Hardlines Strategies

THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The Advantage of Staying Nimble

Contents Department Update. . . . . . . . . 2 Featured Products . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fall Market Preview . . . . . . . . 14 Customer Profile. . . . . . . . . . . 24 Prickly Pear Customer Profile. . . . . . . . . . . 32 Star Home Center Operations ................ 34 Vendor Vignette . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Blish-Mize Inside. . . . . . . . . . . 36 On the Cover After transforming one rural hardware store into an award-winning business, Ellie Bowman is applying the same formula to the newest Prickly Pear Farm, Home & Lumber with hands-on support from Blish-Mize and a focus on serving the local community.

S omeone recently asked me to boil our business down to one sentence. I simply said, “We are large enough to do all the important things for our customers, but we are also small enough that we care about them, too.” That’s what makes us different. Our strength has never been about being the biggest. It’s been about being the most dependable partner in the room. Relationships set this industry apart. It’s the ability to understand a retailer’s business,

customers and community—and respond with flexibility, care and speed. Those aren’t advantages that always come with size. In fact, they’re often the first things lost in the race to be the biggest. You’ll see that philosophy reflected throughout this issue. Prickly Pear Farm, Home & Lumber (Page 24) is a great example of what happens when strong community relationships and thoughtful growth go hand in hand. Manager Ellie Bowman has built a business that continues to grow because she stays focused on serving her customers first. You’ll also read how Star Home Center, (Page 32) , found a partner that adapted to its business instead of asking the business to adapt to us. By working alongside its existing operation, we helped strengthen inventory, expand product categories and support continued growth. That’s one of the advantages of staying nimble—meeting retailers where they are and helping them get where they want to go. Staying competitive also means staying ahead of new challenges. On Page 2 , our vice president of IT, David Griffin, shares practical steps every retailer can take to protect their business from fraud, phishing and cyberattacks. We’re also proud to recognize Sarah Lee, our vice president of purchasing, who was recently honored with a prestigious industry award. Her leadership, experience and commitment to our dealers are a big reason Blish-Mize continues to build strong partnerships with both retailers and vendors. Our Fall Buying Market, (Page 14) , is another example of how we’re always looking for ways to improve the dealer experience. From our Season Ticket Qualifier program to our industry-first Buying Market App, we’re focused on making every visit more productive. And because we’re nimble, we can listen to your feedback and quickly put good ideas into action. At Blish-Mize, we’re proud to be part of an industry that still values relationships, still rewards service and still believes in the power of local business. I look forward to seeing you soon. In the meantime, if there’s ever anything I can do to help, you can reach me directly at jonathan@blishmize.com .

Advertising Information Hardlines Strategies is published twice every year by Blish-Mize. Copyright 2026. For advertising rates and deadlines, please contact:

Blish Connor Blish-Mize

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) Email: blish.connor@blishmize.com

Jonathan D. Mize Chairman and CEO jonathan@blishmize.com

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