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House-Hasson Hardware’s president Don Hasson says expansion into a new state and a growing sales effort in several other states led to a 13 percent increase in attendance at its most recent dealer market at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.
“We had good participation from two new sales territories in Arkansas and Louisiana,” says Hasson. “Our salesmen in those areas were there with new customers in hand. We expected 10 percent attendance growth, but the final number is 13 percent.”
With the addition of Arkansas to House-Hasson’s territory, America’s largest independent regional hardware store now serves independent retailers in 19 states (in addition to the Caribbean Basin).
“The number of inquiries we were receiving from Arkansas hardware store and lumberyard dealers was an indicator that there was enough interest to go into Arkansas with salesmen who know the state and its people,” Hasson says. The new salesmen previously worked in Arkansas for a hardware distributor that underwent bankruptcy.
“They are extremely good hires who are bringing new customers to the company,” he says. In January, House-Hasson announced a stronger sales emphasis in Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Florida.
“Louisiana is doing quite well,” Hasson says. “We’re seeing good growth in Pennsylvania, in part because of continuing expansion in a number of our Amish customers. We’re now up to two buses bringing them from their homes to our dealer markets. Florida is attractive because of its population size, if for no other reason.”
Hasson named Jamey Merritt, of Slocomb, Alabama, as a new regional manager to supervise Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida.
“Jamey has been a business development person for us since our 2009 acquisition of the Moore-Handley hardware distributor,” Hasson says. “He’s done an excellent job, establishes strong relationships with customers, and we’re looking forward to what he’ll accomplish in his regional manager’s role.”
House-Hasson’s next dealer market is scheduled for June 15-17 at the Sevierville Events Center in Sevierville, Tennessee. House-Hasson is a 110-year-old privately owned company that serves well over 2,000 dealers in 19 states and the Caribbean Basin. For more information on the company, visit www.househasson.com.
