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October 27, 2014 Volume
xx, #40
“If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted on the Sistine floor.” —Neil Simon (American playwright, 1927- )
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Outstanding retailers awarded at Hardlines Gala
TORONTO — Canada’s finest hardware and home improvement retailers were honoured last week at Hardlines’ 2014 Outstanding Retailer Awards. The awards were part of a gala dinner that concluded day one of the 19th Annual Hardlines Conference.
HARDLINES celebrates the industry’s finest once a year at the esteemed ORA Gala Dinner. Dealers from across the country were awarded, in a range of categories covering the gamut of home improvement retailing formats.
“The winners of this year’s ORAs consistently displayed strong business savvy combined with passionate involvement in their local communities,” said Michael McLarney, Editor and President of Hardlines Inc. “That was true whether they were small independents or managers of big box stores.”
The winners of the Hardlines 2014 Outstanding Retailer Awards are:
Best Hardware Store
Sutton Home Hardware, Sutton, Ont.
(front) Jane Kelly of Schlage, which sponsored the Award; and Linda Haynes, owner of Sutton Home Hardware; (rear) Sam Russo and Mark Wilson of Schlage; Dave Haynes, Owner, and Steve Peasgood, Manager, of Sutton Home Hardware; and Michael McLarney, Editor of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards.
Best Building Centre under 25,000 sq.ft.
Rocky Mountain House Co-op, Rocky Mountain House, Alta.
(front) Jason Stewart and Anita Terry of Rocky Mountain House Co-op; (rear) Jeff Lelond of Rocky Mountain House Co-op; Eric Schlaud of Orgill, sponsor of the Award; Shane Buss and John Adrian of Rocky Mountain House Co-op; and Michael McLarney, of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards.
Best Building Centre over 25,000 sq.ft.
Gananoque Home Hardware Building Centre, Gananoque, Ont.
Beverly Allen, Publisher of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards; Kenzie O’Connor and Laura Ware of Gananoque Home Hardware Building Centre; and Sébastien Plourde, President of Super Remover and sponsor of the Award.
Best Contractor Specialist Retailer
Alf Curtis Lumber, Peterborough, Ont.
Rich Russo of the National Hardware Show, which sponsored the Award; Chris Curtis, Brent Perry, Larry Curtis, and Chase Curtis of Alf Curtis Home Improvements; and Beverly Allen, Publisher of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards.
Best Large Surface Retailer
RONA Erin Mills, Erin Mills, Ont.;
Young Retailer of the Year
Nancy Powell Quinn, Co-owner, Moffatt & Powell RONA, London, Ont.
Robert Boulanger of Techniseal, sponsor of the Award; Nancy Powell Quinn and D’Arcy Quinn of Moffat & Powell RONA; and Michael McLarney, Editor of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards.
Marc Robichaud Memorial Community Leader Award
Hickey’s TIMBER MART, St. John’s, Nfld.
Lou Valeriati, Vice President of Chalifour Canada; Beverly Allen, Publisher of Hardlines, which hosts the Awards; Brad Hickey and Jay Hickey of Hickey’s TIMBER MART; Peter Thompson of Taymor, sponsor of the Award.
This year’s Outstanding Retailer Awards were selected from among a range of exemplary dealers who entered from every corner of Canada. The judging was done by a panel of industry experts, representing all facets of the industry: retail, manufacturing, wholesale and store design. The ORAs, which began in 1992 as a way to honour and recognize the finest retailers in the hardware/home improvement industry, are one of the many programs offered by Hardlines to serve Canada’s retail home improvement industry.
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Hardlines Conference gets back to community basics
TORONTO — The key to staying on the top of your game is always remembering who you’re playing for. When it comes to the home improvement industry, all retailers need to jog their memories is to look around—whether at their store, at the outdoor rink, or even the dog park—and be reminded of the people in their communities that determine their success.
This theme of community involvement ran strongly throughout the 19th annual Hardlines Conference last week. Greg Hicks, the senior vice president of merchandising for Canadian Tire, explained how the iconic Canadian brand, facing declining sales, re-evaluated and came to the conclusion that it had to get back to its original values.
“This soul-searching helped us realize that we need to stay true to our roots,” said Hicks. “And our social causes became our compass.”
Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart program, which funds sports equipment for under-privileged youth, and its partnerships with professional athletes have not only boosted the company’s reputation in the eyes of Canadians, but sales as well.
But it doesn’t take getting professional hockey players involved to meaningfully give back to your community. As the delegates heard, a gesture as simple as providing ear plugs at a local music festival in Victoria, B.C., made Vicki Hagel’s Cook Street Castle Building Centre’s booth there the talk of the festival.
While this wasn’t news to audience members—quality customer service and community involvement have long been what sets the home improvement industry apart—to see and hear first-hand examples of this kind of involvement, ranging from Canada’s largest retailer to a local independent, brought home the importance of balance, at home and at the workplace.
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Federated Co-op seeks home improvement acquisitions
TORONTO — The farm economy in the West has been healthy over the past couple of years, and farm and hardware retailer Federated Co-operatives Ltd. has amassed a war chest and is looking for acquisitions. It’s already bought up 14 Sobeys stores and 17 agro stores from Viterra this year in Western Canada.
Now, says Tony Steier, FCL’s director of hardware and building materials, the company, which is the second-largest in Saskatchewan, is looking for companies in this industry to purchase. FCL is also looking for opportunities for greenfields expansion, he says.
Steier surprised a roomful of home improvement dealers and executives with the news during the closing presentation at the 19th Annual Hardlines Conference, held in Toronto last week. Acquisition targets could include smaller independents or even larger chains, he added.
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Canadian Tire to open flagship store in Edmonton
TORONTO — Canadian Tire is on track to open a new flagship store in Edmonton next week. The new showcase format will be 137,000 square feet—far surpassing the retailer’s largest existing store, which measures 90,000 square feet. Details of this new format were revealed at the 19th Annual Hardlines Conference during a presentation by Greg Hicks, the senior vice president of merchandising at Canadian Tire.
The Edmonton store will have a distinct look and feel, relying heavily on digital technology, Hicks said. Along with its new digital loyalty program, it will be piloting different ways to make the experience for customers easier and more efficient—both technologically and in its merchandising.
That includes the process of picking up online orders in-store. With customers increasingly gravitating towards buying online and picking up in-store, Canadian Tire is looking into a dedicated pick-up area to streamline wait times. The company is also piloting two different checkout processes to make cashing out a more engaging experience for customers.
“We have to wake up every day and think about how we’re going to be the best in every business we operate,” said Hicks.
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Big boxes look for ways to re-invent
SPECIAL REPORT — As many retailers look for ways to reduce the footprint of their stores, some retailers remain married to the big box format. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t trying out new ideas.
Home Depot Canada has been experimenting with using its stores as showrooms for online purchases. In the spring, it upgraded merchandise at 56 locations to showcase products, including a line of patio furniture, available only online.
This strategy is part of a broader move to combine the power of the big box with ever-important online sales. “Buy online, pick up in store” allows customers to browse and select purchases online, while getting the in-store customer service experience when they retrieve their items. Almost one-third of Home Depot’s online sales are now completed in-store.
RONA, meanwhile, has invested heavily in repositioning its 16 Réno-Dépôt stores in Quebec. Their new look is designed to appeal to contractors, with a focus on brand-name products, a new procurement policy to ensure that products remain in stock, and a redesign of the store’s interior to widen aisles, lower sight lines, and provide better signage and more staff.
Lowe’s Canada is taking similar steps to work within the big box model to reach contractors and professionals. Two new south-central Ontario stores, in Cambridge and Burlington, opened this year with the goal of getting professional customers in and out as efficiently as possible with all their equipment needs.
(For the full article the evolution of the big box, check out the latest issue of our sister publication, Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly, in the mail now to more than 11,500 dealers across the country! —Editor)
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Classified Ads
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Director of Sales
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Wolf Gugler Executive Search, 888-848-3006. Offices in Canada and the U.S. www.wolfgugler.com
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