The ‘roar’ of Blackhawk Ace Hardware
“Where’s that ‘roar’ coming from?”
“Oh, that’s from the hardware store.”
“The hardware store?”
Blackhawk Ace Hardware in Charlotte, North Carolina, in business since 1977, has a giant dinosaur named Pickles that greets all. (It doesn’t actually make a roaring noise – the “roar” is in the store’s upbeat style.)
“What’s amazing is how many kids don’t see it until they’re right under it – then they jump back,” said co-owner Andy Wilkerson, son of owners Jim and Barbara Wilkerson.
“It’s because there’s so much to see in this store,” he said, talking by phone to HBSDealer recently.
The “roar” mentioned at the beginning is a roar of uniqueness that sets this store apart.
Maggie Mayhall of toy company Schleich, which makes Pickles, and many more toys featured in hardware stores around the U.S., said to this editor at a recent hardware industry show that, “Blackhawk Ace is a must-go-see place. For the kid in all of us.”
She described a place where you can get your pooch cleaned up at their doggie wash, and much more.
Co-owner Wilkerson spoke by phone from his car while picking up his kids from school. In the background, the kids could be heard, happy and full of talk, “like our store,” he quipped.
“We gained our reputation by being different,” he said, then broke out in a laugh over the phone when informed of the “must-see” and “dog wash” references.
“We create a fun and exciting shopping experience,” he said.
They are well-known in their geographic region. The business markets to the greater Charlotte area, “in a 50 miles radius,” said the co-owner.
Charlotte is a city with a population approaching 900,000, and growing, and it’s the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Including the 16-county market region surrounding the city, census shows there are 2.8 million people in Blackhawk Hardware’s market reach – that’s a roaring reach.
Hardware is just the beginning
“The hardware store is geared toward women customers,” said Wilkerson. “We’re more like a housewares store, with a decorative section that’s big.”
Blackhawk Ace Hardware has 25,000 square feet of non-traditional items. “Housewares and cabinet hardware are some of our best sellers,” he said.
“We are also the largest Big Green Egg dealer in the country, selling 300 per year,” said the co-owner.
He pointed out many of the positive aspects of ownership in today’s hardware world.
“Ace owners are collaborative and bring us ideas. That’s awesome. Being friendly is number one. Sharing ideas is second,” he said, adding that those attributes attract people to buy online and in the store.
“And it’s all about just how nice people are. That’s everything,” said Wilkerson.
The challenges today, he said, come with, “adapting to managing a growing store. The leadership role changes as you grow from 10 employees to 120 like we did.”
You also have to get comfortable with raising prices, he said. “If someone is going to pay .99 cents, they’ll pay $1.49. Raising prices gives you the capital to do other great things with your store.”
He said they always want to give the right advice for the right price, adding, “customers will pay for great service.”
The hardware business has been, “very good for us,” said Wilkerson. “It’s a great business to be in. You’re helping solve people’s problems.”
Wilkerson said that as they’ve gotten bigger, he’s realized it’s all about their great people, “our team members are everything,” he said.
And it’s those unique people – along with a big dinosaur named Pickles – who keep the fun and excitement roaring.
