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During its monthly Kids Hour event, Olson’s Ace Hardware in Parsons, Kansas, welcomes a younger demographic into the store to enjoy a craft, learn something new or just have fun. The store began hosting the events in November 2023, and for the first two months hosted an event every weekend. Now, the events take place once a month on a Sunday.
Olson’s Ace Hardware also partners with local police, fire and sheriff departments to promote events like the D.A.R.E program and Ident-A-Kid. When a local high school sports team made it to the state tournament, the team came in one Saturday to sign autographs. Upcoming events include bicycle safety with the Parsons Police Department, water safety with the Kansas Wildlife and Parks and proper flag folding and disposal with the VFW Veterans and Boy Scouts.
“We have had many customers excited that we are offering free fun,” says owner Beth Ryan. “We think these events are a way to become more involved, and we are a place that community wants to come hang out. It definitely brings in a different customer group, so overall it introduces them to our store and team.”
“We love the children of our community; they are the future customers of our stores,” says associate Gina Fought, who organizes and manages the Kids Hour events.
For other ideas on how retailers are engaging with younger customers, check out our Checkouts section.
