BM_FallStrategies2020-FINAL

OPERATIONS

Staying Strong Combating COVID-19 With Resilience

At McGuckin Hardware in Boulder, Colorado, employees wipe down the shopping carts and baskets after each customer as part of the store’s new cleaning protocols to protect against the coronavirus.

D uring the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers have demonstrated their resiliency by adapting how they do business. Retailers everywhere have relied on their ability to be flexible as independent operators, which is made easier by strong partnerships with their distributors.

Read on to learn how these Blish-Mize customers are protecting the health of their customers and employees while delivering essential products and services to their communities. McGuckin Hardware BOULDER, COLORADO McGuckin Hardware has been a staple of the Boulder, Colorado, community for 65 years—they are still located in the same shopping center where they first opened for business in 1955. The store carries all of the cleaning and home maintenance products that customers have come to need and expect from essential

businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, along with a vast range of other products—their slogan is “Boulder’s favorite everything store.” When there were reports that the coronavirus was spreading throughout the U.S. in mid-March, McGuckin’s leadership team introduced new safety measures to protect customers and employees. They reduced their store hours, implemented curbside pickup and continued to offer delivery to customers. The store also began accepting phone orders, revamped its online ordering system and added more products to its online offerings. Store associates increased the frequency of their cleanings, sanitizing

18 Fall 2020 • Hardlines Strategies