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.

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