The 2025 Cost of Doing Business Study presents the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s (NHPA) annual financial and operational profile of independent hardware stores, home centers, lumber and building materials (LBM) outlets and paint and decorating outlets. This study …

With the vision to create a successful wholesale hardware business, W.B. Whittaker, S.M. Holtsinger and D.M. Wallace chartered the Whittaker-Holtsinger Company in 1922 in Morristown, Tennessee. In 1932, D.M. became president, and in 1944, he changed the name to the …

Sight. Smell. Taste. Touch. Hearing. Every day, we rely on our five senses to navigate and experience life. Forward-thinking retailers are also turning to the five senses to engage with customers in their stores and keep them coming back, moving …

When it comes to knowing where to start with B2B in your business, retailers who have found success in this area suggest starting small to attract these pro customers.  Jay Donnelly, owner of Flanagan Paint & Supply with five locations …

One of the best ways to diversify your audience and differentiate your business is through business-to-business (B2B) sales. When you think of B2B, you probably picture outside sales teams making cold calls, and while that method is successful for many, …

Costello’s Ace Hardware announced the acquisition of Rommel’s Ace Home Centers, a family-owned group of 11 stores across Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. This milestone marks the largest single acquisition in Costello’s Ace Hardware’s 52-year history, expanding the company’s footprint into …

House-Hasson Hardware Company announced today that CEO Steve Henry will retire, effective Dec. 31, 2025, after more than a decade of service and five years at the helm of the nation’s largest independent regional wholesale hardware distributor. Henry stepped into …

In November, Lowe’s will open two additional stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, increasing the chains store count in Texas to 147. The two new Lowe’s stores will open in Midlothian and Royse City and will be the fourth and …