Hagan Florist & Gifts Provides Fresh Flowers and Gifts

Adding a touch of beauty and providing a well-received service in the area, Hagan Florist & Gifts has been serving the flower needs of Jacksonville, Florida, for two decades. The shop is located next to the Mandarin location of Hagan Ace Hardware, which operates nine locations in Florida.

The shop specializes in creative floral designs for special occasions, including birthdays, funerals and weddings. Director of store operations Jacob Hagan says they opened the floral shop because there was no nearby competition. It also provided an opportunity to offer a fun and unusual niche and draw from a different customer base.

“For many female shoppers, it serves as a nice getaway after completing their task list. Women have also brought their husbands in who shop in the hardware store,” Hagan says. “Beyond everyday flowers, we’ve used different types of marketing to let customers know about our floral arrangements for prom, weddings, funerals, churches and more.”

Customers can shop in the store, call ahead and pick up their order curbside or take advantage of the shop’s delivery service.

“The niche has brought more sales to the overall store,” Hagan says. “With many DIY customers, the flower shop allows them a joyous shopping experience away from the current task at hand.”

Giving Back Gets Even Cooler

In 2022, Checkouts shared the story of Ellettsville True Value Hardware and its Fan Club. The store, located in Bloo

mington, Indiana, found such great success in the program that store manager Wade Martz has expanded it to include air conditioners.

The store partners with local nonprofit Area 10 Agency on Aging, which provides resources, solutions and connections for seniors, persons with disabilities and family caregivers in that community.

Chris Myers, executive director for Area 10 Agency on Aging, says senior citizens and people with disabilities who don’t have air conditioning in their homes can register with the agency and be added to the list to receive a free fan or a window or portable air conditioner.

“Electric fans do a good job of moving air and cooling surfaces, which we want to continue supporting,” Myers says. “But as temperatures increase, indoor temperatures can become deadly, and air conditioning is often the only relief to prevent heat related illnesses. Window units are more affordable and accessible for seniors without central air conditioning, which is why we wanted to add this element to the program.”

Customers of Ellettsville True Value can come into the store and purchase a fan or air conditioner at a discounted price, which is then donated to the organization. Customers can also donate money directly to the agency and a representative from the agency purchases fans and air conditioners at the store at a discounted rate using those funds.

“Area 10 Agency on Aging wraps support services around our senior neighbors,” Myers says. “Providing necessary in-home relief through donated fans and window units makes an immediate positive impact on lives, and Ellettsville True Value has been a proven, sustained supporter of our efforts.”

Historic Touches Provide Warm Welcome to Customers

Each time a customer walks through the front door at Carthage Hardware in Carthage, Missouri, they take a step back in time. Since he purchased the operation in 2020, owner Eddie Grundy has made it his mission to ensure the business reflects its rich history in new and exciting ways. The store’s building was originally constructed in 1860 but burned down in 1863 during the Civil War. It was rebuilt in 1878 and has served as a hardware store ever since.

When Grundy purchased the business from the previous owners, he immediately began the process of remodeling the building. He reworked the layout and product assortments inside the store, updated the storefront signage and removed the carpet to reveal beautiful hardwood. To keep the charm of the building intact, he left the original brick walls and tin ceiling.

He spent time searching for antique pieces that reflect the store’s history, like the cash register that sits at the front of the store next to his newer point-of-sale system. Many of the wood-accented built-ins serving as the checkout counter and in-store displays are antiques from former businesses in the area.

“Our goal for the store was to give it an old-school hardware store feel but provide up-to-date products and services to serve our customers’ modern needs,” Grundy says.

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