Spring 2020 Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

The remodeled interior of Glenwood Farm Equipment uses wood paneling to create an inviting environment.

“When we had our grand opening in May 2018, customers who knew the business before were in awe of how much it had changed.” —John Stortenbecker, owner

New customers started seeing his business for the first time, too. Stortenbecker expanded his line of outdoor power equipment and included more repair parts that might appeal to DIY mechanics. Then he expanded to a few lawn and garden items. In addition to an engine repair shop, he had a 4,500-square-foot retail floor, room for showcasing his lawn mowers and just about anything else he wanted to sell. “By the end of 2018, I started thinking we could operate a small hardware store here,” he says. “If we were going to be a destination for hardware, we needed to start ramping up our categories.”

After Stortenbecker and his father purchased the building in 2017, they decided they needed to give the building a makeover so it would be more inviting to customers. They spent several months stripping it down to a shell and completely rehabbing the interior and exterior. New flooring, lighting and wood panel trim gave the interior of the building a completely new appearance. In the meantime, Stortenbecker began learning everything he could about large equipment sales. “When we had our grand opening in May 2018, customers who knew

the business before were in awe of how much it had changed,” Stortenbecker says.

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