As you wrap up the year and make plans for 2019, it’s a good time to review your accounting records. Was 2018 a year of growth? Or have market challenges been pulling your operation down? More than likely, the first …

If you’re looking for the next big business opportunity for 2019, the answer could be in commercial and industrial sales. Commercial customers may have specific needs that are a bit different from your regular customer base, but they can provide …

Just as adults like to show off their fancy cars, children love to show off their bicycles. Every year, Allan’s Home Hardware Building Centre in Cochrane, Ontario, gives them an opportunity to do that. The company’s Annual Bike Decorating Contest …

It’s the time of year when you might be getting lots of requests for donations. While you want to be as generous as possible, it’s also necessary to be wise with your resources and have a way for deciding who …

With the end of the year approaching, it’s a good time to look back over 2018 and think about what worked and what didn’t in your marketing strategy. An online presence has become increasingly important for businesses. If you have …

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. By Jesse Carleton, jcarleton@nrha.org See, Stop, and Shop The brontosaurus standing in the outdoor garden center and poking its head above Beisswenger’s Hardware has become a landmark around New Brighton, Minnesota. …

Often, some of the best merchandising ideas you get are those from other people. Looking at what other retailers are doing can sharpen operations at your own store.  If you’re like most retailers, you are constantly looking for ideas. Hardware …

Independent home improvement retailers flooding the floor of the 2018 Do it Best Fall Market found the programs and retail solutions that are critical for helping them develop specific categories. The market, held Oct. 12-15 at the Indiana Convention Center …