At K&B True Value, the art of seasonal decisions
When the season turns….
It’s the “Bluebird of Happiness” that hardware store customers seek.
“We are always interested in buying new items. We want our customers to have the opportunity to buy the classics – or try something new,” said Jared Littmann, owner of K&B True Value in Annapolis, Maryland.
As in one instance, he said, they work with a local artist to display and sell hand-painted ornaments with local themes, like the Blue Heron ornament, back by popular demand.
For everything there is a season. “We try a couple of new themes each year,” said the owner. In hardware stores, each season of the year has its themes, and certain products take prominence.
“To prepare for the coming Christmas season, we condense our garden hose and grass seed and fertilizer sections from 72 feet to 24 feet and use the aisle with 48 feet of space for our main holiday display. We also open up our 16 feet of main featured area for gift ideas and seasonal promotion products,” said Littmann.
On Chesapeake Bay, not far from the U.S. Naval Academy, Ken and Bobbie Niefeld started The Hardware House in 1974, near Quiet Waters Park. A decade later they moved into the current location, and later renamed the store K&B True Value to include the True Value name.
In 2004, Littmann joined the team after earning a B.S. in engineering and a J.D., then working as an environmental lawyer. In 2007, he and his wife Marlene Niefeld bought K&B True Value.
“Along with the team,” he said, “we have continued the same ideals that the store has always been known for: The right products at the right prices, an expert and knowledgeable staff, and a convenient location, plus a renewed focus on environmentally-friendly products and practices.”
The business remains focused on serving the local Annapolis community, although it has added delivery services, online shopping, text for curbside pickup, and other changes to keep up with evolving customer preferences.
Seasonal buying for the hardware owner means simply making buying decisions for the coming seasons far enough in advance to ensure managing the products getting to the shelves.
“We mainly buy from True Value so the main buying is done at the spring trade show called Reunion,” said the owner.
In the past couple of years, he said, “that ordering has moved up to January. It is actually helpful to do the buying right after the prime selling season for the best recall of what sold well at full price versus markdown.”
He said that Weber gas grills are their best year-round seasonal item.
Littmann offered suggestions for how other hardware store owners can best manage their hardware store seasonal inventory purchases for today’s customer.
“Measure and manage anything that is important to you,” he said. “We try to avoid doing markdowns after the season is over and the products are no longer desired at any price.”
As each season evolves, said Littmann, “we try to check our inventory position and stay in stock on our prime products but let the secondary products go out of stock through discounts if necessary.”
The owner said: “We don’t have the room or interest in keeping residual products if we can avoid it with all reasonable measures.”
He said they base their buying decisions on a few factors including what sold or did not sell well in previous years, what items will be featured by True Value in its marketing campaigns, “and trends that we notice in the industry and marketplace.”
And when the Blue Heron ornament appears – his customers know the holiday season has arrived.
