Mid-Atlantic masters in Virginia, Delaware and Maryland
It takes a little more to be a Stihl Hardware All Star.
Each year, HBSDealer solicits nominations from readers and the industry for Hardware All Stars.
And each year, we’re rewarded with a fresh class of high-performing, community-minded, service-oriented businesses worthy of the honor.
During the course of our research, we’ve met dealers who take risks, inspire staff and lift communities — or have what we call the All Star spirit.
Congratulations to all of the 2018 Stihl Hardware All Star honorees. Here’s three stars worth gazing at:
Virginia
TW Perry
After a makeover in 2014, the Springfield branch of pro-oriented TW Perry has enjoyed a double-digit-growth sales streak, fueled partly by a bolstered DIY offering. “We have a diverse staff, able to best serve a diverse customer base with a very large Hispanic core,” said Mike Moore, general manager of the location. TW Perry, founded in 1911, was the Youth Leadership Foundation 2018 Spirit of Service Award winner, a tribute to its community involvement.
Delaware
Action Hardware
“We wanted to be first in the phone book, back when phone books were important,” said owner Jeff Ulmer, when asked about the origins of this All Star. Ulmer’s father bought the store back in 1979. Today, Action Hardware wins Wilmington customers by being first in service. “Top notch customer service and a large selection,” are Ulmer’s two keys to success. The 8,500-sq.-ft. store is expertly merchandised and strong in lawn and garden. The store complements its hardware essentials with niches such as handmade woven rugs and decorative candles.
Maryland
Christopher's Hardware
Fasteners are a signature category of this charming outside-the-beltway All Star in Sandy Spring. Glenna and Tom Christopher also take paint very seriously — the store became a full-fledged Benjamin Moore dealer last year, and a color consultant is available to help customers on Fridays and Sundays. Continual improvement is part of the Christopher culture. Case in point: the creative expansion of the store’s plumbing department into the store’s basement.
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See the full Class of 2018 Hardware All Stars — presented by Stihl — in the May issue of HBSDealer magazine.
Each year, HBSDealer solicits nominations from readers and the industry for Hardware All Stars.
And each year, we’re rewarded with a fresh class of high-performing, community-minded, service-oriented businesses worthy of the honor.
During the course of our research, we’ve met dealers who take risks, inspire staff and lift communities — or have what we call the All Star spirit.
Congratulations to all of the 2018 Stihl Hardware All Star honorees. Here’s three stars worth gazing at:
Virginia
TW Perry
After a makeover in 2014, the Springfield branch of pro-oriented TW Perry has enjoyed a double-digit-growth sales streak, fueled partly by a bolstered DIY offering. “We have a diverse staff, able to best serve a diverse customer base with a very large Hispanic core,” said Mike Moore, general manager of the location. TW Perry, founded in 1911, was the Youth Leadership Foundation 2018 Spirit of Service Award winner, a tribute to its community involvement.
Delaware
Action Hardware
“We wanted to be first in the phone book, back when phone books were important,” said owner Jeff Ulmer, when asked about the origins of this All Star. Ulmer’s father bought the store back in 1979. Today, Action Hardware wins Wilmington customers by being first in service. “Top notch customer service and a large selection,” are Ulmer’s two keys to success. The 8,500-sq.-ft. store is expertly merchandised and strong in lawn and garden. The store complements its hardware essentials with niches such as handmade woven rugs and decorative candles.
Maryland
Christopher's Hardware
Fasteners are a signature category of this charming outside-the-beltway All Star in Sandy Spring. Glenna and Tom Christopher also take paint very seriously — the store became a full-fledged Benjamin Moore dealer last year, and a color consultant is available to help customers on Fridays and Sundays. Continual improvement is part of the Christopher culture. Case in point: the creative expansion of the store’s plumbing department into the store’s basement.
—
See the full Class of 2018 Hardware All Stars — presented by Stihl — in the May issue of HBSDealer magazine.