Content about Retailers' cooperatives

Civic leaders in Barrington, Ill., 32 miles northwest of Chicago, approved an economic incentive and special use permit sought by an applicant for an Ace Hardware store, according to an article in the Chicago Daily Herald. The agreement allows the hardware store to recoup up to $13,000 per year in municipal sales tax for its first five years. Anything above that would be paid to the village as usual.

Ace Hardware has launched an “Express” format for both current Ace retailers and other business owners seeking to integrate the Ace brand into their existing offerings. The new, more compact stores average 5,000 sq. ft. or less, include customized merchandising displays and stock more than 11,000 of the most popular and profitable hardware products.

Sunbury Ace Hardware, an independent dealer outside of Columbus, Ohio, has added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to its store. Customers can now purchase or rent a variety of moving equipment and supplies, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Sunbury Ace Hardware also will offer sales items to protect their customers' belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90% recycled content.

Louisville Ace Hardware, a Nebraska dealer that closed after a fire destroyed the store, has decided not to reopen due to the costs imposed by various government regulations.

By the end of March, Ace Hardware Corp. will convert 13 hardware stores owned by 10 different retailers to the Ace banner. 

The 13 stores will continue to be part of the local buying group Ferrmax, but will end ties with True Value, according to Ace.

“These excellent retailers are a welcome addition to the Ace family,” said Bob Moschorak, president of Ace Hardware International Holdings.

In his first market presentation to True Value retailers, the co-op's new VP marketing and chief customer officer Blake Fohl laid out a plan for -- what else? -- improved marketing. 

He also promised improvements to True Value Rewards (TVR).

Costello's Ace Hardware of Long Island, N.Y., is planning its first Costello's Spring Training Product Knowledge Seminar series next week.

The Deer Park, N.Y.-based chain of 17 neighborhood hardware stores is bringing together 24 vendors and more than 300 Costello's employees for the Feb. 8 to 9 event. Each day's event is scheduled to run seven to eight hours, finishing with a vendor-appreciation reception on the night of Feb. 8.

Ace Hardware Corp. officially received the trademark for Clark+Kensington, its new line of paint-and-primer in one.

The trademark application was filed April 26 and was registered Jan. 10 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, according to US Fed News.

Ace Hardware launched Clark+Kensington paint last year and has seen it surpass its goals of member penetration, available in more than 2,700 member stores at the end of 2011. The co-op is engaged in a five-year plan to grab 8% of the DIY paint market. 

Two hardware store owners in Clovis, N.M., one an Ace dealer and the other affiliated with Do it Best, have decided to merge, according to an article in the Clovis News Journal.

Burns Do-it Center will relocate on the site of Triangle Ace Hardware, according to the owners, James Burns and Richard Petty.

The Orange County Business Journal honored Crown Ace Hardware as the winner of the 2011 Family Owned Business award in the large business category. 

Crown Ace, described in the retailer's press release as "a throwback to the old-school community hardware store that won over its customers with friendliness and customer service," has been operating since 1949 and has grown to 17 stores. Crown took the name of its hometown, Corona del Mar, which translates to “crown of the sea.”

Two family-owned hardware stores, an Ace and a Do it Best, are going up against each other on the same block in Minneapolis, according to a news report on KSTP-TV. Although the owners remain friendly, the competition is not.

Denver -- Ace Hardware stores are showing strong same-store sales, while the distributor's wholesale sales are running ahead of the budgeted 3% growth, CEO Ray Griffith told dealers.

Speaking Saturday morning at the General Session of the co-op's 2011 Convention & Exhibits here at the Colorado Convention Center, Griffith said data from about 3,000 Ace stores show a 2.4% comparable-store sales increase over last year. In each of the last four months, the stores showed comp-sales increases of more than 4%.