Hardware Connection November 2017

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By Chris Jensen

Honoring the Best of the Best

Well-respected magazines such as Harvard Business Review, O, The Oprah Magazine, Inc. Magazine, AARP The Magazine, Kiwanis Magazine, Adweek and Chip and Joanna Gaines’ The Magnolia Journal all have something in common with The Hardware Connection. These respected magazine brands joined The Hardware Connection as 2017 winners of prestigious Eddie or Ozzie Awards from FOLIO magazine.

The Hardware Connection is proud and excited to announce that the industry’s leading digital publication has been honored with the 2017 Eddie Digital Award from FOLIO magazine for Best Standalone Digital Magazine in the B2B category.

For more than 20 years, the Eddie & Ozzie Awards have recognized excellence in magazine editorial and design across all sectors of the industry. FOLIO’s cornerstone awards program involved more than 300 magazine professionals serving as judges to narrow 2,800 entries down to the winners across all digital and print sectors.

The 2017 winners were honored during the FOLIO awards luncheon in New York City on October 11. The Hardware Connection, which was founded in 2009,

Upper: The Hardware Connection has been honored as Best Standalone Digital Magazine.

Chris

was one of the newest publications cited for excellence.

We strive to bring our readers editorial content that is relevant and retailfocused while helping our advertising partners build their brand message in the market. Gaining this recognition as “Best of the Best” from the premier awards program in the media and publishing industry is especially gratifying, because it signifies that leading publishing experts agree that our editorial approach is hitting the mark.

The world is going digital, and The Hardware Connection is recognized as the award-winning digital leader in the hardware industry. Everyone wants to associate with a winning brand, which is why Chip and Joanna Gaines reached one million in circulation by the third issue of The Magnolia Journal in 2014, and their next issue will go to 1.2 million people. Wouldn’t it be nice to be that popular and admired?

EDITOR’S NOTE

I was in attendance at the FOLIO Awards luncheon in New York City, and the talk around the tables centered on some familiar topics. What is the future of the print industry and how do printcentric publishing companies shift gears to capitalize on the many benefits of digital publishing technology? There is no question that traditional business models are being upended, and we are very glad that we chose to launch a digital magazine at the right time.

Next month, we will be honoring the “Best of the Best” hardware retailers in the industry. Our 2017 Beacon Award honorees will be recognized during The Hardware Conference, which has been rescheduled for December 8-10 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The conference was forced to be postponed when Hurricane Irma decided to hit Marco Island, Fla., the same weekend the event was supposed to be held in September. For more information, turn to page 50.

This month’s cover story shines the spotlight on a deserving retailer, who just happens to be my local independent retailer. I live about a mile from Akard True Value, so I have been able to witness firsthand what an amazing job Leigh Ann Akard does with community involvement. It’s personal for me, but I hope you gain some insights into how you can do a better job connecting with your community. I hope you enjoy reading her story, which begins on page 30. n

By Tom Chasteen

What’s in a Brand—Integrity?

Iwas recently reading an article about branding and the importance of retail store identity. After reading the article, I think the author made the issue far more complex that it actually is. In my mind, a product or store brand is nothing more than a “promise” the manufacturer or retailer makes to the consumer in the marketplace.

When a manufacturer is building a brand, it is nothing more than marketing their promise to the marketplace that their products will perform a certain way. Once they make that marketing promise, they need to make sure they don’t break it or their credibility in the market will suffer.

An example would be if a manufacturer makes a screwdriver and builds their brand or promise on the quality of their screwdrivers and backs that up with a lifetime guarantee. It is imperative that they don’t compromise that promise.

It is irrelevant at what point in the distribution chain the promise is broken, since there is never a good reason to break a branding promise. The consumer really doesn’t care

why the promise is not being kept. The result to them is the same—the manufacturer’s brand promise is worthless.

So if a manufacturer does build their brand promise around a lifetime guarantee, then it is imperative that no one in the distribution chain compromises that brand promise for any reason. More importantly, the manufacturer must never leave the wholesaler or the retailer in a situation where they honor the manufacturer’s brand promise and then are left holding the bag waiting on a credit for a returned product.

The same principle applies to retail hardware store owners. If they build their local market brand on the promise that they will guarantee every screwdriver they sell with a lifetime guarantee, then they cannot back away from that promise for any reason. If they do, their customer loses complete confidence that they will stand behind the other products they sell.

If the local retailer is not willing to stand behind the products they sell, then they give up one of the biggest

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THE WAY I SEE IT

advantages they have—integrity—and then they must compete on nothing but price with anyone who sells a screwdriver in a store or on the internet.

This is not a foreign concept for independent hardware store owners. They understand this basic concept the moment they open the front doors to their stores every morning. We teach this concept to our children from the moment they are able to understand a “promise is a promise” and learn the consequences of not keeping a promise.

However, I believe the issue is more basic and much deeper than a promise. The core component to any branding message is integrity. Anyone can make a promise—that is the easiest thing in the world to do. Standing behind that branding message is much more difficult and requires a strong commitment to maintaining a high degree of integrity.

Integrity is not conditional. It doesn’t take a vacation or a day off. It’s not something you honor on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Integrity is an everyday commitment and sometimes can completely contradict the concept of profitability. However, I would challenge you to look around any local or national marketplace for a company that has been in business for more than 20 years that does not command a high degree of integrity.

As you look around the marketplace start thinking about bell-cow companies that have fallen on hard times and have either gone out of business or are in the process of going out of business. I think you will agree that most have lost the integrity within their branding promise somewhere along the line or their promise is no longer relevant. Obviously, there are other reasons for their failure, but nine times out of ten the cornerstone of their commitment and integrity to the marketplace has lost its relevance.

Where I’m going with this is I think it is important that when a manufacturer or retailer is developing their branding promise that they make sure they have the ability and the determination to stand behind it and maintain their integrity in the marketplace.

Think about the last time you were really upset with a company’s product or service. I’ll bet that what really upset you the most is that they didn’t keep their branding promise and they failed to make it right, thereby compromising their integrity. When that happens most people will vow not to do business with that company again.

It is easy to lose the value of integrity when you consider the impersonal way some consumers choose to interact with companies. However, once they have a problem, they often go to great

Personali-Keys ®!

THE WAY I SEE IT

lengths to get someone else (another retailer) to stand behind the lack of commitment to a branding promise.

I had a favorite saying that I would tell customers when they tried to return something to our store they bought somewhere else. I would say “If you thought enough to buy this product from XYZ Company, then perhaps you should think enough of them to take it back to them so they can fix your problem.”

Some people would suggest I may have missed an opportunity to convert a new customer. I would say after 40 years in the retail hardware

business the chances of converting over a customer who bought something somewhere else and brought it back to my store for service or replacement was less than 1 percent. Customers who don’t value integrity are really not the kind of retail customer we wanted to build our business on.

So for me building a brand is as simple as making and marketing a promise to the marketplace and having the integrity to stand behind that promise. Let me know your thoughts, from one retailer to another, at tom@ thehardwarestore.com. n

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HARDWARE HUMOR

WHARDWARE STORIES Amazing but TRUE

Ae had a new employee just starting. For all new employees, we tell them that if they don’t know where something is to get in the right area and look around. So, I see a customer come in and ask a new employee for a petcock. The new employee takes the customer to the pet supplies area. I was laughing so hard, I couldn’t tell him to look in plumbing.

Tom Veasey True Value of Wilmington Wilmington, Del.

We have an employee who was hired in 1958, and we had a barbecue for his 90th birthday. We did the math on the number of customers he’s served over the years, and it’s in the mil- lions. It’s been great to know and work with him.

Paul Filice Miner’s Ace Hardware Grover Beach, Calif.

guy came in and was standing by our wire cutting rack. I went over to ask him if I could help him, only to discover he was cutting his fingernails with our hand-held cable cutter. Ick!

Karla Robson Slavens True Value Cortez, Colo.

We had a drunk woman come in. She wanted something to pull staples from her head. She did not have money to go to the doctor. We told her it was not a good idea to perform medical procedures on herself, but she was already numbed up and would not hear any of it. She bought hobby pliers. It is also shocking what people will buy claiming they will use them to trim toe nails.

Matthew Abramsky

Tony’s Ace Hardware Hazel Park, Mich.

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How’s

Business?

MIDWEST

Sales and customer counts in 2017? Sales are a little flat, but we’re slightly up for the year. Customer counts are just a little bit down but not drastically. I attribute the flat year to the cold, late spring weather pattern. It was also a very wet spring.

Best niche categories? For us, it’s grilling. We carry Big Green Egg and Weber. We’re known as the destination for grilling and houseware items. YETI has been doing well for us, too. We promote our niches with regular advertising and through a newsletter that we send to house account customers. We also do grilling demos in the community once or twice a year.

Best and worst business decisions? The big successes have to be bringing in the Big Green Egg and YETI. I can’t think of any worst decision.

New initiatives planned? I want to train associates and get them as

knowledgeable as possible. I want to further employee development. Ace has tremendous resources as far as training is concerned. We plan on having associates attend training events along with having in-store training. I also want to concentrate on our business-to-business category and develop and capture more local business opportunities.

Rob Livingston Geneva Ace Hardware Geneva, Ill.

NORTHEAST

Sales and customer counts in 2017? Recently, sales and customer counts have picked up pretty good, about 10 to 15 percent over last year. A Walmart was just built and a library is

also being constructed, so those projects brought in more business.

Best niche categories? We carry Festool— high-end German tools. We’re the only store in the area that carries those tools. Mainly contractors seek out Festool, and they’ve done really well for us.

Best and worst business decisions? One of the best decisions has been to advertise more. The store has done more TV commercials and that has really increased customer counts. The commercials have been aimed toward contractors and homeowners and advertised our new showroom. No idea on worst decision.

New initiatives planned? Sticks & Stuff has four stores and a new, remodeled showroom just opened in St. Albans, so we look to continue to promote our services to contractors and homeowners in the trade areas we serve.

Spencer Curtis

Sticks & Stuff | Newport, Vt.

Sticks & Stuff operates four stores in Vermont.

SOUTH

Sales and customer counts in 2017?

Sales are north of 10 percent and customer count is up close to 10 percent also. We’ve had two hurricanes here in the last 11 months and had a tornado on the island. We’ve had a lot of repair work and sold a lot of storm merchandise.

Best niche categories? We have a pretty decent size clothing department, and we have a nice gift shop. The ladies do a real good job staying current with latest styles and trends. We also have a U.S. Post Office in the back of the store, which helps drive traffic. We have a nice lawn and garden live

How’s Business?

goods area with plants, tropicals and a lot of pottery.

Best and worst business decisions? Investing in good people. Your staff is your best investment. If you’ve

got a really good team and everyone is on same page and working together, you’re going to have a successful store. As far as worst business decision, it was not having the right people in the right job. I had some department managers who weren’t the right fit.

New initiatives planned? We’re getting into toys. We’re ramping up now and planning on having two aisles, about 72 feet of toys. We’re getting that department ready for the holidays, but we’re planning on continuing with it beyond that. We’re always looking at ways to keep the foot traffic coming and ways to appeal to the younger family, creating new shoppers. We also revamped our paint department. We’re trying to stay current with the assortment mix. We’re affiliated with Ace, and we try to participate in latest planograms, which keeps us up to date with the latest products.

Randy West

Islands Ace Hardware

Savannah, Ga.

Sales and customer counts in 2017? We’ve been up a little, about 5 percent. I believe the economy has picked up a little more and people have more confidence and are spending some money.

Best niche categories? Our main thing is lumber. We’re one of the bigger

lumberyards in the area. We also sell windows and doors and have done a good business with those.

Best and worst business decisions? One of the best decisions was to start carrying I-joists and engineered lumber. When I-joists came out, we were the first in the area to stock and sell them. Even now, a lot of yards here don’t stock them. One of the worst decisions was putting in a cabinet shop. We had it for about two years and it just didn’t take off. It didn’t sell.

New initiatives planned? If it’s not broke, why fix it? We plan on continuing to do what we’re doing.

Bob Barnes B&B

Supply | Pineville, Ark.

WEST

Sales and customer counts in 2017? Actually, very good. We’re up about 10 percent over last year. In this area, there have been several major construction jobs and public facilities getting built. We’ve had somewhat of a recovery in housing, not a full recovery, but definitely a step in the right direction.

Best niche categories? People mostly come here for lumber, but we do offer a full range of products. We’re a general retailer. People do need lumber even in the worst weather, so we have about 40 containers, some of them we customized. To make these customized containers, we cut a 53-foot container in

half to make two 26.5-foot containers. We use some of those for insulation, but they don’t work as well for lumber.

Best and worst business decisions? The best has to be switching from doing contracting work to being

How’s Business?

a lumber and building materials dealer. We made the switch about 20 years ago and that turned out to be a very good choice. As far as worst decisions, one has to be bringing in a specialty siding franchise. It was a terrible decision. We felt it would take off, but it didn’t. We were able to sell it and were lucky to get our money back out of it. For any other retailers considering adding a franchise, be sure you know all the hassles associated with the franchise and whether it’s worth the return. For us, it wasn’t.

New initiatives planned? We’re attempting to purchase some new land for a new store. The current space is too small. We need to grow.

Bethel, Alaska

IFrom Tom’s Shop

HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW

have never had an opportunity to write a review for products that were put to the test like this month’s products were. Bosch Tools sent us two of their newest half-inch hammer/drill drivers and their most recently introduced impact driver to be tested. All three have the new lithium-ion batteries and Bosch’s new EC brushless motors.

The reason I say these tools were tested harder than any previous product reviews we’ve done is because

By Tom Chasteen

we distributed these drill/drivers and impact driver to our testers 10 days before Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys and went up through the center of the state of Florida.

At the time, we had no idea where Hurricane Irma would eventually go. As you can imagine, the number of masonry holes drilled and Tapcon® concrete screws installed with these tools in such a short period of time was off the charts.

PRODUCT #1: DH183B HAMMER DRILL/DRIVER

ROBERT BOSCH TOOL CORP.

The Bosch HDH183B 18V Brushless Brute Tough™ 1/2” Hammer Drill/ Driver lived up to its name—it is brute tough. This is truly one heavy-duty hammer drill/driver. Matched up with a 6.3 amp hour battery this hammer drill/driver will outlast most professional users. Make no mistake about it, this is a heavy hammer drill/driver, but it is designed for the toughest and most demanding jobs.

There are several features our testers really liked and specifically commented on such as:

• It has serious torque but the new “kickback control” is a great safety

feature that stops the motor to prevent the drill from severely twisting your wrist if it gets bound up.

Shop

• The variable speed allows the user to maintain great control for both hammer drilling, drilling and driver jobs.

• The clutch settings are extremely easy to change, as well as the ability to switch between hammer, drill and driver modes.

• While the drill is heavy with the 6.3 amp hour battery, the handle forms perfectly to your hand and is easy to control.

All three of our testers used this 1/2” drill/driver to drill concrete holes and set tapcons for hurricane shutters in preparation for Hurricane Irma. Only one of our testers was able to use the tool to the point where Bosch’s new electric motor protection prevents the drill or the battery cell from overheating, thereby extending the run time, which our tester commented was a really nice feature.

All of our testers agreed that this is one of the most serious heavy-duty cordless hammer drill/drivers they have ever held or used. All three rated Bosch’s 18V EC Brushless Hammer Drill/ Driver with five stars and would highly recommend it for heavy-duty jobs.

Click on this video to learn more of the features.

PRODUCT #2: DDS183-02 DRILL/ DRIVER | ROBERT BOSCH TOOL CORP.

The Bosch DDS183-02 18V EC Brushless Compact Tough™ 1/2” Drill/ Driver features some serious torque, but it is slightly more compact and lighter than the Bosch Hammer Drill/ Drive above. Because it has so much torque it also has the kickback control in case the drill gets bound up. It has the electric motor protection and battery protection to prevent overheating and extending run time. Some of the other features our testers specifically commented on were:

• The ½ drill/driver is more compact and easy to maneuver in tighter spaces.

• All of our testers liked the LED light that shines up to the drill point,

From Tom’s Shop

HARDWARE PRODUCTS REVIEW

eliminating shadows so you can see exactly where your drill point or driver tip is.

• They also like the wide range of clutch settings and the all-metal keyless chuck.

• Like the Hammer Drill/Driver they all commented on how nice and smooth the variable speed trigger was.

The Compact Tough™ ½ Drill/Driver comes with two 2.0 amp hour batteries and a fast charger, but you can also use the bigger 6.0 amp hour batteries if you would like.

All of our testers commented on how well balanced the Compact Tough ½ Drill/Driver is and noted that it did not fatigue their arms to use it. Like their opinion of the Brute Tough ½ Hammer Drill Driver, they all gave the Compact Tough ½ Drill/Driver five stars for its power and versatility.

Click on this video link to see some of the other features of this Drill/Driver.

PRODUCT #3: SOCKET READY™ HEX IMPACT DRIVER

ROBERT BOSCH TOOL CORP.

The Bosch IDH182 Socket Ready™ Hex Impact Driver is one really handy and powerful impact driver. Like the other Bosch tools in this review it has the EC brushless motor that makes it extremely efficient. However, it has one really nice feature and this impact driver has more than enough power to make this feature a real benefit.

Like most impact drivers the Bosch Socket Ready™ Impact Driver handles all sizes of 1/4” hex drill bits, but it also has the ability to attach a 1/2” impact socket on it as well and it has the power to drive a 1/2” socket.

Another really cool feature that all of our testers commented on was the performance control setting at the bottom of the impact driver handle. This allows the user to determine how much torque they need for any given job. If you are setting cabinets, then the first setting is perfect. If you are driving lad screws, then the second setting is ideal. If you are taking the lug nuts off a tire, then obviously the third setting gives you ample power to do the job. Our testers also really liked the three LED lights that light up the work area, making it really easy to work in dark areas like when setting cabinets. The Bosch Socket Ready Hex Impact Driver comes standard with two 2.0 amp hour batteries, but

you can also use the bigger Bosch 4.0 and 6.0 amp hour batteries if you would like. All of our testers rated the Bosch Socket Ready Hex Impact Driver with five stars.

For more information click on this video link

Click to Learn How Akard True Value Connects with the Community

That Makes a Difference Community Involvement

By Chris Jensen

Leigh Ann Akard

is in perpetual motion. That is what happens when you have a big heart, know lots of people and are unable to ignore the needs of the community you grew up in and love.

Leigh Ann Akard is the third-generation owner of Akard True Value in Zionsville, Ind., who places a major emphasis on community service projects.

Leigh Ann is the third-generation owner of Akard True Value Hardware in Zionsville, Ind., a suburb of Indianapolis. The store features a 25,000-square-foot sales floor that includes a standalone rental center.

To her, the store is about giving kids and retirees a job and those employees become family. It has an integral place

Since her husband is a firefighter, Leigh Ann Akard gets involved in many community projects that support the local fire department.

serving all the needs of the community, not just supplying hardware for d-i-y projects. “You see what’s happening out there and ask how you can be involved,” she explains.

Akard True Value opened on Main Street in downtown Zionsville in 1955 and moved to the Boone Village shopping center in the late 1970s. The business was started by Leigh Ann’s grandfather, J.J. Akard, and she grew up helping her father Steve run the business before eventually taking over the reins. Her three sons worked in the store at various times growing up, as did her sister and her mother Marsha.

“The old-school thinking is that people should know we’re here, since we’ve been open for a long time, but that’s not necessarily true,” Leigh Ann points out. “People want that feel-good environment. They want to know and feel you’re involved. It’s been good to branch out into so many community projects and get the staff involved.”

It is hard to find a community initiative in Zionsville that doesn’t have some

EMBRACING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY

Here are some of the community initiatives supported by Akard True Value:

1. Flagpole for Heroes—Program developed in conjunction with local firefighters to place flagpoles in the yards of veterans in the community.

2. Resuse Heart & Sole shoe drive—Collected 265 pairs of new and used shoes for the needy.

3. Pet adoption—Finding new homes for animals sheltered by the Humane Society.

4. Blood drive Bloodmobile comes regularly for four hours in front of store.

5. Backpack Attack—Communitywide drive to provide backpacks and school supplies to needy students throughout the county.

6. Slushies for Special Olympics—

“A little boy came into the store and said his sister, Dakota, wasn’t able to be in Special Olympics even though she had some special needs, so we made him the torch bearer and raised over $600 for Special Olympics. More importantly, it

Akard True Value has been sponsoring a Halloween party and costume contest for more than 40 years, bringing the community together for a safe trick-or-treating experience.

degree of involvement by the store or Leigh Ann, who has served as president of the local Lions Club twice and remains an active member. She was honored with the Lions Club Presidential Award in 2013 for her dedicated service.

“Community involvement is a labor of love. What better hobby could I be involved in? I don’t golf or play tennis. What is better than doing for and with others? The Lions Club fulfills my social needs,” Leigh Ann explains.

She adds, “I have a lot of early mornings. Part of it is a team effort. My managers pick up the slack. I like to say we

synchronize dance all the time as a staff. I never think of it as time spent but rather time invested. Whether it converts to footsteps in the store we’ll never know.”

PROUD SUPPORTER OF MILITARY

Several of the store’s community projects have a connection to the military. As Leigh Ann explains, “My manager, Joe Hollingsworth, is a former Marine. His son worked here until he went active military. My dad was in the Army and we’ve had other employees who have served in the military. We support those guys.”

One of Akard True Value’s most recognized community initiatives is the Veterans Tree, which came about

says Leigh Ann Akard.

7. Pop-up Farmers Market—20 vendors

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Kyle Little, eCommerce and IT Manager | Little Hardware

nearly 15 years ago. The Lions Club was collecting photos of local veterans for a display at the annual Fall Festival (Yes, Leigh Ann has chaired that festival a number of times).

Afterwards, Leigh Ann and Joe got the idea to put the photos on a big Christmas tree in the store, which is on display for the holidays. It has grown from about 25 pictures the first year to over 100, as people started bringing in more and telling the stories behind the pictures. Those depicted range from World War II veterans to those currently serving in Afghanistan.

Last year Leigh Ann and Joe came up with another good idea to show their appreciation for those who have served in the military—preferred parking for veterans. A special sign in the store’s parking lot designates the space is reserved for veterans.

Firefighters are also a recurring part of the store’s community involvement.

Leigh Ann’s husband, Todd Scales, is a firefighter and her father used to be a volunteer firefighter in town, so naturally she got involved in fire support services. “I get a call when there’s a fire at 4 a.m. and I’ll make sure the firefighters have water, cups, baby wipes or whatever they need,” she says. “If a fire happens in the middle of the day, my staff will say: ‘You go, we got this.’”

Akard’s has been involved for many years with the annual Pancake Day fundraiser at the firehouse, providing

plates, cups and trash bags and helping promote the event.

REACTING TO COMMUNITY NEED

Five years ago Leigh Ann was sitting in a meeting and talking about breast cancer awareness, when it struck her how many worthy organizations are out there. Pumpkins For a Purpose was born.

Each charitable group gets a 4x6 card to explain their cause, which is placed next to a pumpkin they decorate and displayed near the store entrance. People can vote with pennies (or dollars) and the cause with the most votes gets an extra $100. Each group gets to keep the money in their jar. Leigh Ann promotes each one individually on the store’s Facebook page.

“We raise $400 to $600 for the groups each year and we might put a little extra in each bucket,” she says.

The store has been sponsoring a Halloween party and costume contest for more than 40 years. There are awards by age group, but two awards are reserved for kids who make their own costumes.

Leigh Ann embraces the opportunity to sponsor Little League teams, but with a twist. “We hold a cookout at the store so all the kids and their parents come to the store,” she says. “People show true appreciation when you do little things like that and that type of connection provides value to us.”

She adds, “We react when something comes up. It came to our attention that the Caring Center needed donations to

support families in crisis, so we set up a tree in the store to benefit them. Same thing with Hope for Heroes to support homeless veterans. We react when there’s a need.”

When the grocery store next door— the only one in town—was forced to close earlier this year, Leigh Ann saw a need and sprang into action. She organized a pop-up farmers market in the parking lot that started in early July and ran into October.

“I didn’t want people to disassociate this shopping center with their everyday needs and shopping patterns. They were already in the habit of coming here for produce,” she explains.

She had to get permits from the town but was able to line up about 20 local vendors offering eggs, dairy, meat and vegetables, along with craft vendors. “It takes a lot of effort, but supporting local feels good,” she adds.

Community involvement takes effort, but Leigh Ann says the positive feedback she gets from customers is priceless. “It has a halo effect. When you know you’ve made a difference that’s

grocery store in Akard True Value’s shopping center.

8. Hope for Heroes: Winter Warm-Up for Homeless Veterans—Collect winter wear and personal care items for homeless veterans.

9. The Caring Center—Boy Scouts collect food, clothing and toy donations in store to support The Caring Center’s mission of helping families in crisis. Also, customers can grab a tag off the Giving Tree in the store to support The Caring Center. Suggested items on the tree are for kids ages 12-18 and family fun packages.

10. Community Day—Dunk a firefighter in the dunk tank and purchase a hot dog lunch for a donation that supports community outreach programs in Zionsville.

11. Electronics recycling—Drop-off site for unwanted TVs, computers, VCRs, fax machines, Christmas tree lights and phones. Collected 20 skids of electronics this year.

12. Fix it Mom of the Year—For Mother’s Day, accepted nominations on Facebook page for Fix it Mom of the Year, with winners receiving prizes.

13. Veterans Tree—12foot Christmas tree in

Pumpkins for a Purpose was started five years ago to build awareness and raise funds for worthy local causes.

when you want to continue doing small things for people,” she says.

SUPPORTING THE STAFF

Leigh Ann treats her staff like they are part of her extended family. She hires kids with special needs and one employee, Pat, suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS). “We have to work around her schedule, letting her work 20 hours a week. We’ve held a fundraiser for MS and there’s a pumpkin for MS—it shows we are supportive of her situation,” she says.

Another employee, Donna, who is 82 years old, suffers from Parkinson’s disease. “She wrote a letter thanking us for letting her work here and said this is how someone would want their grandfather treated,” Leigh Ann says.

When Leigh Ann hires teenagers she sends a letter to the parents explaining expectations. One rule is that the teen needs to call in personally if they cannot make it to work. “You’re training the future work force and it’s important they learn what it takes to be a responsible employee,” she says. “We always tell

the store that is decorated with more than 100 photos of local veterans.

14. Pumpkins for a Purpose—Charity groups decorate a pumpkin promoting their cause and the pumpkin receiving the most votes ($1 donation = 100 votes) gets an extra $100.

15. Women’s Build Day for Habitat for Humanity—Organized a team of 15 women to spend a day working on a Habitat for Humanity build project. Store also held a bucket sale to raise funds for the build project.

16. Preferred parking for veterans

Special parking space outside store designated for veterans.

17. Alzheimer’s Association—For two days in June, shoppers can

them we’re going to teach them more than hardware, because we want to teach them life lessons that will stay with them.”

Take the example of Zach Gayheart, who started working at Akard True Value at age 16 after his family moved to town and transferred their membership in the Lions Club. Zach wondered why there wasn’t something similar for younger people who wanted to get involved.

With Leigh Ann spearheading the effort, her two youngest sons, Spencer and Anthony, joined Zach and became founding members of the Alpha Leo Club, a service organization for young adults.

“We thought we’d get six or seven teens to join and we had to cut it off at 90. Zach started working here full time after graduation and he’s grown exponentially, all through a service connection,” Leigh Ann points out.

A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

Leigh Ann’s granddaughter, Charlotte, was 21 months old when she became afflicted with pneumonia and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) infection, which is an inflammation of the small airways of the lungs. This happened

Right: Leigh Ann Akard is shown letting Hawk Trimmer know that his selfless Christmas wish has been granted by the HAWK Foundation.

Left: Flags representing each branch of the military are flown with pride to support Veterans Appreciation Day.

on December 28 last year and she remained in the pediatric ICU at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis until late February, with progress interspersed with setbacks like collapsed lungs.

“It was touch and go at times, because she was having trouble breathing and had to be on a ventilator. There were definitely some tough moments,” recalls Leigh Ann. “It was a journey, but the community was so supportive. They kept asking ‘How is little Bubette?’ People asked what they could do for us, and we said to just pray for us. All we could do was pray. And people in the community said don’t deny us the opportunity to help you, because you’ve done so much for everyone else.”

There’s another important part to this story.

About seven years ago Leigh Ann was instrumental in starting up the HAWK (Helping All With Kindness)

Foundation, which is now a 501(c)(3) organization made up entirely of volunteers. The HAWK Foundation’s goal was to set up a free event for families who have members with special needs.

The first event, the VIP Carnival, attracted 38 family members. This past year it attracted over 1,300 attendees who were able to do carnival rides and games and eat for free.

The next step was to add a VIP Christmas, providing a free holiday event for special needs families with elves, reindeer, pictures with Santa, gifts, food, decorations and a sleigh ride through the woods. That event now reaches more than 400 people each year. The latest event is a VIP Luau in the summer.

Hawk is also the name of a special 12-year-old boy, Hawk Trimmer, who made a selfless wish of Santa at the 2013 Christmas event that attracted national attention. Rather than a gift for himself, Hawk asked Santa for a special van for his mother, who had no good way to transport him since he was in a wheelchair.

Leigh Ann and the other community members of the HAWK Foundation raised enough money in two weeks to surprise Hawk and his mother with a new wheelchair accessible van, showing up on their doorstep with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves in tow.

Back to Leigh Ann and her granddaughter, whose father is her oldest

buy food for a free-will donation to support the Alzheimer’s Association and buy a purple bucket for $5 and receive a 20% discount on anything that fits in the bucket, with all donations going to the Alzheimer’s Association.

18. Veterans Day appreciation event—Veterans could pick up a Military Thank You Card entitling them to 10% discount, with banners representing all branches of the military hanging outside the store.

19. Photos with Santa—Kids get special gift from Santa if they bring canned food or make a donation to The Caring Center. Akard’s has been doing this since 1999.

20. HAWK Foundation—Providing free seasonal events to help families who have members with special needs.

21. Christmas in the Village Residents can ride the antique trolley to Akard’s, one of 10 local stores participating in the Elf Scavenger Hunt, or ride it to other destinations in the village for holiday festivities.

22. Zionsville Street Dance—The store sells tickets and helps sponsor the popular community festival.

23. Halloween party and costume contest—A Zionsville tradition for over 40 years, with prizes for best costume by age group and a safe alternative for trick-or-treating.

Sponsors:

Co-Sponsors:

Join us for this important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.

The Beacon Awards are held annually at The Hardware Conference in beautiful Marco Island, FL, and is Cosponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection magazine. Due to Hurricane Irma, The Hardware Conference was rescheduled to be held Dec. 8-10, 2017 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa. For more information about attending this event along with all other educational seminars, open floor discussions and social activities at the 2017 Hardware Conference, visit www.TheHardwareConference.com

HARDWARE CONFERENCE

The Hardware Conference is Back for 29th Year

Hurricane Irma made an untimely arrival in Florida the weekend The Hardware Conference was set to be held in Marco Island in September. The event was postponed for the safety of attendees, but The Hardware Conference is back on with a new location and new dates.

The 2017 Hardware Conference will be held December 8-10 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Fla.

The 2017 Hardware Conference has been rescheduled for December 8-10 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach on Florida’s northeast coast. There is still time to register for this year’s Hardware Conference. Make a splash in one of four pools at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort or take a free shuttle to the recently renovated and private Cabana Beach Club right on the Atlantic Ocean, with 26 miles of private beachfront to explore.

The Hardware Conference began in 1988 with a small group of hardware retailers who wanted to get together once a year with key manufacturers. This small group continued to expand and is now the nation’s largest independent dealer conference.

This year will mark the 29th year for The Hardware Conference, which has traditionally been held each year at

Join colleagues and new friends for this three-day learning and networking event. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive five-star resort setting.

The Conference’s negotiated room rate is $160 per night plus tax and $15 resort fee, which includes high-speed internet access, self-parking, spa and fitness classes, miniature golf, two drinks and private access to the Cabana Beach Club.

To make your hotel reservation with our special group rate contact the hotel at 800-457-4653 and tell them you are with The Hardware Conference.

“We sincerely appreciate the industry’s support of The Hardware Conference and look forward to hosting everyone in Ponte Vedra Beach,” said Craig Cope, who directs the Conference with his wife Shanti.

BEACON AWARDS BANQUET

One of the highlights of the event promises to be The Beacon Awards,

which will recognize the industry’s Best New Stores, as well as Retail Beacon Award winners from participating wholesalers Ace Hardware, Do it Best Corp., True Value and Orgill.

The Beacon Awards are co-sponsored by The Hardware Conference and The Hardware Connection with special sponsorship support from Apex Tool Group, Sunnyside Corporation, Epicor, Sashco and Rust-Oleum. The Beacon Awards banquet will be held Friday evening, December 8.

Vendor booths will be auctioned off Saturday night with the proceeds benefiting the Miami Children’s Health Foundation.

HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY FORUM

Kicking off the event is a Hardware Technology Forum that starts the day before the Conference officially opens on Thursday, December 7. For the fifth straight year, Epicor and ECi Advantage/ ECi RockSolid will offer a full-day, handson training session for their retailers.

To attend the Technology Forum and the Conference the cost is only $299 per person and includes all training programs for one day plus breakfast, lunch and cocktail reception on Thursday in addition to the other Conference meal functions and activities the rest of the weekend.

TIME FOR FUN

Attendees of the 2017 Hardware Conference will have the opportunity to play Marsh Landing Country Club

This year’s banquet on Friday evening will showcase a first-class awards ceremony featuring the winners of the Beacon Awards program.

course during the golf outing sponsored by Krylon on Saturday afternoon.

If you would like to play TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, which is where The PLAYERS Championship is held each year, you can book via the pro shop at 904-285-7777.

Minwax is sponsoring private clubhouse tours of TPC Sawgrass on Saturday from 1:30-2:30 and 3:30-4:40 p.m. Also, Wooster Brush is sponsoring a St. Augustine trolley tour beginning at noon on Saturday.

MARQUEE SPONSORS

The Hardware Conference would like to thank and recognize its Marquee Sponsors of this year’s event: The Hardware Connection magazine, The Hillman Group, Krylon, Minwax, Miami Children’s Health Foundation, The Wooster Brush Company and Hyde Tool. For more information on attending the 2017 Hardware Conference, call Craig or Shanti Cope at (305) 853-0049 or go to www.thehardwareconference.com. n

“Where Relationships Are Formed”

Year’s Event Will Be Hosted At The Beautiful Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa

Learn More About Your POS System

Epicor and ECi Rocksolid will offer fullday, hands-on training sessions for their retailers. Bring your tablet or laptop so you can log right into your store as you learn new “tips and tricks” to make your POS software more productive in your store.

Network, Relax and Learn

Meet colleagues and new friends at the industry’s largest conference for independent hardware retailers. Share ideas with top retailers on how to grow your business, interact with key vendors on how to increase sales in your store and attend educational seminars, all-industry cocktail receptions and dinners in an exclusive 5-star resort setting.

Beacon Awards — Honoring the Industry’s Best Retailers

The Beacon Awards are an important recognition program that honors the best of the best dealers who represent the future of the industry.

Sponsors:

LAWN & GARDEN TRENDS

Sales of Garden Hoses (Independent Hardware Channel)

12 Months % Change vs. Year Ago

Garden Hoses: Units

Garden Hoses: Dollars

Unit Sales Breakdown for Garden Hoses

LAWN & GARDEN BUYING UPDATE

• Ornamental trees and shrubs with vibrant colors are expected to remain in demand next year, as well as color-changing conifers that change color with the season .

• The DIY yard and garden industry is a $36 .9 billion industry, according to the National Gardening Association’s 2016 National Gardening Survey . The average U .S . household spends $407 annually on lawn and garden products, according to the survey .

• Vertical gardening systems, which are gaining in popularity, enable homeowners to grow plants and herbs in a decorative manner inside their kitchen, or on trellises, balconies and walls outside . Container gardening lets those in colder climates move their garden indoors when the weather gets chilly .

• Outdoor areas have become an extension of homeowners’ interior

Right: Chase Ace Hardware in Gainesville, Ga., stocks a deep assortment of plant food.

Left: Miner’s Ace Hardware has eight stores in California that feature outdoor garden centers.

decorating, with careful attention paid to furniture, statuary, accessories, yard art and related products such as patio heaters and fire pits to add comfort and style to outdoor gatherings .

• Native and drought-tolerant plants are in vogue as the first step toward an eco-friendly garden, along with low-irrigation gardening .

• Backyard edible gardening is a growing trend as one in three households are now growing food . Perennial herbs are increasingly being added to gardens .

• Bright, bold colors were a trend in 2017 that should continue . Consumers will be looking to add color to their gardens with flowers such as pink azaleas, snapdragons, pansies, tulips and daffodils .

• Landscape designers are using statement plants as a focal point of a garden with boxwood, hydrangea or pomengrates displayed in large planters . n

LAWN & GARDEN PRODUCTS

HSA 25 GARDEN SHEARS

• The HSA 25 Battery-Powered Garden Shears is the first STIHL tool designed for detail-oriented trimming tasks and is ideal for urban or suburban homeowners living in noise-sensitive areas .

• Part of the STIHL Lightning Battery System™ line of products, the HSA 25 is lightweight with a rubberized handle for user comfort and secure grip .

• It features two attachments—grass shear and shrub shear—to meet specific trimming needs . With run times of up to 110 minutes on a single charge, the HSA 25 allows users to complete tasks with clean, efficient cuts, and faster than with manual garden shears .

• It comes in a kit including a carrying bag, battery and charger for convenient transportation and storage . STIHL www.stihlusa.com 800-467-8445

VEGETABLE GARDEN KITS

• With Vegepod Container Gardens you get the size of a raised garden bed with all the benefits of container gardens . Plus, you get all the features of the ecoclimate covers that extend growing seasons and accelerate plant growth .

• Garden maintenance is minimal and watering is only required during the early stages of plant growth . Vegepod Container Gardens are the easiest way to grow your own backyard vegetables .

• Self-watering, modular container gardens come in 3 sizes . Also comes with protective greenhouse covers for extended growing seasons and stands to raise garden to waist height .

• It protects soil, stops contamination and trees pilfering nutrients, controls nutrient levels, retains warmth, is portable, easily raised, and easy to fill, set up and maintain . Vegepod 800-711-6881 www.vegepod.com

LAWN & GARDEN PRODUCTS

BED WETTERS SOAKER HOSE

• Bed Wetters puts water where it’s needed without waste . The soaker hose watering system is designed for raised beds and large containers .

• The slow-drip system waters thoroughly while keeping foliage dry, saving water and reducing foliar disease .

• Meets the lead-free standard under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act .

• Available in 3 sizes: 4’, 10 .5’ and 13 .5’ .

MEN’S GARDENING GLOVE

Landscapers love the snug fit and extra hand protection this touchscreen-compatible, high-performance Digz® glove provides .

• Made with durable synthetic leather, it has padded knuckle protection and Spandex stretch panels between fingers for extra comfort and ventilation .

• Natural Pull tab makes it easy to put on and pull off .

• Available in medium, large and extra large sizes .

IN THE NEWS

NEW STORES:

• Gillman Do it Best Home Center in Batesville, Ind., has acquired Aurora Do it Best Lumber in Aurora, Ind.

• Park Ace Hardware is opening its third location in Frankfort, Ill.

• Jill and Randy Saunders, Randy West and Kathy Hooper are opening a second Southern Pines Ace Hardware early next year in Seven Lakes, N.C.

• Mark LaFountain and Van Calkins have purchased Adirondack Hardware in Willsboro, N.Y., from Roger Long.

KUDOS TO:

• Philip Hardware in Philip S.D., owned by Colton and Erin Fitzgerald, was named Small Business Startup of the Year by the Black Hills Community Economic Development.

• Dave Umber, owner of Umber’s Do it Best Hardware in Fort Wayne, Ind., was honored with the Ernestine M. Raclin Community Leadership Award by 1st Source Bank.

• Muller True Value Hardware in Ferdinand, Ind., is celebrating its 45th anniversary.

• Michael Wynn, president of Sunshine Ace Hardware in Naples, Fla., was recognized as “Best Large Company Boss” by Gulfshore Business.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE:

• Hitachi has named Joe Leffler vice president of sales and marketing and promoted Kristopher Miles to vice president of operations.

• ECi Software Solutions has named Brian Dufour vice president of advantage migrations.

• The Hillman Companies hired Robert Kraft as chief financial officer and treasurer.

• Do it Best Corp. has promoted Gary Loosle to divisional merchandise manager, named Jeff Ridgeway merchandise manager for lawn and garden, and hired Tom Witta as merchandise manager for outdoor power equipment.

OTHER NEWS:

• Westlake Ace Hardware announced plans to acquire seven stores from Buikema’s Ace Hardware in Napierville, Plainfield, Wheaton and Romeoville, Ill.

Westlake will operate 115 stores after the deal closes in January. “We are excited to expand in the Chicago area, and look forward to continuing Buikema’s Ace Hardware’s outstanding tradition of customer service,” said Tom Knox, CEO of Westlake.

IN MEMORY:

• Arthur “Bill” Niebling, owner of Menlo Park’s Ace Hardware, passed away September 24 at the age of 93. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II and later served as a TV cameraman for Betty White. He is survived by his wife Nancy and three sons.

• Ellen Hackney passed away October 7 at the age of 79. Ellen spent 49 years working as an editor and communications director for the National Retail Hardware Association in Indianapolis. Her father, Glendon Hackney, was the long-time editor of Hardware Retailer magazine, and she followed him there after graduating from Indiana University. Ellen was a skilled and detailoriented writer who was passionate about helping independent hardware retailers. She spent many years tracking and writing about legislative issues that affected hardware retailers. In addition to writing a 100th anniversary book detailing the history of NRHA in 2001, Ellen authored a notable special section in Do-it-Yourself Retailing in June of 1986 called “The Building of

America” that chronicled the important role the hardware industry has played in the formation and growth of the United States. A lifetime member of Irvington United Methodist Church and Women in Communications, she enjoyed volunteering at her church and at election polling sites.

• Stewart Elliott, who operated four Elliott’s Ace Hardware stores in the Milwaukee area, died October 10 at the age of 86. An All-American swimmer at the University of Michigan, Elliott purchased Behnke Hardware and Appliance in Elm Grove, Wis., in 1957. Additional stores were opened in West Allis, Muskego and Pewaukee, Wis. He is survived by his sister Eileen; children Stew, Kate and Mate; and nine grandchildren.

• Jack Tweedy, president of Tweedy Lumber Company, passed away October 22 at the age of 87. Tweedy operated stores in Rushville, Carthage and Knightstown, Ind., and later opened Fishers Do it Center in Fishers, Ind. He was an Eagle Scout and Army veteran. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Bernice; daughter Kimberlee; sons Jay, Gray and Kyle; 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

FOR THE FULL STORY:

• Lowe’s to start selling Craftsman tools. Click here.

• Overtime rule has been overturned. Click here.

NOVEMBER

Distribution America/PRO Group

Executive Planning Conference

November 14-16, JW Marriott Resort, Marco Island, Fla.

STAFDA Annual Convention & Trade Show

November 12-14, Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas

December

The Hardware Conference

December 8-10, Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort and Spa, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. www.thehardwareconference.com

JANUARY 2018

Do it Best Corp. Winter Conference

January 18-19, Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Calif.

International Builders’ Show

January 9-11, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

Northwestern Building Products Expo

January 22-23, Rivers Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, Minn.

United Hardware Spring & Summer Buying Market

January 5-7, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis

FEBRUARY 2018

Hardware Distribution Warehouses

Inc. Spring Market

January 19-21, Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Dallas

UPCOMING EVENTS

House-Hasson Hardware Dealer Market

February 1-3, Opryland Convention Center, Nashville, Tenn.

LBM Advantage Annual Meeting & Trade Show

February 19-21, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Kissimmee, Fla.

Northeastern Retail Lumber

Association LBM Expo ’18

February 14-16, Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence, R.I.

Orgill Spring Market

February 22-24, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.

True Value Spring Reunion

February 10-12, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.

MARCH 2018

Ace Hardware Corp. Spring Convention

March 15-17, Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Dallas

Blish-Mize Spring Buying Market

March 23-24, Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan.

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo

March 8-10, Music City Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Home & Housewares Show

March 10-13, McCormick Place, Chicago

International Hardware Fair 2018

March 4-7, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany

For a complete listing of calendar dates, click here.

PICK & SHOVEL IS THE KING OF NICHES

Brothers Chris and Greg Hamblett are owners of Pick & Shovel in Newport, Vt., which features a pet store, major appliances, clothing, laundromat and seasonal ice cream stand. However, the Do it Best store’s biggest niche is maple sugaring supplies, which is big business in that part of the country.

They cater to the backyard hobbyists who are tapping just a few trees on up to the large commercial operations with equipment worth a quarter of a million dollars. It’s all on display in a separate building that used to store doors and pet food. “People will drive 100 miles to get what they need,” says Chris, who adds that they do on-site consultations.

Maple sugaring supplies account for about 12 percent of their annual gross sales, according to Chris, who says the only slow months for that business are June and July, which is when seasonal sales pick up from tourists.

The coin-operated laundromat, which attracts locals and tourists, has its own entrance. Folks put their clothes in the washer and then walk next door to shop the hardware store. “Anything you can do to build traffic pays off,” Chris adds.

With the nearest shopping center more than an hour away in any direction, Pick & Shovel has evolved into a one-stop shop to keep people buying local. You can find work clothing, boots, scarves, patio furniture, fire pits, puzzles, handmade donuts, beekeeping supplies, beer- and wine-making supplies, pellet and wood-burning stoves, craft paint, feed, maple syrup, toys, pool

Upper: Pick & Shovel Home Center is known as Vermont’s hidden treasure.

Upper Middle: Maple sugaring is big business at Pick & Shovel.

Lower Middle: Tim & Doug’s Ice Cream shop attracts customers during season.

Lower: Vermont fresh maple syrup is sold in the store.

chemicals and UPS shipping, in addition to core hardware categories.

“We’ve never felt comfortable calling ourselves a general store, because that’s an old-timey, wooden creaky floor kind of business. We’re not far from that, but we have too much to offer to be called a general store,” says Chris.

Pick & Shovel’s 2,500-square-foot pet shop, which has been in business since the early 1980s, has a dedicated staff of five and sells everything from snakes, goldfish and parakeet to turtles, rabbits, baby chicks and hamsters. Selling a pet leads to all kinds of return trips to purchase food, tanks and related accessories, which is the sign of a good niche.

Left: A nice niche has been developed selling work clothing and boots.

Middle: Kids love coming to the pet shop, where they can pet a parakeet or beg their parent to buy a baby chick or hamster.

Right: You can’t buy dwarf bunnies at Home Depot.

“People come in all the time and comment: ‘We used to have a place like this in our town, but not anymore.” says Greg. “Our father’s big goal was to pass this business on to another generation and see what he created carry on, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Click here to view a short video and here to view a long video detailing what is unique about the business.

PARKER’S BUILDING SUPPLY PAINTS A PICTURE OF HOPE

With nearly 25 locations throughout Texas and Southern California, Parker’s Building Supply sells a lot of paint. For the fifth consecutive year, they used that fact to help do a lot of good.

Running from May 31 to June 11, Parker’s fifth annual Paint for the Cure sale donated $5 for each gallon of paint sold to the MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital in Houston.

The Do it Best retailer, which has been family owned and operated since 1930, leverages a strong marketing push to raise awareness of the sale and its cancer-fighting goals, helping Parker’s to raise $20,000 through this year’s sale and more than $74,000 in total since they took up the cause.

Parker’s Building Supply raised $20,000 this year for a children’s cancer center with its Paint for the Cure sale.

RETAIL IDEAS

TIS THE SEASON TO SET UP CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS

With the holiday selling season fast approaching, we thought it beneficial to show you holiday displays from all over the country.

Last year Ace Hardware Corp. held a Coolest Christmas display contest on Facebook for its members. Some of the finalists are depicted in the photo slideshow. The photo with the highest number of likes got a $10,000 donation to their local Children’s Miracle Hospital. The winner was Ace Hardware Tucson in Tucson, Ariz. n

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SLIDESHOW OF CHRISTMAS DISPLAY

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

70%

Percentage of Americans who have confidence in small business, compared to just 21% that have confidence in big business, according to a Gallup poll.

52%

Percentage of customers who reported convenience as the reason they like online shopping, according to research by Imprint Plus. Other main reasons were wide range of merchandise to choose from, free shipping and returns, price comparisons and online customer reviews.

44%

Percentage of small business owners who offer bonuses or profit sharing based on business performance, according to a small business poll by the National Federation of Independent Business.

$60 Billion

Size of the global market for smarthome products, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets.

64%

Percentage of small business owners who feel they need to delegate more responsibility, according to a survey from The Alternative Board.

42%

Percentage of women who take pictures of products in stores to remember for later, compared to 30% of men, according to research by Euclid Analytics. Also, 37% of women are on their smartphones actively communicating with family and friends about what to buy.