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Niche categories can add excitement to your business, and most retailers are always on the lookout for a new category to try. In the 2019 May issue of Hardware Retailing, three retailers offered their insights into how they’ve created successful niche categories for their business. Read their stories and advice here. Then see more photos from their stores by clicking through the photo gallery below.
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Sporting and fishing is a major department at Solon Springs Mercantile, so offering live bait has been a way to get return trips from fishing customers.
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By utilizing the design services of a vendor, Solon Springs Mercantile can offer custom cabinetry without needing to take up a lot inventory space.
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Portable outbuildings have been a popular niche at Solon Springs Mercantile. The vendor delivers the buildings straight to the customer, eliminating the need to stock them at the store.
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The clothing department at Solon Springs Mercantile features local products that promote the Northwoods lifestyle.
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Wild game, many of them from Africa, line the walls at the front of Solon Springs Mercantile. They've sparked conversations that have helped the owners get to know their customers.
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The liquor room at Solon Springs Mercantile features endcaps that create a festive atmosphere around holidays.
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The selection of locally brewed beer at Solon Springs Mercantile is larger than most area hardware stores.
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And if you're heading out with a 6-pack of beer, why not add in a frozen pizza? It's an item that sells surprisingly well, say owners at Solon Springs Mercantile.
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Reeves Ace Hardware in Clayton, Georgia, covers half a block with several entrances leading to different departments within the business.
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A wide selection of toys make Reeves Ace a place children love to come and shop, too.
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With an active community of artists in the area, Reeves Ace has a strong niche in artist supplies, such as paints and canvas.
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Meredith Thompson, manager of the home furnishings department at Reeves Ace, stocks high-quality, made in the U.S. furniture as a way to differentiate the store from discount furniture stores.
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At Reeves Ace, creative merchandising helps customers envision how they might be able to arrange their own homes.
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Reeves Ace recently started offering tuxedo rental as a complement to the store's bridal registry.
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Reeves Ace sells Coach Joe's food products, which are locally made. Sometimes, the coach himself is on hand to hand out samples.
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Reeves Ace holds its Main Street Madness sale to clear out slow-moving inventory in preparation for a new season.
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Hall's Hardware & Lumber has been serving Milton, Florida, since 1960. It's many niches give it an old-fashioned general store feel.
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The dollar aisle at Hall's Hardware continues to grow in popularity, and makes for an easy impulse sale.
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Hall's Hardware has two major knife brands and a knife club customer loyalty program, especially popular with collectors.
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The map at Hall's Hardware contains thousands of pins showing where across the U.S. and the world customers have come from.
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First-time visitors to Hall's Hardware get a coupon for a vintage soda they can enjoy while browsing the store.
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Vintage women's clothing and bags gives Hall's Hardware a unique flair, popular with customers enjoying the warm weather.