Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Partnering for Growth

How Blish-Mize Helps Rural Retailers Transform Their Businesses While Staying Focused on Their Communities

I n 2022, when Ellie Bowman and her family purchased a struggling lumberyard in Kinsley, Kansas, she saw an opportunity to prove that rural hardware and lumber businesses could still thrive with the right vision. support of longtime distributor partner Blish-Mize have helped her take on another turnaround opportunity in western Kansas. Bowman, owner of Prickly Pear Farm & Home in Kinsley, is also the manager of Elkhart Lumber in Elkhart, Kansas, where she is overseeing a major transformation that includes a new store layout, expanded product offerings, a revived greenhouse operation and a complete rebrand under the Prickly Pear name. Building a Proven Model Bowman’s path to Elkhart began after Prickly Pear Farm & Home doubled its business during the first year under her family’s ownership. She says a store reset completed with support from Blish-Mize, new merchandise categories and a focus on creating a welcoming shopping experience helped transform the business and drive that growth. Less than four years later, the success of that venture and the

After joining the Elkhart Lumber team, Ellie Bowman put a focus on revitalizing the store’s greenhouse.

24 Fall 2026 • Hardlines Strategies

Cover Story_Fall26.indd 24

7/23/26 12:00 PM