R E TA I L E R S S P E A K O U T A B O U T M A S K-W E A R I N G P R O T O C O L
July/Aug 2020 Vol. 12, No. 5
THE INDUSTRY’S DIGITAL LEADER
Developing a
UNIQUE IDENTITY ALSO INSIDE: Farm and Ranch Retailing Report Social Media Marketing Strategies in Times of Uncertainty
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CONTENTS July/Aug 2020 ■ Vol. 12, No. 5
32
DEALER PROFILE: TONY POWERS, INTOWN ACE HARDWARE
SHOP TALK: HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW
6 10 14 16 18 27 32 37 44 45 49 53 57 59 62 65 66 68
Editor’s Note: Chris Jensen Trend Watch: Craig Cope Digby’s Hardware cartoon: Scott Jensen Amazing But True Hardware Stories How’s Business? Shop Talk: Hardware Products Review Dealer Profile: Tony Powers, Intown Ace Hardware Main Feature: Down on the Farm Beacon Award Winners for 2020 Social Media Marketing Strategies in Times of Uncertainty Dealer Profile: Greschlers Hardware Hardlines Digest: Hardware Retailers Battle COVID Issues Technology Update: Retailers Need a Good POS Partner Category Report: Plumbing In the News Upcoming Events Retail Ideas Behind the Numbers The Hardware Connection app is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon. Download here.
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THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 3
19 45
2020
BORN READY. Recessions and trade wars. Big box and online competition. Floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes–– even a global pandemic. Throughout the last 75 years, Do it Best has faced disruptions of every kind. Disruptions we were born to overcome. Together, we have proven we have the strength, agility, and wisdom to be there for each other and our communities. While no one can know what the next 75 years will hold, we are confident that we will continue to help our member-owners grow and succeed— because we will do what we were born to do. Together.
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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX A.O. Smith/Reliance Water Heaters | www.RelianceWaterHeaters.com . . 8 Ace Hardware Corp. | www.myace.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Blue Rhino | www.bluerhino.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Do it Best Corp. | www.doitbestonline.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ECi Software Solutions | www.ecisolutions.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Emery Jensen Distribution | www.emeryjensendistribution.com . . . . . . 19 Epicor Corp. | www.epicor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ganymede Technologies Corp./J3 Point-of-Sale | www.j3pos.biz . . . . . 17 Hardlines Digest | www.hardlinesdigest.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Jack Link’s Beef Jerky | www.jacklinks.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Kaba Ilco | www.ilco.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mi-T-M Corp. | www.mitm.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Orgill Inc. | www.orgill.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Retail Automation | www.retailautomation.biz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Robert Bosch Tool Corp. | www.boschtools.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 STIHL USA | www.stihlusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Tear Mender / LHB Industries | www.tearmender.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 WD-40 Company | www.wd40.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 21
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91900 Overseas Highway | Tavernier, FL 33070 | www.TheHardwareConnection.com Publisher/Principal: Craig Cope craig@thehardwareconnection.com 804-690-0666 Editor/Founder/Principal: Chris Jensen chris@thehardwareconnection.com 317-514-8864 Marketing & Creative Director/Principal: Dan Akers dan@thehardwareconnection.com 317-797-6609 Founder/Principal: Tom Chasteen tom@thehardwareconnection.com 305-852-6126
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Senior Business Advisor: John Hammond jhammond@thehardwareconnection.com National Account Manager: Dan Beck dbeck@thehardwareconnection.com 518-852-9624 Contributing Writers: Doug Donaldson, Gary Pittsford, John Fix III The Hardware Connection is published eight times a year by The Hardware Connection, Inc. All editorial contents copyrighted 2020 by the publisher. No editorial may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher.
THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 5
editor’s note By Chris Jensen
T
Are We All Doing Our Best to Be Inclusive?
he Hardware Connection is proud to announce it has been honored with a bronze regional AZBEE Award for Best Individual Profile from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for my December 2019 profile of Century Club retailer Rob Bantly of Bantly Hardware in Johnstown, Pa.—”Restoring Hope and Prosperity to a Dying But Resilient Town.” Click here to see that story, which is a testament to the can-do spirit evident in so many independent hardware retailers. The Hardware Connection has now won eight awards for editorial excellence in the past seven years. After 32 years in the trenches visiting and writing about hardware retailers, I can say I have never seen anything like this year. I’ve talked to dozens of retailers these past five months and I can hear the exhaustion and stress in their voices. Every retailer knows what it’s like to be busy for a week or a month, but not the type of unrelenting workload they have faced during this pandemic. For every minute they spend on the sales floor keeping customers socially distanced from each other, they spend five minutes in their office trying to source products. What’s worse, no one knows how much longer this will last.
6 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
To wear a mask or not wear a mask, that is the question. You will see that we address this critical question throughout this issue, as hardware retailers are faced with conflicting messages from government officials and get varying degrees of cooperation from customers. Our industry’s retailers are beyond essential, which is why we’re taking a different tack with our annual Beacon Awards program. Since we are unable to gather in Marco Island to recognize Beacon winners at The Hardware Conference, we are instead honoring top retailers for their community service efforts during the pandemic. You can find the list of winners on page 44, with profiles of all winners to come in our September/October issue. A portion of Beacon program proceeds will be used to support Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Featured on our cover for this issue is Tony Powers, who started with a parttime job at Intown Ace 35 years ago, rising through drive and determination to become a co-owner in 1996. In his spare time, he’s mayor pro tem of a city www.TheHardwareConnection.com
editor’s note of 20,000 people. As a black retailer, Tony knows what it’s like to face discrimination in an industry largely filled with white people, but he didn’t let it stop him from becoming a success. Turn to page 32 to read his inspiring story. One of the primary reasons why there aren’t more black hardware retailers like Tony Powers is the simple fact it takes a fair amount of money to open a hardware business, and blacks do not have equal access to capital. More than half of black business owners have been turned down for a loan, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, which is a rate twice as high as white business owners. The number of black business owners who were working in the U.S. plunged more than 40% as the pandemic kicked in.
Latino business owners saw their numbers drop by 32%. The Center for Responsible Lending noted that 95% of black-owned businesses had little chance of receiving a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program. This is the year we all have to ask—are we collectively doing enough to ensure minorities have an equal opportunity to pursue hardware retailing as a career? We all benefit when we make the effort to be more inclusive in our business and personal lives. Hats off to BTU Do it Center in New Mexico for keeping a special needs person, Anthony Larrañaga, employed for 30 years—read his heartwarming story on page 66. When we don’t see color or labels or focus on the things people can’t do, then we are able to embrace a better world. n
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trend watch
By Craig Cope
Staying Connected in a World of Virtual Shows
T
he global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every business in one form or fashion. The independent hardware channel is no exception. Although deemed “essential” by states, the hardware and home improvement businesses that comprise the channel were not forced to shut down for a period of time. Instead, all business operations needed to be evaluated and changed to ensure public safety. One of the biggest changes was the move from traditional co-op/wholesaler markets to virtual shows. The shift to virtual platforms began in March, when Ace Hardware Corp. announced the change in format with their Spring 2020 Convention. Now a vast majority of the co-ops and independent wholesalers are shifting their Fall 2020 shows to either virtual or outright canceling. As the director of The Hardware Conference with my wife Shanti, we were forced to evaluate the current situation and determine a course of action. How do you bring hundreds or thousands of people from all over the United States and even the world to one venue, maintain social distancing and ensure
10 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
everyone’s safety? The simple answer for me was we cannot, so we canceled the 32nd annual Hardware Conference for the first time in our history. The move to virtual shows also raises numerous questions. Hardware trade shows have a deep history in the channel dating back to the late 1800s, when they were strictly regional. While many things have changed over the years, a few key elements remain. The shows provide the industry’s manufacturers with an opportunity to market their current lines, launch new products and interact with their customers in a cost-effective, face-to-face manner. The shows also provide education and training, idea sharing among independent hardware and lumber store owners, and the opportunity for retailers to step away from the store’s daily operation to focus on longer-term business plans. Some of the issues regarding virtual shows are easily answered. Training has already shifted over the years to an online environment providing 24/7 access. Keynote speeches can be recorded and disseminated easily, although they lose their impact or the opportunity www.ThehardwareConnection.com
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trend watch to ask questions. The balance of the issues are more difficult to solve—picking up product knowledge from vendor reps, learning the latest marketing strategies, engaging in dialogue with others in the industry and the opportunity to reflect on longer-term plans. Some online platforms like Zoom provide an excellent way to stay connected while apart. However, as someone who hosts and participates in video calls on a regular basis, the interaction always leaves me feeling unconnected. Setting aside all the normal issues that can occur during a video call—technology issues, annoying background noise, lower engagement due to multi-tasking, lack of true eye contact—there is still the underlying thought that it’s just not the same or as good as in-person, human contact. We gain so much by sharing the same physical space from surroundings/context, physical contact, ability to read non-verbal cues and the ability to create true relationships. Gathering together for shows also enables us to share experiences from dinner and drinks to enjoying some of the local attractions. I share breakfast with an industry colleague during the spring and fall shows and always look forward to our time together. The independent hardware channel is a family industry built upon relationships forged over the years. No technology can replace the interpersonal relationships we create during face-to-face interactions. I tip my hat to all the co-ops and 12 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
wholesalers who are forging forward with virtual shows to keep the industry connected during the pandemic. The Hardware Connection was founded in 2009 to take advantage of the fastgrowing trend toward digital technology, which could be used to help connect manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers while strengthening the two-step channel of distribution. Basically, our magazine is designed to keep the industry connected in between the times we gather at industry shows. Like everyone else, we look forward to reconnecting with our industry friends and colleagues when it is safe to gather again at trade shows.
UPdate On cOntact tracInG In my May-June column, I wrote about the unprecedented cooperation between Apple and Google to launch a COVID-19 tracing app for their two mobile operating systems. The platform is designed to use technology to aid public health officials as they trace the virus and notify people who may have been exposed, so they can take the appropriate actions. Contact tracing is an extremely labor-intensive task and it relies on the infected patient to inform public health officials who they have contacted during a specific period. As of April 13, only four states (Alabama, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia) said they will participate in the Exposure Notification API. So far, no state has started using it. ■ www.ThehardwareConnection.com
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HARDWARE HUMOR
14 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
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HARDWARE HUMOR
Amazing but TRUE
HARDWARE
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O
ccasionally, critters have gotten into our building. Somehow, a raccoon had crawled above the ceili ng tiles. A manager comes in one morning and open s the door to her office and finds the raccoon staring at her. It had fallen from the ceiling. She ran away fro m her office yelling with her hands flailing in the air. Chris Morey Morey Lumber & Har dware Fort Worth, Texas
ed a gallon of ix m s e e y lo p m ne of our e mix paint, we e w r e v e n e h w paint and keep so that if e w rd ca a n o dab a little have the exact ’ll e w , ck a b s e m the customer co , the employee b a d t a th g in o d r color. Well, afte pletely. As the m co n o ck a b d li didn’t tamp the oshed out and sl t in a p , e m o h customer drove an inch of paint d a h e h S t. a se mer covered her back nately, the custo u rt o F . ts a se r e under h out it. We took b a r te e e sw n e e couldn’t have b ned it thorough a e cl d n a r ca r e h the seats out of rubbed her carsc e W r. e sh a w re ys. ly with a pressu ouse for two da h re a w r u o in pet and let it dry n Derek Rolliso ply & Hardware Bloomfield Sup . Bloomfield, Ind
O
A
regular customer, Doug, came in the store with a shower body and some new, but mismatched parts. He needed help from the plumbing doctor (me) to rig the unit together. I fixed him up with some parts and some advice and in parting he said to me, ‘Wish me luck, Doctor.’ I stopped him and said, ‘Hey Doug, wait. We’re in the middle of a global pandemic and you’re farting around with the hot water to the shower on your pleasure boat, and you think you need more luck from me?’ He stopped, turned, blinked a few times, and said, ‘Wow, thanks, I never really thought about it like that.’ Alan Talman Karp’s Hardware | East Northport, N.Y. Originally posted in Hardlines Digest
16 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
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COVID-19 UPDATE:
How’s
Business?
MIDWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? We’re up about 30 percent so far in 2020. Overall, the impact of COVID-19 has been good for business. What’s selling well? Have you had to turn to non-traditional sources of supply? Everything has been selling well across the board. We’ve been getting by with our suppliers, even though we’ve had more shorts than typical. Our supply is about half House-Hasson and half Orgill. Any adjustments to staffing, hours or operations? We haven’t had any major staffing issues. In the beginning, we told some of the older employees not to come in, as their families were concerned about them dealing with the public. The only real change in the store is that we put up plexiglass shields on the counters as a bit of a barrier when face to face. We put tape on the floor to
indicate where people should stand in line to stay separated. We sanitize more. We have temporarily dropped some services, such as pipe cutting and screen repair. With so many people coming in and the store being so busy, the employees who would do those services just don’t have the time. We don’t promote curbside pickup, but whenever a customer asks for it, we’ll offer that. Biggest challenge operating during the pandemic? Supply issues. We’ve had to do a few things differently. For example, our secretary/bookkeeper stayed home, so others started taking up some of her jobs. It’s strained our routine a little bit, but it’s a good challenge to do the bookkeeping, too. Derek Rollison Bloomfield Supply & Hardware Bloomfield, Ind.
18 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Bloomfield Hardware was founded in 1975 by Derek Rollison’s grandfather.
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How’s Business?:: COVID-19 UPDATE
SOUTH
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? We started off OK and got better, and now we’re up about 20 percent. Business has been healthy, and the other thing that’s really helped is the Paycheck Protection Program. What’s selling well? Have you had to turn to non-traditional sources of supply? Everything in general has been selling well. People were forced to stay home, and we were open as an essential business. A lot of people started doing projects. On our busiest days, it was not quite like a hurricane day, but it was really busy. We definitely had to turn to non-traditional suppliers for masks and gloves. We also started selling toilet paper that we were able to get from an industrial supplier. Those sales are starting to taper off now. Any adjustments to staffing, hours or operations? Staffing is constant and we actually added a part-time position. We ordered plexiglass and it was installed in the first week of July. We have always done curbside pickup and delivery; it’s just become a bigger part of normal service. 20 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Jupiter Hardware was opened in 1987.
What has been your biggest challenge operating during the pandemic? Do you require employees and customers to wear masks? Our biggest challenge has definitely been supply. Since the beginning, we required employees to wear masks and recently, mask-wearing in public has been mandated by our county. We supplied employees with handmade masks that were attractive and fun to wear. Before masks were mandatory, every time a customer without a mask would come in, we’d wash down the counter and other surfaces. Our focus was to make everything as healthy as possible for customers and employees. Cy Hollander Jupiter Hardware and Supply Jupiter, Fla. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
SOUTHWEST
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? We were one of the few businesses that were open, so we’re up. COVID-19 has caused additional stress with the cleaning and disinfecting we’re doing five or six times a day. But we’ve hung in there. What’s selling well? Have you had to turn to non-traditional sources of supply? Everything has been selling. Our supply through True Value has stayed strong. Any adjustments to staffing, hours or operations? There have been no staffing issues and we’ve
Assistant General Manager Peter Overby holds George the Rooster, who has been a store mascot since the business opened in 2013 as Gecko True Value Hardware.
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
How’s Business?:: COVID-19 UPDATE Rooster Home & Hardware in Dallas combines a traditional hardware store with an urban homesteading/garden center.
been incredibly fortunate. We installed plexiglass shields in front of registers. We do offer curbside pickup. As of a few days ago, face masks are now a requirement. When we disinfect, we do everything—shopping carts, handles, touchpads, doors—everywhere that’s high traffic. Half Page Hardware Trade Ad Artwork R2.pdf 1 3/30/20
Do you require employees and customers to wear masks? Before the social distancing was mandated, we strongly encouraged the wearing of masks. But not everyone agreed, so that was stressful. But now that it’s mandated, people have been better about following the guidelines. Peter Overby Rooster Home & Hardware Dallas, Texas 4:07 PM
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Morey Lumber & Hardware has been owned and operated by the Morey family since 1974.
Sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? The year started off slow, but since COVID-19 started, it’s been excellent. We’re up about 20 to 30 percent in customer counts and up about 20 percent in sales. That overall impact has been because do-it-yourselfers have started completing their honey-do lists. What’s selling well? Have you had to turn to non-traditional sources of supply? Lumber and pool equipment. The whole lawn and garden department has been very good, including all nursery items, plants, vegetables, flowers and potting soil. As far as suppliers, it varies based on supplier, but we’re only at about a 70 percent fill rate. I guess that’s common in the field now. We’ve had to go through a few different suppliers for hand sanitizers. Any adjustments to staffing, hours or operations? No staffing www.TheHardwareConnection.com
issues. We’ve set up plexiglass around the cashier station. At first, we shut down for two weeks, then cut hours for two weeks. Then we realized people needed us, and we opened back up fully. What has been your biggest challenge operating during the pandemic? The biggest challenge is trying to keep up with regulations and mandates. Another challenge is trying to learn the whole new tax credits that are going on. Chris Morey Morey Lumber & Hardware Fort Worth, TX
WEST
How are sales and customer counts in 2020? What impact has COVID-19 had on your business? Ever since COVID-19, we’re way up, about 89 percent. It’s been a huge increase, because people can’t go anywhere and are looking to do things around their homes. What’s selling well? Have you had to turn to non-traditional sources of supply? Everything you need for a house, such as any wood, cement and anything for gardens.
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How’s Business?:: COVID-19 UPDATE We put up shields around counters and changed hours for a little while. We also offer curbside pickup. When all the COVID-19 started, we were afraid we were going to get mobbed after we Greer’s Do it Best Hardware, which was received another load of toilet paper. We founded in 1976, has a niche in motorcycle were braced for a mob and kept toilet parts and accessories. paper behind the counter. What has been your biggest chalPower tools have been selling really well, lenge operating during the pandemtoo. Yes, it’s been a little difficult to supic? Do you require employees or cusply anything made out of metal or plastomers to wear masks? The biggest tic. We go through Do it Best, but they challenge is keeping up with demand—it’s have been pretty good. been very busy. We don’t require, but Any adjustments to staffing, strongly suggest, wearing masks. hours or operations? At first, we had a knee-jerk reaction and people Tom Greer were nervous and didn’t show up. We Greer’s Do it Best Hardware | Tremonton, Utah did have an older employee stay home.
k l a T Shop H
S REV T C U D O R P ARDWARE
By Craig Cope
IEW
PRODUCT #1: MORF R230 HEADLAMP + MAGNETIC FLASHLIGHT POLICE SECURITY FLASHLIGHTS Police Security Flashlights is a leader in the high-quality tactical line of flashlights. They have extended their line beyond flashlights with an emphasis on innovation. We had the opportunity to test the Morf R230 3-in-1 Rugged Headlamp + Magnetic Flashlight. The Morf 230 is more than just a traditional headlamp, but adds a removable, waterproof, drop-proof magnetic flashlight. When the user detaches the flashlight, a set of secondary headlamp LEDs give the user a second light source. The detachable flashlight also has a powerful magnet at its base, allowing the flashlight to attach to any metal surface. Click here to see the Morf and all its possibilities. The headlamp is powered by 4 AAA batteries attached to the back of the head strap and puts out an impressive 230 lumens on high. The detachable flashlight is powered by a lithium polymer and outputs 100 lumens. The headlamp and detachable flashlight have two modes: High and Low to conserve battery usage. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Given the overall flexibility of this product, we had a diverse group of testers—a maintenance professional, an outdoor enthusiast and a DIY mechanic. Our maintenance professional raved about the overall function and durability while using the Morf 230 on numerous jobs across multiple disciplines. After just a few short days he left his traditional flashlight in the van and just used the Morf with or without the headband. Our other two testers had similar reactions during camping, fishing and repairing the family car. As one tester noted, “It’s like having a third hand when working in tightly confined spaces.” THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 27
k l a T p o Sh E PROD HARDWAR
UCTS REV
IEW
construction, tested up to 60 PSI, PRODUCT #2 AND 3 UTILITY TRANSFER TANK AND UTILITY and is airtight. The Utility SURECAN WITH SPIGOT SureCan with SURECAN Spigot replaces the blue spout with a spigot primarily SureCan builds upon its innovative for the dispensing of water. The addiportable gas dispensing system and tion of the spigot creates a simple and launches the Utility Transfer Tank and Utility SureCan with Spigot. The Utility easy way to dispense water handsfree after turning on the spigot. Since the Can dispenses all non-fuel based liqUtility Can uses gravity to dispense uids including vehicle coolant, DEF, the fluid there is no need to add air windshield wiper fluid, water and pressure or any parts that may fail in so much more. The Utility Can uses the future. The can is also constructed the same high-quality six-layer wall
UP TO
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DITCH THE WRENCH The X-LOCK mount offers a wheel change that’s up to 5X FASTER than conventional interfaces. There’s an audible snap when mounting an X-LOCK Wheel on an X-LOCK grinder. The wheel mounts properly without the need for a spanner wrench or flange nuts. SNAP-IN MOUNTING
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using BPA free materials, so it’s 100 percent safe for drinking water. We received our test products in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and state shutdown orders. With an emphasis on handwashing and a shortage of hand sanitizer, the Utility SureCan with Spigot was extremely popular with all our testers. The Utility Can creates a portable easy-to-use hand washing station. With a capacity of either 2 or 5 gallons, the Utility Can easily handles a day’s worth of hand washing. Click here to view the Utility SureCan with Spigot in action. The Utility Can is not only a portable handwashing station but a perfect solution when clean freshwater is needed for utility or drinking. The applications are almost endless from pets, camping and other outdoor activities. One of our testers liked the easy functionality when they used the Utility Can to water their plants. With all of the possible applications, the Utility Transfer Tank and Utility SureCan with Spigot go well beyond a portable handwashing station. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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PRODUCT #4: FLITZ SEALANT | FLITZ Flitz is a 40-year-old, family-run company producing high-quality polishes, cleaners and protectants for numerous categories. A recent trend in the car care industry is the launch of car sealants versus traditional waxes. So you may be asking “what is the difference between a sealant and wax?” While both products are designed to offer protection against the elements, a typical wax contains carnauba wax occurring in nature while sealants are designed in the laboratory. Carnauba wax has been the industry standard for decades and provides a layer of protection and gloss to any paint job. It is normally applied as either a paste or thick liquid. Since a sealant is an engineered product it provides a higher level of protection, while carnauba wax will evaporate on hot paint surfaces over time. Click here for a more detailed explanation and illustration. Flitz introduced the Flitz Sealant, a ceramic-style coating that can be applied at home and lasts almost one year. Traditional ceramic coating is expensive and normally applied by a professional in a controlled environment over a couple of days. Since Flitz is a sprayed application it can also be applied to numerous surfaces including paint, fiberglass, plastic trim and glass.
The product is simply sprayed on and then immediately wiped off. The surface is left with a high-quality shine and protected with minimal effort. The flexibility and ease of application is what stood out to our testers. Beyond the traditional automobile, motorcycle and RV markets, the Flitz polish can also be used inside. One tester used the sealant on shower glass to reduce streaking with outstanding results. While carnauba wax has its specific purposes, these engineered coats are the future for their extended protection, multiple surface application and ease of use. If your store offers traditional waxes then take a look at the Flitz Sealant for superior results with half the effort. ■
30 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Real-World Advice from Independent Hardware Store Owners
Join a growing community of thousands of independent hardware retailers Practical tips from fellow retailers delivered fresh daily to your email inbox Share your expertise and learn from your peers
Get in on the conversation at
www.hardlinesdigest.com
“ I created Hardlines Digest in 1996 as a way for my fellow retailers to swap tips about the nitty-gritty of running an independent hardware store. Today, it’s grown to a community of thousands of independent hardware store owners just like you. I hope you’ll join today and start sharing your own expertise.” —John Fix Owner, Cornell’s Hardware Eastchester, NY
Proudly Independent. Powered by You.
100E% E! FR
Website
deAler ProfIle
By Doug Donaldson
Tony Powers Intown Ace Hardware Decatur, Ga.
Developing a
UniqUe identity
I Upper: Tony Powers started working part time at Intown Ace Hardware 35 years ago, working his way up to become co-owner in 1996. Lower: The garden center was recently expanded by 3,000 square feet. 32 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
ntown Ace Hardware in Decatur, Ga., has a simple business motto: Customers drive business decisions. Co-owner Tony Powers connects with customers to be out front of trends. “With new products, we like being an early adopter,” Powers says. “If we’re making purchasing decisions based on a new trend in trade magazines, it’s too late. We like to jump on a new product or trend before the market is saturated.” One example: A customer asked if the store could carry Bee’s Wax Polish. “I’d never heard of it, but one of the unique things is that it cleans just about anything—leather, stainless steel, granite, mirrors,” Powers says. “It’s a really good seller, and we’d never have heard about it without a customer mentioning it.” Another example: A customer asked if Intown Ace could stock Wicked Good Charcoal, which is a natural, hardwood www.TheHardwareConnection.com
charcoal made by a company in Maine. True to the store’s credo of being ahead of the curve, Wicked Good Charcoal is now stocked in the Ace warehouse. Because of the store’s customer-centric approach, community-based assortment planning and some eye-catching decorations like a baseball card collection above the key-cutting counter, Intown Ace Hardware was named one of Ace’s “Coolest Hardware Stores on the Planet” in 2012. Powers began working at Intown Ace the second week of 1985 as a part-time job while earning a marketing degree at the University of Georgia. Now, even though he is now a coowner, staff at the store joke that Powers has the longest-running, part-time job in the world.
Ace Is the PlAce for…UnderweAr During its three-plus decades of existence, Intown Ace Hardware has undergone significant transformation. When Powers started his part-time job, the store sold a lot more building materials. However, commodities such as 2x4s provided low margins, constant culling of warped boards and demands to keep up with deliveries. In 1996, the store switched distributors and converted from True Value to Ace. Powers and his business partner, Dave Jones, found that Ace offered critical, yet positive, advice on how to improve the store’s lighting, layout and inventory. Also, Ace provided data about how their store stacked up against peer stores. Powers believes that information enabled better decision-making and a way to help fight growing big-box competition. Today, www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Upper: Co-owners Dave Jones and Tony Powers pose with their trophy for being named one of Ace’s “Coolest Hardware Stores on the Planet” in 2012. Lower: The store sells t-shirts and women’s underwear made of organic bamboo fiber.
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 33
deAler ProfIle five Home Depot stores are within a 20-minute drive of Intown Ace. “The best decision I’ve made as a hardware retailer has been switching to Ace, hands down,” Powers says. “And following the advice they gave at the time of the switch. If we didn’t switch, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are now.” Part of the store’s transformation meant changing to appeal to women, adding new niches, redesigning the store layout and ensuring shoppers walked through wide, well-lit aisles. “We felt that Ace would take the store to the next level and help us with what we needed to be doing,” Powers says. “Ace helped develop three or four niches to define who we are.” Those newly pumped-up niches included lawn and garden, patio furniture, grilling, gifts and housewares. Over the past two decades, the store has dived even deeper into its niches, stocking multiple lines. For example, in the grilling department, the store offers extensive lines of Weber, Traeger and Big Green Egg. In housewares, the store stocks multiple lines of candles and offers 12 feet of dishtowels. “We have more dishtowels than anybody in Atlanta,” Powers says. And then there is women’s underwear. “Yes, we carry a line of organic, bamboo women’s underwear,” Powers says. “We sent some to the CEO and COO of Ace and they thought it was 34 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
A whole cabinet is devoted to a wide variety of barbecue sauces.
hilarious. It’s been on The Today Show and is now one of the top lines of women’s underwear.”
crAftIng A UnIQUe IdentIty Whether it is stocking bamboo women’s underwear or Big Green Egg accessories, 13,000-square-foot Intown Ace Hardware has defined its place in the marketplace. The store’s promotions, such as Ladies Night events, also help distinguish its identity. For its anniversary sales, the store offers the same percentage off (on almost everything in the store) as the store’s age. This December, that means customers shopping during the anniversary sale will get 36 percent off their purchases. About 80 percent of the store’s customers are do-it-yourselfers. The store recently added another 3,000 square feet to its outdoor garden center. Much of the store’s character is reflected through its 34 employees. “I tell all my employees, past or present, that nothing was handed to me just because I showed up to work,” Powers says. “I have a hard work ethic each and every day. My first summer www.TheHardwareConnection.com
a co-owner because he had the ambition and confidence to approach the owners, who included Jones. In 2008, Powers and Jones bought out the last remaining founding owner. Since then, the duo has found ways to divvy up store duties. Jones handles the back-office duties such as accounting, while Powers oversees the floor operations. “We give each department a lot of autonomy to run itself as a store within a store,” Powers says. “Our department managers have a Torched Craft Beer Candles, which are made lot of latitude because of how we’ve from amber beer bottles, have proven popular. divided duties. Dave and I have a great relationship.” here, I sold lumber and building mateIn addition to being deeply connectrials, carrying sheetrock up stairs in ed to the community through the store, 100-degree heat. I urge employees to be willing to learn and put the time in.” Powers serves the City of Decatur as commissioner and mayor pro tem. Powers says the store just reflects “In hardware, in political life, nothing its community. Decatur is about is ever given,” Powers says. “You have seven miles northeast of downtown to earn every vote, every customer. Atlanta, close to Emory University and Earn it all.” the Centers for Disease Control and He is also a community volunPrevention. Intown Ace’s neighborhood features many homes built in the 1920s teer and serves on local foundations, task forces and school organizations. and 1930s, and the region has seen a In 2002, the City of Decatur named tremendous amount of growth in the past decade. Powers grew up in Decatur, Powers a Hometown Hero for his serhis daughters were raised in the city and vice to the community. “My favorite thing about the hardhave worked in the store, too. Now, he ware business is the connections with lives just a block away from the store. the people I’ve met,” Powers says. Powers used to plan his college schedule around his hours at the hard- “Now, I’m working with third-generation customers. There are not many ware store. He commuted to and from Athens (70 miles each way) to continue industries where you can say you’re working with the grandkids of families working at the store while finishing you know.” his degree. In 1996, Powers became www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 35
nAvIgAtIng dIscrImInAtIon In the hArdwAre IndUstry
Tony Powers, co-owner of Intown Ace Hardware, has 35 years of experience as a hardware retailer. He is also deeply involved in local politics as the mayor pro tem of Decatur, Ga. Here, he shares his unique perspective about navigating discrimination within the hardware industry:
Tony Powers says the industry is becoming more diverse.
like yours, because you never know who makes the business decisions. I have seen vendors shift and start addressing everyone in front of them. Early in my career, when I was a manager of a lumberyard, there wasn’t anyone whose face looked like mine, so I had to grow teeth and thick skin.”
Have you experienced discrimination within the hardware industry? “Yes, I’d say so. But it’s better than it was 20 years ago, far better. Now, within the industry, we’re not only seeing white men, but women, minorities, folks of other nationalities. The industry What can be done to encourage is becoming more global, especially more diversity within the hardware with Ace expanding into other counindustry? tries. We’re becoming international, so “It’s not one of those things that has the market has to change.” an easy answer. In the past, at many shows, I’m the only one in the crowd What’s an example of the diswith a face that looks like mine. The crimination you experienced? hardware business means hard work “Very early on when I started in the and long hours, but it’s very rewardbusiness, it was frustrating going to ing. I think telling stories and looking at shows. I’d be walking, visiting vendor opportunities in underserved markets booths with my employees. Instead can help. Branching out and utilizing of vendors talking to me, they would other business models like McDonald’s talk to my employees who had faces or Chick-fil-A could be an option, too. that looked like their own. When these Having the will and being interested vendors would ask a question about in speaking about diversity helps. It’s a buying products, my employees had really complicated issue and there’s not to reply ‘I don’t know, I work for him.’ a single answer.” n Don’t just speak to the face that looks 36 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
feature
By Chris Jensen
Down on the farm
T
Farm and Ranch Segment Showing Strong Growth
he farm and ranch segment is growing and changing at a rapid pace. Demographics are driving some of the change, but so is technology. As America’s farmers age, the next generation of farmers is more apt to be college-educated (69% according to the USDA) and definitely more comfortable using technology while shopping for essential products and to increase efficiency on their farms. Farm and ranch retailing is no longer confined to rural areas but has www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Above: Laken Gortler, general manager of Dahlgren’s Building Supply, grew up on a farm, so she is comfortable sharing her expertise with customers.
expanded into many suburban areas. Hobby farming was exploding in popularity before the pandemic hit, and now everyone wants to raise chickens and grow their own food. Hobby or lifestyle farmers are generally novices, so retailers must spend more time educating them on how to house, feed and take care of their animals. THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 37
feature The nation’s largest farm and ranch retailer, Tractor Supply Company, did $8.3 billion in sales last year, which is more than double the $3.6 billion the company reported in 2010. While Tractor Supply is the only national farm and ranch retailer, plenty of strong regional chains dot the country. More hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards are diversifying into farm and ranch categories such as feed, fencing, pet and animal health. They are using special events and social media marketing to connect with hobby farmers and others who want to take control of the food they eat. In an effort to grow its farm and ranch division, Stevensville Hardware in Stevensville, Mont., has expanded its market share by partnering with a local Amish community to produce fence posts at a lower cost—without sacrificing quality or craftsmanship. They have also found success with stocking baby chicks, turkeys and all sorts of exotic fowl chicks, and carry enough feed and tack for every animal on the ranch.
Protecting fooD SuPPlieS While the COVID-19 pandemic threatens food supply chains across the world, there has never been a more important time for local, independent businesses to support farms and ranches. Across the United States, stores like Dahlgren’s Building Supply in St. Helens, Ore., have stepped up to 38 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Dahlgren’s Building Supply has been serving customers in St. Helens, Ore., since 1955.
provide their community with the supplies they need to protect crops and livestock, as well as helping those who wish to raise and cultivate their own food for the first time. “That has been a learning curve for us. We just try to find out what they need and get it for them,” says General Manager Laken Gortler. “It might be telling them what wood to use to build their own garden bed or how to build a proper chicken coop.” Dahlgren’s Building Supply dates back to 1955 and is owned by a second-generation family member, Eric Dahlgren. They are currently working with Do it Best to design and build a new 10,000-square-foot store across the street from their existing building to better serve their community and meet this increased demand, especially for farm and ranch products. The frenzy of retail life during the pandemic has slowed down their expansion plans, but they hope to break ground this fall. Just three years ago, Dahlgren’s began stocking baby chicks and sold a www.TheHardwareConnection.com
compared to last May, and we weren’t expecting that,” Gortler says. Gortler grew up on a 50-acre farm and keeps horses. Besides her, there are three other employees with a farming background who can lend their expertise. She and Eric Dahlgren do a weekly radio show, and she ends up fielding a lot of questions about horses and farm Laken Gortler and Sales Manager Larry and ranch issues. Fair stay on top of their supply of gates Operating during the pandemic has at Dahlgren’s Building Supply, since it’s a top-selling category. been challenging, but they were lucky and did not have to close at all and didn’t lose any employees. “We needed respectable 200 to community memall hands on deck. We started curbside bers. This spring, they sold more than pickup for the first time and marked out 3,000 and have seen their farm and our signage at six feet,” Gortler says. ranch sales double since last year. She adds that employees have all been Gortler describes the business as a hardware store that sells farm and ranch wearing masks and the state’s governor and not the other way around. The cur- recently required face masks in indoor rent sales floor is 5,500 square feet, but spaces open to the public. Farmers in the area seem optimistic, most farm and ranch products like gates so Gortler takes that as a good sign for and fencing are stored outside. the near future. For now, they are just Dahlgren’s captures 50 percent of its trying to keep up with the ever-increassales from homeowners, 40 percent from pros and 10 percent from farmers, ing demand for products. “Business according to Gortler. “Most of the farm- has been great and it will be even beters are full time—we don’t have a lot of ter once we get into the larger space,” hobby farmers around here,” she adds. she says. She says they have quadrupled their chicken and turkey sales and also sold Serving the whole market some pheasants and quail. “You get Many store owners who specialize in blindsided by the spike in sales. We’ve the farm and ranch category are seealways had a seed display, but this year ing their sales increase while the world we can’t keep it in stock,” she notes. adjusts to this new normal. At The Lumber and sheet goods remain their Equity Do it Center in Effingham, Ill., top-selling categories, followed by gates they credit their success to the fact that from Tarter. “Our feed is up 72 tons most of their employees, even up to www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 39
feature the vice president level, are also farmers themselves. The Equity Do it center is part of the largest ag cooperative in Illinois, which dates back to 1919. The Equity offers agronomy, grain services, feed and livestock, energy and hardware from 17 locations covering 20,000 square miles. The Equity’s purpose is to help its 9,000 stockholders and 20,000 charge account customers obtain goods and services to farm as efficiently and profitably as possible. Having survived wars, the Great Depression and recessions, they are now dealing with a pandemic. The Equity may have started out selling coal, hay and feed, but today it is leading the way in agribusiness. The Equity Do it center carries products for homeowners, farmers, hunters and contractors, selling everything from grills, boots and seed to livestock gates, feeders, fencing and their own line of feed. Hardware Manager Thomas Perkins, who also comes from a farming background, explains their customer mix breaks down to 50 percent from farmers, 20 percent from contractors, and 10 percent from both homeowners and hunters. “We have both full-time and hobby farmers, and we’re definitely seeing more hobby farmers,” he says, In March, Do it Best helped them complete a total reset. “They helped us to diversify and we expanded into products we didn’t have before,” Perkins says. “Our business has increased every month 40 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
The Equity Do it center recently completed a total reset that enabled expansion into new categories.
The Equity Do it center in Effingham, Ill., gets 50 percent of sales from farmers.
since COVID. We were curbside only in April and it was still bigger than March. Everyone is working on their yard.” In the early part of the pandemic, they rotated out on staffing. Employees would work a couple of days and then take a COVID day. After April they returned to regular staffing with their 10 employees—half come from a farm background. In a typical year, top-selling categories include farm and garden, grass seed, grills, power tools and anything outdoors like bulk feed. “Grills have been crazy. We’ve been selling out as fast as we get them in. We think it was the stimulus money going around,” www.TheHardwareConnection.com
exPanDing Delivery Service Things are looking up at Tractor Supply Company (TSC), which bills itself as the largest rural lifestyle retail chain in the United States. TSC reported net sales rose 7.5 percent in the first quarter and is projecting record sales Feed for all animals is on hand at The Equity Do it center. and earnings for the second quarter, with net sales growth forecast to be Perkins says. “Small garden seed is up 24-29 percent. In April, TSC announced that samenearly 200 percent, which is why it’s day delivery is now available in all of hard to get.” its 1,863 locations in the United States, Livestock equipment like cattle feeders are kept outside, and they installed a making it the nation’s first major general lean-to so farmers can drive up and grab merchandise retailer to offer same-day delivery from 100 percent of stores. or do curbside. Customers have been The expansion comes three years very responsive to curbside, according after Tractor Supply initially launched to Perkins, who notes that most have its delivery service partnership with a charge account and can just pull up, Roadie. Roadie is the nation’s first grab the items and go. crowdsourced delivery service, with Everything is uncertain in the farm industry right now, according to Perkins. more than 150,000 verified drivers who cover 89 percent of U.S. households. “We’ve had some rough years in the With the pandemic boosting demand farm economy since 2012. Farmers are for delivery service, TSC accelerated not sure of their income sources with the rollout of same-day delivery. Tractor trade deals. We’ve made it through so far, but it’s on everyone’s mind,” he says. Supply now offers customers the convenience of same-day and next-day delivMore farmers are getting involved ery on almost the entire inventory from with social media, so The Equity Do its stores—nearly 15,000 items including it center has started marketing more livestock feed, dog food, power tools, tilaggressively on Facebook. “We have Rural King in town and Tractor Supply lers, riding lawn mowers, chicken coops 15 miles away, so we’re trying to com- and more. “At Tractor Supply, we are committed pete with bigger boxes. We compete to being the most dependable supplier with our knowledge, because our of basic maintenance products for farm, customers come to us for advice,” ranch and rural customers. Now, more Perkins says. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 41
feature
Tractor Supply Company is projecting record sales for the second quarter.
A trip to Rooster Home & Hardware in Dallas can lead to an encounter with goats, bunnies and chickens.
Brandywine Ace Pet & Farm in West Chester, Pa., promotes chicken supplies on an end cap.
than ever before, our customers are depending on us to get them their essential goods in a timely manner so they can continue to take care of their families, homes, land, pets and animals,” said John Ordus, executive vice president and chief stores officer at Tractor Supply. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tractor Supply adopted the following initiatives: • Increase use of mobile POS devices across the chain by the end of April to allow for a more seamless checkout process.
• Implement contactless curbside delivery for Buy Online, Pickup in Store. • Expedite rollout of contactless payment options such as Apple Pay. • Introduce first mobile app for Apple and Android devices. • Increase inventory supply for essential products such as livestock feed, equine feed, pet food and other critical consumable items. n
largeSt farm anD ranch retailerS
New Bomgaars store in Ainsworth, Neb.
• • • • • • •
Tractor Supply Company, Nashville, Tenn.—1,863 stores Rural King, Mattoon, Ill.—110 stores Bomgaars, Sioux City, Iowa—94 stores Atwoods Farm & Ranch, Enid, Okla.—63 stores Fleet Farm, Appleton, Wis.—45 stores Runnings, Marshall, Minn.—45 stores Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Janesville, Wis.—42 stores
42 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Sponsors:
Co-Sponsors:
Honoring the Industry’s Best Retailers With the 2020 BEACON AWARDS This important recognition program honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.
recognizing the retailers that have gone above and beyond to serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to Retail Beacon Awards for each of the participating wholesalers, the 2020 Beacon Awards program will honor the industry’s best hardware and LBM stores in the category of community service,
Traditionally, the Beacon Awards are held at The Hardware Conference. However, due to the pandemic, the 2020 Hardware Conference is canceled. Look for full coverage of all winners in the Sept./Oct. 2020 issue later this fall.
Learn more at www.TheHardwareConnection.com
BEACON AWARDS
Beacon Awards Program Recognizes Community Service
T
he Beacon Awards, now in their eighth year, were originally set to be given out during The Hardware Conference in Marco Island, Fla., this August. That event was canceled due to the pandemic, so this year’s Beacon Award honorees will receive their recognition during next year’s Hardware Conference, set for August 13-15, 2021 at the JW Marriott in Marco Island. In addition to Retail Beacon Awards for each of the participating wholesalers, the 2020 Beacon Awards program will honor stores in the category of community service, recognizing the retailers that have gone above and beyond to serve their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Beacon Awards are co-sponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection. Additional sponsorship support comes from Epicor, Ettore Products, Do it Best Corp. and Orgill. The 2020 Beacon Award honorees include: • Retail Beacon Award (Do it Best)—T & M Hardware & Rental, Ellwood City, Pa. Owners: Tim and Mary Post. • Retail Beacon Award (Orgill)— McGuckin Hardware, Boulder, Colo. Owners: Barry and Vicki Hight. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Wholesale Lumber Company, Clint, Texas. Owners: Joe and Jody Burks; President: Joe Burks.
44 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
The Beacon Awards program honors the industry’s top retailers.
• Beacon Award for Community Service—Jabo’s Ace Hardware, Keller, Texas. Owners: Bill and Renae Jablonowski. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Aubuchon Hardware, Westminster, Mass. Owner: Aubuchon family; President: Will Aubuchon IV. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Mazo Hardware, Mazomanie, Wis. Owner: Renee Zaman. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Island Home Center, Vashon, Wash. Owner: Earl Van Buskirk. • Beacon Award for Community Service—ToshCo, Gustavus, Alaska. Owners: Tosh & Cassia Parker. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Miner’s Ace Hardware, Grover Beach, Calif. Owners: Miner and Filice families. • Beacon Award for Community Service—Akard True Value Hardware, Zionsville, Ind. Owner: Leigh Ann Akard. The 2020 Beacon Award winners will receive all-expense paid trips for two to the 2021 Hardware Conference including conference registration, airfare, hotel and meals. They will also receive a special Beacon Award trophy and be featured in an article in the September/October 2020 issue of The Hardware Connection. ■ www.TheHardwareConnection.com
soCial media By Chris Jensen
social media marketing strategies in times of uncertainty
I
f hardware retailers have learned one key lesson during the pandemic, it is the importance of having a strong social media presence for their business. During the COVID-19 crisis, retailers have relied on social media to keep customers informed about changing hours, new shopping protocols, the availability of curbside service and the arrival of in-demand items like cleaning supplies and masks. They are adopting best practices for social media use that will undoubtedly continue after retail life returns to the new state of normal. Read on to discover the social media marketing strategies of two high-performance retailers: David Strano, co-owner of Ambridge Do it Best Home Center in Ambridge, Pa.; and Samantha Post, marketing manager for family-owned T&M Hardware and Rental, with six Do it Best stores in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Upper: Samantha Post of T&M Hardware and Rental let customers know in mid-March that their stores remained open for business. Lower: Facebook is a good way for T&M Hardware to promote the availability of in-demand products like cleaning supplies.
Post acknowledges their social media presence was higher than ever during the lockdown. “Facebook is the fastest
way to frequently update our customers and communities about essential products. We quickly shifted from promoting sales to communicating about stock status, business operations and emergency preparedness, along with videos on trends and light-hearted hardwarerelated posts. If we didn’t have the exact product customers asked for, we could quickly show them alternative products via Facebook.”
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 45
Keeping Customers informed
soCial media She notes that her hometown is where their original store was, and she now lives where their two newest stores are located. “I’m friends with tons of people on my personal Facebook page. I started talking and doing videos on my personal page, and I started to see that my friends and classmates were sharing my posts,” she says. Post would share some information on their business page, but that has to reach across six stores. “I was documenting everything that was going on with the business and started talking about trends, urging people to please stay home and here’s what essential merchandise really means. It was just much more personal than my typical posts,” she points out. Now that things are settling down a little she gets posts of gratification. “Our customers share great feedback. I was tagging businesses and it prompted people to check us out. We’re getting rave reviews. Had a lot of people say ‘I’m going to support you more now because I love what you’re doing.’ We now have a deeper personal bond with customers,” Post says. As things started to reopen, Post upped the engagement level. “Humorous posts got people talking more. My community rallied around us. People sent meals from local restaurants to our staff. Now customers are bypassing the website and phone and going straight to me and other employees on Facebook Messenger,” she says.
46 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
T&M Hardware and Rental uses Facebook to inform customers about changes in store policies during the pandemic.
Post believes this has changed how she approaches social media going forward. “Initially, I didn’t feel right hopping on the company page and speaking from the heart, because I don’t feel I have the same relationship in other communities. But all I was talking about was company business. I’m going to be transparent now,” she points out. Admitting they were initially ill-prepared for curbside pickup, Post says they have turned into personal shoppers now. “We filled up our cars and dropped off products to people. Everybody would express their gratitude by posting pictures showing us pulling up with our mask on. People are posting a lot of pictures of completed projects,” she notes. Their stores are definitely picking up more sales as a direct result of social media. “You’re dead in the water www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Left: David Strano of Ambridge Do it Best Home Center uses social media every day to form a closer connection with customers and keep them informed. Right: This post showing the staff of Ambridge Do it Best Home Center on Memorial Day reinforced the store’s connection with the community.
customers of the changes for in-store shopping, adjusted hours, and delivery and curbside services,” he says. He adds, “Any time toilet paper, hand sanitizer or Lysol wipes came in and we posted about it, people arrived within 10 minutes. We called it ‘the storm.’ Posts about face masks skyrocketed everywhere when they got shared, too. We took preorders on 40,000 masks, and 90 percent of those came in through Facebook and Instagram. Local followers shared those posts, and that’s how we helped folks in other parts of the country find masks.” He doesn’t like to overwhelm people, posting just once a day on Facebook and Instagram, but those posts are more frequently about the pandemic. “I’ve learned a lot in this whole process. I’m only posting about essential items— Yeti is not an essential item. Also, you have to be careful what you post. With two posts some people thought we were price gouging on masks and toilet paper, so we had to explain how much extra it was costing us,” he points out. Building engagement Last December, Ambridge Do it Best Strano, a longtime champion of social Home Center had 8,290 followers on media, has relied on it heavily during Facebook and they have 10,570 today, the pandemic. “We needed to inform
without the megaphone you can have on social media,” Post says. She points out that they have waiting lists for customers wanting in-demand items such as cleaning supplies. In early March, they were able to secure a large emergency order of BactroKill, which is a locally made cleaning product. Post shared a picture showing a car filled with it, so their customers knew it was about to arrive in all their stores. “I believe that our social media marketing was a game changer for us during this pandemic,” says Post. “By being proactive, we got our name out in front of new and current customers and let them know we had what they needed. We showed them what their ‘small’ hardware store is capable of, how convenient and easy we are to do business with, and just how much we care about our community. I believe that our efforts during this time will provide a huge return on investment going forward.”
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soCial media so they have picked up well over 2,000 new followers. “We have really built up our audience and we’ve received a lot of feedback,” Strano says. “We let them know we’re a family-run business.” Since starting with social media 10 years ago, it has become Strano’s number one priority most days. “You have to take it seriously and have to keep people remembering you every day,” he points out. Operating during the pandemic has been very stressful, but Strano says they have definitely picked up new customers due to their social media presence. “Once a month, I type up what I want to advertise. There are some things that pop up, like getting in a shipment of baby pools. When it comes to social media, be clear to customers. If things are changing, let them know. With our social media posts, we’re sending a clear message about who we are as a business and what expectations should be,” he says. Ambridge Do it Best Home Center is always thinking of fun and creative ways to engage customers with the new offerings in their store. They recently created a short video with some puppet friends to show everyone their expanded selection of Melissa and Doug toys. As Strano explains, “My assistant Terry is very high on the Melissa and Doug toy line, so she and another employee, Melissa, did it all. People thought it was cute and some came in specifically to buy those puppets.” Click here to watch the video on their Facebook page. 48 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
A creative video was posted on Ambridge Do it Best Home Center’s Facebook page to promote the Melissa and Doug toy line.
Another recent success was shared heavily on social media. “We were going to do free pictures with the Easter Bunny, so we had to pivot and have parents or grandparents submit names and something special about the child,” Strano says. “We did personalized video messages to each one with Melissa in a bunny costume, which were emailed to the parent or grandparent. We did over 250 videos and it gave us a great perception that we’re community oriented.” Sales are up 50 percent during the pandemic, which is a blessing in disguise. More importantly, Strano has reinforced his belief in the power of social media. “It makes me feel good, because it lets me know that what we’re doing works, and we’ve received tons of letters and emails thanking us for helping our community. I know that social media marketing is going to help us gain customers for years to come.” n www.TheHardwareConnection.com
Dealer Profile
From l to r: Mike, Matt, Kevin and Greg Boyd prepared century-old Greschlers Hardware to succeed for the next century with a major expansion.
By Chris Jensen
E
ready for the Next
Century
ven after a century, Century Club retailer Greschlers Hardware in Brooklyn, N.Y., is still finding ways to connect professional contractors with the services and supplies they need to be successful. The family-owned hardware store commemorated 100 years in business by spending most of 2019 undergoing a dramatic expansion. Several years ago, the Boyd family decided to purchase the surrounding buildings and expand the Do it Best store’s footprint. The mammoth project allowed Greschlers to better serve the local community of professional contractors while also making the front facade more welcoming to walk-in DIYers. Now operated by third- and fourthgeneration family members, Greschlers Hardware is a great example of an www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Kevin Boyd Greschlers Hardware Brooklyn, N.Y. independent 100-year-old retail business unafraid to change, grow and reinvent itself to remain relevant. The bold decision to expand, in an area where land and construction costs are some of the highest in the nation, demonstrates the Boyd family’s deep commitment to their customers. We interviewed Kevin Boyd, the patriarch of the business, about how the expansion project has prepared Greschlers Hardware for a new century of service. What is the history of the business? Greschlers Hardware was started by two brothers, Ed and George Greschler, in 1919. The business was then passed down to Ed’s son, Jerry, who ran it until The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 49
Dealer Profile 1999, when I (Jerry’s stepson) bought the business. I bought the building in 2001. My three sons—Greg, Michael and Matt—entered the business as they graduated from college. The bulk of the workload is now carried by my three sons, as I enjoy semi-retirement. I come in three days a week and help out on projects. How has the business evolved over the past century? Greschlers started out as a neighborhood hardware store. Its close proximity to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and docks offered a great opportunity to expand into the marine business. Jerry’s entry into the business found them doing more business with manufacturers, commercial and government agencies. That was a choice that proved beneficial, as the marine business declined due to high labor cost for dock workers. My entry into the business added the contractor trades. In the 1990s, much of the manufacturing left Brooklyn due to high real estate taxes. Leaving a large void, it was later filled by the contractor trades. When Greg, Michael and Matt entered they expanded into internet sales. What is your customer mix today? The in-store business is divided 76% contractors, 7% commercial, 7% industry, 5% government and 5% local retail. Our internet sales account for 15% of our total gross sales. Our store hours reflect our customer base. We are open Monday through Friday 6:30 to 4:30, Saturday is 7:30-12:15 and closed Sunday. 50 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Greschlers Hardware gets three-fourths of its in-store business from contractors, although walk-in DIY sales has increased during the pandemic. A fast-growing internet business now accounts for 15 percent of total sales.
I love my customers. I’ve been dealing with the same people for 40 years. Now we’re dealing with the sons and they remember when I gave them trinkets. People come to you with all their problems and you give them the solution. What are your top-selling departments? Our dominant departments are fasteners, cutting/drilling, hand tools and hardware—each account for about 11% of sales. We wish to expand safety to also make it a dominant department. What local competition do you face? We have a Home Depot three blocks away and a Lowe’s about 12 blocks away. Also within a 12-block radius we have Fastenal, Hilti, Grainger and a lumberyard. There are over six retail-oriented hardware stores within a one-mile radius of our business, not to mention plumbing houses, electrical houses, key shops, paint stores and rental businesses. This is Brooklyn after all. What made you decide to tackle a major expansion and remodel? www.ThehardwareConnection.com
It was obvious for quite some time that we needed to expand both the sales floor and back stockroom. When looking at expansion, we always thought it would have to be remote—two or three blocks away. This business is on a busy avenue of Brooklyn. The main store consisted of a 23’ x 100’ building with three adjacent 16’ x 50’ mixed-purpose store fronts added by purchases in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1950s, they acquired three residential lots and the houses were torn down to create a 45’ x 75’ warehouse that connected like the letter “L” to the rear of the main building. At this time, we had a 3,000-squarefoot sales floor and about 10,000 square feet of back storage counting second floors, basements and warehouse. When the business next door was closing and the building went up for sale, we all agreed this was our best chance to expand. The new building was purchased in February 2017. Deciding on how to merge the two entities, getting architectural drawings, selecting a general contractor and obtaining permits, the renovation did not start until fall 2018. What did the expansion project entail? Two bearing walls between the buildings were removed, basements were www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Left: The sales floor has been expanded from 3,000 square feet to 5,500 square feet, enabling more items to be displayed. Right: The dominant departments are cutting/drilling, hand tools, fasteners and hardware.
dug deeper, underpinning done, roof was raised, floors had to be aligned and much more. Construction ended in just over a year. We had to redesign our entire store’s floor plan to accommodate the new dimensions. The sales floor went from 3,000 square feet to 5,500 square feet and the stockroom increased by more than 50%. Part of the space in the expansion is dedicated to internet sales. It’s steady growth we feel will continue, thereby needing more employees to satisfy the demand needs, so we doubled the space of pre-expansion. Michael is mostly in charge of growing our internet business. Although this expansion project was very expensive, we knew it was for the long haul and we felt that anticipated sales growth would make it worthwhile. Even though the workload was tremendous, it went rather smoothly. The one who spearheaded it the most is my oldest son, Greg. Our store is in a tight corner of Brooklyn, and you have to deal with the building inspector coming by all the time. The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 51
Dealer Profile How have customers responded to the new, expanded store? We were able to open the expanded area on January 2, 2020 and found ourselves closing it March 13 to follow the coronavirus protocols. Our customers have responded well to our expansion. Though we only had 10 weeks before the shutdown, we did show an increase in sales and customer count. One unexpected benefit came as we were moving merchandise around, we were able to put on display items we stocked in the back storage areas. We had not been able to display before due to lack of sales floor space. These items increased greatly in sales. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your business? The virus hit Brooklyn very hard and very early. We had to take this seriously. Our service counter is 20 feet from the front door. We decided to restrict customers from access to all of the sales floor except for the space between the front door and counter. We set up traffic cones and barrier bars and kept the customers three feet away from the service counter. We removed three gondola units, thereby opening the space to hold five customers safely with recommended six-foot social distancing. Any additional customers had to wait outside until the space cleared. We did reduce our hours to close at 3 instead of 4:30, plus closed on Saturday. 52 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Greschlers Hardware in Brooklyn, N.Y., has expanded a number of times over its 101-year history. Its most recent expansion started in fall 2018 and lasted through the end of 2019.
We changed much of the merchandise in this area to COVID-19 related items. As all hardware store owners know, sourcing products at this time was a nightmare. The biggest challenge was maintaining staff. Outside the four upper managers we have 13 full-time employees—only six elected to come to work. The nearby Home Depot and Lowe’s, in order to comply with social distancing, had huge lines outside their stores waiting to enter. Many people then elected to visit the hardware stores in the area. Our customer counts doubled, but average ticket did not compensate for the contractor business we lost as they were forced to shut down. Our internet sales more than doubled for five-plus weeks. The four of us were coming to work at 3 a.m. to knock out half the internet orders before we opened at 6:30. After week four some of our employees elected to come back and by week 10 we were back to full force. Thankfully, none of us got sick due to the virus. After Hurricane Sandy (in 2012) we were just as busy, but we had our full staff then. We’ve been very blessed with this business. n www.ThehardwareConnection.com
By John Fix III
hardlineS digeSt
HARDWARE RETAILERS BATTLE
COVID Issues
H
ardware retailers around the country continue to face a never-ending list of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to losing staff members, developing procedures to keep the store cleaned and disinfected, installing plexiglass shields and adopting curbside service, retailers have dealt with ongoing out of stocks from an overtaxed supply chain. We all are spending an inordinate amount of time figuring out where to source indemand and even regular stock items. Read on to learn what COVID-related topics have been discussed on Hardlines Digest over the past month.
Brian Mushel of Justus True Value Home & Garden was seeking advice on a COVID travel policy for employees.
pay someone while they are on a quarantine? Masks are required in Pennsylvania in all public areas and businesses. I would like to hear if anyone has put together anything like this?” he asked. Randy Patzer, who operates two Ace stores in Michigan, responded, “I have not put together a travel policy, but we CoVid traVel PoliCieS did have a scare with a teenage employBrian Mushel of Justus True Value ee the other day. He went to a house Home & Garden in Clarks Summit, Pa., party (no masks) 14 days earlier and expressed concern about employees then spiked a fever. He is being tested. traveling on vacation. “COVID-19 is here So, I just reinforced our mask policy to stay for now. This is creating a new, ever-changing world. It is only a matter of in writing and will clamp down on all employees not following it. The six-foot time before someone who works for us, or shops here, becomes sick. Employees distancing policy has got to be followed at all times. When you think about the are going on vacations and socializing consequences of not following social disin groups, putting them in contact with tancing it is downright scary.” many other people. We are thinking Brandon Buckalew of Local Ace in East about having a travel policy in writing for employees traveling to states with a high Grand Forks, Minn., replied, “If they can’t number of cases, requiring that they must follow the rules and suggestions, why should we pay them? We could be forced quarantine for 14 days. Do we need to www.ThehardwareConnection.com
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hardlineS digeSt into several shutdowns if we shut down every time an employee got sick. It’s become political, when it shouldn’t have.” Trixy O’Flaherty of Gordon Hardware in DeKalb, Ill., posted, “I am also putting together a formal policy for travel. We had a kid a month ago take a couple days to help his uncle move to Virginia. We are in northern Illinois. I didn’t allow him back for 14 days after he got back in town. If anyone has been thinking of going anywhere they are talking to me first. The other thing I’m working on is when someone tests positive here what will our plan be? I’ve just got the idea that we close for a few days to get everyone tested and clean the store, but our county hasn’t offered much more than that as far as direction.” I added my perspective from Cornell’s True Value. “There are a lot of things about New York that make it challenging to do business, but in my opinion the executive orders and guidance from the governor, the state and the county over the past few months have made it easier to manage our COVID response at the store. We don’t have to justify our rules about masks or come up with our own policies for quarantine. The state provided tax credits to allow us to give staff paid time off related to COVID back in April and May, when the state was still a hot zone. More recently, the state has put quarantine orders in place if you travel to a number of other states, and that has made it easy for us to tell a staff member returning from Texas (for example) that he or she must 54 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
quarantine. It takes a lot of the responsibility and blame out of our hands,” I posted.
Coin Shortage Virgil Cox of Cox Hardware & Lumber in Houston noted the growing coin shortage. “We were advised by our bank that the Federal Reserve in Houston is running low on coins and has restricted the supply to local banks. Our banker advised me that they will likely run out of coins. We were essentially told the same thing by another bank,” he posted. “We’re having the same problem in Smyrna, Georgia. We have two banks and both ran out of change on Wednesday. We have an employee whose wife works at a bank and we were able to get some from her,” noted Susan Harlan of Vickery Hardware. Joel Zaske, with two Ace stores in Arizona, responded, “It was on the news. Feds thought the economy was going to crash, so they slowed production of coins plus dealing with all the COVID stuff and staffing. Now they are working hard to get caught up.” Dave Barone of Barone Hardware & Auto in Bronson, Mich., posted, “As of last week, our bank has restricted us to five rolls of quarters per week. We have enough to get by for a while. Other stores in our area have implemented exact change only or credit card. I asked our bank how long this was going to continue and they don’t know. Just one more thing to deal with because of COVID-19.” www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Wearing MaSKS Zaske in Arizona noted that their town council said no to masks, but the mayor now has a proclamation to wear them in public. “Now we have to enforce something that is highly debatable. Any words of wisdom for those that have been through this?” he asked. I noted that in New York there is still an executive order from the governor that allows businesses to require masks to enter their premises. “We enforce the rule, partially for customer protection, but mainly to protect our staff. Yes, the rate of infection has gone down in our area, but the virus is still out there and likely will be for some time. Depending on where you are, it may be tougher to enforce. At a minimum, I would recommend that your staff wear masks for their own protection, and also to alleviate the fears of customers that do wear masks,” I posted. “I have no trouble erroring on the side of caution. My own personal science advisor and a research scientist in the field of bio-medical engineering (my son), says I should wear a mask, so I do. Our employees wear masks and 99.9 percent of our customers do,” responded Alan Talman of Karp’s Hardware in East Northport, N.Y. Matthew Abramsky of Tony’s Ace Hardware in Hazel Park, Mich., replied, “Wear a mask in public! Make sure your employees wear a mask. Don’t let anyone in your store without a mask. Tell those who don’t comply to go to Home
Depot. It’s very simple. Don’t debate facts or science.” Zaske added, “Probably 40-50 percent of our community already wears masks and 60 percent of our staff wear them. I have always given our staff masks, but I have not had to enforce anything until now. We will be enforcing it 100 percent. What I want is any advice of what to expect from the unruly, rude customers and what you have found works best to deal with these people.” Talman replied, “Humility works for me. That rare customer that wants to engage in political discussion about wearing a mask is just a drag on my productivity. I go for the very humble answer, something like this: ‘Yes sir, I totally agree that this is ridiculous, but it is my obligation to protect my employees. I’m held to a different standard than you are. We wear masks in here.’ For the arrogant wanderer who announces that he forgot his mask at home, I say, ‘OK, wear this mask, and I’ll just add the 2 bucks to your ticket.’ This has worked pretty well. I have the masks right on the front counter, so it’s easy.” Sue Miller at Bob’s True Value in Whiting, N.J., interjected, “Masks are required in all retail stores in New Jersey. What gets me is that the people who
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Retailers like Mazzone Hardware in Brooklyn, N.Y., are on the front lines of the mask issue.
hardlineS digeSt sign. Underneath it, it states try to come in without one masks are mandatory, no always kick the door on entry without, no exceptheir way out. They don’t tions, no excuses, no arguwant to wear a mask, but ments. Every day, we have they don’t want to touch Trixy O’Flaherty of some that will ignore the Gordon Hardware anything like a door hanwondered what to sign and come in regardless. dle. We are in the middle of do if a staff member When we spot them we tell 14 senior citizen communitested positive. them masks are required. ties and the elderly don’t We have a few wanting to pay any attention to social argue and say they will shop elsewhere.” distancing. We have to constantly tell Steve Richmond of Richmond True them to back up in the checkout line as Value Hardware in Braintree, Mass., they crowd the person in front of them. noted, “In our town we are fined if we They also take their masks off all the time and I have to keep telling them to let a customer shop without a mask. put it back on. They take them off to talk Most people come in wearing masks. or to cough or sneeze, which defeats the For the few that don’t, we keep a box of masks at the front register and offer whole purpose.” them a free mask. For less than 50 cents Harlan at Vickery Hardware, posted, we avoid all arguments, keep a customer “Here at my store in Georgia we had a great initial response to masks, I’d say 85 happy and make a sale.” From the customer perspective, percent of my customers came in wearing a mask—myself and all my staff wear the vast majority of our customers at them as well. But recently, I’d say my cus- Cornell’s True Value are fine with wearing masks since it’s required nearly everytomers have dropped off to about a 50 percent rate of wearing the mask. I don’t where they go. There really is no debate about it locally, it’s just how things are, know if it’s our governor’s early opening which makes it less stressful for our protocol that caused this or the fact that staff. I realize it’s different depending on masks have become so politicized. It is where you are in the country. ■ discouraging to me. Patty Schaffer of Foster’s Ace John Fix started Hardlines Digest Hardware in Newberry, Mich., replied, in 1996. The list was run for many years using servers in John’s “We started Memorial weekend with hardware store, Cornell’s True Value mandatory masks. After people were in Eastchester, N.Y., but the list has migrated to Google Groups. not reading the signs posted on the There are currently more than doors, we put our circular holder on the 2,300 subscribers reading Hardlines Digest. To read more or subscribe, sidewalk in front of the door with a stop go to www.hardlinesdigest.com. 56 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.ThehardwareConnection.com
By Fred Fischer
Retailers Need a Good POS Partner to Implement an E-Commerce Solution
teChnology update Challenges with Retail e-CommeRCe
ost hardware and lumber retailers have experienced significant growth over the past few months with the impact of COVID-19. Consumers, unable to go out to eat or do other socializing, have spent significant money on home projects. Depending what part of the country one lives in, there have been significant restrictions on how locals can shop for merchandise. When it comes to e-commerce, most hardware and lumber retailers are not going to be shipping hundreds of boxes of product to customers via UPS, FedEx or USPS. What we see is giving your existing customers the opportunity to see on a website what you stock. They can then shop the website and if they choose, place a web order to be picked up or have delivered. The additional value is that you can list items you make available to your customers that they might normally buy elsewhere. You want to support existing customers, both credit card and house charges, but also new customers.
Clearly, online shopping has grown significantly. How does your store measure up? Many retailers never realized how much work a customer does for you when they shop in your store. If you take a call-in order for pickup, the labor factor significantly increases on that sale. As a retailer, you have to shop the aisle, pick up the merchandise, put it in a cart, check it out and then wait for pickup or take it to the curb to await the customer’s arrival. Your customer normally does 70-80 percent of that work for you. If the e-commerce website is not integrated with your point-of-sale system, now you have to deal with the web order and then enter it in the POS system to complete the sale. What happens if the customer orders something online and the website shows it in stock, but before you pull the item from the shelf, an in-store shopper purchases the item and it was the last one? You now have an unhappy e-comm customer. E-comm is much more than a website. Think of the website as the tip of the iceberg. There are all kinds of processes that take place after the customer places an order. First, you have to decide are you going to offer on the website only what you stock in your store? Or do you offer the other 30,000 to 50,000 SKUs that your suppliers give you the ability to sell that your
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THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020 ■ 57
M
teChnology update customers might want? To start, is there an easy automated way to publish items to the website and keep it updated, both data and pictures? Most POS systems do not handle backorders well. They can do special orders for customers (items you might not stock or have enough on hand). You need a way to communicate with the online shopper if you don’t have the product on hand. What if they purchase five different items and two of those need to be ordered? Did the website already complete the credit card sale? How do you handle a refund and then bill the balance later? Can your website do a pre-auth (much like checking in a motel) so when you fill the order, you can process part of the sale and then the balance later? There is the whole receiving process. You have an 800-line order and 100 lines are e-comm website items. Will your POS system alert you when checking in the items, or do they end up on the sales floor so you have to chase them all down later? What about house account customers? That can be a significate portion of your e-comm business. These are your contractors, maintenance heads at schools, government buildings and factories, who need to make the best use of their time. Can they assign a job or a department location to the billing? Is the purchase going to be easily completed to their house account in your 58 ■ THe HARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
POS system and are they going to see the correct pricing on their invoice?
does youR CuRRent softwaRe offeR a Complete paCkage? In our traditional retail world in the past, we ordered product, received it, put it on the shelf and then the customer brought it to the checkout area and we completed a sale with some type of tender. Think of e-comm sales as more like a distribution business. When you order from you suppliers, you place an order, they fill the order (either cancel or backorder some items), and provide some process of delivery. If you currently don’t have a good accurate inventory count of items in your store in your POS system, don’t even think about a website with e-comm ability. That is first and foremost a requirement. Your point-of-sale systems is a customer-facing solution. It will need to support an inventory management, data collection, delivery management and labeling system. To be efficient, e-commerce sales need leading-edge technology. Make sure you explore all the options and get the best fit for your store. It could be a great opportunity to capitalize on the new normal in retail. n Fred Fischer is president and ceo of J3 Point-of-Sale–Ganymede Technologies Corp. Contact him at fred@j3pos.biz or 888-600-5522. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
categOrY rePOrt
PLUMBING TRENDS Sales of Toilet Repair (Independent Hardware Channel) 12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago Toilet Repair: Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -2.3% Toilet Repair: Dollars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.7% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Unit Sales Breakdown for Toilet Repair Total of 925 Items with Sales Total Category Top 5 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.3% Top 10 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.7% Top 20 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.5% Top 30 Items % of Unit Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.9% Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Seasonality of Sales of Toilet Repair (Index=100) 120 110 100 90 80 70
120 110
92
100
105 93
111
105
112
105
93
100 99 90
95
90 Apr. May June July 2019802019 2019 2019
Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2020 2020
Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp. 70
Toilet Repair Share of Sales by Type (Latest 12 Months) Tank Flapper/Tank Ball Repair Kit 0 5 Fill Valve/Ballcock Tank Flush Lever Toilet Wax/Install Ring Toilet Waxless/Install Ring Gaskets Flush Valve Flush Valve Kit Dual Flush Kit
10
15
19.5% 19.0% 18.5% 17.4%
20
14.4% 4.1% 4.0% 1.6% 1.1% 0.2%
0
5
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10
15
20
Source: Vista Information Services, div. of Epicor Software Corp.
Manufacturers and retailers use Vista’s retail POS and Consumer Panel data to better sell to their customers. Go to www.vistainfoservices.com.
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Plumbing dePartment merchandising
Top Left: Since 1937, Pierce Hardware in Dallas has offered a wide selection of high-end faucets and bath hardware for homeowners, architects, builders, designers and plumbers. Middle Left: Pierce Hardware’s showroom was named the Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association’s Showroom of the Year in 2016. Lower Left: Park Supply in Huntsville, Ala., features a plumbing and bath showroom that showcases 40 working faucets. Top Right: Southaven Supply in Southaven, Miss., displays over 100 kitchen sinks in The Outhouse showroom. Middle Right: Southaven Supply has 100 vanities and 25 bathtubs in stock. Lower Right: Bomberger’s Store in Lititz, Pa., features a complete Design Center that can go from initial concept to design and installation of a major bath project. 60 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Plumbing PrOducts tanKless Water heater • A. O. Smith has launched a new residential gas tankless product line with X3™ Scale Prevention Technology, which Pendant raincan shOWer head extends the life of the unit three times longer • Available in contemporary and traditional than traditional tankstyle, the Delta Pendant Raincan Shower less, making it the first tankless prodHead features water-powered LED lights, uct that maintains “like-new” perforwhich automatically turn on when water mance without requiring regular scaleis running and off when water flow stops. related maintenance. The shower’s accent lights emit a subtle • The scale-preventing construction glow for a tranquil ambience. means contractors will never need to • The shower head also incorporates perform scale-related maintenance, H2Okinetic Technology, which sculpts thus obsoleting the need for costly isowater into a unique wave pattern to form lation valves. The combustion system a drenching spray that provides more operates on a ½” gas line and vents warmth, coverage and intensity than a with 2” PVC. standard shower head. The pendants can be individually adjusted for ideal coverage. • This Next Gen product features the industry’s first-ever “Peace of Mind” • The Traditional model is offered 15-year limited warranty that covers in Chrome, Champagne Bronze™, scale-related failures. Polished Nickel, Venetian Bronze® and ® • Available in 3 sizes with maximum Brilliance Stainless finishes. The BTU/H inputs of 160K, 180K, 199K. All Contemporary style is available in models come with an integrated recirChrome, Matte Black, Champagne culation pump providing the benefit of Bronze, Polished Nickel and Brilliance instant hot water. Products with X3™ Stainless finishes. Technology are ENERGY STAR® quali• The Pendant Raincan Shower Head flows at a rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. fied with UEFs up to 0.93. Delta Faucet A. O. Smith Corp. www.deltafaucet.com www.hotwater.com 317-848-0663 877-552-0010 www.ThehardwareConnection.com
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IN THE NEWS NEW STORES: • Chris Hyatt has opened Hemly Hardware in Thompson, Ohio. • Century Club retailer Higginbotham Brothers & Company is opening a new branch in Liberty Hill, Texas, the company’s 40th location. • Hatchet Hardware opened its fourth store in Palatine Bridge, N.Y. • Westlake Ace Hardware is acquiring Brandt & Sons Ace Hardware in Maryland Heights, Mo. Westlake is also opening a new store in Lenexa, Kan. • Gillman Home Center has broken ground on a new store in Gas City, Ind. • Amanda and Gerald Rutledge and Gerald and Jahron Strother opened Van Alstyne True Value Hardware in Van Alstyne, Texas. • R.P. Lumber Company has acquired Build Rite Do it center locations in Rawlins and Saratoga, Wyo. • Nation’s Best has acquired Halls Hardware in Milton, Fla.
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Improvement Retailer Satisfaction StudySM. Ace Hardware has achieved this ranking 13 out of the last 14 years. T&T True Value Hardware in Escanaba, Mich., is celebrating its 85th anniversary. Durfee Hardware in Cranston, R.I., is marking its 90th anniversary. Frentz & Sons PRO Hardware in Royal Oak, Mich., still owned by the Frentz family, is celebrating its 95th anniversary. Huskey Truss & Building Supply in Franklin, Tenn., is marking its 75th anniversary. Martini Hardware in Houston is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Beckerle Lumber, with four locations in New York, is marking its 80th anniversary. Tarter Farm and Ranch Company is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Foley Hardware in Larchmont, N.Y., is marking its 90th anniversary.
KUDOS TO: • Steamboat Ace Hardware in Steamboat Springs, Colo., owned by the Swanson family, has been awarded the Yampa Valley Community Foundation’s Business Philanthropist of the Year award. • Ace Hardware ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Home Improvement Retail Stores” in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Home 62 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Foley Hardware
• Westlake Ace Hardware partnered with The Salvation Army for their 14th annual fan drive. A record-setting $130,000 was donated in just 18 days, www.TheHardwareConnection.com
equating to more than 9,100 fans for needy residents. • Hess Lumber and Home Center in Malad City, Idaho, is celebrating its 85th anniversary.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE:
• Ace Hardware Corp. has promoted Alison Dowell, current vice president of operations to president and general manager of Emery Alison Dowell Jensen Distribution, a division of Ace Wholesale Holdings LLC.
• STIHL Inc. has promoted Casey Kralovetz to branch WHOLESALERS IN THE NEWS: director of STIHL • Ace Hardware Corp. has Northwest. announced plans to relocate its Retail • Orgill has hired Support Center (RSC) in Tampa, Fla., Casey Kralovetz Marc Hamer to fill which has been in operation since the newly created 1977. A new RSC is being built in role of executive vice Plant City, Fla., that will add 315,000 president, Chief Digital square feet of space. Construction is and Information Officer. expected to begin in October 2020 • Do it Best Corp. proand be completed in November 2021. moted Rachel Evans to • Orgill announced that it will be Marc Hamer category management harnessing the latest in interactive planner, Sam Faulkner to business meeting technology to make its analyst, Howard O’Neal to product upcoming e-Volution online buying sales manager–Spruce, Pete Partin event (August 24-September 4) a to EDI communications specialist, Jesmore immersive and interactive sica Waggoner to merchandising experience for attendees. Orgill is systems and pricing manager, Donnpartnering with Zoom to integrate evin Wolfe to sales support coordinathe company’s meeting technology tor, Coley Arnold to sales support suinto its e-Volution platform. “By pervisor, Brad Seelig to product sales partnering with Zoom and utilizing manager-panels, and Dusty Weinzierl their state-of-the art technology to product sales managwithin our e-Volution platform, we er-roofing/insulation. will be able to create efficient and • Tractor Supply Comseamless interactions between our pany named Melissa customers, our sales representatives Kersey executive vice and vendors participating in the president and chief huevent,” says Boyden Moore, Orgill man resources officer. president and CEO. Melissa Kersey www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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• House-Hasson Hardware conducted a Virtual Summer Dealer Market June 25-26 that enabled dealers to speak to vendors and House-Hasson staff via video chats while taking advantage of online product specials. • True Value Company has converted part of its paint plant in Cary, Ill., into a retail store, Paint Plus Hardware. • PRO Group hosted a virtual Group Merchandising Conference June 22-24 with 40 PRO Group member distributors and 63 vendor attendees participating in 1,140 scheduled, oneon-one appointments.
Vegas, which was planned to be a celebration of the 75th anniversary of NHS. NHS plans to host a virtual trade show later in the year. • Westlake Ace Hardware now carries Benjamin Moore premium paints in its 138 stores nationwide.
IN MEMORY:
• Carl Muller, who owned Carl’s True Value Hardware in Torrington, Conn., died June 29 at the age of 72. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, the highest award bestowed by the Rotary Club. He co-founded the Torrington Rotary Golf Tournament in 1989, which has raised more than OTHER NEWS: $1.25 million to support college • ECI Software Solutions scholarships, local nonprofits and announced significant enhancements ® international humanitarian projects. to its Spruce and RockSolid The creation of the Cara and MAX® software for hardware Carl Muller Fund for Community retailers and lumber and building Support is a direct result of his materials businesses. With these passion for giving. Carl is survived new updates—which offer more by his wife, Cara Muller; children convenient, omni-channel retailing Cory Muller (Vanessa) and Erin experiences—users will be able to Barber (Rory); and grandchildren improve productivity, efficiency and Layla and Avery Muller, Cole and competitive advantage. Caledonia Barber. • General Electric is selling its GE Lighting unit to Savant Systems. • Century Club hand tool manufacturer FULL STORY Mayhew Steel Products has an• Melaco Sisters Hardware & nounced production of full-face safeSupplies in Cut Off, La., explains ty shields. how the Paycheck Protection • The National Hardware Show Program loan has helped their has canceled the 2020 event in Las business. Click here. 64 ■ THE HARDWARE Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
www.TheHardwareConnection.com
UPCOMING EVENTS JULY United Hardware Virtual Market July 27-August 2
AUGUST Emery Jensen Digital Fall Show August 24-26 Florida Hardware Fall Virtual Market August 12-22 Orgill e-Volution Fall Buying Event August 24-September 4 The Hardware Conference—Canceled!
SEPTEMBER
Horizon Distribution Virtual Expo September 9-11 Mid-States Rendezvous September 21-22, Dallas Market Center, Dallas Monroe Hardware Fall Market September 11-13, Greenville Convention Center, Greenville, S.C. National Hardware Show—Canceled! Virtual Trade Show dates TBD PACOA Fall Dealer Market September 12-13, Queens College Fitzgerald Gymnasium, Flushing, N.Y.
Ace Hardware Digital Fall Convention September 9-12
True Value Company Fall V-Union September 29-October 1
Blish-Mize Fall Virtual Market September 17-28
OCTOBER
Bostwick-Braun Fall Virtual Market Dates TBD Do it Best Virtual Fall Market September 13-18
House-Hasson Fall Dealer Market October 22-24, Sevierville Events Center, Sevierville, Tenn. Wallace Hardware Fall Dealer Market October 14-16, LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Home Hardware Fall Virtual Market September 13-20
For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here. www.TheHardwareConnection.com
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retail ideas
Creating an inClusive atmosphere pays off If you ask any of his coworkers, they will describe Anthony Larrañaga as loyal and hard-working, with a smile and a laugh that will make anyone’s day better. After recently celebrating his 30th work anniversary at BTU Do it Center in Las Vegas, N.M., Anthony isn’t letting anything slow him down, despite the challenges that come with being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at two weeks old. The now 56-year-old employee has thrived over the past 30 years, thanks in large part to the inclusive and supportive atmosphere at BTU. Owners Wayne and Shelly Sonchar and the rest of their team have strived to create a system that plays to Anthony’s strengths, such as his talent for organization and skill with numbers. Regular customers routinely comment on his friendly disposition and knowledge of the store’s inventory. “Anthony just has a tremendous outlook on life and infectious personality. He’s never had a bad day and is always smiling,” Wayne points out. Anthony normally works part time 20 hours a week, but he’s been staying home with his elderly mother the last few months during the pandemic. Outside of work, Anthony is heavily involved with Special Olympics of New Mexico, winning Athlete of the Year in 1999. In the store, he’s great at stocking 66 ■ The hARDWARe Connection ■ July/Aug 2020
Wayne and Shelly Sonchar presented Anthony Larrañaga with a special plaque to thank him for his 30 years of dedicated service at BTU Do it Center.
shelves and catching shoplifters. “He doesn’t want or require special treatment,” Wayne points out. “He puts forth so much effort.” The Sonchars presented Anthony with a plaque during a celebration of his three decades of service to BTU in mid-June. Community members were able to leave notes of appreciation for Anthony in a box put out by Wayne and Shelly. “Anthony was very surprised and grateful for the recognition,” Wayne says. “He makes us all better.”
showing appreCiation to essential workers Jim Lehrer, owner of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint in Louisville, Ky., understands the hard work his “essential” employees have put in since March, and he wanted to make sure they knew they are appreciated. Since the beginning of the pandemic, he has instituted a “thank you” bonus of up to $100 per week for each individual and, as an extra show of appreciation, www.ThehardwareConnection.com
Employees of Brownsboro Hardware & Paint received “thank you” bonuses and gift packages to thank them for their dedication during the pandemic.
Vince Christofora of Woodstock Hardware developed the Pandemic Supply Program to provide reliable access to in-demand products.
The Do it Best member has been working seven days a week from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. since mid-March and says that they have never experienced business demand like this before. “We were in the middle of the pandemic and I realized we needed to come up with alternative ways to find products for customers. Most businesses were shut down, but there were a couple of iconic businesses like the Woodstock Inn that were going through major renovations with plans to open this summer,” Christofora explains. “They needed to know they can’t just call us and ask for three cases of Lysol spray or 40 cases of toilet paper and expect we’ll have it immediately for them.” rolling out a pandemiC supply So, Christofora helped these businesses program preplan for their reopening by figuring out how many sanitizer dispensers they would Owner Vince Christofora, owner of need for example. Woodstock Hardware in Woodstock, “I have some connections to alternative N.Y., has created the Pandemic Supply supplies, but I do spend a lot of time trying Program, an offshoot of his Wholesale to source products. No one can find Clorox Supply Program, to offer local businesses wipes, but I found an alternative pack that safe and reliable access to the products had the right percentage of alcohol and they need to protect their customers and came in packs of 20. It’s about educating employees. Plexiglass and related matericustomers so they adjust their expectaals, antibacterial wipes, cleaners, gloves, masks and more are being offered through tions,” he says. “We’ve definitely picked up some new customers.” ■ their website. gifted them all with a crisp $100 bill, a brand-new YETI cup and a gift certificate for 50 percent off anything in the store. The appreciation bonus program ran from mid-March until mid-June for about 40 employees in Lehrer’s two Do it Best stores. “I lost about 20-25 percent of my staff early on, but everyone’s back now,” he says. “It’s been pretty hectic, but we’ve picked up a lot of new customers who never thought of us before.” Lehrer says he hopes other owners are doing something similar for their staff who have put in long hours under stressful conditions.
www.ThehardwareConnection.com
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E H T D N I H E B NUMBERS
$8.35 billion
Sales for Tractor Supply Company (TSC) in 2019. Sales were projected to rise 24-29% in the second quarter this year.
$500,000
Amount donated to the existing Tractor Supply Employee Assistance Fund to assist team members most impacted by COVID-19.
1,863
Number of Tractor Supply stores operated today by TSC, which opened its first store in Minot, N.D., in 1938. TSC also operates 180 Petsense stores in 26 states.
$30 million
Amount of appreciation bonuses paid to TSC team members between March 16 and June 27.
70%
Percentage of TSC’s e-commerce traffic that comes from mobile devices.
49%
Percentage of TSC workforce that is female.
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