The number of housing starts in the U.S. rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.2 million in November, or 16.5 percent growth above November 2014, for a seven-year high. Single-family production increased 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate …

One local retailer has gotten a taste of Hollywood. Last fall, Papa’s Hardware in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, was the site for an independent movie being shot in the area. The movie, titled “The Fixer Upper,” features a couple who buys and …

If you’re considering expanding your operation but the building you want isn’t the perfect fit, it may be time to think outside the box and consider going vertical. That’s what retailer Will Aubuchon, president and CEO of Aubuchon Hardware, says his …

In the January issue of Hardware Retailing, our story “Finders Keepers” talked about the importance of recruiting and retaining good employees. When recruiting, it’s important to write a strong job description to ensure you’re getting the right type of candidates …

During the recession, in an effort to quickly and easily provide customers with what they wanted and stay ahead of the competition, the staff at Main Street Lumber and Millwork in Denison, Texas, developed a mobile software application to do …

Star Lumber is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. While much has changed with the business in that time, a quick look around the main showroom in Wichita, Kansas, shows store staff haven’t forgotten the past. Inside the store, signs …

Blake Burgess is always looking for ways to get his customers more involved on his store’s Facebook page. A couple of years ago, Burgess, co-owner/general manager of York Ace Hardware in York, Nebraska, discovered contests are a great way to …

Want to better understand the millennials working for your business? A leader from Facebook, which was founded by a millennial, has a few suggestions for you based on experience, according to an article from Harvard Business Review. “We pride ourselves on having built …