2010 NRHA Annual Convention and All-Industry Conference

Save the Date! Join NRHA for another great convention in historic Savannah, Ga., July 19-21, 2010. Contact Diane Allen at dallen@nrha.org for more details, or visit www.nrha.org.

Cooper, Danaher Announce Joint Venture

HOUSTON — Cooper Industries and Danaher Corp. announced the creation of a joint venture, according to a company press release. Read more »

Craftsman Tool Debut, Record Attendance Lead Spring Market Wrap-Up

SPECIAL REPORT — With new partnerships, updated marketing plans and record attendance, there were plenty of positive signs for the industry that emerged during this year’s spring buying markets. But, as the spring market season starts to wind down, let’s take a look at everything that’s happened so far. Read more »

NRHA to Participate in Enviro Build Expo

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) has teamed up with Enviro Build Expo to participate in the conference program supporting the importance of the greening of our building industry. NRHA will host an east coast regional membership coffee meeting on October 13, 2010. Read more »

Val-Test Recognizes Manufacturers with Industry Awards

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The annual Val-Test Distributor Show and Meeting was held January 23 - 27 at The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club in Naples, Florida. Val-Test is one of the nation’s leading buying and marketing group for distributors of hardware, sundries, and marine products. Read more »

NRHA Recognizes Convention Sponsors, Vendor Partners

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) is pleased to announce two new sponsors for the NRHA Annual Convention and All-Industry Conference. Read more »

Hardware Industry Book Now Available

SPECIAL REPORT — “Surviving... In Spite of Everything: A Postwar History of the Hardware Industry,” a book chronicling the postwar history of the hardware industry, is now available. Read more »

Mark your calendars for the North American Retail Hardware Association’s 2010 Annual Convention and All-Industry Conference, held on July 19-21, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency in Savannah, Georgia. More »

SOUTH HAVEN, Wis. — Wolverine Do it Best Hardware in South Haven, Mich., has moved to a 10,000-square-foot store after operating in three adjacent, linked-together storefronts. Consolidating has been a much-anticipated move for owner Doug Landers. The move also provided a perfect opportunity to modernize the store and expand his product lines. Landers purchased the store, which has been in South Haven since the 1940s, in 2007. The store’s Grand Re-Opening is scheduled for April 24, 2010.

SPECIAL REPORT — Attention small business owners: March 29 is your day. In addition to the spate of federally recognized holidays, there are plenty of unofficial holidays. One of them is March 29, which, according to various holiday listings on the internet including www.holidaysforeveryday.com, is National Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Day.

Rohrer’s Hardware, in Lancaster, Pa., picked up on the idea and decided it was an excuse to celebrate. Owner Jim Rohrer bought a one-page ad in their local shopping paper and turned the whole month into a celebration. During a weekend kickoff early in the month, Rohrer and his staff declared March National Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Month. Rohrer, who is the second generation owner of the store, invited customers in for free hot dogs, drinks and to shop for a few coupon specials.

“We get a lot of people that tell us they’ve been coming to the store all their lives and tell us they like the fact it is locally owned,” says Rohrer. As consumers in the area continue to have more options to shop, Rohrer wants to encourage more patronage to local businesses.

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C.—OFM, Inc., one of the nation’s leading office and school furniture manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers, says a study of its own internal data showed OFM products that were showcased in Web videos had a lower return rate indicating that end-users were more satisfied with their purchase. OFM began creating the product informational videos in early 2009 and now has over 90 clips on its YouTube channel.

EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. — The 84 Lumber Co. closed 10 stores last week, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. One store in Lancaster, Pa. was closed along with stores in Virginia, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois and Mississippi.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The National Lighting Bureau (NLB) reports that performance of the NEMA Lighting Systems Index (LSI) was 4.1 percent higher in the fourth-quarter of 2009 than in the third-quarter, marking the second consecutive quarter of improvement.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Frank S. Howard Company, Inc. has started its 65th year in business representing housewares and hardware manufacturers. The business was founded in 1945 by Frank S. Howard, Jr. and represents companies in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.