Hardware Store All Stars: Maryland & Hawaii
Selecting 50 All Stars never gets any easier, and in 2015, HBSDealer editors were faced with an embarrassment of riches when it came to qualified candidates.
After the nominations were in, it was a matter of finding the retailer with a little extra -- be it exceptional service, an unusual market niche, or perhaps just a really great story.
Selecting 50 All Stars never gets any easier, and in 2015, HBSDealer editors were faced with an embarrassment of riches when it came to qualified candidates.
After the nominations were in, it was a matter of finding the retailer with a little extra -- be it exceptional service, an unusual market niche, or perhaps just a really great story.
The April issue of Hardware + Building Supply Dealer magazine contains the full list of 2015 honorees. Here are more highlights, two states at a time, of the class of 2015.
Annapolis, Maryland: K&B True Value
Though K&B recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, it certainly packs a lot into a small space: not only is there over 200 years of collective experience amongst its current staff, but its sales floor is home to more than 25,000 SKUs.
K&B gets its rap as a go-to destination for bird food and home cleaning products, but the retailer says its community involvement has been key to its success.
"Several times a year, the store gives space to area non-profit organizations from the SPCA to the Oyster Recovery Project to the Lighthouse Shelter (local homeless shelter) to help them spread the word and raise funds," said marketing manager Jennifer Johnson. "We have a popcorn machine that local scout troops and kids sports organizations set up in the store on Saturdays to help them raise funds. K&B has also helped local schools receive paint grants from True Value’s Painting a Brighter Future and donated the painting supplies. Every fall, we run a 'Cash for Schools' program were a portion of every sale is donated to the customer’s local school of choice."
K&B also excels in energy efficiency thanks to an extensive solar panel system on its roof. They also participate in rain barrel/composter events and provide battery and light bulb recycling services.
Multiple locations, Hawaii: Pioneer Ace Hardware
Pioneer Ace Hardware manages to be all things to all people -- or at least come very close.
As Ace's Honolulu outpost, Pioneer Ace Hardware has earned a reputation among locals as the go-to destination of all of one's obscure home improvement needs -- especially those hard-to-find replacement parts. Customers get what they need at a good price, and that's not even mentioning the time and frustration savings they get from dealing with an astute retailer.
Of course, all of that hard-to-find stock would be worth little without quick, convenient service. Going the extra mile means getting a bit of know-how on that plumbing project you're shopping for.
The 2015 Hardware Store All Stars series is sponsored by Epicor.