Hardware South Fulton

SEASONAL PRODUCTS

Planning ahead for ordering seasonal products has been a learning experience for owner Charlston Austin

While the pandemic presented challenges, there were also benefits to being able to set up a store with necessary precautions before customers entered the doors.

Employee training was also a challenge, and not just because the employees left abruptly.

Training that Ace Hardware Corp. typically provides in person at stores had to be moved online due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic. So, Charlston, Warren and watched virtual training on the TV in the breakroom and then went through the store together, applying what they learned.

Ace gave recommendations for best practices on topics like organizing

4 LESSONS

Charlston Austin Learned From Opening a New Store

HANDS-ON LESSONS

The employees at Ace Hardware South Fulton learned about running the hardware store alongside the owners, who were also new to the industry.

inventory and merchandising. The co-op also provided access to a trainer who coached the team via video.

“Ace emailed me the training materials and we learned it together,” Charlston says. “That probably taught us to be more independent quicker.”

Pandemic Opportunities

While the pandemic presented challenges, there were also benefits to being able to set up a store with necessary precautions before customers entered the doors. Charlston and Warren were able to develop thorough store cleaning protocols prior to opening day. They also installed hand sanitizer stations throughout the store and hung signage reminding customers to social distance.

In addition, Warren’s government job went remote, allowing him to be at the store daily for a few months. During this unanticipated time, he was able to build plexiglass sneeze guards for the cash registers, participate in the virtual Ace training and work out his role in the business in person with Charlston instead of from a distance or during nights and weekends. He was also present to offer support during the initial rush of business while most of the rest of the team was in flux.

One of the reasons Charlston and Warren chose South Fulton as the location for their operation was that the community didn’t have a hardware store. Identifying that need before the pandemic opened up opportunities for the store during the crisis.

1. Find a partner.

Having a partner communicate with the bank and lawyers while also handling licensing and permits frees you up to focus on employees and customers. You will run yourself ragged if you do everything by yourself.

2. Hire extras.

Hire three or four more employees than you think you’ll need. Not everyone you hire will stay long term or embrace your vision for your company, so prepare for high turnover by hiring a few extra people.

3. Network.

Introduce yourself to other business owners, homeowners association leaders, city officials and members of groups like the merchants association and chamber of commerce. Relationships will bring you customers.

4. Plan ahead. If you’re new to the industry, you might not know when to order and stock up on seasonal products beause you’ve never done it before. Attend your wholesaler markets and plan ordering at least one season ahead.

The store’s first several months were chaotic, but being an essential business during a high-need time in the community gave visibility and opportunities to serve.

The pandemic amplified the community’s demand for home improvement products and customers were eager to shop.

Ace Hardware South Fulton became a convenient option for buying cleaning supplies and other essentials, as well as the home improvement products they wanted while homebound.

“People were at home and looking for projects to do and we were the only hardware

store,” Charlston says. “Thankfully we were allowed to stay open.”

The store’s first several months were chaotic, but being an essential business during a high-need time in the community gave visibility and opportunities to serve it might not have had otherwise.

Charlston could see needs and volunteer the store’s delivery van, parking lot and other resources for urgent uses.

The local chamber of commerce had helped Charlston organize a groundbreaking ceremony prior to the statewide lockdown. At the event, Charlston and Warren met local city council members and the mayor, forming connections that became important quickly.

City officials returned to the store to shop, and Charlston asked them questions about how he and his team could help serve the community.

Soon, Charlston was using the store’s van to haul food

and help a local organization provide school lunches to children who still needed meals while the schools were closed. He also supplied free bottled water for participants in a peaceful protest.

When the city began offering free COVID-19 testing to the community, the store parking lot became a temporary testing site. Charlston provided tents from the store’s rental department and gave free bottled water to people getting tested.

Settling In

Connections Charlston made before the store opened and early in the pandemic have served him well. He visited every neighboring business to introduce himself, hand out business cards and forge valuable connections.

An organization located in the same shopping center as the store invited Charlston to participate in its job fair and host interns.

Owners Charlston Austin (left) and Warren Pegram hope to open four more hardware stores within the next few years.

COVID-19

Pandemic Impacts

Retailers have served well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more stories at hardwareretailing.com/covid

“We have done a good job of listening to our customers, providing them with what they want and serving our community.”

—Warren Pegram, Ace Hardware South Fulton

The organization’s nonprofit job training program helps people who have been incarcerated or face other challenges gain work experience and find jobs. Charlston jumped on the opportunities the organization offered.

Providing six internships allowed him to help train local people who needed on-the-job experience before joining the workforce.

• Store visitors can shop over 36,000+ popular and specialty window and door parts using the touch-screen online store and printed catalog.

• Choose from a Counter Kiosk station or Floor Kiosk.

• Integrate the touch-screen online parts store with your current website.

• User-friendly kiosk makes shopping for parts simple:

1. Store visitors find the part they need.

2. Add to cart.

3. Enter a credit card, and the part is delivered.

• No need to stock hundreds of regional specialty hardware items.

• Promote this service to your residential and commercial accounts to increase store traffic.

• Small enough to fit on most counters. Floor models are a perfect fit for an end-cap unit.

All of the interns were motivated to learn even though they didn’t plan to stay at the store, and one of them accepted a job Charlston offered her.

Charlston hopes to expand the number of internships he offers by continuing to work with the job training program and also by recruiting interns from the local high schools. Internships allow him to provide job training as a public service and potentially recruit some employees for the store.

The relationships Charlston has developed with South Fulton city officials have remained important for the business. The mayor and city council members continue to send him suggestions for ways to serve the community and refer customers to the store.

Charlston plans to continue networking in the area to grow Ace Hardware South Fulton and find fresh ways to serve. He believes local homeowners associations are currently untapped avenues for finding new customers for the business.

Counter Kiosk

Floor Kiosk

Build a Network

Partnering with loca organizations can help you. Read five reasons why at hardwareretailing.com/main-streets

Just Grow

Ace Hardware South Fulton became profitable shortly after opening, which helped financially when store traffic slowed and customer spending normalized.

By fall, Charlston no longer needed to scramble to get urgently needed products wherever he could find them to meet high demand and make up for pandemic-related supply chain challenges.

In addition, his staff turnover stabilized and customers began returning to more normal shopping habits.

Charlston still needed to learn what businessas-usual should look like and figure out what his product mix should be day to day instead of primarily reacting to evolving pandemic problems.

He and Warren discussed with customers what they wanted the store to stock while still juggling some supply chain disruptions and learning to plan for seasonal ordering.

“What our customers need is what we’re here to provide,” Warren says. “We have done a good job of listening to our customers, providing them with what they want and serving our community.”

Pandemic challenges haven’t deterred Charlston and Warren from wanting to continue expanding their business.

“I’m happy. This was a great opportunity for me to be in retail and do it for myself,” Charlston says.

Warren and Charlston’s initial plan of opening one store per year for five straight years didn’t start off with the kind of momentum they expected due to the pandemic. However, they plan to look at possible locations for a second store this year.

“The main thing is to get this first store right,” Warren says. “I’ve learned a lot, but Charlston has learned three times as much. Our job is to take our knowledge and just grow.”

Leading Through Change

Listen as Brian Landis explains leadership skills project managers need. View it at YourNHPA.org/webinars

Project Plan Creating an Effective

4 STEPS TO BETTER PROJECT MANAGEMENT

BY JESSE CARLETON

ust like you shouldn’t begin construction on a new building without a blueprint, you wouldn’t want to start a new initiative around your store without a well-laid plan. A carefully devised strategy can help you finish on time and on budget, even in the midst of unexpected turns. Whether your goal involves a capital improvement, such as a full store remodel, or an operational procedure, such as creating an employee training plan for the year, knowing a few project management best practices will help keep your plan going smoothly. How effective you are at managing projects will determine how efficient you are at using your resources, and ultimately, how effective you are in business.

To learn more about how you can use project management strategies to be successful, Hardware Retailing editors spoke with two project management professionals and two home improvement retailers who have been integral in steering their companies through major change. Regardless of the size of your project, four basic strategies will help you stay on track.

Project Management Tools

Compare the different online tools that can help you track projects at hardwareretailing.com/pm-tools

Before starting a project, ask:

• Is this the most important project I should be tackling at this time?

• Do I have the right people to get it done?

• Does this project help us meet our company’s overall goals?

• Will this hinder progress in other areas of the business?

Communicate across the company.

Before starting any new initiative, communicate your plans with everyone who will be affected, including other managers or owners and board members to whom you’re accountable. Include the team of employees who will be executing your plan. Get their support and help in the process while you’re still in the planning stage.

Mike Kokesh and Mark Schaefer, co-owners of Gopher Ace Hardware in Long Lake, Minnesota, had an opportunity last year to open a new location in nearby Minnetonka. Rather than assign employees to help with the setup of the new store, they asked for volunteers. Approaching a project from a team mentality helped get employees excited about the project and helped carry them through what would become a difficult year.

“We decided we weren’t going to force people to work at our new location,” says Kokesh. “We asked for volunteers, and everyone was excited about the new opportunity. It’s important to work alongside your employees and show them we are just as involved as they are.”

Adrianne Naillon has been leading projects for Oregon-based cooperative Wilco for most of the 25 years she’s been with the company. A few years ago, she was tasked with helping open the co-op’s location in Vancouver, Washington, where she is currently the manager. She says a good first step is to find diverse perspectives from across the company.

“One challenge of being in leadership is that you think ‘this is the way we should go,’ and you can get stuck in a rut,” she says. “But there could be a lot of other great ideas out there, so start by looking outside your own box.”

Each stakeholder will have a different perspective and ideas about how to get to the end goal. But those are the perspectives that can help spot potential problems, help the team be more efficient or just help out with the workload.

Mike Kokesh (left) and Mark Schaefer had to deal with a host of unforeseen events when they opened a new location last year. CHALLENGING START

PODCAST Unexpected Setbacks

Mike Kokesh talks about the challenges of opening a second location at YourNHPA.org/es-pod

TECH SUPPORT

Staff at Wilco use the iAuditor app to create operational standards for each of the company’s locations. Having a checklist of tasks helps management maintain a set standard of quality and keeps projects on track.

“Managing your stakeholders means aligning your resources to what the project is, why you are doing it and how you will complete that project. Those resources include your employees and anyone whose help you need in getting the project done,” says Diane Flynn-Brake. She is the director of business project management at Ace Hardware’s corporate headquarters, where her team leads strategic projects that improve the retail store model.

“When you ask for your employees to help on a project or even a task, the average employee wants to know ‘what’s in it for me?’ A successful project manager has the skill to answer that question and help people understand the goal and adapt to the changes,” she says.

Getting active team participation will also give the project momentum. When you are choosing the team that will spearhead a special initiative, don’t be afraid to include a newer employee who may have little experience with what you’re doing. Being closely involved on project teams offers employees a chance for growth.

Focus the project scope.

You are always at risk of getting sidetracked if you don’t have a clear direction of where you are going and how you plan to get there.

Defining the project scope means both keeping your goal in mind and knowing how to deal with potential distractions.

“This is where projects can really go off the rails if you’re not careful,” says David Sanchez, a senior strategy realization consultant with Integrated Project Management Co. Sanchez has more than 30 years of professional project management experience, including working as a consultant for Ace Hardware. “Managing the scope of your project means putting a box around what you want to do and then making sure those things get done. Maintain your priorities and keep tight controls on what you should be doing. Communicate that to your team and monitor performance regularly to minimize the risk of drifting off track.”

Since 1886, Channellock, Inc. has manufactured high-quality plie on American soil. We’re proud to employ more than 350 dedicat associates who work hard every day to manufacture more than different sizes and types of pliers in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Eve detail commands attention, so every pair of pliers we put our name on doesn’t just finish the job, but conquers it — plain and simple. I not the easiest way, but it’s the CHANNELLOCK® way, Meadville wy and American way. pliers dedicated 75 Every It’s way

OPERATIONS

SERIES

RESOURCES

FAST SELLERS

Paint is quickly becoming one of the strong categories at Gopher Ace Hardware’s new location.

SETS

To maintain the salesfloor, managers at each Wilco location adhere to a set of standards of organization and cleanliness for each category. This has helped make the retailer a local destination for clothing, hardware and farm goods.

SMOOTH

For example, in order to keep all of their store locations consistent in appearance and operation, leadership at Wilco developed a set of operational standards each store manager must maintain. Naillon, in turn, has a set of standards for key members of her staff. She conducts regular audits of the salesfloor and uses the iAuditor app on her tablet as a way of tracking progress.

“We’ve created templates for different areas of the store that clearly communicate what tasks need to be completed,” she says. “We walk through the store, taking notes on areas that need attention. Having a checklist using iAuditor makes sure we don’t miss anything and that we are clearly communicating what needs to be done.”

Naillon also says while the scope of the project may seem clear at the beginning, it can be easy to lose focus when you’re in the middle of the process. When that happens, she calls up other retailers who might understand what she is trying to accomplish and asks for advice.

Defining the scope will help you stay organized and consistent when tackling operational tasks. Make sure you are prioritizing projects that will be the most beneficial for your business. Be realistic about what you can accomplish given your resources, which include time, people and money.

Ask questions such as: Is this the most important project I should be tackling at this time? Do I have the right people to get it done? Does this project help us meet our company’s overall goals? Will this hinder progress in other areas of the business?

Create a schedule, and stick to it.

An effective plan should include a timeline, the steps you’ll take along the way, resources you’ll need and milestones to mark progress. While there may be pressure to get the work started right away, you may end up spending more time and money if you fail to take the time up front to plan.

SOFT SKILLS

FOR PROJECT LEADERS

Organized. Being able to create a detailed plan and then document each step of the process will help your project go smoothly.

Problem-solver. When dealing with contingencies, you may need to make decisions quickly and confidently.

Communicator. Being able to clearly communicate project details and updates will keep everyone on the team moving in the same direction.

Flexible. Don’t get in the mindset that your way is the only way; realize that someone else may have a great idea too.

Listener. If your project involves making big changes, make sure you are listening to your team. Are you getting buy-in from everyone or is there resistance?

Motivator. Team-building and motivation are key skills to have as you get a group of people working toward a common goal.

TOOLS & GUIDES

Sample Project Implementation Plan

Find a template for helping you plan the next project for your team at YourNHPA.org/guide

“One of the biggest mistakes people make when managing a project is that they don’t make a schedule,” says Flynn-Brake. “Everyone wants to jump in and start working, but if you don’t first stop to put together a plan, you’ll never know when the project is going to be done and you’ll never know when the project goes off track.”

Creating milestones is one of the most important parts of creating a plan. Milestones indicate whether you are staying on track or whether you are falling behind. They should be objective and measurable.

Sanchez recommends creating a document to outline your schedule. The level of detail will vary with the complexity of the project, but having your plans spelled out will help you be disciplined in your approach.

“I would also recommend regular status reports or some type of communication that conveys your progress and keeps everyone involved on the same page,” he says. “You also want some way of cataloging important decisions you make along the way so you can refer back to them for direction if issues related to them come up again later in the project.”

Managing a schedule also means knowing when to hire outside help to get the job done. When Kokesh and Schaefer at Gopher Ace put together a timetable for getting the store ready, they decided to spend the extra money to hire a merchandising team.

“We could have hung the merchandise ourselves, but the team of experts we hired moved much faster, and it was worth every penny,” Kokesh says. “You have to look at the big picture when managing that kind of a project. Study your timelines and your goal and decide how best to invest your time and money.”

“One of the biggest mistakes people make when managing a project is that they don’t make a schedule.”

—Diane Flynn-Brake, Ace Hardware Corp.

Carefully manage potential risks.

Regardless of your plans, you will likely deal with the unexpected. A good project manager is always scanning the horizon for potential risks or anything that could derail the work. The sooner you identify a threat, the sooner you can create a plan for handling it. If you get in the habit of frequently scanning for risks, you can decide which ones to prioritize. Minimize the risks that will have the most impact on your business and find an effective way to deal with the rest.

“This process of risk assessment is something you need to do continually throughout the duration of the project,” says Flynn-Brake. “The simplest way to approach it is to write down the risk, and then ask questions like: ‘What is the likelihood this risk will happen? What will be the impact on my business? Will it have a significant impact? How do I avoid that risk?’ If you are asking these types of questions as risks come up, you can deal with them and minimize the effect they will have on your project.”

Proactively seek help from others who will be affected by your decision. Utilize the advice of all stakeholders, including members of your team, other leaders and even fellow retailers.

“Share information with other stakeholders so you’re not making decisions in a vacuum,” says Sanchez. “An effective project manager is always out in front of the team and is a proactive, effective communicator at all levels of interested parties.”

Minimize the effect of unforeseen risks by remaining flexible. While they were in the process of opening their new location, Kokesh and Schaefer faced multiple obstacles that could have easily sent their plans sideways, including a statewide shutdown because of the pandemic, employees staying home because of health concerns, road construction and even a ruptured water line that resulted in lost inventory.

What got them to opening day—and beyond—was a willingness to be flexible. For example, they weren’t able to have an in-person grand opening as they’d hoped. Instead, they utilized all of their social media platforms, improved their website’s SEO and built up their email marketing to draw in shoppers.

“You have to go in to any large project understanding that problems will happen, prepare yourself for a possible failure of what you’re trying to do,” Kokesh says. “Then, you’ll be more willing to adapt to the solution.”

GET EDGY

Become a PRO

Learn the basics of 15 common DIY projects with NHPA’s Project PRO training module, available with a Premier Membership. Sign up today at YourNHPA.org/membership

CATEGORY SPOTLIGHT

Project Power

HOW PROJECT KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO POWER TOOL SALES

BY MELANIE MOUL

There are two common reasons a DIYer will come to you for a power tool: They are replacing one that is outdated or broken or they’re taking on a project that requires a new tool. According to data from the Home Improvement Research Institute’s (HIRI) 2020 Power Tools and Accessories Product Purchase Tracking Study, 35 percent of power tool purchases were the result of a planned repair or replacement.

What’s interesting to note about these types of customers is that their knowledge level is likely fairly different and yet they both present an opportunity for an add-on sale or upsell. The key to making that sale is for your team to have product and project knowledge. Get insights on the next page into the projects DIYers are doing that lead to making power tool and accessory purchases. Also, review selling skills best practices to help your customers make the right choices for their skill level and project type.

Setting Up to Sell

3 KEY COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE POWER TOOL SALES

Think outside the box—literally. Display power tools where customers can see them and touch them. If you’re not comfortable having them out on display, make them available as requested. If someone is in the power tools department or asks for help, have a display version ready to go for them to see. Then you can disinfect and return to storage until the next customer comes along.

Get the Whole Picture

According to the HIRI report, more than 50 percent of power tool purchasers considered themselves “home investors,” which can be a key entry point for an upsell or an add-on sale. That doesn’t mean they were renovating an investment property; it means they prioritize renovation projects that will offer a recognizable return on investment when selling.

The National Association of REALTOR®’s 2019 Remodeling Impact Report says complete kitchen renovations result in a 59 percent ROI and a bathroom renovation earns a 57 percent ROI. If a customer says they are taking on these projects, it can be a clue they are willing to invest in high-quality tools or accessories.

Use “the silent sales associate.” Cross-merchandising, for example, is a way of locating items used together in the same area. It’s a visual reminder for both customers and employees of the add-on items that might be needed to finish a project. Endcaps are another prime place to merchandise projects. While you may not be able to merchandise all of the products used in a project on an endcap, you can include project starters and a few key tools or materials.

No

Stone Unturned Room renovations throughout the home—kitchen, bath and general room remodels—were the most frequent project associated with the purchase of a variety of tools and accessories, including drills, sanders, circular saw blades and nail guns in the HIRI report. These results suggest that although someone may make an initial purchase for one project, they will use the same tool for another project in the future.

Host a Zoom classroom.

What’s one of the first places people go to research a project before they ever get to a store? YouTube. So put yourself in your customers’ homes before they come to you. Host a virtual event showing power tools in action and on specific projects. Be sure to record and share on your social platforms to reach the customers who couldn’t attend live.

Another quality respondents noted on the survey is that they are often “one-stop shoppers,” who want to get everything they need in one visit. To best serve these customers, take notes while they are talking about their project and ask them follow up questions as necessary. For instance, if they are replacing tile in a bathroom and haven’t mentioned a saw or blade, that’s an entry point to be sure they understand what they need to cut tile accurately and safely. It also saves them a return trip to the store—or a competitor.

The Final Piece

One of the most challenging parts of making a sale is the final step: Asking the customer for the sale. This is especially true for high-value sales. The key to getting through any nerves or missteps with this part of selling is to know you have gathered all necessary information to set your customer up for success. The final key is to ask for the sale, as simply as saying, “We’ve checked off all the items on your list. Are you ready to check out?”

CATEGORY A Taste of Local Flavor

Selling local food can boost your add-on sales. Learn more at hardwareretailing.com/local-consumables

CATEGORY FEATURE

Locally Made,

Locally Sold

SELLING LOCAL GOODS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON

From ice chippers to salsa, sauces to cat toys, Chocolay Ace Hardware in Marquette, Michigan, stocks a wide variety of locally made products. The store owners know that buying local is more than just a passing trend or feel-good move for customers; they are not only supporting the makers, but also the community. By selling locally made items, the store is showing its support for other local entrepreneurs.

Since opening in 2001, Chocolay Ace Hardware has been committed to supporting its local area. Selling locally made products in the store is just one way it has championed the community. Through the process, its owners have learned key factors for being successful sourcing and selling local products.

Adam Szczepanski co-owns the business with his wife, Molly Szczepanski, Molly’s sister, Nicole Mahaney, and Nicole’s husband, Antonio Ruiz. The group purchased the business from Nicole and Molly’s dad and his partner in 2016 and continued the mission of being active in the community.

A TASTE OF LOCAL FLAVOR

Last spring, Chocolay Ace Hardware started stocking its greenhouse with all local and organic vegetable, fruit and herb starts from three local farms.

Making the Most of Merchandising

Teach best practices for merchandising with our training resources at YourNHPA.org/trainers-toolbox

Seeing how local makers struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic made the owners of Chocolay Ace want to do more.

Marquette is located in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, home to Northern Michigan University, and is surrounded by several smaller towns. Residents of the UP take great pride in where they’re from, affectionately referring to themselves as “Yoopers.”

“Three of the four of us owners are Yoopers, raised in the UP, and we all love our community,” Adam Szczepanski says. “The big thing we wanted to do when we purchased the business was to be involved in our neighborhood and promote the Marquette area as much as we could.”

Expanding Their Selection

The store has always carried locally made products and initially only stocked items local makers brought to the owners. Seeing how local makers struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic made the owners of Chocolay Ace want to do more.

“When COVID-19 hit, we pivoted quickly, focused even more on the community and raised thousands for a local charity,” Szczepanski says. “We also supported our own employees with a monthly hazard bonus and any grants we received went back to our staff.”

Merchandising Makers

Retailers can display locally made items in one section or merchandise those products with other similar products in the store. No matter where you decide to feature locally made products, keep in mind these best practices.

Show off the items. Display products in a way that the customer sees it fully assembled, if applicable, and can see the quality of the craftsmanship. If the items are boxed, unpackage one or two so customers can see and feel them.

Choose meaningful signage. Make it obvious that an item is locally made. A lot of customers specifically look for products made in their area, so make these items easy for shoppers to find.

Highlight the seasons. Play up seasonal locally made items during the appropriate time of year. Local items are in especially high demand around the holidays, such as Christmas and Mother’s Day, so be sure to feature all of your local items as great gift ideas.

Include add-on sales. Locally made products often work for boosting add-on sales. Think about how a local item, such as seasonings or dry rubs, might complement other products you regularly sell, like grills or bakeware.

Promoting Local Makers

POP-UP MARKETS CONNECT STORE COMMUNITY

What started as a vision five years ago has morphed into a popular community event connecting a hardware store, local makers and a community.

Hanna Wingo, operations manager at Indian Trail Hardware, came up with the idea to host pop-up markets at her store in Indian Trail, North Carolina, nearly five years ago after seeing similar markets being promoted on Facebook. She started sourcing potential vendors by searching for local artisans on Etsy, an e-commerce website for handmade and vintage items, and reaching out to see if they’d be interested in taking part in the store’s pop-up markets.

“It was hard getting started because I didn’t have any connections to local craftspeople,” Wingo says. “Now, I don’t have to look anymore, the vendors reach out to me.”

The store now hosts five markets a year, each featuring 15 to 20 vendors, plus a dining option like a food truck or local restaurant selling food. Some events also include live entertainment. Wingo has a core group of vendors who attend nearly every market, and she also tries to include

a variety of products for sale including soy candles, soap, pottery and jewelry. With a few exceptions, Wingo chooses only vendors who make their own products and don’t have a traditional storefront to sell their goods.

COVID-19 forced Wingo to cancel two of the pop-ups early in 2020, but the events restarted in August with a few adjustments.

“We were nervous about starting the markets back up, but thankfully they are open air and the vendors and the customers have been great about us asking them to wear masks and social distance,” says Wingo.

The markets have not only brought attention to the store and boosted sales, but have connected the store to the community. During the Christmas pop-up market in 2020, Wingo invited a new local coffee company to sell its coffee during the event. The store had just started selling that company’s whole beans, ground coffee and K-Cups.

“Adding it to the Christmas market got its name out in the community and it was nice to build that awareness for a new, local business,” Wingo says. “After the market, people who had tried the coffee came into our store to buy more. It was a nice win-win for both of us.”

Buying Into Buying Local

Learn how buy-local groups can benefit your business at hardwareretailing.com/buying-local

Continued from Page 57

Unlike many other local businesses, Chocolay Ace Hardware was able to stay open and remain profitable during the pandemic.

“There aren’t a lot of outlets for people to sell their products, and we want to share our space with local manufacturers, artists and other makers,” Szczepanski says. “A lot of our shoppers are cognizant of our attempts to be as community oriented as possible, and we want to show we’re following through with that.”

In January, Chocolay Ace Hardware posted on its Facebook page, asking for suggestions for what other locally made items it should carry in the store. Szczepanski says Facebook is the store’s preferred method of advertising because it better fits its clientele, which is primarily adults ages 35 to 65. It’s also cost-effective and easy to implement.

Szczepanski and the other store owners were impressed by how much traction the post received, garnering 51 comments and 89 shares in less than two weeks. The posts came from the customers of local makers touting their favorite items, as well as from the artisans themselves.

The owners were also excited by the variety of items people were suggesting, including winter hats, decorative copper ore slabs, honey, photography prints, candles, jewelry, dog leashes and cat toys.

Choosing the Right Mix

When it comes to deciding what products they’ll actually put in the store, Szczepanski says he and his team will go with their gut and choose a variety of items. In the past, they’ve picked products that correspond with their current product mix. For example, they sell locally made salsas, sauces and rubs that customers can buy to complement the grills the store sells.

Szczepanski says retailers who are looking to add locally made products to their inventory should also consider what customers in their area need. Being in the UP often brings snowy winters, so Chocolay Ace Hardware stocks ice chippers, a must-have for surviving the season.

“A lot of our shoppers are cognizant of our attempts to be as community oriented as possible, and we want to show we’re following through with that.”

—Adam Szczepanski, Chocolay Ace Hardware

Szczepanski recognizes that the locally made item might be more expensive, but those items might also come with perks. With the ice chippers the store sells, for example, the local fabricator offers free blade sharpening and a warranty with each one sold.

Last spring, Chocolay Ace Hardware stocked its greenhouse with all local, organic vegetable, fruit and herb starts for the first time. The store partnered with three local farmers who provided all the starts.

Selling fruit, vegetable and herb starts not only supported those nearby farmers, but provided a taste of the area to customers. This year, Chocolay Ace Hardware will be adding additional local greenhouse providers and expanding its selection of local plant starts. It will also offer a larger selection of annuals and hanging baskets.

When You Have to Say No

Thanks to the Facebook post asking for additional recommendations for local items to sell, Szczepanski has gotten more requests for items to stock than the store can handle right now.

“We’ve had a lot of items from crafters, but unfortunately, we can only take so much craft inventory because ultimately we’re a hardware store,” Szczepanski says.

Finding Local Products

HOW MOBILE MARKETING CAN BOOST YOUR LOCAL INVENTORY

01 Request suggestions from your social media followers for the locally made products that they use or make themselves

02 Use social media to promote locally made items you currently carry. Customers will see what you offer and other makers will see that you stock local items and possibly reach out about selling their goods too.

03 Ask your customers what they’d like to see in the store. When they purchase local items you already carry, inquire about what other products they’d like to see in the store.

04 Explore your community. Talk to the local chamber of commerce for leads about local makers, search online or on social media for local maker networks and attend local maker fairs and events.

Along with locally made ice chippers, Chocolay Ace Hardware stocks other winter essentials like snow shovels and scoops, to help customers get through the cold and snowy Upper Peninsula winters. WINTER-READY

If Szczepanski does have to say no to selling an item in the store, he will direct the makers to other local outlets for selling their items like farmers markets and craft shows.

“We want them to know that even though we can’t carry their item right now in our store, we still want them to succeed and try to provide other outlets where they can sell,” he says.

Whether you currently carry local products or want to start, the key is listening to what your customers want and what they need.

“Our customers appreciate that we listen when they make suggestions for products,” says Szczepanski. “And we love when we can follow through.”

Solving your customers’ toughest kitchen and bath kitchen and bath caulking challenges.

Are your customers experiencing challenges while caulking or sealing their kitchen or bathroom?

You’re not alone! Here’s our chart for solving the most common challenges that homeowners experience with caulks and sealants during kitchen, bath, and tile projects. If you don’t find your answer here, feel free to call us at 800-767-5656 or visit us at sashco.com. We’d love to talk caulk with you!

Mold thrives in wet, humid, damp and greasy, oily spaces. So, what do you do when mold and mildew creep into the caulking causing ugly eyesores?

Some caulking will dry hard and crack. Shower and bath water will find all the little (and big) cracks. You know the drill, soggy walls, rotted underlayment, and hidden mold. Nasty.

You fight back with enzymes. Sure, most caulks have mildewcides but those leach out and wash down the drain. It’s not enough to prevent mold from taking hold. The active enzymes in CleanSeal break down the oils that feed mold. No food, no mold. It’s as simple as that.

Caulks need powerful adhesion and elasticity; you find both in high-performance caulks and sealants. To prevent water damage and mold, you want a caulk that won’t crack, tear, or pull away from bathtub, shower, or countertop surfaces. Maintaining a watertight seal, CleanSeal remains elastic and stretchy – no fear of a crusty surface here.

Silicone tears very easily – even a child could pull it apart (that isn’t the type of adhesion we’re looking for when sealing homes). When silicone fails, new silicone won’t stick to it and neither will anything else.

Many homeowners, and contractors too, have a very low expectation of caulk performance – and no wonder. Experience says it needs to be replaced every year (insert eye roll –who has time for that?!).

Our Sashco promiseProducts

Scraping out silicone caulking isn’t enough; you need a chemical cleaner to remove the silicone film off before you can reseal. We advise not to use silicone – it’s too difficult to repair. CleanSeal sticks to itself, making it very easily repairable if you don’t quite caulk right the first time, or if you just want to change up your style.

Houses settle, you don’t have to. Use a high-performance product like CleanSeal that will last for years and give your homeowners peace of mind that they’ll only have to do the job once.

The Home Everything

Cater to Customers Creating At-Home Offices and Classrooms

BY TODD TABER

RESEARCH

The Latest Data

Check out the latest data on how COVID-19 is impacting shoppers at hardwareretailing.com/industry-data

For millions of people across North America, kitchens have become classrooms, rec rooms are now executive board rooms and every other previously unused corner of a home is finding new purpose and possibility during the pandemic.

Research from PwC indicates at-home work and learning aren’t just a passing trend. Roughly 3 out of 5 employees in the U.S. expect to spend only three days in the office per week once the pandemic’s worst days subside, the remaining days spent continuing education or projects from home. As more consumers work and attend classes from home, independent retailers are poised to help them create practical, functional spaces.

Discover how Jim Lehrer, owner of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint in Kentucky, has helped customers tackle DIY home office transformations. Learn the products and simple projects he recommends and how you can replicate his success with your own clientele. Plus, get expert paint color advice from PPG representatives on which shades to recommend to customers who want to dig deeper to create a perfect home office or learning space.

As existing home sales rise and more workplaces and schools find value in hybrid schedules, put your business at the forefront of shoppers’ minds as they craft high-performance homes.

Rise, Shine & Paint

Even beyond the initial rise in DIY activity independent home retailers observed in 2020, Lehrer says he’s seen a true uptick in the amount of customers looking to create home offices and classrooms since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“The pandemic put time in people’s hands,” he says. “Beyond just wanting to do a project that had been on their list for some time, homeowners

had specific projects they needed to do for their jobs and their children’s classes.”

He says after the initial run on personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and “the rampage on toilet paper,” his team saw DIY project sales take flight.

Lehrer says the category most directly affected by the home office and classroom trend was paint. He says a fresh coat of paint helped homeowners truly transform their spaces into something new and purposeful.

“I think we’ve sold more chalk paint and sundries since the pandemic began than in the past few years,” Lehrer says. “That paint gave parents a way to recreate a traditional classroom easily.”

But at-home offices and classrooms go beyond paint sales, Lehrer finds. He’s talked with customers about what they needed for at-home success and shared that insight with his team.

“I think we’ve sold more chalk paint and sundries since the pandemic began than we have in the past few years.”

—Jim Lehrer, Brownsboro Hardware & Paint

For extra convenience, many customers are taking to installing their own electrical outlets. The Brownsboro Hardware team connects them with the essentials and then recommends electrical covers to help match existing decor. Power trees and surge protectors helped round out electrical projects and simultaneously boost transaction size.

Bundle It Up

Customers have different needs for home offices and classrooms, but be sure to recommend a full suite of at-home productivity products to keep customers connected and transaction sizes high.

01 | Paint can help customers bring new ambiance and possibilities to old spaces.

02 | Lighting helps at-home workers and learners stay productive and update their decor.

03 | Houseplants are a great way to help customers bring a touch of the outdoors inside.

Jim Lehrer, owner of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint, says the move to at-home work and learning has created new sales opportunities. AT HOME WITH SALES

04 | Charging cords and power trees protect shoppers’ electronics and offer extra mobility.

05 | Storage containers keep at-home all-stars organized and bring sales into a new category.

06 | Cleaning supplies enable shoppers to keep their home offices and classrooms sanitary.

Retailers are also leading customers across departments to round out their new spaces. Lehrer says recommending houseplants is a good option to help bring new ambiance to rooms and help customers remember you ahead of the spring selling season.

Purchases from your store’s storage section can also help shoppers stay organized as they work and learn. Diversifying your inventory of storage solutions to include decorative options of all sizes could be a quick way to establish your business as a one-stop home office partner.

Additionally, Lehrer saw an increase in lighting sales at his two stores in Kentucky.

“Bringing in new lighting options gave shoppers a different way to light the area they’d be spending most of their day,” Lehrer says.

Lehrer says it’s important to leave no stone unturned and suggest as many productivity and organizational products as possible when helping customers establish a practical, high-performance home office or classroom.

“We’ve seen that remote work and learning is probably here to stay for at least the near term,” Lehrer says. “People are going to be spending so much time in their own spaces, we really owe it to them to help them get it right.”

As the country continues to grapple with a global pandemic, the independently owned businesses in countless communities have stepped up to ensure everyone has access to the supplies they need. To help these businesses navigate these unprecedented circumstances, the PRO Hardware and Farm Mart programs have strived to be a consistent resource of marketing and advertising materials, digital programs and information so these retailers can customize the program to fit the needs of their business and better serve their communities.

In the new year, PRO Hardware and Farm Mart will continue to serve the needs of independent retailers so they can support their communities as they take steps to recover from the numerous challenges of the past year.

Vendor Partners: Learn more about the PRO Hardware and Farm Mart programs by contacting Katie Westervelt, Advertising Manager, at 303.792.3000 or katie.westervelt@pro-group.com Find us online at www.prohardware.com or www.farmmart.com.

Color Connections

Amy Donato of PPG offers insight into speciﬁc shades that can help your DIY customers create truly specialized spaces for at-home work and schooling.

PPG1048-7 Gooseberry

Donato says this dark cranberry shade can often spark creativity when used in work and learning spaces.

PPG1125-2

White Sage

A subdued but jovial green promotes balance in any at-home ofﬁce or classroom. It’s a natural complement to hardwood ﬂooring.

PPG1151-3 Midsummer’s Dream

This calming, slightly muted blue pairs well with lighter wood tones and an array of airy fabrics for home productivity.

PPG1147-3

Misty Aqua

Clean, refreshing aquas are great for productivity and concentration. This hue is part of PPG’s 2021 Palette of the Year.

PPG0995-7

Starless Sky

Many shoppers may also seek to create at-home ﬁtness areas, and this true black can replicate popular spin class spaces.

PPG1062-5

Big Cypress

Donato says warm hues like Big Cypress emulate “hugs for your home” and are perfect for retreating from stressful situations.

Help customers find paint colors that

Renewing Your Sense of Color

Paint manufacturer PPG saw net sales rise in 2020, leading to $272 million in net income for the final quarter. The company has observed individuals and families reevaluate their living spaces, using color as a core design tool. Alison Bruce, PPG senior marketing manager, says homes are pulling double duty.

“PPG has seen a surge in DIY home improvement projects as homeowners use extra time to tackle projects that have long been on their to-do lists,” Bruce says. “During the pandemic, we learned that no project is too big or too small for homeowners.”

Bruce also points to the role technology is playing in these residential painting projects, confirming customers are growing more comfortable with exploring color options online, using digital design planning tools and purchasing paint and sundries online for home delivery or in-store pickup.

As stay-at-home workers and students scuffed walls, dinged desks and grew tired of the quotidian colors of their homes, Bruce says PPG was ready to offer new paint options.

PPG recommends homeowners look for interior paints and primers that both inspire them and withstand repeated heavy-duty cleaning from all-purpose cleaners.

TRENDS

Coach for Color

Get the latest insights into selling paint color at YourNHPA.org/trainers-toolbox

Amy Donato, PPG senior color marketing manager, says recommending the right colors can help boost transaction sizes and inspire your shoppers.

“With our homes now acting as our office, gym or classroom, color can play a major role in defining these areas and creating a desired mood,” she says.

Donato recommends starting conversations with interested customers about the important role color plays in a room’s total ambiance.

“Whether it’s in a bedroom, living room or kitchen, consider painting the wall that your desk sits against a different color than the rest of the room,” Donato says. “This approach will help give the area its own look and feel, while still visually separating your livable space from your new office.”

She says it’s important to listen to customers’ project goals and guide them toward intuitive color options.

“Avoid going too bright in an office space, as bright yellow, red or oranges can be distracting and overstimulating,” she says.

One strategy for replicating classrooms in shoppers’ homes is to recommend painting those rooms in school colors.

“PPG recently commissioned a survey of more than 900 teachers, parents and educational administrators and discovered that there may be one unexpected thing that can positively impact students’ environment, joy and engagement: color,” she says. “More than 90 percent said colors and decor are meaningful to positively affecting student engagement.”

TRUE COLOR TRENDS

• Revives old leather and helps protect new leather

• Reduces scratches and helps preserve leather

• Rejuvenates leather surfaces

• Protects leather from future decay

• Restores dry leather back to its soft, natural condition

• Prolongs the life of leather furniture, purses, boots, bags, hats, shoes, gloves, apparel, autos, tack, and saddles

• Safe to use on all types and colors of smooth leather

• No artificial dyes or chemicals

• A little goes a long way

• Counter display available

Painting has emerged as one of the most popular DIY activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

of respondents to PPG’s survey believe certain colors help children learn. PPG recommends finding a balance between vivid, energizing colors and muted options that boost concentration.

Where do you grow from here?

Empower key employees to increase sales and bottom-line profits with the industry’s most complete retail management program.

• Applied Business Strategy

• Advanced Retail Operations

• Advertising & Marketing

• Leadership & Team Building Students Learn Don’t miss out. Apply today.

• Financial Management

• Budgeting & Benchmarking

Still Vigilant

OSHA ISSUES NEW GUIDANCE AGAINST COVID-19

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is releasing updated guidelines of safety measures and health standards to help employers protect workers and slow the spread of the coronavirus.

IN ITS REPORT, OSHA provides new guidance employers should follow during the COVID-19 pandemic, listing the following as necessary steps:

• Conduct a hazard assessment.

• Identify control measures to limit the spread of the virus.

• Adopt policies for employee absences that don’t punish workers as a way to encourage potentially infected workers to remain home.

• Ensure that coronavirus policies and procedures are communicated to both English and non-English speaking workers.

• Implement protections from retaliation for workers who raise coronavirus-related concerns.

“OSHA is updating its guidance to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus and improve worker protections so businesses can operate safely and employees can stay safe and working,” says OSHA principal deputy assistant secretary Jim Frederick.

In a statement, OSHA says the new guidelines do not present a new legal obligation for employers, merely clarifications to reduce COVID-19 transmission. For more information, visit osha.gov

ANALYSIS

Tools for Your Business

Learn how these metrics guide your business at hardwareretailing.com/industry-trends

Monitoring the Market

ANTICIPATE EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CHANNEL

MONTHLY RETAIL SALES

Measured by surveys sent to U.S. households; in basis points

Building material and garden centers; in millions

Sources: The Conference Board; U.S. Department of Commerce, NAICS 444; National Association of Realtors; U.S. Census Bureau Data is not seasonally adjusted, meaning these graphs represent real-time shifts in the market.

CONNECTIONS

for More Visit YourNHPA.org/subscribe to get industry news delivered to your inbox every week.

Canadian Headlines

STAY UP TO DATE WITH CANADIAN BUSINESS AND TRENDS

Hudson’s Bay Co. Lays Off Hundreds

Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay Co. will lay off more than 600 employees due to continued market volatility resulting from COVID-19. Nearly half of the company’s department stores remain closed. The layoffs constitute roughly 5 percent of the company’s workforce.

Groupe BMR Seeks New CEO

Groupe BMR CEO Pascal Houle left his position in February to become head of operations with parent company Sollio Groupe Coopératif (formerly La coop fédérée). Houle began his career in 1998 as a manager of his local co-op in Laurierville, Quebec. He has been the company’s CEO since 2015.

AD INDEX

3M ...................................................................................15, 17 3m.com

Benjamin Moore ...................................................BC benjaminmoore.com

Channellock, Inc. .................................................47 channellock.com

Desperate Enterprises ......................................24 desperate.com

Do it Best Corp. ....................................................3 doitbestonline.com; 888-364-8237

Dutton-Lainson .....................................................28 dutton-lainson.com; 402-462-4141

Fiskars Brands Inc. .............................................9 fiskars.com/pro; 866-348-5661

Franmar Chemical Inc. ...................................69 franmar.com/pro; 800-538-5069

Great Northern Equipment Distributing, Inc. ..................................................77 gnedi.com; 800-822-0295

The Hillman Group..............................................72-73 hillmangroup.com; 800-800-4900

Howard Products, Inc. .....................................70 howardproducts.com; 800-266-9545 Intertape Polymer Corp. ................................11 itape.com; 888-898-7834

Richelieu Posts 2020 Fiscal Year Sales

Specialty hardware manufacturer Richelieu announced $1.1 billion CAD in fiscal year 2020 sales, up more than 8 percent from the 2019’s financial results. In the fourth quarter, the company announced net sales of $319 million, up 20.4 percent from the same period in 2019.

GMS Inc. Expands Into Canada

Building products distributor GMS Inc. announced plans to expand into Canada after acquiring D.L. Building Materials. GMS operates a network of more than 260 distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada and produces wallboard, ceiling systems and other products.

Knox Fertilizer.........................................................61 knoxfert.com/schultz; 574-772-6275

Lighthouse for the Blind .................................57 lhbindustries.com; 800-542-3697

MARS ............................................................................5 marsdelivers.com

Mi-T-M Corporation ............................................25 mitm.com; 800-553-9053

Midwest Fastener Corp. . ................................12-13 constructionscrews.com; 800-444-7313

OLFA .............................................................................51 olfahandtools.com

Orgill Inc. ...................................................................80-IBC orgill.com; 800-347-2860

Paladin Data Corp. .............................................21 choosepaladin.com; 541-508-5661

Phifer Incorporated ............................................11 phifer.com; 800-841-9473

Police Security........................................................29 policesecurity.com

PRO Group Inc. .....................................................67 prohardware.com; farmmart.com; 303-792-3000

Rescue! Sterling International ....................IFC-1 rescue.com/booknow; 800-666-6766

Rust Patrol ................................................................60 rust-patrol.com; 803-396-8400

Sakrete.........................................................................39 sakrete.com/dealer; 866-725-7383

Sashco ..........................................................................62-63 sashco.com; 800-767-5656

Sellars Absorbent Materials, Inc. ..............45 shoptowels.work; 800-237-8454

Shurtape Technologies ....................................41 frogtape.com/orange; 800-321-1733

Sika .................................................................................56 usa.sika.com/retail; 404-844-8399

Simpson Strong Tie Company....................35 strongtie.com; 800-999-5099

Sonin, Inc. ..................................................................28 sonin.com; 800-223-7511

Stihl, Inc. .....................................................................19 stihlusa.com/dealers; 800-467-8445

Strybuc Industries ...............................................40 strybuc.com; 800-352-0801 ext. 106

Wingate Sales Solutions .................................27 wingatesalesinc.com; 888-480-7253

Woodland ..................................................................26 pinecar.com; 573-346-5555

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

EARTH AUGERS

Brave has a full line of Earth Augers available so you always have the right piece of equipment for the job. One and two person earth augers available. New Brave earth augers feature Auger-LOK™ technology for stuck auger removal - don’t get stopped on the job!

LAST WORD

The Latest Data

Check out the latest home improvement retail trends by visiting hardwareretailing.com/industry-trends

Easy Does It

RETAIL CONVENIENCE EMERGES AS A TRUE DIFFERENTIATOR

NEW DATA FROM the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Winter 2021 Consumer View study illustrates how important convenience and ease of purchase are becoming. After surveying nearly 3,000 adults across the U.S., NRF offers guidance

on what a newfound focus on convenience means for the future of retail. Notably, 9 out of 10 consumers are more likely to choose a retailer based on levels of convenience. Discover more data points below and visit NRF.com to view the complete study.

Inconvenience can be costly.

97% of shoppers have backed out of a purchase because it was inconvenient for them.

BOPIS augments convenience.

7 out of 10 shoppers say buy online, pickup in store options added convenience and improved their shopping experience.

Convenience is a cornerstone.

83% of shoppers say purchasing items conveniently is more important to them today than it was five years ago.

POS needs to be efficient.

40% of survey respondents say when shopping in stores, convenience matters most at the checkout.

A CUSTOMIZED APPROACH

“Orgill recognizes that no two businesses are alike. They help us tailor our programs and product selection to best serve the needs of our customers.”

Pete Meichtry Ganahl Lumber California