As cities and states across the U.S. issued shelter-in-place orders for residents, one retail bright spot is the uptick in purchases made for pets, according to new data from the National Retail Federation (NRF). As consumers stocked up on essentials …
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Cloverdale Ace Hardware Finds New Ways to Serve
When the spread of COVID-19 began changing the lives of residents in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Cloverdale Ace Hardware was quick to find new ways to serve. Store owner Douglas Brown scrambled to ensure his business could continue operating, despite challenges. …
Read More »U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 14.7%
The U.S. economy lost 20.5 million jobs in April, as many businesses either curtailed service or closed their doors indefinitely amid COVID-19. The decline in jobs is the largest since the government began recording employment data in 1939, reports CNN. …
Read More »NRF Issues Guidance for Retailers as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease
The National Retail Federation has released guidance for all retailers as cities, states and provinces begin to relax some COVID-19 restrictions. Called Operation Open Doors, the plan offers helpful insight into how to implement safe social distancing protocols and how …
Read More »Petersburg Hardware Pulls Together ‘To Keep Our Community Running’
The employees at Petersburg Hardware in Petersburg, Indiana, have taken their roles as essential workers and community servants seriously. They have accommodated major changes to how their store serves customers and they have pulled together as a team to take …
Read More »NRHA Invites Retailers to 2nd Virtual Town Hall
The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) is inviting independent retailers across North America to its second virtual town hall. This special session with NRHA representatives, retailers and channel partners will focus on how retailers are preparing their businesses for …
Read More »Salk’s Hardware: Giving During a Global Pandemic
Jeffrey Salk ordered about 4,000 protective face masks in January, never dreaming his community would be desperate for them before the full order came in. The owner of four Salk’s Hardware & Marine stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island has …
Read More »3 Emergency Prep Plans for Your Business and Community
Normally at this time of year, retailers would be planning for the unpredictable spring season that often brings severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. But nothing is normal about the second quarter of 2020. Home improvement retailers know they are lifelines …
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