Do you know a winning dealer? The Outstanding Retailer Awards is Canada’s only national industry awards program open to stores of any banner. Now dealers and their head offices are invited to send in their entries, which have a deadline of June 16.

“Winning an ORA is like winning an Oscar,” said 2022 winner Sophie Moisan, dealer-owner with Philippe Moisan of Jean Denis Home Hardware in St-Raymond, Que. “It’s a very big mark of recognition from our entire Canadian industry! There’s a huge feeling of pride from an entire community for having won this award—from our team, from our customers, our suppliers, our families, and ourselves.”

Awards are presented for Best Hardware Store, Best Building Supply, Best Contractor Specialist Store, Best Big Box, Young Retailer of the Year, and Best Community Leadership (Marc Robichaud Award).

“Please, please recognize that this is a big deal,” urges Alex Yakovyshenko, of Haney Building Supplies in British Columbia, who won the Best Young Retailer Award in 2017.

“This is a big deal for your brand; this is a big recognition industry-wide.” He underscores the pride he took in “hearing our community talk about how proud they were to have a local business recognized Canada-wide.”

"It's been wonderful! It was good to be recognized,” said Todd Brinson, of Gander Bay Building Supplies, a Castle dealer in Newfoundland and Labrador. He, along with his wife, Deborah Brinson, were ORA winners in 2022. “And once you get that recognition, people begin to see what you're doing. We started at this store with nothing—and all kinds of problems—and we made it work. After winning this award, we had people coming in and saying, 'I saw your name in the news. What you have done is incredible.’”

Winners of the ORAs attend the Hardlines Conference as our guests. In addition to being honoured at the ORA Gala Dinner, they get to take full advantage of the jam-packed conference program. Winners also receive PR and marketing materials including a write-up in Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly magazine.

Visit the ORA website for more information and to download the nomination form. (Oui, le formulaire est également disponible en français! – votre rédacteur fidèle). Head office staff may complete the nomination form on behalf of dealers. Entries are due by June 16. Winners will be notified by July 13. The awards will be presented during the Hardlines Conference in Whistler, B.C., Oct. 17 and 18, 2023.

New org structure at BMR gives buyers more autonomy and accountability

BMR Group has made some substantive changes to its organizational structure, including the departments of finance, operations, and supply chain. But for BMR members and their vendors, the changes may be most evident in the merchandising department.

“We have decided to reshape the way we operate in our different departments,” says Charles Grégoire-Béliveau (pictured), vice-president of merchandising at BMR. Each department represented a different silo, he says, “But we don’t feel that it was the right way to organize our teams.” So now they’re organized into work cells, or business units, to give buyers full autonomy within their categories. Each business unit now includes an assistant buyer, someone to do replenishment, and other team members who are attached to the category who can identify the status of each product and order within the supply chain.

The new structure also means more directors. Grégoire-Béliveau’s team now consists of seven merchandising directors overseeing seven business units. The personnel at two of the cells haven’t changed. Audrey Poirier-Lemay remains senior director of Agrizone and Jean Marc Prudhomme is vice-president of forest products. Both still report to Alexandre Lefebvre, BMR’s CEO.

• The new leads in other departments are:
• Benjamin Vanasse: senior director, merchandising – Materials
• Davina Hamel: director, merchandising – Seasonal
• Maxime Gladue: director, merchandising – Hardware & Tools
• Elaine Pellerin: director, merchandising – Flooring & Paint
• Annie Thomas: director, merchandising – Plumbing & Electricity

Each director has full responsibility for their cell. That gives them a sense of ownership that supports an entrepreneurial mindset, Grégoire-Béliveau adds.

If a dealer has a question about the status of a shipment, the answer will be found within the business unit, where there are now people tracking warehouse and distribution. “We feel that’s one way to be faster getting product to market and to help the dealers,” says Grégoire-Béliveau.

The new approach was inspired by retail companies in Europe, Grégoire-Béliveau told Hardlines, adding that BMR is the first in North America to adopt this approach. “The dealer does not have to wade through different departments to find out where their order is. We think it’s going to bring a lot of value to the dealers. We think it’s the right way to go.”  

Peavey banners get behind local ag-related community events

With its focus on the rural marketplace, Peavey Industries has made a lot of moves recently to support sports and activities within that demographic. That includes aligning its brand with one of western Canada’s largest agricultural events, even while it recognizes that its target market is expanding.

Peavey has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair (horse event pictured), held in Brandon. Founded in 1906, the RMWF has been a go-to agricultural event in Manitoba for well over a century. Jest Sidloski, vice-president of marketing at Peavey Industries, calls the deal “an easy decision, and one that “creates links between the urban and the rural through education and awareness, entertainment, and community pride.” This year’s fair runs from March 27 to April 1.

Cutting across urban and rural markets is important to the company, as Peavey Mart stores continue to expand in cities and suburbs. ​Last week, Hardlines reported that Peavey has begun sponsoring professional late model stock car driver Junior Farrelly. Farrelly competes each season in the APC United Late Model Series on tracks across Ontario. The deal also involved Berne Workwear Canada.

But it’s not the only way the Peavey stores are promoting their brand to the farm and ag marketplace. Along with the MRWF, the retailer is sponsoring Crossfire Bullriding in the Prairies. Based in Eriksdale, Man., Crossfire operates events in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Sidloski said that this sponsorship “helps Peavey Industries to reach the rural audience in Manitoba and Saskatchewan through a unique and fun platform.”

Dealers that offer installed sales in their stores may find themselves competing with their big box neighbours for more than just sales. Finding available contractors in Canada is complicated by the fact that the two largest home improvement retail chains, RONA and Home Depot Canada, each has a robust installation services program that it markets aggressively.

“We are definitely not scaling back our installed sales programs, but rather are onboarding more installers in order to align with current market conditions,” says Patrice Prud’homme, director of RONA’s installation program. To attract pros to its already large network, RONA has implemented a new customer relations management system to better qualify homeowners and provide quality leads to pros. The retailer has also invested more than $2.4 million to redesign its stores’ signage to generate demand for installers.

This year, RONA will conduct its second annual National Installer Meeting for its entire network of RONA, Lowe’s, and Réno Dépôt stores. RONA has assigned territory managers to oversee its stores’ installation activities. And it organizes meetings and training for pros with key vendors.

Jamal Hamad (pictured), Home Depot Canada’s senior director of contractor services, notes that installation falls under a larger Home Services umbrella that encompasses equipment rental and “Local Pro” handyman services. “We’ve been spending a lot of time on improving the customer experience,” Hamad says about the retailer’s installed
sales, whose outreach with consumers has been expanded, because of Covid, by digital and online communications, especially for making appointments.

(This story is excerpted from a larger article that appears in the latest issue of our sister publication, Home Improvement Quarterly. HHIQ is mailed free-of-charge to 11,000 dealers and managers across the country and is $90 per year for suppliers. To get your own subscription, click here now.)

François Deschênes, president & CEO of Deschênes Group Inc., has been elected as a director on the board of AD. He leads Deschênes Group Inc., a Quebec-based distributor of plumbing and heating products. Deschênes joined the family business in 2000 and has also served as chairman of AD Plumbing & Heating. He is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization, the Cercle des présidents du Québec, and the board of directors of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating.

DID YOU KNOW...?

... that the latest edition of Hardlines HR Advisor went out last week? This monthly online publication provides case studies and meaningful tips for managing the people side of your business. In this issue, we look at the problem of employee “ghosting,” getting your team passionate about sales, and useful suggestions for preventing repetitive strain injuries. If you’re not already receiving this free monthly publication, click here now to sign up!

RETAILER NEWS

Ace Canada held its fifth annual Virtual Trade Show last week, from March 21-23, playing host to more than 140 vendors and 110 dealers. The virtual event allowed vendors to showcase their latest products, while dealers could share best practices and forge new partnerships within the industry. Peavey Industries, which holds the licence for Ace in Canada, will hold its annual in-person Trade Show & Buying Event for Ace dealers and Peavey Mart managers during the week of Sept. 24 in Red Deer, Alta.

Morin Supply, an Ottawa-area TIMBER MART dealer that specializes in gypsum, will add a second location this summer in Gatineau, Que. The new property will encompass 800 square feet of office space, a 42,000-square-foot yard, and 15,000 square feet of storage. Established in 1986, the business has evolved from a modest 4,800-square-foot shop to a 46,000-square-foot warehouse and 9,000-square-foot retail space, with plans for further expansion.

BeautiTone, the private label paint of Home Hardware Stores, has unveiled its 2023 Exterior Colour of the Year. Called “Western White,” it’s described as a “calming, pacific neutral that draws influence from the undertones of Canada's western red cedars, lending it both a timeless and contemporary look.” The colour has been designed to interact unobtrusively with its surroundings as a holistic complement to outdoor elements such as natural wood, stonework, and landscapes.

The Ace Hardware store in St. Walburg, Sask., has a new owner. Kushal Parikh has taken over after making a deal with the former owners, who wanted to retire. Managed by Navneet Bansal, the 4,000-square-foot Ace Hardware St. Walburg will continue to sell a range of farming supplies, paint, hardware, housewares, electrical, plumbing, casual clothing, and workwear, as well as tools, automotive, seasonal, and hunting gear.

Zellers, the discount brand being revived in Hudson’s Bay stores, will mobilize on March 23. Zellers will open its first locations within Hudson's Bay stores in Alberta and Ontario, along with its food trucks, ready to dish out nostalgic favourites from the original Zellers Family Restaurant: the Big Z Burger, Hot Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, Chicken Fingers, and Fries with Gravy.

Wolseley Canada is opening a new store, this time in Ajax, Ont. The company’s latest expansion will be a 21,000-square-foot store and showroom on Fairall Street that offers a full range of Wolseley Canada’s plumbing and HVAC products. The grand opening will be on March 28. Wolseley Canada is an industrial supplier of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, waterworks, fire protection, and industrial products. Headquartered in Burlington, Ont., it now has more than 220 locations coast to coast.

Giant Tiger Stores is opening a new location in Montreal on April 1. The 18,000-square-foot store is located in the Côte-des-Neiges district and is the fifth location in Montreal.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Investment in building construction increased 1.5 percent to $20.4 billion in January. Residential construction was up 1.9 percent to $14.9 billion, after posting four consecutive monthly declines at the end of 2022. Single-family home investment was up 2.4 percent to $8 billion, with Ontario accounting for much of the gain on its largest increase since December 2021. The non-residential sector was up 0.5 percent to $5.6 billion. (StatCan)

The annualized rate of housing starts rose by 13 percent in February to 243,959 units. The monthly rate of total urban starts was up 16 percent, with 222,663 units recorded in February. Single-detached urban starts increased eight percent to 48,918 units. Rural starts for the month were estimated at an annualized pace of 21,296 units. (CMHC)

NOTED

AQMAT, the Quebec industry group, will hold its annual Congrès des décideurs (Decision-Makers’ Conference) on April 27 in Ste-Hyacinthe. This year’s theme is “Giving ourselves the means to reduce our uncertainties.” Speakers include Sean Bérubé, business owner and former hockey player in Ukraine, who has championed the inclusion of refugee children in Quebec’s pee-wee hockey tournament. Click here for more details and to order tickets.

OVERHEARD...

“We are thrilled to see such strong support from our dealers and vendors year after year. Their unwavering commitment and dedication to making these shows a success is a testament to the strong partnerships and collaborative spirit within the Ace Canada family.”
—Derek Smith, vice president of Ace Canada, on the involvement from delegates and exhibitors in the retailer’s latest virtual trade show.