HardlinesStrategies_Fall_2024

SETUP SUCCESS

Golden Rule Lumber Co. owner John Miller consulted with his Blish-Mize team to plan a hardware store layout tailored to customer flow.

Leap of Faith Golden Rule Lumber Co. Jumps Into Hardware With New Partner

G olden Rule Lumber Co. in Two years ago, company owner John Miller felt the operation could do more for its customers. He spent months formulating his plan for an expansion, which culminated in a new 2,000-square-foot building that would become their hardware store. Warsaw, Missouri, started as a lumber supplier in 2014.

“There was a need in our area,” Miller says. “There was nothing more than 30 minutes away, and the closest stores are big-box stores. We felt like it was something we needed to get into, even though we didn’t know what the results were going to be and how everything was going to go. It was a leap of faith.” Since opening the hardware side of his business, Miller says every week he’s had to order more products. “Regardless of what you have, or what you set your store up with, you won’t have everything your customers ask for,” Miller says. “We’ve been adding more products and increasing the quantity of almost everything. The response so far has been great.” Golden Rule Lumber Co. relied on Blish-Mize for its entry into hardware after being referred by Legacy Building Supply owners Marion and Liz Herschberger in Arthur, Illinois.

16 Fall 2024 • Hardlines Strategies