Content about Illinois

Fuller's Home & Hardware, an Ace dealer in Hinsdale, Ill., is not your typical hardware store. Located in an historic corner building on a picturesque main street downtown, most of the ground floor is a classic neighborhood hardware store.  

The second floor -- known as "The Second Floor" -- is an upscale home decor and kitchen products specialty store. 

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware says the rollout of the Craftsman brand across its network of stores has crossed the 2,000 location milestone. 

Since Ace signed a deal in 2010 with Sears to bring Craftsman products to Ace stores, more than 2,000 neighborhood Ace stores now offer a full line assortment of more than 650 Craftsman products, the co-op announced today.

The Home Channel Hall of Fame will induct Ray Griffith during the Golden Hammer Awards breakfast ceremony May 8 in Las Vegas.

The event coincides with the 2013 National Hardware Show, May 7-9, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware Corp. posted fiscal 2012 revenues of $3.8 billion, up 3.6% from the previous year. 

The co-op’s net income of $81.8 million increased 5.3% for the year.

“We are very pleased with our fiscal 2012 results as revenues and net income were both higher than last year and our plan,” said Ray Griffith, Ace CEO, who will be replaced by John Venhuizen as CEO, effective March 31.

The American Hardware Manufacturers Association says fewer members reported higher February sales. 

Manufacturers also reported plans for increasing international sales and a strong need for more affordable health care, according to the Schaumburg, Ill.-based association.

Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Holdings posted sales declines for both its fourth quarter and full year, but the retail icon narrowed its losses significantly.

The company's net loss for the fourth quarter was $489 million, compared with a loss of $2.4 billion in the year-ago quarter. For the full year, the company narrowed its loss to $930 million from $3.1 billion.

Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based Edward Hines Lumber, a subsidiary of US LBM Holdings, will open a full-service building supply center and showroom in May in the Chicago area.

The new facility will occupy the site of the former Franklin Emery (F.E.) Wheaton Lumberyard. The downtown Wheaton, Ill., property has been vacant since F.E. Wheaton closed in 2010. The new lumberyard will be managed by former F.E. Wheaton 
general manager of 28 years, Pat Briody.

Managers should take the time to recognize all employees on a regular basis, experts say -- focusing on behaviors they want to reinforce -- rather than singling out certain individuals or groups at scheduled times.

Maze Nails is celebrating 165 years in business. 

The company began in 1848 and is now in its sixth generation of family ownership. According to fifth-generation company president Roelif Loveland, the company offers longevity on quality products and service.

A major marketing initiative for the company is its Made-in-USA approach. 

Des Plaines, Ill.-based National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) released a post-Hurricane Sandy report from its 12 chapters affected by the northeastern storm.

“Those affected by the storm are now trying to piece lives back together,” says NARI National Chairman Michael Hydeck, president of Hydeck Design Build, in Telford, Pa. “The NARI community is proud to come together and support each other in what will be a long and difficult rebuilding process.”

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware’s recent purchase of the 85-store Westlake Ace Hardware chain -- the co-op’s largest customer -- represented “good offense” and “good defense,” according to the co-op’s message to Ace retailers.