Parkrose Hardware Keeps Customers Coming Back for More

Five Stores, Many Types of Customers

District manager Michael Nelson has been with the company for 25 years and has seen many changes over the years. 

“This store has had five remodels and expansions over the years,” Nelson says. “At 50,000 square feet, it is our largest location with  10,000 square feet serving as our warehouse, a mini-distribution hub for all five stores. While most of the time shipments go directly to the store, sometimes it makes most sense for a shipment to be delivered here and then sent to the store where it needs to go.” 

To handle the influx of products, two employees work in receiving at the main store. To get  product on the shelves, department managers and employees divide and conquer those duties. 

With five locations, Nelson says training across all the stores keeps everyone on the same page and able to support each other and customers. For example, the company hosts a lawn and garden training annually to prepare for the busy spring selling season. 

“The store in Portland is a great place to bring our entire staff together,” he says. “We have numerous people who  provide operational training.Then we divide our team into groups of 10 and they go from station to station, learning about everything from the different types of grills to the latest products to sell in the lawn and garden department.”

While the retail stores are a vital part of the business, Nelson says the business is divided into three segments: the retail stores, the company’s  commercial sales division and the rental business. 

“This store is in a unique area; one side of the road is industrial and the other is residential, so we have a mixture of both types of customers,” Nelson says.  

A Focus on Popular Products, Store Branding and Events

The categories of products vary across all five stores, and each store has a different footprint, ranging from the smallest store at 16,800 square feet to the original location at about 50,000 square feet. Some of the signature categories the company sells are fasteners, lawn and garden and outdoor power tools.  

“Tools used to be our biggest category when I started, and while it’s still a big part of business, we’ve made a name for the company with our focus on fasteners,” Nelson says. “It’s now one of our biggest calling cards. It does really well for DIYers, and our commercial sales team sells tons of fasteners as well. People are constantly in need of specific bits and pieces.” 

To keep products moving and customers interested, the teams at each of the stores switch out endcaps at least once a month. In addition, the fun signage on endcaps and throughout the stores adds to the overall branding for the company and keeps the stores looking fresh.  

“There is a lot of time and effort that goes into the overall branding, which is seen inside the stores and on our website,” Nelson says. “Our social media presence allows us to showcase our individual stores, but the branding keeps it all connected.” 

The company continually keeps customers engaged by offering unique events, such as ladies night, a canning event or custom cooking classes on the grill. The events include a mix of paid and free options, arming customers with knowledge in areas of interest and showcasing the products they can purchase at the stores. 

“Hosting events and having over 100 people sign up to learn how to make canned goods or discover a unique technique on the grill helps set us apart from the competition,” he says. “No matter the event, we always enjoy engaging with our customers.”