Dennis Bryant of Bryant and Son Building Supply in Summerville, GA. talks about his experience using House Hasson Hardware at the January 2013 Dealer Market.

“We like the small business feel of House-Hasson,” Eric says. 

“They bend over backward to help.”

One Big Step

Jackson Building Supply Undergoes Total Store Makeover

            Jackson Building Supply in Starke, Fla., started by accident. In an empty lot on the outskirts of town, the company’s founder, W.T. “Billy” Jackson piled up the remnants of buildings from his demolition jobs. People would ask to buy some of the wood, and from that unexpected demand Billy decided to create a lumber supply business.

That was in 1955, and since then, the company has spanned three generations, expanding and changing locations from the original lot to a 5,000-square-foot building on eight acres. Billy’s son, Mark, began working at the store when he was 12 years old and remembers pulling nails out of 2x4s so the wood could be resold.

            As Mark grew older, he realized the store could make more money by offering a broader line of hardware. So, without his dad’s permission, he went to a local bank and asked for a $20,000 loan for expansion.

            “That banker looked at me and told me that he’d be crazy to give me that kind of money,” Mark recalls. “I went to another bank and got approved. Turns out, my father knew what I was up to, and went in and co-signed for me. We got the money and expanded.”

            With his vision, Mark helped grow the family business from a $50,000-a-year operation to a more than $2-million-a-year business with 17 full and part-time employees.

            “I didn’t know a thing about electrical or plumbing,” Mark says. “But I knew we needed it to grow the business.”

            That family tradition of innovation has been passed on to Mark’s son, Eric, who now oversees the business as president while his father has been easing out of the day-to-day operation. Other family members who work at the store include Mark’s wife, Henriette, and daughter Priscilla.

            After two years of careful consideration, the family decided that the store needed a makeover.

“The store hadn’t been redone in two decades or more,” explains Richard Meyers, the store’s House-Hasson territory manager. “The shelves would be empty, and it looked more like a storage area than someone trying to sell something.”

            Reset plans included a dramatic, total interior makeover, removing all the old shelving, signage and the tattered brown carpet that had covered the floor for more than 25 years.

            Mark initially had his doubts. “I wasn’t convinced; I would have to see it to believe it,” he remembers thinking.

            For the Jackson family, the decision to reset their store took careful consideration and months of planning. Foremost among their concerns: Maintaining their independence and keeping their ability to meet their customers’ specific needs.

            House-Hasson representatives reviewed the core offerings, sometimes item by item, and revised store layout plans based on the Jacksons’ concerns.

            “With any store reset, we offer total dealer customization,” says Pat McCutcheon, House-Hasson regional manager. “The dealers know their market and customers, so we are totally flexible as we work together on the store design and assortment.”

            “The reset went really smooth,” says Eric of the month-long project in June 2012. “To work with us, they made some changes the day they showed up. It wasn’t a big deal when some of their plans weren’t what we were expecting. They worked with us.”

  

Floor to Ceiling Redesign

            The 5,000-square-foot salesfloor needed a redesign that would make the most of the space. This involved three major changes: moving the store’s entrance from the middle of the building to the side, installing new shelving and changing the aisle orientation. 

            Moving the entrance from the middle of the store to the side had several advantages. It created a better walkway flow and employees could better see—and help—customers as they enter the store. The move also saved space. Previously, there had been a large open area, and now the register and customer service area is more compact. The move also allowed for more parking at the front of the store.

            However, the change that may have the most impact is installing new shelving and changing the store layout. The store previously had four-foot-high shelves, but the new shelving is eight feet high and the new store design added two 24-foot rows of shelving. The combination of these changes created an additional 150 linear feet of shelf space.

            The shabby, old carpet was replaced with clean, white tile. New lighting was added throughout. The reset team even used a light meter to ensure that light levels were at 20 lumens or more throughout the store.

            “It’s bright and inviting,” says Eric. “The House-Hasson folks completely changed the direction of the store.”

            Eric believes these changes will help broaden his customer base. “We know many purchases are driven by women and contractors can now direct women to come in to look at products,” he says. “This will help attract women to the store, as opposed to a dark store and empty shelves.”

Among the products that House-Hasson added was cabinetry, and the reset included a special area in the store displaying sample cabinets. Making the most of the space, the floor of this area is covered with flooring samples, too.

Above the cabinet display is another example of how the redesign looked to maximize space. Bathroom vents line a ceiling beam that was previously unused. Another space saver: the roll flashing display. The store only displays one or two of the different sizes on the shelf, and when one size is removed, another is brought from the backroom.

            The reset looked to group similar products in displays and endcaps. Before, similar products were scattered throughout the store. For example, hand tools were separated in different areas, but after the reset, all the hand tools are in one display.

            “Even though they’re done with the reset, the store has more flexibility to expand,” says McCutcheon. “We feel like we’ve helped them create a legacy for the store’s continued success.”

Sorting Out the Assortment

            While moving the aisles, adding new, taller shelves, and moving the front door were all big, noticeable changes, creating a new assortment was at the core of the store’s reset.

            With help from McCutcheon and Meyers, the Jackson family thoroughly examined the store’s product offering. Working together, they added about 15,000 new items to their assortment.

            “As an independent store owner, the changes were still their call, we just made suggestions and working together we settled on assortment additions,” Meyers says.   

            Eric helped select items he knew his customers would seek out, and the House-Hasson team suggested products that were best-selling items in the region. As part of the reset, House-Hasson worked with the store so they didn’t lose any old stock. For example, they integrated older paint labels with the new expanded lines.

“We like the small business feel of House-Hasson,” Eric says. “They bend over backward to help.”

            The plumbing and electrical departments were beefed up considerably, and welding and soldering supplies were added to the mix. Through an analysis of the store’s customers, which are evenly split between contractors and DIY’ers, other categories received a dramatic increase. For example, they expanded their offering of putty knives from two or three to more than 30.

“Since the reset, there has been an uptick in walk-in traffic,” Eric says. “After the reset we’re better equipped to bring in retail business and contractors.”

            The makeover has helped the store keep up with local competition, such as another hardware store less than a football field down the street. Using House-Hasson’s pricing system, Jackson Building Supply can adjust prices based on costs and can customize any item based on the market.

            Along with an increase in foot traffic, sales have been on the rise since the remodel. To celebrate their reset, the store held a grand reopening in September, offering free food and a vintage car show in the parking lot. As Mark walked around the store he’s known for more than four decades, he was convinced.

“I’m really glad that we took the step for this transformation,” he said. “This is just tremendous.”

6 Content Ideas For Hardware Stores on Facebook

Learn from others. Crank up your marketing efforts on Facebook.  More people are connecting to Facebook on mobile devices and the new Facebook Graph search is going to be huge to local businesses.

So you got a Facebook page. Now what?  The hardest part is knowing what to post.  No one is in your store so you take a few minutes in the office and go on Facebook.  You sit with your fingers on your keyboard thinking about what to post.  Soon the store starts to fill up again so you go to help your customers and no Facebook post.

 

Set a posting Schedule

This will keep you from wasting time and allow you to measure results.  Create a document with a date and what you intend to post.  Start with a brainstorming session.  Write down as many ideas as you can think of.  Look at what other hardware stores are posting.  Ask employees in your store their ideas.

Here are a few ideas you can start with:

Offers.

The top reason people like a brand page on Facebook is a special offer or discount.

The built in offers feature on Facebook allows businesses to share a special promotion on their page. Each time someone claims the offer it is shared on that user’s Timeline so that all their friends can see it. This is a premium Facebook feature but these offers have a great reach and can generate interest in your store beyond the usual reach of your page. Customers who claim the offer are sent an email by Facebook that can be printed or shown to a retailer on a mobile device. This is a fantastic way to directly measure return on investment. The offers are bringing people directly in your door.

Sharing your specials as status updates on your Timeline can be effective. If you have a weekly offer, customers will begin to expect it to pop up on that day and watch out for it. This can encourage interaction. Some customers will ask you to hold an offer for them until they can get in to the store while others will ask for more info or will share the deal with their friends.

If you know your DIY traffic flow you can make offers at specific times.  Snow tomorrow means Ice melt post tonight. Saturday morning Gardening tip... It's time for crabgrass preventer.

Secrete word Wednesday.  Come in today and say ‘Jack Links’ for a free Jack Links beef stick with your purchase.

Questions

It can be as direct as asking what type of product they would like you to stock. Or more general like what time of day they do their shopping.
Sit down and take some time to construct a list of questions that you would really like to have answered.  Post a picture of some obscure hardware item and ask them what is this used for?  We just got a shipment of seeds in.  What do you plan to plant in your garden this year?  You should try and leave an open ended question at the end of every post. Asking quick questions on your Facebook page will really encourage interaction and give you an insight into what your customers want.

Embed Yourself In The Community

Local businesses have traditionally been the heart of the community and Facebook gives us the opportunity to remain there even when our customers are at work in front of their computers or out of town.
Sharing community news or something that will resonate with local people encourages more interaction. It also places you at the center of the online local community.  I recently saw a wonderful post that Burt’s Lumber did supporting a fundraising event for a your girl with cancer.  He truly supports his community and his customers know it.

Showcase Your Staff

Every business has something that they are exceptional at. With any luck, you have an exceptional staff and your customer service is spot on.
If this is the case, showcasing your staff on your Facebook page is a great way to develop this online. Use photos and video to showcase their friendly faces and their expertise.
If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you could design a contest amongst the staff but showcased on Facebook. Customers could get involved by voting for their favorite.

 

Showcase Your Product

What do you sell? What is special about your product? You have the opportunity to make your Facebook page your shop window. Show off your latest stock and entice your customers in with photographs.Is there a story you can tell about your product?  Can you tell the tale of how the products are made?
By telling stories, you are giving your customers something to share and talk to others about.

Create a How-to Event.

How-to events are great ways to teach your customers how to be DIYers.  Create a buzz about the upcoming event.  Ask your customers what projects they want to tackle?  List 5 project classes you were planning to have at your store.  Ask them to pick the one they would like to see.  Then post the event and sell all the supplies then need for the project.  Ask them by name how their projects are coming along. If they post a question, post the answer for all to see your knowledge of the task at hand. Ask them to post completed pictures online.  For some reason everyone who has ever laid tile loves to post a picture of their new floor online.
Get Started today create a Facebook plan with a set schedule then work that plan.  

Good Selling.

A LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSE HASSON WHOLESALE HARDWARE

Downtown Hardware Knows It Can Rely on House Hasson Wholesale Hardware

Ann Clary Bratton and Roger Clary view House Hasson Wholesale Hardware as a trusted partner in their business. 

Sometimes luck and good fortune can be combined with hard work and determination, and can lead to astonishing moments of success. That was the recent experience of Roger Clary and Ann Clary Bratton, a brother-sister team who own Downtown Hardware in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

            When the second-generation owners of the 57-year-old business learned this past spring that a new Ace Hardware store was opening up less than three miles away, they were a little nervous. They already faced a Home Depot store three miles the other direction and they were still waiting for business to rebound from the sluggish economy. 

            Their luck was about to change. They learned that their store was going to be the subject of Oak Ridge’s first cash mob in March. They had already been talking to House Hasson Wholesale Hardware about doing a store reset, but this bit of good fortune created a more immediate need.

            “We had been planning to do a truckload sale and Allen Winn made arrangements for us to get the truck in early. Kim Gibbs helped us with fliers and a banner sign,” says Roger. “They really worked with us to make sure we had plenty of merchandise, and everyone at House Hasson Wholesale Hardware bent over backwards to help us.”           

            Four generations of family members were on hand to help customers on the day of the cash mob, which received TV coverage from all three networks. They handed out free soda, water and cookies to a crowd that was standing room only for two hours. “It was the biggest sales day in our store’s history,” says Ann, with triple the usual traffic and sales quadrupled. “The news went out Thursday night, so we were mobbed some on Friday and some more on Monday.”

            “We had the big House Hasson Wholesale Hardware truck parked out front for a couple of weeks, which created a sense of excitement with our customers,” says Roger. “The cash mob happened a month before the new Ace store opened, so we were able to gain some important publicity.”

            Although the store has a lot of long-time customers, the cash mob—which was sponsored by the Young Professionals of Oak Ridge—helped introduce the business to some younger customers. “We’ve seen some of those customers return and heard a lot of comments like ‘We didn’t know you were here.’ We want to support other small businesses, so we help promote the other cash mobs they hold here,” Ann says.

            The cash mob was a nice burst of excitement, but Roger and Ann knew they needed to do something to create a more lasting boost to the business. They continued talking with David Helfenberger and their House Hasson Wholesale Hardware sales rep, Ed Grady, to plan a store reset that would position their business for success in the face of the new competition.

            “They knew how Ace merchandises their stores, so they were able to tailor our merchandise accordingly,” says Ann. “Rick Parker came and shopped our store and gave us a four-page checklist of improvements to make. Roger prioritized the list and we started doing those improvements.”

            They took Rick’s suggestion and agreed to have store merchandisers spend two weeks fine-tuning their assortments and cleaning up their merchandise displays. No part of the store was untouched, and the improvements have been dramatic.

A Tradition of Loyalty

Ann and Roger’s father, Tom Clary, along with Ed Wayman, opened Downtown Hardware in 1955 in what was a new shopping center in Oak Ridge. The store stayed in that original location for 37 years. One of the employees from that first year, Parlee Mitchell, just recently retired at the age of 93 after working nearly 57 years for the store.

            Although they had been buying a little from House Hasson Wholesale Hardware, they mainly bought from Belknap Hardware until that wholesaler went out of business in 1986. They followed their  salesman over to House Hasson Wholesale Hardware and have developed a deep sense of mutual trust since then.

            Downtown Hardware’s current location used to be the lawn and garden section of an old Kmart. “House Hasson Wholesale Hardware helped us so that we closed the old location one day and opened here the next day. We didn’t lose any sales. They helped us move and made it affordable for us,” says Roger. “We couldn’t have done it without their help.”

“When House Hasson Wholesale Hardware did the first store set, we had looked around and considered who might be able to help us. This time we didn’t consider anyone else,” says Ann. “We know we can depend on them for whatever we need. You build that trust and you find it throughout the company. They hold the same values we do. We don’t want to be a number and they know their customers.”

            Roger gives an example of a simple thing House Hasson did that made a dramatic difference in their business. “Rick Parker came to the store and saw that we hadn’t changed the outdoor lawn and garden area much. He suggested we go up and put in pallet racking. We looked into that and it was expensive, but Don Phillips (vice president-operations) had access to some pallet racking at a fair price. We were able to triple the amount of merchandise we had on display and we’ve greatly boosted our sales per square foot in lawn and garden,” he says.  

            The store reset better positions Downtown Hardware to have what customers want, when they want it. “As a retailer we have to take advantage of what we do good. You have to work at it every day, but we know we’ve got House Hasson Wholesale Hardware on our side,” says Ann. “In the age of computers it’s nice to have a salesman here regularly. Ed will get answers for us or find products we need from other customers.”

            Roger looks forward to attending the markets. “It’s an opportunity to see other dealers, get ideas and learn hands-on about the new items.” More importantly, he likes that there are no mandatory programs to participate in or add-ons to cut into his profits. “Being Trustworthy and Priced Right Everyday!^® lets us retain our independence while still providing a brand identity. We like the freedom of choosing what will work in Oak Ridge,” he adds.

House Hasson sees new stores double in 2012

House Hasson Wholesale Hardware Distribution Center

The past year was one of the best his company has seen for the growth of new hardware stores, said House-Hasson Hardware President Don Hasson.
He believes a sluggish economy may actually be a big factor in that, as people weigh putting their money into opening a store versus putting it into the financial market.
"We have started this year with a full plate of stores to work on, so I believe it will continue well into the year and maybe beyond," Hasson said.
In 2011, Knoxville-based hardware distributor House Hasson, which has a division that helps entrepreneurs open or revamp hardware stores, did 15 such projects. In 2012, that number doubled to 30.
"We think it is because investment returns are so low — maybe only one tenth of a percent on money market funds — and interest rates are so low," he said.
Combine these with a buyer's market when it comes to commercial properties, and that seems to make owning a store more appealing, Hasson said.
Signs of life in the housing market and increasing consumer confidence also are steering people toward opening hardware stores, he said. The North American Retail Hardware Association, (NRHA) citing U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Renewal figures, says that new home sales in August were up 27.7 percent from August 2011.
Whether because people see hardware stores as better investment than financial markets or some other factor, there does seem to be improvement in the retail hardware market.
A year end assessment of the nation's hardware industry in the December issue of Hardware Retailing magazine notes that overall sales for hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards were $290.3 billion in 2012 compared to $278.3 billion in 2011.
A rise in employment numbers, increase in housing starts and increased consumer confidence were seen as driving factors, the NRHA magazine reported.
The magazine also surveyed 1,000 hardware stores across the country comparing the 2011 and 2010 fiscal years. The sales gap between the most profitable stores and the average stores was only 20 percent in 2011 compared to 56 percent in 2010. This was seen as a sign of improved conditions for the market in general, and that independent stores were finding ways to grow sales.
"People are deciding to be in charge of their own destinies and see this as a better return on their investment than a savings account or the stock market," Hasson said in a statement.

http://www.househasson.com

© 2013, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.

House-Hasson sees big increase in store sets

Store owners are negotiating very good rates per square foot, from $10 to $15 down to $3 to $5

December 19, 2012 | By Ken Clark

Knoxville, Tenn.-based distributor House-Hasson Hardware says it is seeing almost twice the level of store sets -- new or expanded stores -- in 2012, compared with the 2011 rate.
“We’ve seen 2012 emerge as one of our best years in terms of helping people become hardware store owners and dealers,” said Don Hasson, president of House-Hasson.
In 2011, House-Hasson performed 15 of what are called “store sets.” In 2012, that number will grow to more than 30. The company expects 2013 to be even more active, according to Dave Helfenberger, House-Hasson’s VP marketing. The square footage of new or larger stores is increasing substantially as well, according to the company.
Surprisingly, one reason is the weak economy.
“Some of the problems in the economy make it easier to open or expand a hardware or lumber business,” Helfenberger said. “Many commercial buildings have been sitting empty for a long time. It’s a buyer’s market. Properties are selling or renting at reasonable or historically low prices.
“Store owners are negotiating very good rates per square foot, from $10 to $15 down to $3 to $5. What I recommend is that they ask for six months free and six months half-price. It’s remarkable how often they get it. Most store sets have traditionally been between 3,000 sq. ft. and 5,000 sq. ft.; this year they’re more than double that because of the low prices. We’re doing two that are more than 25,000 sq. ft., and one is 137,000 sq. ft.”
House-Hasson is a 105-year-old, family owned company that serves some 2,000 dealers in 17 states and the Caribbean. The distributor’s sales are about $200 million annually.

Source: Home Channel News

The largest independent regional hardware distributor in America. House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is a full service, exclusively wholesale, hardware distributor.

http://www.househasson.com

Sloan Hardware -A TRADITION OF RETAIL

Sloan Family Expands to Third Store

If House-Hasson Hardware had such a thing as a Bonus Buy Breakfast back when the company started in 1906 you can bet a member of the Sloan family would have been in attendance. They have been loyal customers of the company that long.

The Sloan family is one of House-Hasson’s oldest accounts, getting its start as a general merchandiser just after the Civil War and with roots in hardware retailing that date back to 1901. Bill Sloan’s father opened a hardware store in Madisonville, Tenn., in the 1940s that is now known as Sloan Center, and Bill continues to work 60-hour weeks running that operation.

A second store in Vonore, Tenn., was purchased in 1993. Sloan’s of Vonore is a one-stop shop offering a full 6,000-square-foot hardware store in addition to grocery, fuel and convenience items. Bill’s son, T.K., oversees that store, which made its big expansion into hardware in 2004.

Although the Sloan family business has been thriving, Bill knows you can’t afford to pass up opportunities that come along. When he learned of a store available in nearby Loudon, Tenn., he decided to take the plunge and add a third location.

They took over the store, renamed Sloan’s Village Home Center, on January 1, 2012, and quickly set about making major changes. Sloan’s daughter, Whitney Grubb, who has been keeping the company’s books for about 15 years, has taken the reins as manager of the new store, working hand in hand with her father and brother to get the store running to their satisfaction.

Tellico Village is a planned retirement community in Loudon that was developed by Cooper Industries around Tellico Lake beginning in 1985. Cooper Industries felt the community needed a hardware store to serve the residents, so it opened one up about 20 years ago. Tellico Village is pretty well built out now with about 7,200 residents, so Sloan’s Village Home Center should have no problems attracting customers to a revitalized store.

“Opening up a full-service hardware store is a great opportunity in that area,” comments Don Hasson. “The Sloans are such good people, and T.K. and Whitney take after their dad with  strong values and work ethic.”  

The Sloans know hardware retailing, but they also are smart enough to know when to look outside for help. The first call is always to House Hasson Wholesale Hardware and their long-time sales rep, Art Jackson. 

 “We started talking about buying the store last November and had several meetings with Art Jackson and David Helfenberger,” Whitney explains. “House-Hasson was here with a reset crew the day we took over. The reset crew was wonderful.”

The 25,000-square-foot store includes a Bass Pro Shops and a full garden center. “We have LBM here, which we’ve never had before and the garden center is also new to us,” says Whitney, who adds that they retained all the old employees including the general manager who had been there since the store was built.

The Vonore store does a booming sporting goods business with a Bass Pro Shop, so the manager there helped them set up the Bass Pro Shop in the new store, according to Whitney. A strong assortment of fishing supplies is stocked along with live bait, which should be well-received with a lot of lake properties nearby.

The Sloans feel comfortable taking on the risk of a third store, since they know their wholesale supplier has their back. “The customer service from House-Hasson is very good. You can call up the owner of the company and talk to him or to Taylor Hasson. It’s a family business just like ours,” says Whitney. “We love our salesman, Art Jackson, who we view as part of the family.”

The family finds it beneficial to attend all the House-Hasson dealer markets. “I always enjoy attending the shows and especially enjoy going to Opryland,” Whitney says. “It’s good to see the new lines of products and talk to other dealers.”

Bill and T.K. handle the pricing for the stores, largely following House-Hasson’s lead but adjusting where necessary. Customers can’t miss the large banner signs in Sloan’s Village Home Center touting the everyday low prices. Years of experience have taught the Sloans that a successful hardware business depends on having what the customer needs at a fair price and offering outstanding customer service. “We’ve received a lot of positive comments from customers so far,” says Whitney. 

She started working in the business at age 11, working right up until she went away to college. “I later taught for four years but was always doing work for the stores,” she says. 

 That tradition of pitching in to help the business is getting passed along to the next generation. Whitney’s 12-year-old son, Will, likes to cut boxes and he helps put away merchandise, while 10-year-old daughter, Julia, likes to cashier, taking after her 15-year-old sister who has been a cashier at the Madisonville store for three years. T.K’s son, Tafton, also works at the store.

 The kids are literally immersed in the store environment on a daily basis, since Whitney homeschools Will, Julia and Russ along with her nephew Tafton  in a backroom area of the store that has been repurposed for learning activities. “We pick the curriculum and have hired a tutor to oversee everything. It’s a great way to spend quality time with the kids while still working in the store,” she says.

If the kids pay close attention, they will learn everything there is to know about hardware retailing. And then you can watch as the fifth generation of Sloans makes their mark in the industry.

The largest independent regional hardware distributor in America. House Hasson Wholesale Hardware is a full service, exclusively wholesale, hardware distributor.

http://www.househasson.com