Fall 2021Hardlines Strategies

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HARDLINES Strategies

DISTRIBUTING RETAIL PROFITABILITY

FALL 2021, VOL. 21, 2

Western Market Trading Post Looks to What’s Next Page 24 A Bright Future

Also in This Issue Quick Tips to Manage Your Budget Page6 Celebrate 150 YearsWith Blish-Mize: Fall Market Preview Page 16

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Contents Ask the Expert . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Featured Products . . . . . . . . . 8 Merchandising Makeover . . 14 Fall Market Preview . . . . . . . 16 Customer Feature . . . . . . . . . 24 Western Market Trading Post Customer Feature . . . . . . . . . 32 Whatchamacallit Tools Invest in Training . . . . . . . . . 40 Hardware House . . . . . . . . . . 42 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 On the Cover Dustin Bowden, co-owner of Western Market Trading Post, oversaw the store’s recent product reset, collaborating with his Blish-Mize sales representatives to bring in new departments and more product offerings.

F ollowing the Spring Buying Market, our Blish-Mize team breathed a collective sigh of relief. We were able to successfully pull off the industry’s first in-person post-COVID-19 event. We took extra precautions and went to additional time and expense to make this happen. The overall event was different, but I think it was worth it. I believe our customers and vendors did as well. We had only one thing to prove: our business is best done face-to-face. In our industry,

it is a necessity. To build real business relationships and connections, you have to meet in person from time to time. As our industry evolves, we hope that never changes. There will always be a way for virtual events and e-commerce, but as we came to realize last year, in-person connections are vital to human happiness. For many of us, the pandemic was a busy time and business was booming. But it was also a time when we were considered essential workers, showing up in our stores and warehouses to risk our lives to get supplies out to our communities. We hope our Buying Markets provide a time to enjoy yourself and also take a break to plan for the selling seasons ahead. Speaking of selling, we feature two stores in this issue. Western Market Trading Post is on the heels of a big Blish-Mize-led expansion. Our team worked to reset their store by researching the surrounding communities and studying different product mixes. We know they will have a lot of success with their new space, and you can read more about the store’s expansion on Page 24. Whatchamacallit Tools has owners who are newcomers to the retail industry, but they are quickly making a name for themselves. We are excited for what’s ahead for them, and you can learn about them on Page 32 . Budgeting has never been more important than it is right now. As you may have heard Dan Tratensek say at the Spring Market (and you may have experienced yourself), it was close to impossible for any business to budget from 2020 to 2021. He’s got some tips and solutions on how to budget into 2022 on Page 4 and he will return to our Fall Market to discuss just that. We look forward to seeing you in person at our Fall Buying Market— please note the date change to Aug. 26-28, instead of our typical September event. The details will continue to evolve as the Kansas and Johnson County regulations change. We will keep you informed of the changes in our Pulse Newsletter and on our website. In the meantime, read a preview of the Fall Market on Page 16. We’re looking forward to seeing you.

Blish Connor Blish-Mize

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

Warm Regards, Jonathan D. Mize CEO and President jonathan@blishmize.com

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

Blish-Mize is a member-owner of Distribution America

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 3

ASK THE EXPERT

Budgeting for Profit NHPA’s Dan Tratensek Provides Best Practices and Insights

While some factors remain outside of your control, you can still create a budget that plans for profit. Start by gaining an understanding of your budget: Take a hard look at your financial statements to find the numbers you want to improve. Then, establish specific goals for how you can improve those numbers. As you execute your plan, you’ll want to track your progress and make adjustments. Dan Tratensek, North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) chief operating officer, provided experienced many once-in- a-lifetime factors during the past 18 months, which can make budgeting for your business a challenge. W e have

KPIs where high-performing stores consistently outperform the rest: payroll expenses, operational expenses and sales per square foot. Here are some suggestions to tackle each of these KPIs. Payroll Expenses • Scheduling efficiency . Use your POS data to help determine your busy times of day and how many employees you need during those times. Once you adjust schedules, you may also be able to eliminate expensive overtime or overstaffing. • Training . Turnover is costly to a company. Improve employee retention by refocusing your efforts on training. Training will give employees more confidence to do their jobs and give them opportunities to move up in the company. Operational Expenses • Service providers. If you haven’t audited your service providers recently, it may be time to see how you can save money. For example, shop around for a lower price on insurance or cheaper trash service.

Understanding Your Budget Before you begin to budget for the future, it’s important that you become familiar with your business’s past performance. This starts with a hard look at your income statement and balance sheet. Next, you’ll want to gain an understanding of what each of these reports reveals. Establish a Benchmark, Then Examine Your KPIs You’ll want to create and regularly review a manageable set of key profit indicators (KPIs) to gauge your operation’s performance. There are many KPIs you can use, including inventory efficiency ratios, employee productivity numbers and gross margin indicators. NHPA’s annual Cost of Doing Business Study can help you establish a baseline to measure your KPIs. The study consistently shows that one of the big differences between an average performing retail operation and a high-profit one is the way they handle their operational details. There are three

the following insights ahead of his presentation at the Fall Market.

4 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

ASK THE EXPERT

• Energy efficiency. Look for ways to decrease your utility bills by upgrading to more efficient lighting and ensuring the building is well insulated. You can also hire an auditor to check your utility statements and look for ways to save. Setting Goals for Your Business Once you understand your company’s financials, it’s time to make a plan for your business. What are your annual financial goals? Where do you want to focus your resources? How do you plan to increase sales? If you create a plan to increase sales through incremental steps, you will have more money to allocate to larger investments that benefit your business, such as higher wages for your staff to help with employee retention, diversifying your inventory or making improvements to your building. Here are some ideas to help drive your top-line sales. A robust loyalty program will help you build business with current customers and learn your customers’ shopping preferences so you can create customized advertising to lure them back. Talk to your Blish-Mize representative about getting started with a rewards program. Store Traffic Loyalty programs

product questions. Include training on individual products and guiding customers through projects. Answer objections Train employees on how to answer a customer’s objections to a sale and then ask for the purchase. When a customer does not make a purchase, train employees to ask why. The feedback will help you improve your conversion rate. Employees helping a customer with a project should be trained to suggest add-on items and upsell to a better product, when appropriate. Tracking Progress and Making Adjustments Perhaps the most important part of creating a budget and planning for profit comes down to tracking your progress and adjusting for change. Sometimes outside factors can influence your plan and you need to take those into account. Other times, you may want to stop selling a product or offering a service if it doesn’t add value to your business. Or you may want to press forward when you see success. Finally, don’t lose sight of your non-financial goals as you track your dollars and cents. They provide a check and balance for your business against focusing too much on the bottom line. How you grow and evolve as a business can be every bit as important as meeting your financial goals. Transaction Size Suggestive selling

Conversion Rate Product knowledge

To close a sale, employees must be properly trained to answer shoppers’

Attend the Seminar

In his position as chief operating officer of NHPA, Dan Tratensek has the opportunity to visit with

5 Budgeting Best Practices

independent retailer operations of all types and sizes and use these visits to shape the direction of the association to meet the needs of the independent hardware retail market. He has worked in the industry for nearly 25 years.

Dan Tratensek, NHPA Friday, August 27, 2021 10 a.m.

6 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

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Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 13

MERCHANDISING

It’s the

3 Tips to Merchandise Holiday Products T he fourth quarter is jam-packed with several major holidays, and some fun informal ones, making it an excellent time to boost sales with seasonal and holiday goods. Creative holiday merchandising highlights products and creates a festive atmosphere in your store throughout the holiday season. Check out the tips below to make your holiday merchandising work for you during this busy and festive time. Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Let shoppers browse. Consider setting up a section of your holiday goods like a boutique with items mixed together and displayed on tables or decorative shelves. This type of setup gives shoppers an opportunity to browse your selection and gives the store a high-end feel.

Add gift wrapping supplies. Especially around Christmas, add basic gift wrapping supplies—like wrapping paper and seasonal bags, tissue paper and tape—to your product offerings to increase transaction sizes and give your customers the extra convenience of having everything they need in one spot. Bonus: Consider offering gift wrapping as an added service during the holiday season. Make displays work twice as hard. Use displays that work for multiple holidays. Just because they’re called Christmas trees doesn’t mean you can only use them at Christmas. Put up a tree in October but decorate it with black and orange. After Halloween, switch to pumpkins and turkeys for Thanksgiving and then red and green for Christmas. You can even use the tree as a display, placing smaller products in the tree and larger items around it.

14 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

MERCHANDISING

Q4 CALENDAR FUN & FORMAL HOLIDAYS

OC T OBER

NOV EMBER

DEC EMBER

12 — National Farmers Day 16 — Sweetest Day 23 — Make a Difference Day 26 — National Pumpkin Day 31 — Halloween

1 — Day of the Dead 11 — Veterans Day 15 — National Camping Day 25 — Thanksgiving 27 — Small Business Saturday

1 — Giving Tuesday 21 — Winter Solstice 25 — Christmas 26 — Kwanzaa 31 — New Year’s Eve

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 15

MARKET PREVIEW

Making History Together Take Advantage of Celebration Savings at the Fall Buying Market

The Fall Buying Market follows on the heels of a successful in-person Blish-Mize Spring Market, which featured 150th anniversary celebration deals. “I am proud of our employees, vendors and customers as they’ve all remained flexible this year as we continue to navigate an ever-changing situation with everything from COVID-19 to inventory levels and masking mandates,” says Jonathan Mize, Blish-Mize CEO and president. “Our Spring Buying Market was such a success—and we were the only distributor that was able to safely pull off an in-person event. We look forward to seeing more faces in August as we continue to celebrate our 150th anniversary this year.” The Fall Market, like the spring event, will celebrate the ability to do business again face-to-face. at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas. the 2021 Blish-Mize Fall Buying Market. This season’s market takes place Aug. 26-28 N etwork with other retailers and vendors while you take advantage of special discounts, learning opportunities and new products at

enjoy boxed appetizers and drinks along with Showstopper deals, which are only available that evening, and cash spiffs. 150 Years of Deals THE 150 program will be back at the Fall Market after debuting in the spring in honor of Blish-Mize’s 150th anniversary. This program is in place of THE 24 program and offers 150 products at deeply discounted prices. These deals are only available to customers who attend the in-person show. Anniversary+ Coupons Blish-Mize customers can take advantage of special Anniversary+ coupons in honor of our anniversary. These coupons replace the usual Margin+ coupons.

“We had such a great response to our spring event. Customers, employees and vendors all really enjoyed catching up and shopping products in person,” says Cindy Kane, marketing director at Blish-Mize. “We are thrilled to host another market this summer. We plan on bringing great seminars, fantastic food and amazing pricing back to the market floor. Things continue to evolve and will look slightly different than our past markets, but we are agile enough to make quick changes and large enough to bring the best pricing.” Be an MVP The Fall Buying Market will begin with the MVP Savings Event on Thursday, Aug. 26 from 4-7 p.m. Customers can

16 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

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MARKET PREVIEW

Faces at the Market Denise Keller, Keson Denise Keller has

worked at Keson LLC, a levels, measuring and marking tools company offering both Keson and SOLA brands, for 16 years as a sales manager. She has been a regular face at the Blish-Mize markets for five years. You can find her at the Keson/SOLA booth at the Fall Market. “I never want to

Your Safety Is Our Priority The Overland Park Convention Center received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR Facility Accreditation in recognition of its facilities’ air treatment systems and overall cleanliness.

Here are some additional ways Blish-Mize is working to ensure attendees stay safe.

miss a customer visiting our booth, so the majority of my time is spent in the booth,” she says. “I not only like educating customers on our products, but I also enjoy building relationships with them to better understand their businesses. Blish-Mize has many family-owned businesses with a strong history, much like our Keson and SOLA brands. We are also family owned, so I have a strong understanding of the importance of relationships. We look forward to the in-person Fall Market!”

All meals are individually boxed and tables are socially distanced from each other. Wider aisles and more space between the vendor booths throughout the convention center.

Janet Elias, Blish-Mize

Janet Elias, Blish-Mize regional sales manager, has worked for the company since 1973 and has been attending the markets since 1980. You can find her on the show floor at the Fall Market. “One of the cool things about the longevity of my career at Blish-Mize is that I’ve gotten to know a lot of

Hand sanitizer stations will be available.

Discover Pointy Blish-Mize will be reintroducing the Pointy program at the Fall Market. Pointy connects to a store’s point-of-sale system to automatically populate scanned products online and help the store appear in Google search results. “This program gives our customers a web presence by simply scanning products at the checkout,” Kane says. “Pointy is designed to increase foot traffic into the store. And what’s great about the program now is it’s free! Be sure to join us at 3 p.m. on Friday to get all the details, or stop by the Sales Area of the show floor.”

customers,” she says. “When I go to the market, it’s kind of a homecoming for me. I get to see all these people I’ve had the privilege of getting to know, now maybe the second or third generation. I also get to reconnect with the sales force and go by each booth and see the vendors I deal with so much. I get to visit with them and see what’s new—I love to see how things work.”

Continued on Page 23

18 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

Booth # 307

MARKET PREVIEW

MARKET SCHEDULE

12 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lunch 3 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising seminar: “2022 Advertising Programs and Reintroduction to Pointy” Presenters: Jody Maude and Jon Evans 5 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cash and prize giveaways 5:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market closes 5:30-7:30 p.m. . . . . . . . Barbecue dinner (meal only)

THURSDAY

4-7 p.m .. . . . MVP Savings Event with deals, appetizers Entertainment by Spike Blake from Dueling Pianos

FRIDAY

7:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donuts and coffee 8 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . Surprise Buys event (new) 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market opens 10 a.m. . . . NHPA seminar: “5 Budgeting Best Practices” Presenter: Dan Tratensek, NHPA 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . Cash and prize giveaways

SATURDAY

8 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market opens 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . Cash and prize giveaways 12 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market closes

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20 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

Digital Advertising Stop by the Sales booth to learn more about AdViewer manager, which has been redesigned to enhance digital promotion sharing and provides better speed and mobile capabilities.

Places to Visit Take advantage of all the Fall Market has to offer by stopping at these areas during your visit.

The 150 Offers deep discounts on 150 top-selling items to mark the occasion of Blish-Mize’s 150th anniversary.

Hardware House Visit booth #623 to view the Hardware House

products available to Blish-Mize customers, including fixtures, lighting, locksets and more. See Page 42.

Featured Products Includes the latest products and advances in product technology from new and favorite vendors.

Assortment Central Do you need to update your

departments or offerings? This area of the market highlights popular displays and merchandising tips. Take advantage of discounts and deals on the latest product lines.

Pallet Buys Offers special discounts on quantity buys. A full listing is available at blishmize.com.

Three Things Your Customers Must Have. Is Your Electrical Aisle Complete?

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Visit us at booth 425 to learn more about other featured products and promotions.

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 21

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Look for great deals at booth 405

• Key selling “Market Featured” items. • New items Blish-Mize has added from vendors in the last year. • The balance of the items you have purchased, sorted in quantity order. Contact your sales representative or visit blishmize.com to receive your personalized SmartBook and start planning your time at the market. App Advice The Blish-Mize and Blish-Mize Market apps can help you navigate—and make the most of—your time at the Fall Market.

• Place orders from your smartphone or tablet. • Find updated product and inventory information, scan UPC barcodes and see your personalized purchase information. Use the Market App to... • Make an appointment to meet your sales rep at the convention center. • Access venue information and receive notifications for events and product demonstrations. • Create a personal to-do list so you remember to find more information on a product or circle back with a vendor. The free apps are available for download on iOS and Android devices. Search “Blish-Mize” in the app store.

Continued from Page 18

Plan Ahead with Your SmartBook

Come prepared to buy with your SmartBook. This booklet, which is available online and in print, is customized for your operation and can help you make smart buying decisions before and during the Fall Market. The SmartBook includes your warehouse purchases for the past 12 months. It also offers suggested ordering amounts for the next three and six months to help you plan your purchases before you arrive at the market. The SmartBook is broken into three groups of items.

Use the Blish-Mize App to... • View the Blish-Mize product catalog.

STOP BY BOOTH # 803

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Growth Goals Western Market Trading Post Keeps Its Eyes on Expansion

Dustin Bowden (far right), who co-owns Western Market Trading Post with his parents, oversaw the store’s latest expansion and product reset.

F rom gas to groceries, lumber to feed, Western Market Trading Post caters to its customers with a little bit of everything. The store, located in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, is a go-to spot for locals and visitors for lumber, building supplies, hardware, feed and more.

around the business pretty much all my life,” Bowden says. “It was fun growing up in the business, and it taught me a whole lot about running a store and working with people.” While the store started small, selling mostly groceries, Bowden says they had a vision for what the store could become and have slowly built it into what it is today. The store now offers local residents and visitors passing through a wide variety of products and services. “We carry flooring, building materials, groceries, mattresses, truly a little bit of everything,” Bowden says. “You name it, we probably carry it.”

Donnie and Cassie Bowden established Western Market Trading Post in October 1999. Prior to opening Western Market, the Bowdens owned a chain of 15 convenience stores. They decided to transition and move into groceries and hardware because it “sounded fun and easier,”says their son, Dustin Bowden, who now manages and co-owns the store with his parents. Bowden grew up in the business, learning firsthand the ropes of owning a successful business and serving the local community. “My mom and dad opened the store when I was young, so I’ve been

24 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Renovating for a Reset Western Market Trading Post has

expanded four times since it opened and currently has 31,000 square feet of space, including 25,000 square feet for retail. The store sits on 12 acres, half of which are used for storage and merchandising of lumber and other building materials. The most recent expansion took place in January 2021, when the store underwent renovations and a major product reset thanks to the suggestions and guidance of the Bowden’s Blish-Mize sales rep. “Blish-Mize did a fantastic job helping us choose what new products to carry in the store, and they were instrumental in getting us set up with new displays and merchandising,” Bowden says. The store is a big part of the local community, and the Bowden family strives to supply their community with the products they need. The reset was appealing for the Bowden family because it was a way to improve the store, continue to grow and support the community. Keeping all the departments the store already carried, Bowden added to the current offerings and renovated the space to make it more conducive for the new products.

The product reset brought in new departments and items, and the store has seen customers coming from neighboring states to shop the wide selection.

Offering something for everyone, Western Market Trading Post sells an extensive variety of home improvement products and building materials. It also has a gas station and sells groceries and household products.

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 25

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Western Market Trading Post has expanded several times since opening in 1999, and the store currently has 25,000 square feet of retail space. The latest expansion included renovations to several areas of the store that made room for new departments.

STOP BY BOOTH # 821

STOP BY BOOTH # 415

26 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

“Even though we had added on and expanded the store several times, it was still merchandised and organized in pretty much the same way it had been since we built and opened the store,” Bowden says. “The reset allowed us to carry more products and do more business, and we were able to update different parts of the store.” Many of the areas were refreshed with new shelving, displays and signage that guide customers to what they need, and the Bowdens removed old beverage coolers to make room for additional merchandise. The checkout area underwent a complete makeover as well. The old checkout desk was removed and replaced with a larger setup that allows customers to access the counter from more than one side. Customers can now shop the new counter’s displays for impulse items like food and candy.

One of the areas that received a major makeover was the checkout desk, which now includes additional registers and display space for impulse items.

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Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 27

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Even through the changes, the store has retained its eclectic charm with mounted deer heads on the wall and American flags, traffic signs and other eye-catching decorations adorning the space. Customers can also still pose for photos atop the 11-foot cedar chair inside the store. As a result of the renovations and reset, Bowden says sales have increased 30 to 40 percent since January. Adding Product Assortment Bowden’s Blish-Mize rep helped him choose new products for the reset and continues to offer product suggestions that meet the needs of their customers. One area that received an extensive makeover and a huge boost in new products was the power and hand tools section; the area was taken down to the studs, outfitted with new shelves and stocked with new product lines.

Through the reset and renovations, the store has kept much of its charm. Customers can still pose for photos on the 11-foot cedar chair inside the store.

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CUSTOMER PROFILE

Serving Their Community While it has the selection to satisfy nearly every home improvement need, Western Market Trading Post is more than just a place to shop; it’s a place where the community comes together. Throughout the year, the store hosts community events like farm and animal meetups, animal swaps and craft fairs. The Bowdens also support other local small businesses, inviting

“Our power and hand tools section received all new shelving and new products,” Bowden says. “All that change has paid off as our Stanley, DeWalt and Milwaukee products have been big sellers.” Along with the new power and hand tool sections, lumber and feed are the store’s other hard hitters. Customers come from several states away to shop Western Market’s large selection of lumber. Customers also appreciate

the vast options available for building materials, including flooring, paint and sundries, plumbing, electrical and roofing materials. The store also carries cleaning and household, automotive, lawn and garden, pet products and new and used appliances. Store employees are knowledgeable and ready to answer questions and help customers find what they need for their home improvement projects.

“Our power and hand tools section received all new shelving and new products. All that change has paid off as our Stanley, DeWalt and Milwaukee products have been big sellers.” —Dustin Bowden, co-owner, Western Market Trading Post

VISIT US AT BOOTH # 523

Hardlines Strategies • Fall 2021 29

CUSTOMER PROFILE

food trucks out to the store on weekends for customers to enjoy local cuisine. That connected community exists online too. The Western Market Trading Post Facebook page has been going strong for 10 years as a way to connect with customers, and it has more than 15,500 followers. As the Bowden family looks to the future, maintaining a sense of community is a priority. They will also continue to expand their product offerings to satisfy current customers and grow their customer base. “Our goals for the next year— and the next five years—are pretty simple,” Bowden says. “We want to add more products, expand even more and just keep growing.”

Dustin Bowden plans to continue bringing new products to Western Market Trading Post and finding new ways to serve his customers.

30 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies

Come see us in booth #331

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The Door of Opportunity How Whatchamacallit Tools Found Success in Oklahoma City

Whatchamacallit owners Richard Almanza (left) and Saent Izquierdo serve customers with a wide selection of tools and friendly customer service.

W hen an his own hardware store came knocking, Saent Izquierdo answered. He was content in his marketing job but saw the potential in owning his own business. opportunity to purchase

Rather than make the move to Dallas with AT&T, he and his wife decided to move where they wanted and chose Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to be close to their daughter. Almanza took a job with Hertz in Oklahoma, but unfortunately, that job was short-lived due to COVID-19. It wasn’t all bad news though; another door was about to open for Almanza. When the Almanzas moved, they happened to move across the street from Izquierdo and his family, and the two families became fast friends. Izquierdo, who needed an investor for this new business venture, approached Almanza about investing with him. Almanza said yes, and Whatchamacallit Tools opened

In the spring of 2020, Izquierdo was happily working in marketing

and advertising when one of his clients mentioned he was getting ready to sell his hardware business. The business owner asked Izquierdo if he knew of anyone who wanted to buy a hardware store, and Izquierdo realized this was his chance to own a business. “The opportunity came right to my door and knocked one time, and I jumped on it,” Izquierdo says. “I told him, ‘Sell it to me,’ and that led to door after door opening.” Opportunity was knocking at Richard Almanza’s door, too. Almanza, who had worked for AT&T for almost 20 years, was being transferred from his home in Lubbock, Texas, to Dallas.

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in September 2020, replacing Meridian Tool and Hardware. “Fortunately, during the time when I was surplused, Saent and I started talking about the opportunity to purchase this hardware store, and everything just fell into place,” Almanza says. “I really believe it was in God’s hands at that point.” Picking the Right Partnership Izquierdo and Almanza credit the store’s relationship with Blish-Mize as a major factor in their success so far. They are grateful for the advice of their Blish-Mize sales representative and the area manager who are always willing to help, answer questions and make it easy for them to do business. “The help of Blish-Mize has been incredible. It is the best partnership we could find, hands down. I think we are where we are now because of Blish-Mize,” Izquierdo says. “Thanks to them, we’re growing like crazy every month. That’s the bottom line. We’re just blessed.”

Before Whatchamacallit opened its doors, the owners added a new facade and all new signage to the exterior of the store to catch the attention of passersby.

The store’s Blish-Mize sales representatives helped the owners reconfigure the inside of the store, moving products to gondolas and shelves and making it easier for customers to shop the aisles and find what they need.

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Izquierdo and Almanza appreciate that Blish-Mize makes it easy for them to do business, helping with everything from finding new products to merchandising. “We don’t have to go to 20 different vendors, we can go to one and find everything we need for the store to keep it well-stocked and keep our customers happy,” Izquierdo says. Taking the Safe Bet Whatchamacallit focuses on selling tools for every need. With the boom in construction in Oklahoma City and throughout the country, Izquierdo felt selling tools was a sound option. “No matter who you are, at some point in your life, you’re going to need a tool” he says. “Tools were something I knew would last. It wasn’t going to be something we jumped into and had to close a few months later. Even through COVID-19, we were able to stay open because we were an essential business.”

Along with power and hand tools, Whatchamacallit sells implements for everything from lawn and garden to plumbing and electrical to automotive.

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So far, hand tools have been the biggest sellers in the store, and power tools have sold extremely well online. Along with those two big sellers, customers can also shop for tools for lawn and garden, automotive, welding, plumbing, electrical, painting and lighting. The store also sells tool storage and organization and has a large hardware department stocked with everything from door hardware to nuts and bolts. Medical device tools have become an unexpected niche category for the store and a surprise best-seller. “We carry medical instruments like hemostats, tweezers and scissors, and we’ve been shocked by how well they have sold,” Almanza says. The store’s stock continues to grow, with new items coming in every week. Izquierdo and Almanza work together to decide what products to carry, and they also rely on what their customers

Changing the layout of the store allowed Whatchamacallit to carry more products and still have room for larger items, such as tool storage, ladders and wheelbarrows.

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want and need. Both owners spend as much time out on the salesfloor as possible, interacting with customers. “If I see a customer walk out of the store without making a purchase, I ask them, ‘We see you couldn’t find what you were looking for, how can we help you find what you need?’” Izquierdo says. “We make a note, and after we get four or five customers asking for the same item, we know it’s an indication we need to sell that item in our store.” Sharing Ownership Duties While neither Izquierdo or Almanza comes from a hardware background, each brings unique skills to the business. Izquierdo handles all of the advertising, marketing, social media and e-commerce, and he also has retail experience. Almanza comes to the partnership with over 20 years of experience in management. He manages and trains

Both of the owners came from work backgrounds outside the home improvement industry, but have used their professional skills in marketing and management to make the store successful.

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Whatchamacallit’s owners try to spend as much time on the salesfloor as possible, getting to know and connect with customers. They also use that time to ask questions about what customers want to see in the store to help guide their purchasing decisions.

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the store’s 10 employees, including the eight who were rehired from the former business. When the store changed hands, Almanza taught them to use the new computers, barcode scanners and other pieces of newly implemented technology. He has also been focusing on training employees to offer more customer-oriented service, a change that has paid off based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews online. Almanza says they’ve also made a concerted effort to listen to their employees, taking their ideas for the business into consideration. Starting Over From Scratch When Izquierdo and Almanza took ownership, they wanted a clean slate, starting with the name. After Izquierdo’s mother-in-law suggested Whatchamacallit, both thought it would be a good fit.

Richard Almanza (left) trained all of Whatchamacallit’s employees on the new computer and inventory systems.

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can more easily see and find the products they need. “We can tell a lot of items that weren’t selling well are now selling,” he says. All the changes fulfill the team’s goal of making the store more appealing and easier to shop. They’ve even added a seating area for people to spend time in the store. “We thought it would be nice to have a seating area for people to relax while their spouses are shopping,” Izquierdo says. “The seating area gives them a space to read a magazine, connect to the WiFi and chill out.” Looking to the Future As Izquierdo and Almanza celebrate the store’s first anniversary in September, they keep looking toward the future. The team is planning on opening a second store this year in the Oklahoma City area and will next set their sights on expanding outside of the state.

“Whatchamacallit is catchy and memorable,” Izquierdo says. “We have so many people in the store telling us, ‘I’m looking for a whatchamacallit to do such-and-such a job.’ So the name fits.” Along with a new name, the store has a whole new look, from a new facade and signage on the outside of the building to all new displays inside. Previously, merchandise was displayed on tables and bins and oriented from one side of the store to the other. The store’s Blish-Mize team gave them other options for merchandising the space in a way that makes more sense for shoppers. “Now all of the displays go from front to back, which increases the amount of space we have and allows us to bring in new items we’ve never had before such as ladders, wheelbarrows and other bigger items,” Almanza says. The changes have also increased sales, Izquierdo says, because people

By using Google Analytics data and asking for customer feedback, Izquierdo is discovering the next best places to expand. “We ask our customers, ‘Is this your first time here? How did you hear about us? Do you live nearby?’” Izquierdo says. “Listen to your customers, they will tell you where you have to go next, what you need to do.” The team plans to continue focusing on advertising and branding to spread the word about their store. Whatchamacallit currently advertises on TV, radio and social media and created a Spanish jingle to reach the Hispanic community, with an English version in the works. Izquierdo says they’ll continue growing with Blish-Mize and relying on that partnership to serve their customers. “We’ve grown with Blish-Mize,” Izquierdo says. “And that’s our plan for the next year—just keep growing.”

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