The holidays are a time for gathering with family and friends, hosting parties and celebrating the season. Getting together with loved ones will feel even more special this year following the canceled events and socially distanced gatherings from the last year and a half.
Your customers know they can count on you for tools, paint and plumbing. By adding the right products, like gourmet food, cookware, party rentals and tuxedo rentals, you could also be the go-to spot for all of their holiday entertaining needs. Read on to learn how Reeves Ace Hardware added tuxedo rentals to complement its popular bridal registry and reach additional customers.
When customers want to elevate their holiday wardrobe for a party, Reeves Ace Hardware has them covered with tuxedo rentals out of its store in Clayton, Georgia. Reeves Ace Hardware began offering formal rentals in 2018 after seeing a demand for tuxedo rentals in the area, says Hannah Bleckley, who does marketing, advertising and sales for Reeves.
“As a hardware store, we never thought we would be renting tuxedos, but it has been a great experience,” she says. “It’s not every day you walk into a hardware store that rents tuxedos. We listened to what our town needed and filled the request because we always try to give our customers what they need.”
Formal rentals were also a natural fit with the store’s wedding registry, which brings in engaged couples who may also need formal rentals for their wedding day. Bleckley says they rent tuxedos year-round but are busiest during the spring and early summer with weddings and prom season overlapping.
“Our rental department has done very well with weddings,” Bleckley says. “We also have students from several local schools who rent tuxedos for homecoming and prom.”
The store partners with Jim’s Formal Wear, a nationwide formal wear rental company that works with 5,000 retailers in all 50 states. Customers can make an appointment with Reeves to come into the store to browse the selection and be measured for a tuxedo. Adding tuxedo rentals to its offerings has allowed Reeves to serve customers in a new way and has brought in additional customers, says Bleckley.
“Every year we see new and familiar faces,” she says.
Reeves Ace Hardware is also known in the area for its bridal registry. Each couples’ picks are added to a table in the store, so their guests can easily shop the their selections. When a couple comes in to register, Hannah Bleckley says they promote their tuxedo rentals, and most choose to go with Reeves.
“We provide an experience for every couple,” she says. “Along with hand-picking items for their registry, they can use our rentals for their special day.”