Fall 2019 Hardlines Strategies

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HARDLINES

DISTRIBUTING RETAIL PROFITABILITY

FALL 2019, VOL. 19, 2

Home Base

New Lumberyard Owners Keeping Local Mindset Page 26

Also in this Issue: Fall Market Preview Page 18

Boost Your Online Results Page 24 Triple B Hardware Developing New RelationshipWith Blish-Mize Page 32

Come see what’s new and learn about assortment discounts at Booth 601

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THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Times, They are a Changin’

Contents Ask the Expert 4 Marketing Services 6 Operations 10 Featured Products 14 Fall Market Preview 18 Online Traffic 24 Customer Profile 26 Schuyler Home & Building Supply Customer Profile 32 Triple B Hardware Customer Profile 38 Hometown Lumber and Hardware Hardware House 42 On the Cover: Schuyler Home & Building Supply owners Tami and Art Lindberg have put a great emphasis on serving their Nebraska community since taking over the business in 2017. It has since become a go-to spot for homeowners and builders alike.

T imes change. People change. Businesses change. For almost 150 years, we’ve learned that change is not a bad word—it is a fact of business. You have to evolve in order to compete in this industry. You have to constantly keep your vision fresh and think beyond the current times. In this issue of Strategies , we’re featuring a pair of successful stores that have embraced the concept of change and evolution.

At Triple B Hardware in Bremond, Texas, owners Tony and Joyce Bielamowicz have been running a successful family hardware business for decades. However, with a recent change in wholesaler for the first time since they opened their doors, the couple is developing a new relationship with Blish-Mize as one of our newest customers. Schuyler Home & Building Supply, located in Schuyler, Nebraska, and Blish-Mize have been in business together since before owner Art Lindberg began working at the store. Now, Art and his wife Tami are not only learning how to best run their building supply store, but also how their relationship with Blish-Mize can help them continue to grow and succeed. The relationship Blish-Mize builds with each of its customers is always developing and changing with the times. We are constantly looking to new technologies to see how we can improve performance. We’re always reviewing our promotions, marketing and advertising programs to make sure they are generating strong customer response and maximizing their benefits to retailers. And, as always, we are working to update and enhance our fulfillment and delivery routes so we can be as efficient as possible. From our business services, including Xpress Ads marketing tools, to partnerships with online service providers like Pointy, Blish-Mize is working to keep our customers on the cutting edge. We’ll look to provide the best options for each of our customers as they choose what is best for their business plans. Our industry must also embrace change in order to succeed. Blish-Mize has never shied away from trying new programs and innovations for our customers, and neither should you. As we move into our 149th year of business next year, we look forward to continuing to modernize our company in order to better serve you. As always, should you have any comments or suggestions for Blish-Mize, please feel free to reach out to me personally at jonathan@blishmize.com.

Blish Connor Blish-Mize

Jonathan D. Mize CEO and President

223 S. Fifth St., Box 249 Atchison, Kansas 66002 Toll free: (800) 995-0525 (913) 367-1250

(913) 375-2505 (cell) (913) 367-0667 (fax) e-mail: blish.connor@blishmize.com

Blish-Mize isamember-owner ofDistributionAmerica

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 3

ASK THE EXPERT

A my Knoch has been part of the Blish-Mize team for the past 27 years. For the last 25, she has helped develop the human resources department. Finding Resolutions Human Resources VP Shares Advice for Blish-Mize Customers

She started her time at Blish-Mize with duties such as administering payroll and organizing employee benefits, and she has since taken on more responsibilities. Knoch now serves as Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Blish-Mize. “This time with the company has been an incredible experience,” she says. Below, Knoch shares some advice for Blish-Mize customers on how to handle the human resources matters in their businesses. What is the No. 1 piece of HR advice you would give someone running a small business? Amy Knoch (AK): Document everything! No matter how big or small your company may be, it’s important to have written notes about all meetings, performance reviews, issues and incidents pertaining to your employees— both positive and negative. You will be glad you did! What steps can retailers and their teams take to decrease the chance of conflict? AK: Good communication. Many times, issues and conflicts can be resolved through open communication. It’s important for employers to have an open-door policy and be receptive to employee ideas.

How can you keep employees informed of human resources policies and procedures? AK: Having a company handbook is a must. The handbook serves two very important purposes: It sets clear expectations for your employees, and it helps to protect your business by having written policies in place. A handbook doesn’t have to be complex and lengthy; however, it should include your general employment information, along with all policies and procedures. Every employee should receive a copy of the handbook and sign an acknowledgement that they received it.

Management of people is a tricky part of running a small business. Do you have other words of advice? AK: Consistency is key! A solid foundation of consistency is essential to a successful HR program within any company. If you want happy employees and good morale, you need consistency. Treat all of your employees fairly, and always stick to your written policies. Exceptions may not seem like a big deal at the time, but in the end, those exceptions will end up having to become your new rule. In fact, one exception can become the new rule, whether you intend it to or not.

4 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

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MARKETING SERVICES

Finding New Opportunities Learn About the Newest Services Blish-Mize Has to Offer!

Another reason is that the company is always adding new programs for its customers. Read below to find out about three programs that have been added over the past year, and how you can be next to sign up! reps, there are plenty of reasons for you to partner with Blish-Mize. One of the newest programs to join the Blish-Mize family is Xpress Ads, which the distributor began offering in June. Xpress Ads is a component of the advertising program from Distribution America, Blish-Mize’s buying group, and makes advertising a simple yet effective addition for retailers. “We know how busy retailers are,” says Cindy Kane, marketing director with Blish-Mize. “We wanted to offer them a program to allow them to quickly and easily put together advertising materials—or even offer a way for Blish-Mize to do it for them.” The Xpress Ads program includes a two-sided flyer customized to advertise any products you’d like from your store. The program is simple to use and gives you the opportunity to take A s a customer many opportunities your distributor has to offer. From a vast product selection to competitive pricing to engaging sales with Blish-Mize, you know how Advertising Made Quick and Easy

Payment Solutions Want to make payment quick and easy for your customers? Consider using the Synchrony consumer credit card program. Blish-Mize partnered with Synchrony a year ago to provide an option for those interested in a credit card with their local hardware store, home center or lumberyard. With this program, shoppers can receive a credit card with your company’s name on it and use it for any purchases at your store, or at any other business that accepts Synchrony cards.

a preformatted flyer and, in minutes, edit the pricing and products to customize it to your business. Once your flyer is completed, Blish-Mize will send you a print-ready PDF that you can print at a local or online printer. From there, the flyers can be used as bag stuffers, in direct mail or saved as an online file to post to your social media pages. The program is $200 annually. If you’d prefer for Blish-Mize to edit the flyer for you, that service is available for an additional fee of $50 per month.

With Xpress Ads, a service that creates two-sided customizable flyers, Blish-Mize customers can quickly and easily put together their advertising materials.

6 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

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MARKETING SERVICES

It makes the accounting side of business a little easier for you, too. “It takes the accounts receivable process off of our customers and lets Synchrony handle it,” says Kane. “That saves our busy customers some time.” With this program, you receive your money within 48 hours, and any past due or other credit issues are handled by Synchrony. In addition, there’s no processing fee for you for any purchases under $299, and you have the freedom to offer different promotions, such as six months same as cash. “We’ve been working with Synchrony for about a year, and we have quite a few customers who have signed up for the program in that time,” says Kane. “It’s proven to be quite popular.” It’s easy to learn more about the Synchrony credit card program. Just stop by the sales and marketing booth at

Also, once a participating retailer has placed their initial 12-unit order, any reorders of six units or more will qualify for free shipping. In addition, they can earn co-op advertising dollars (on any brand except Amana). Whirlpool offers quarterly promotions to participants, and representatives from the company are on hand at Buying Markets, so any interested customers can meet with their team then to learn more. “This program has offered some new opportunities for our customers and has made the appliance business a little more convenient for them,” says Kane. “Washers and dryers, refrigerators— these aren’t impulse items. These are things consumers need. It’s convenient for them to know they can go to their local store and get a new appliance.” Kane says the program has seen good success. “We have several customers who do quite well with it.”

the 2019 Fall Buying Market. If you’d like to enroll in the program online, visit Syfenroll.com. A New Product Opportunity If you’re thinking about a new product line that you might want to add to your store, you should consider these big-ticket items that every homeowner needs: appliances. Last year, Blish-Mize and Whirlpool teamed up to offer Blish-Mize customers an appliance program. To take part in the program, participants must commit to buying a 12-piece floor display that they can put on their salesfloor, says Kane. The program comes with several benefits, she says. Whirlpool includes a number of well-known, highly reputable brands, including Amana, Maytag and KitchenAid, among others.

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Blish-Mize has partnered with Whirlpool to offer its customers an appliance program. The program comes with a number of benefits for retailers, and several have taken advantage of this new opportunity and are seeing success with it.

The QUIKRETE ® app provides product searches, how-to videos, and a handy product quantity calculator to help make you and your sales staff more knowledgeable in just a few clicks. Download it today or visit quikrete.com to learn more. For more information, visit us in booth #300

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 9

OPERATIONS

Shining Moment Light Bulb Express Expands After Market Visit

After the Spring Buying Market, Blish-Mize customer Light Bulb Express in Rosebud, Missouri, expanded its product selection to include a much larger lineup of hardware essentials. Owner Tony DePung says the expansion is possible because of the deals to be found at Blish-Mize Buying Markets.

O pening in 2008, industrial customers and DIYers with their lighting and electrical needs. The business grew from Buffalo, Missouri, to an outpost in St. Louis and then its third location in Rosebud, Missouri. Now the business is looking for new ways to serve. Light Bulb Express has helped its

The final store in Rosebud is where Light Bulb Express has changed the most, and that change has happened very recently. The location has been open for six years, serving as a middle point between the business’s St. Louis and Buffalo locations, and it serves a similar mix of industrial and DIY customers. However, owner Tony DePung says he saw something different in the market around Rosebud that led him to make a change. “We’ve expanded here and there when we had a customer look for certain items, such as a specific terminal, bulb or connector. But in Rosebud, we thought we might be able to expand into more mainstream hardware,” DePung says.

“To be honest, we don’t see a lot of companies that have our work ethic. We’ve built a business where our industrial customers know that if they have a light issue on a Sunday when they have people in the factory working double time, we’ll open the store and get them that part they need. We felt we could include more hardware products in that service.” Growing Up In order to accommodate a salesfloor that could stock larger equipment, a more diverse selection of products and greater inventory, Light Bulb Express in Rosebud shifted from a building at the front of its existing property into a larger building in the back that had previously been used for storage.

10 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

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OPERATIONS

A ‘Holy Cow’ Moment The new space meant more than just a new distributor. DePung and the Light Bulb Express crew was excited about all the different kinds of products they could bring into the store. However, nothing could prepare them for their first Blish-Mize Buying Market, he says. “We had only been a customer with Blish-Mize for about a month before the Spring Market, so we didn’t really know what we were in for,” DePung says. “We got there and it’s just a ‘holy cow’ moment. We were used to just dealing with one manufacturer at a time, and we were kind of locked in on our selection. The Market had everything you could possibly need at a hardware store, all under one roof. It was all at our fingertips.” It wasn’t just the product selection that drew the crew in. DePung says the opportunity to talk with other retailers

This grew Light Bulb Express from 8,000 square feet of salesfloor to 30,000 square feet. The former storage building was cut in half and the store portion refreshed to suit retail needs, while the other half remains 30,000 square feet of storage. With so much space, DePung and the Light Bulb Express staff had to come up with ideas for what products to fill their new store with. Previously, DePung had ordered items through individual manufacturers, sometimes calling dozens of companies to get everything he needed. That routine became unfeasible, he says.

By reaching out to other retailers in the home improvement industry, DePung became familiar with several distributors. Eventually, the simplicity of Blish-Mize’s ordering process and the price points available to Light Bulb Express through the distributor won him over. “It’s been an absolute win for us. Blish-Mize has been great about straightening up our ordering. It makes our job easier,” DePung says. “What I really like about Blish-Mize is they’ve laid out all the tools we need to run the business and got us set up, and now they let us decide how best to use them.”

“We learned so much in just a few days, and we’re going to make sure to take full advantage of our time at the next Market.” —Tony DePung, owner

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and Blish-Mize staff alike was key for a store team entering a new market. The entertainment and food options didn’t hurt either, he says. The selection and deals available caught the Light Bulb Express team a bit off guard, something DePung says won’t be the case in coming Buying Markets now that the team is prepared for what is in store. “We learned so much in just a few days, and we’re going to make sure to take full advantage of our time at the next Market. We had one vendor ask if we had brought a trailer with us, because we could drive away with our purchase that day if so. That never occurred to us,” DePung says. “Having the variety of products available all laid out for you at a Market is an experience we’re looking forward to taking advantage of. We’ll be looking to find even more deals at the next Market.”

With a larger salesfloor, Light Bulb Express in Rosebud, Missouri, has taken on a diverse number of new departments. The team is hoping the store can become a one-stop-shop for its customers.

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MARKET PREVIEW

The Right Price for You Fall Market Overflowing With New Products, Deals

The Blish-Mize 2019 Fall Buying Market will kick off Sept. 19 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas.

E veryone can feel like a winner at the 2019 Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market. With new exhibitors and deals for customers at each Buying Market, this edition looks to be a sweepstakes for retailers.

This Buying Market will show off new products and manufacturers on the show floor, new online services available through Blish-Mize and Distribution America and programs for credit services and loyalty programs. Come see these offers and more Sept. 19-21 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Come on Down The MVP Savings Event is in its second year of kicking off Blish-Mize

Buying Markets, and it’s drawing larger crowds each time. It’s no surprise that retailers are flocking to the Thursday night event, as it combines fun and savings in a low-stress environment to get everyone in the Market mindset. The MVP Savings Event will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19. Spiffs will be available until 7 p.m., as will food and drinks. The event also features live entertainment. “We’re seeing more customers making it a point to include Thursday in their

18 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

plans for our Buying Markets, and it’s because our MVP sales event hosts a fun experience that customers also get value out of because it’s a buying event,” says Blish Connor, director of communications for Blish-Mize. “The MVP is not only fun; the deals are incredible. You cannot afford to miss it!” The Savings Event will include 16 individual items with special pricing. Purchase any eight items to earn an additional $50 cash spiff. Purchase all 16 items, and you will receive a $100 cash spiff. These orders must be placed during the MVP Savings Event. “Having this kind of buying event right at the start of the Market experience is a great way to maximize our customers’ time with us,” says Cindy Kane, director of marketing with Blish-Mize. “We know how valuable time away from their businesses is, so we want them to have fun but also take advantage of deals that can set them up for a great few months once they get home.”

Speaker Schedule Don’t miss these educating and motivating speakers during your time on the show floor. Take a break from deciding on your buying plans to learn new strategies from industry experts.

Friday, Sept. 20 10 a.m. Five Ways to Protect Your Business From Amazon

Dan Tratensek, executive vice president of North American Retail Hardware Association and publisher of Hardware Retailing magazine Amazon has changed consumer expectations for more than just online shopping. Even brick-and-mortar retailers are being held to standards for price and product selection. Dan Tratensek talks about what today’s consumers expect from home improvement stores online and offers tips on what areas independent retailers can focus on to set themselves apart. 2 p.m. Digital Advertising 101 Jeff Randolph, vice president and director of client services, EAG Advertising Jeff Randolph has held strategic marketing positions in both large and small advertising agencies, with clients ranging from restaurants and entrepreneurial ventures to multinational telecom and regional banks. He’ll speak about how digital advertising can help your business make the most impact for online and in-store shoppers.

Customers can take advantage of educational seminars and speakers during the Market.

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 19

MARKET PREVIEW

App Advice With the tap of a finger, the entire Blish-Mize Buying Market experience can be in your hand. The Market app is available for free through the App Store or Google Play and can turn your smartphone into a hub of information for your Market visit. The app is designed to guide and organize customers at the show with programs that can help plan a schedule, get in touch with a Blish-Mize employee or find a particular product on the show floor. Customers can register for the Fall Buying Market through the app as well as online beforehand. The entire Buying Market schedule is also available on the app, so customers won’t miss their favorite educational speaker or product demonstration. The app also allows customers to get in touch with Blish-Mize employees and set up meetings during the Market.

Hardware House Blish-Mize’s private-label program Hardware House offers products across multiple categories, including plumbing fixtures, lighting options, ceiling fans, faucets, bath hardware, vanities and vanity tops, cabinet hardware and locksets. The 2019 Fall Buying Market will be the showcase for new lines of faucets and lighting fixtures, says Frank Barnes, executive national accounts manager with Hardware House. The faucet lineup includes new finishes on the fixtures, while the lighting options will include a renewed emphasis on LED products, Barnes says. Each Hardware House item is covered by the Blish-Mize manufacturer’s warranty. There are thousands of items currently available, and Blish-Mize is continuing its work of adding even more products. Learn more about Hardware House’s newest offerings in the story on Page 42.

Point the Way Blish-Mize and Distribution America are bringing a new service to Blish-Mize customers. Pointy, a software company devoted to helping brick-and-mortar retail businesses enhance their efforts in driving online traffic to in-store sales, is making its service available to Blish-Mize customers for a special rate. Pointy allows retailers to quickly and easily populate a website dedicated to their business with products being purchased in their store. By using a Pointy box that attaches to a barcode scanner, this Pointy page shows what products are being bought in the store. This page is then designed to move a store’s web presence higher up the results on search engines like Google. The site is automatically populated, meaning no time or energy is taken from employees. Pointy also offers a money-back guarantee.

The Blish-Mize Market app allows customers to access Market information and Blish-Mize staff.

The show floor will have new exhibitors and well-known manufacturers with new lineups to show Blish-Mize customers. Buying starts Sept. 19 with the MVP Savings Event.

20 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

Pointy is designed to help draw more shoppers into a store. With more shoppers doing online research before making a buying trip, being found online is key for retailers to be successful. For more information about Pointy and how retailers can take advantage of its service, turn to Page 24. Book It Attendees can make the most of their time at the Market by looking ahead using the customized SmartBook. The booklet, available online or in print, is specific to a customer’s store and can help retailers make smart buying decisions both before they attend the Market and during their time in Overland Park. The SmartBook includes past purchases out of the warehouse for the past 12 months. It also has suggested ordering amounts for the next three and six months to help better plan purchases. The booklets showcase three different sections of items. The first is the “Margin + Coupon Items,” which includes about 300 of Blish-Mize’s bigger discounted items, some with spiffs. The second is any new items that Blish-Mize has added from that vendor in the last year. The third group will be the balance of the items purchased, sorted in quantity order. Places of Interest Be sure to hit each of the special areas at the Fall Buying Market. These areas show off new products available at this Market, special merchandising strategies for retailers to take advantage of and special deals available only during the Market. THE 24 is a carefully curated selection of products chosen by Blish-Mize to maximize margins and strengthen a customer’s product diversity. Particular emphasis is placed on seasonal items. These products will be offered with special deals that can be had only during Market hours. Orders qualify for prize tickets when submitted at participating vendor booths.

Fall Buying Market Schedule Thursday, Sept. 19 4-8 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �MVP Savings Event (Spiffs and food available until 7 p�m�) Friday, Sept. 20 7:30 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Coffee and Doughnut Wall 8 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Market Opens 10 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Five Ways to Protect 12 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Lunch 2 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Digital Advertising 101, presented by Jeff Randolph 5 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Cash and Prize Giveaways 5:30 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Market Closes 5:30 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Customer Appreciation Celebration (BBQ, Games and Fun!) Saturday, Sept. 21 7 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Bagels and Coffee 7:30 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Market Opens 7:30-9:30 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Mini Pallet Buying Event 11:30 a.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Cash and Prize Giveaways 12 p.m. � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Market Closes Your Business from Amazon, presented by Dan Tratensek

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 21

MARKET PREVIEW

Assortment Central features carefully organized displays across a number of product categories that show how merchandising tactics can make a store display more appealing. Ideas for Back Home Not everything you can get at the Buying Market is a product delivered to your store. In fact, Blish-Mize has several programs that could catapult your business to the next level. Xpress Ads helps you advertise your business and products, while the Synchrony consumer credit card program allows you to provide your customers with a credit card to use in your store. Learn more about these programs on Page 6. When you arrive at the Buying Market, stop by the Sales and Marketing Booth to get more information, or to sign up.

Many exhibitors, from paint to power tools, will be ready to demonstrate the capabilities of the products at their booths.

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22 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

Don’t miss the different special sections spread around the show floor. Frommerchandising tips to new product lines, these special areas show off the full range of products available to Blish-Mize customers while showing displays you can put on your salesfloor.

Mold feeds on body oils, shower products, cooking oils and bacon grease that collect in the corners of your shower and kitchen. Why does mold grow so quickly? Because you’re feeding it!

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6/26/19 5:16 PM Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 23

ONLINE TRAFFIC

A Pointed Response Software Company Pointy Assisting Retailers Online

E ven for the

most entrenched brick-and-mortar

Pointy, which is partnering with Blish-Mize to better assist the wholesaler’s customers, can help you strengthen your online presence with each and every product you stock. By connecting a Pointy device to your barcode scanner and POS system, Pointy technology captures each item you sell or scan so it appears in a specialized Google listing, giving you a new, easy way to promote your in-store products on the internet. By using Pointy, a website dedicated to your business becomes populated automatically by each product going through your POS system. The items posted on that site are integrated into Google’s “See What’s in Store” feature, which gives online customers a quick look at the products you carry. In addition, the company’s software gives you real-time analytics to see how your products are performing online. This information allows you to compare online searches to in-store visits, a powerful metric that can help your future marketing efforts. home improvement store, an online presence is a key ingredient to success in the coming years. Do you need help getting your company information and products online? Blish-Mize, and software company Pointy, can help.

The Pointy box, which attaches to the scanner of a retailer’s POS system, recognizes each product purchased at a store and posts that information on a dedicated website.

According to Search Engine Watch, a website that analyzes the search engine industry, websites ranked No. 1 in Google results grab 36.4 percent of the traffic, which is a higher percentage than spots 2-5 combined. “Placement of a business on Google is important because people rarely move on past the first 10 results to view subsequent ones,” says Jody Maude, advertising and communications manager for Distribution America. “Psychologically, web visitors think the websites at the top of the search engine results page are more authentic, and therefore they’re more likely to earn your business and generate foot traffic into your store.” Having the products you carry and sell posted online is crucial to driving in-store traffic. Consumers are using smartphones and other connected devices to search for product selection before or during their in-store visits. The Research Online Buy Offline Economy study, published by

digital marketing company Bazaarvoice, says 82 percent of smartphone users consult their phones about purchases they are about to make in-store. Pointy offers setup support and troubleshooting for as long as you use the system and a 100 percent refund if you’re not totally satisfied in the first 90 days. With Pointy, retailers can connect with customers online more easily than ever. Special Offer Blish-Mize customers will have access to Pointy at a discounted rate. Stop by the Sales and Marketing Booth at the 2019 Fall Buying Market, or contact your sales representative for more information about this offer.

24 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

COME SEE US IN BOOTH #351

ACCESSORIES | CIRCULAR SAW BLADES

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Growing With a Community Lumberyard Changes to Accommodate Community Members

S chuyler Home & Building Supply might be the latest name for the business located in Schuyler, Nebraska, but no name can change what the company means for the members of the community.

Owners Art and Tami Lindberg didn’t want to see that come to an end. That’s why they bought the business and took over in November 2017. For Art, hardware and building supplies had been a part of his life well before he became a retailer himself. He had worked at a truss manufacturing facility for 18 years before taking on leadership roles at a big-box hardware location. He then began working at the store that would eventually become Schuyler Home & Building Supply, reflecting his own deep roots in the community he’s called home since the age of 8.

“I’ve been in this community for nearly my whole life, and in all that time, there has always been a hardware store and lumberyard that serves our great town and the towns around us,” Lindberg says. “You won’t find a better place to make a home and build a family. But to do that, you have to have businesses supporting local causes.” Staying Close to Home Lindberg didn’t want to take on ownership of Schuyler Home & Building Supply just to preserve a local business as it was.

The Schuyler Home & Building Supply teamworks to keep the Schuyler, Nebraska, community stocked with hardware items as well as building materials. Owners Art and Tami Lindberg (right, on stairs) took over the business in 2017.

26 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

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CUSTOMER PROFILE

Given his background in the hardware and building supplies industry, he had a plan to form the location into the top destination for customers in the area. This meant shifting the focus for his seven employees to place a greater emphasis on customer service and personal connections with customers. It also meant emphasizing his and Tami’s local connections. The couple raised four children in Schuyler: sons Terry, Tony and Caine, and daughter Tasha. Today, several of their eight grandchildren are growing up in Schuyler, including one working at the store. Another benefit for Schuyler in having the Lindbergs take over was bringing ownership back to the local area. Under previous management, the business had been part of a local group, with ownership based in a community roughly 40 minutes away. One of the reasons the Lindbergs wanted to take ownership of the Schuyler location was to show loyalty and pride in their own community and other businesses owned by town residents. “We wanted our store to be local in every way. We’re on the main street here in Schuyler, and money spent here doesn’t go more than a few blocks away,” Art says. One specific initiative the Lindbergs have instituted at Schuyler Home & Building Supply is a welcoming attitude to contractors. This was helped due to Art having worked with many contractors during his career. Once he proposed the changes he planned to make in the product selection, including a larger emphasis on hardware and tools, along with an upgrade in the quality of building materials available, professionals and builders were eager to bring their business to Schuyler. On top of the focus on contractors and builders, Tami and Art also wanted the store to be a hub for the entire community. That includes homeowners, DIYers and just people in need of some advice. “We need the builders, because that’s the lifeblood of a lumberyard, but we also wanted the store to be a town

With eye-catching displays near the store’s entrance, Art and Tami Lindberg have turned Schuyler Home & Building Supply into a hub for the community and its citizens.

hardware store for everyone,” Tami says. “Our slogan of ‘Your Projects Start Here’ stands for everyone. We want to be your start-to-finish project place. We even tell the town to call us with any home improvement questions. We’ll do anything we can to get their projects complete.” The emphasis on location is also important due to a characteristic unique to Schuyler: its diversity. Surrounding businesses have drawn employees from a variety of countries, bringing people of Hispanic, Guatemalan, Central American

and Sudanese backgrounds to the town. This has led to a great melting pot of cultures, which Schuyler Home & Building Supply has sought to serve from the beginning. “We’ve made a lot of changes to be the best store we can be for all of our customers. One example is making a point to have employees who are bilingual,” Art says. “We want to be able to serve every customer with the best customer service, make sure they have everything they need for their project and that they’re happy with their experience.”

28 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies

A New Era Now working with Blish-Mize as the owners of the company, Tami and Art are learning more about ways the wholesaler can be an ally for their business. With a new emphasis on the hardware, paint and fastener departments of the store, Blish-Mize has been able to open up an abundance of options for the business. While Blish-Mize has been distributing to Schuyler Home & Building Supply for a number of years, Art is still learning about programs and products he is interested in bringing into the store, he says. There are several key areas where Blish-Mize is best-equipped to help retailers like himself, Art says, but it comes down to one word: trust. “There’s a lot of trust built up with Blish-Mize, both as a company and with

the people we directly interact with so often,” Art says. “Blish-Mize is here to help us succeed. They’ve been very helpful in giving me direction in what I should be focusing on to try to grow this business.” Some items that Schuyler Home & Building Supply has recently brought in from Blish-Mize Buying Markets include flooring products and Hardware House vanities. These fall in line with how Art wants to grow his store’s selections in indoor furnishings, he says. “What we are setting our minds on is growing the cabinets, vanities, lighting and bathroom fixtures categories,” Art says. “We’re seeing great selection in these areas with Blish-Mize, and we want to take advantage of that.” Blish-Mize’s product selection also includes many less hardware-related materials that have been important both

for business and for the store’s overall appeal to the community, Art says. He has tried to fill a role for the community that goes beyond building materials and power tools. Cleaning supplies and housewares are some of the categories that have been featured in the store. “We’ve gotten a great response from people for those kinds of items because it emphasizes the ‘home’ part of our name,” Tami says. “We’re not just here to help you build a house or a shed. We can help build a real home.” The benefits don’t end in product selection either. Art cites a situation in which his business got an order for a large quantity of paint for a local school. Not having that kind of inventory on hand, Art looked to other local independent home improvement businesses to buy up their inventory. Even then, it wasn’t enough.

Located on the main road through Schuyler, Nebraska, Schuyler Home & Building Supply has worked to diversify its hardware selection while attracting local builders and contractors with its lumber products.

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2019 29

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