Niches

There are often multiple factors that drive consumers to make a purchase. Sometimes price points, durability and convenience are the main motivation. Then again, sometimes pure brand recognition can secure a sale and let them show off to their friends. …

Gourmet foods, local gifts, unique home goods, custom cabinets, firearms, live bait, microbrew beer, even frozen pizzas— there’s no shortage of variety alongside the core hardware categories at Solon Springs Mercantile. Owners Meg and Ken Thoreson have built up a …

Niche categories can add excitement to your business, and most retailers are always on the lookout for a new category to try. In the 2019 May issue of Hardware Retailing, three retailers offered their insights into how they’ve created successful …

As cold temperatures set in, it can be a real emergency to be stuck outside hoping for rescue or unable to dig your vehicle out of a bad scrape. Hardware retailers are particularly suited to offer vehicle safety products that …

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. By Chad Husted, chusted@nrha.org A New Cook in the Kitchen Gadgets are a fundamental piece of the hardware industry. Adults can get the same sense of wonderment as children with a new toy …

In the August issue of Hardware Retailing, we spoke to three retailers who have excelled in the camping niche. To dig deeper into the niche, we spoke to Cliff Jacobson, an outdoor adventure writer and wilderness guide, for insights on …

Click the picture to download a PDF of this story. By Renee Changnon, rchangnon@nrha.org Bear Necessities When customers arrive at Bear Hardware in Nashville, Indiana, they are welcomed by a giant carved wooden bear and a friendly team of employees. …

Mills County General Store and Ace Hardware is a mainstay in Goldthwaite, Texas, a town of about 1,800 people in the center of the state. Austin is the closest big city, just more than 100 miles south. Because it’s remote, …