Industry News

February retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.2 percent adjusted month-to-month, according to the National Retail Federation. In the home improvement industry, building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers stores’ sales increased 0.3 percent seasonally-adjusted …

Retailers representing countries including Sweden, Australia, the U.S. and more added store tours to their agendas for the International Hardware Fair today, the last day of the show. In hopes of seeing the trends and products they were seeing on …

Do you know what the single most effective thing you can do to have a positive long-term impact on the success of your business? The answer may surprise you and it is the same regardless of where you are located, …

Do it Best Corp. recently announced the promotions of John Branigan and Tom Morgan to retail performance managers, effective immediately. In their new roles, Branigan and Morgan will lead co-op efforts in aiding the growth and enhancement of member stores. …

Messages emerging from the International Hardware Fair in Cologne, Germany, today shed light on potential changes occurring in the retail environment that could prove positive for independent home improvement retailers across the world. John Herbert, general secretary of the European …

Attendance momentum continued to grow as the International Hardware Fair began its second day this morning in Cologne, Germany (with an estimated 55,000 people scheduled to attend). The theme of the day was clear to all who came—innovation. From the …

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 175,000 in February, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and the labor force participation rate at 63.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported. The National Retail Federation calculated retail employment …

Distribution America has announced the addition of wholesale distributor PACOA to its membership. Headquartered in Port Washington N.Y., PACOA services independent hardware, paint and lumber retailers throughout much of New York, New England, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. “Adding PACOA as …