STIHL Hardware All Stars: N.H.; N.J.; N.M.; & N.Y.
The 2021 class of STIHL Hardware Store All Stars represent community-oriented, customer-focused, high-performance hardware-and-building-supply retailing at its finest. From each of the fifty United States, HBSDealer recognized an All Star performer.
You can read about all 50 honorees here in the digital issue of HBSDealer. Additionally, HBSDealer.com will highlight a handful of honorees throughout the year, working our way from Alabama to Wyoming.
Here, the All Star showcase continues with representatives from New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York.
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New Hampshire
County Store Hardware
The review says “Good, old-fashioned hardware store, and a lot more.” In Milford, N.H., this merchant is “not the biggest hardware store, but definitely one of the best when it comes to selection and service,” wrote an All Star nominator. County Store is not afraid to make big moves, either, like its conversion to the Ace Hardware co-op in 2021.
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New Jersey
Tanis Hardware
This northern New Jersey institution (exit 155 on the Garden State Parkway) is known as the “Paul Bunyan of small hardware stores,” as it maximizes every inch of its 3,800 sq. ft. The Haledon, N.J. store is also known as “Your local, friendly, one stop, mom and pop shop.” Owner Skip Tanis, a skilled woodworker, has repaired and restored carousel horses for the Seaside Heights historical society.
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New Mexico
Village Hardware
The father-son team of Chuck and Zane Watkins operate a grocery store and a pecan farm in Hatch, N.M. The Watkins family also operates this one-of-a-kind hardware All Star. Chuck purchased the store from his partner and remodeled and remerchandised as he converted it to Do it Best. The store’s expanded offering—from farm supplies to NAPA Auto Parts—exists to better serve the community.
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New York
Crest Hardware
This Brooklyn business might have the coolest web site in all of hardware (See for yourself at cresthardwarenyc.com.) Located in the cool-and-collected Williamsburg neighborhood, Crest Hardware & Urban Garden Center is a back-to-back Best of Brooklyn award winner in 2019 and 2020. Owner Joseph Franquinha continues the legacy founded by his father, Manny, in 1962.
Have you seen All Star quality hardware stores? Let us know. Nominate a store for a 2022 award by sending a note to [email protected].
What makes a hardware store an All Star? Any or all of the following:
• Innovation in operations, marketing, merchandising;
• High performance, expansion, success or sales growth;
• Customer focus; community centricity and a commitment to the traditions of the hardware and building supply industry.
Single-store retailers are as welcome as multi-state regional players.
(Note, honorees need not be STIHL dealers to be recognized for the award.)