News

The number of U.S. housing starts for the month of June jumped 9.8 percent from the month prior, and construction of multifamily homes drove that growth, according to The Wall Street Journal. The data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing …

While many consumers can recognize an independent home improvement store by its small-town feel and top-notch service, many don’t know a business is locally owned and operated if it uses national branding or has multiple locations. Customers may see a …

Nearly 23,000 new retail jobs were added in June, but not in the building materials category, according to the National Retail Federation. Total retail employment – excluding car dealerships, gas stations and restaurants – increased by 212,000 jobs on a year-over-year basis, according …

Purchasing home improvement products from locally owned retailers generates twice as much local economic activity than purchases made at big-box chain stores, according to a study recently released by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and Independent We Stand. At the Independent Garden …

Cyclists who are biking cross-country to fundraise for The Fuller Center for Housing and do service projects sponsored by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) are more than halfway finished with their trip. That means the bicyclists have been on the road …

RONA Inc., a Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, building materials and home renovation products, has announced plans to buy the 20 franchise stores in its network. The stores include 17 big-box locations and three other stores under the banners RONA, …

Americans spent less on home improvement and garden products in June than in May, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Shoppers reduced their home improvement spending by 1.3 percent in that period. The June 2014 to June 2015 drop was 1.4 percent. Overall retail …

Menards has committed to ending sales of vinyl flooring that contains toxic chemicals called phthalates, following the lead of Lowe’s and Home Depot, which made similar commitments earlier this year. All three companies have agreed to phase out those products …