Industry News

The team at PlanItDIY.com has selected Angela MacOwan’s DIY project—Creating a Mini Koi Pond—the winner of its recent Yard Makeover Contest. For her effort, Angela received a $250 shopping spree on Aug. 23 in the local independent hardware store where …

Driving past Kinnick Stadium, home to the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team, Jerry Meis slows his driving to a crawl as something catches his eye. The university has planted corn on either side of the main entrance to the …

The new lead-free plumbing law, the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs: Recently, there have been big changes to the plumbing and electrical categories. Is your store ready? Parts of the light bulb phase out have already begun but additional deadlines …

When Gloria Martin stumbled across the website of a philanthropic organization that aims to provide dresses for underprivileged girls in different countries, she knew it was a cause she wanted to support. “When I read about the organization, Dress a …

At Nielson’s Building Center in Point Roberts, Wash., a belt sander is used for so much more than sanding. It’s the star of the company’s belt sander drag races, an event that’s become well-known throughout the community. In June, staff …

While this time of year marks the official back-to-school season for students of all ages, a group of up-and-coming retail managers and mid-level executives from across the United States and Canada visited NRHA’s Indianapolis headquarters July 16-19 to take part …

Wherever we’ve gone over the last few years, asking what your greatest challenges and concerns as independent retailers are, uncertainty about and the cost of health insurance and health care for yourselves and your employees always tops your lists. In …

Employees at Klem’s know dogs are more than just pets. They’re allowed in the store year-round and customers treat them as part of the family. “We know how much our customers love their dogs,” Klem’s president Jessica Bettencourt says. So …