Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

“They made my vision come to life. They heard me, knew what I wanted to do and put it all together.” —Ellie Bowman, Prickly Pear Farm & Home

“The minute we said we’re going to do this was the minute the reset was scheduled,” Bowman says. “We couldn’t wait. The turnaround had to be done.” Rather than forcing a standard store format, Bowman says the Blish-Mize team listened to her vision and tailored the reset to the needs of the Elkhart community. “They made my vision come to life,” Bowman says. “They heard me, knew what I wanted to do and put it all together.” Bowman says the company also helped simplify what could have been an overwhelming process by recommending assortments, developing category plans and coordinating many of the details involved in the reset. “I knew what I wanted, and I knew what we needed,” Bowman says. “They handled it for me.” Understanding Rural Retail Bowman credits Blish-Mize’s understanding of rural communities as one of the primary reasons she chose the company as a partner for both businesses. Communities like Elkhart are often hours from the nearest big-box retailer, making inventory and logistics more challenging. Bowman says that’s why independent retailers need a distributor that understands small-town businesses.

Booth # 641

Booth # 618

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7/13/26 10:38 AM