Doghouse Display Houses Doggone Deals

For a couple of weeks at the beginning of each year, after all of the seasonal and holiday inventory has been packed away, there’s a little bit of empty salesfloor space at Longenecker’s True Value in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

The staff makes the most of that space by filling it with X items, or “dog items,” says partner Steve Ober, and hosting their annual Doghouse Sale.

“We’ve done this for the past 10 years or so,” says Ober. “We fill that area with slow-moving items at highly discounted prices.

“It provides some cash flow during a slower time of year and brings in foot traffic at a time when we normally may not have as many transactions,” he says.

The sale has become popular with customers, who now look forward to it each year, he says.

After the sale, Ober and his staff will clean up that area and begin setting up outdoor furniture and lighting products, preparing the store for the beginning of the spring selling season.