Spring 2014 Hardlines Strategies

RETAILER FEATURE

Reset and Refreshed A&H Building & Supply, Inc. Gets an Updated Look

In addition to the support general manager and owner Tim Hassenstab received in updating the store’s look, he says the changes wouldn’t have been possible without his distributor’s help through all the major stages of the proj- ect, from ordering and organizing inven- tory to pricing and on-time delivery. Roots in Remodeling A&H Building & Supply, Inc. has roots in helping customers with remodeling projects. It started as a construction business in 1978; the hardware store came in 1980. Today, Hassenstab still employs a construction crew of 12, who build homes and assist customers with remodeling projects. He also runs the 5,000-square-foot retail showroom and adjoining lumberyard. merchandising displays and a remodeled sales counter, all thanks to the expert guidance from the store’s long-time hardlines distributor, Blish-Mize. W hen customers walk into A&H Inc. in Humphrey, Neb., they know they can always expect friendly faces and expert advice. But a big change they noticed recently was a new store layout, complete with new Building & Supply,

Members of the A&H Building & Supply, Inc. team include Dan Wessel, yard manager; Phyllis Heinen, sales manager; Carmen Johnson, office manager; and Tim Hassenstab, general manager and owner.

With a store in a community of 800 people, Hassenstab says customers rely on his store to have what they need in stock and knowledge- able employees to help them find it. Hassenstab, in turn, relies on his distribu- tor, Blish-Mize, to keep his business com- petitive and provide those customers with what they need. Even with big boxes in the nearest two towns, he says his store can com- pete because of Blish-Mize’s competitive prices and product selection. “The availability of stocked material was the biggest factor in our decision to use Blish-Mize. Their fill-rate suited our needs,” he says. The store’s product selection includes Valspar paint and several faucets and builders’ hardware items from Blish-Mize’s Hardware House line.

“Our sales rep, Chris (Helget) knows our store well and helps us out when he sees new products that he knows will sell well in our store,” Hassenstab says. “He visits the store often and is a big help for our store at the Blish-Mize Buying Markets.” Last year, however, Hassenstab realized that if he was to continue to bring in new products, he would have to find more space to display them all properly. “A lot of product was crammed into four-foot sections because we didn’t have enough height for our displays,” office manager Carmen Johnson says. Putting Plans into Action When Hassenstab called on Blish-Mize for a solution to his store’s space problem, Helget, along with regional sales manager Brad Uhrmacher,

14 Spring 2014 • Hardlines Strategies