Weyerhaeuser Distribution Expands Southeast Presence with New Center in Tennessee
Weyerhaeuser Distribution announced its 22nd distribution center, the company’s first in Tennessee, located in Gallatin. The 96,250‑square‑foot facility sits on 13.83 acres with six acres of yard space and will be operational by late 2026. Positioned within 15 miles of key transportation corridors, the center will serve LBM dealers throughout the Southeast, complementing existing hubs in Richmond, Charlotte and Atlanta.
The Home Depot Names New Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
The Home Depot announced that Franziska “Fran” Bell will serve as executive vice president and chief technology officer effective April 6, 2026. Bell will oversee technology strategy, product management, data, and artificial intelligence across the retailer’s omnichannel operations. She joins from Ford,...
QXO Completes Acquisition of Kodiak Building Partners
QXO completed a $2.25 billion acquisition of Kodiak Building Partners, boosting its addressable market to over $200 billion. The transaction values Kodiak at roughly 10.7 times projected 2025 EBITDA and under a sales multiple of one, with synergies lowering the effective EBITDA...
Break Into Live Goods With Intentionality and Purpose
The article shares hard‑won lessons from a 22‑year‑old garden center that entered the live‑goods market without prior experience. It argues that live plants can out‑perform box stores by leveraging high‑margin, color‑driven volume, strategic discounts, and strong grower partnerships. Simplicity in...
Be Nice, Customers Notice
Retailers frequently stumble on service fundamentals, but a simple act—being nice—can reshape customer perception. Surveys across hardware stores show that courteous staff often outweigh gaps like inventory shortages or website glitches. The article argues that niceness isn’t a hiring checkbox...
From Service to Sawdust: A Veteran’s Blueprint for Home Improvement Success
Tim Kromholtz, a former Air National Guard electrician turned CIO of Ziegler Lumber, credits his military service for driving operational efficiency in the independent home‑improvement channel. After two decades of service and a college degree earned with veteran benefits, he...
A Century-Old Hardware Store Continues Under New Leadership
Paschal Brothers Hardware & Lumber, a Jacksonville staple since 1924, has been purchased by longtime vice president Corey Hunt and renamed Hunt Lumber & Supply. Hunt, who started as a floor sweeper in 1998, will lead the business under the...
Ward Lumber Announces Leadership Transition
Ward Lumber announced that CEO Bryan Mellick will shift to an advisory role while sales director Josh Travis assumes an interim operations leadership position. The move coincides with the company’s fifth anniversary as a worker‑owned cooperative, a structure governed by...
Niemann Foods Acquires Final Three Jerry’s Hardware & Rental Locations
Niemann Foods announced the acquisition of the remaining three Jerry’s Hardware & Rental locations in Minnesota, finalizing the purchase of the chain’s five‑store portfolio. The deal follows Jerry’s closure of its Maple Grove and St. Louis Park stores at the end...
84 Lumber Promotes Dave Morgan to General Counsel
84 Lumber announced that Dave Morgan has been promoted from deputy general counsel to general counsel, effective immediately. Morgan, who joined the firm in 2016, has been instrumental in steering the company’s strategic growth and will now oversee all legal...
Gorman Group Names Ashlee Cribb as New CEO
The Gorman Group announced that Ashlee Cribb will join the firm on April 1, 2026 and assume the chief executive officer role on July 1, 2026. Cribb brings extensive forest‑products experience from both public and family‑owned companies, with a focus on strategy, customer development, and...
Serving With Gratitude: Joe Swortz Credits Military Service for Leadership Success
Joe Swortz, a U.S. Army veteran, now serves as financial controller for Hardware Sales Inc. in Bellingham, Washington, crediting his military service for the leadership and teamwork skills that drive his success in the home‑improvement sector. After enlisting at 17...
Belco Forest Products Names New Director of Sales and Marketing
Belco Forest Products has appointed Brian Bunt as its new director of sales and marketing. Bunt arrives with more than 18 years in the building products sector, most recently serving as vice president of strategic initiatives and marketing at WindsorONE....
RoMac Building Supply Relocates Operations Facility
RoMac Building Supply is moving its operations from Lady Lake to a new facility in Wildwood, strategically positioned near Interstate 75 and the Florida Turnpike. The relocation addresses delivery inefficiencies and improves customer access, establishing Wildwood as the primary hub for...
Median Age of Owner-Occupied Homes Hits 42 Years, Revealing Regional Divide
The median age of owner‑occupied homes in the United States has risen to 42 years, according to the 2024 American Community Survey and NAHB analysis. New York leads with a median home age of 64 years, while the District of Columbia’s median exceeds...
James Hardie Announces 2026 Color of the Year
James Hardie Building Products announced Iron Gray as its 2026 Color of the Year, positioning it as a rich, neutral shade for exterior design. The hue belongs to the company’s Statement Collection, which is marketed for bold yet timeless aesthetics....
Dunn-Edwards Announces 2026 Color of the Year
Dunn‑Edwards has named Midnight Garden its 2026 Color of the Year, a deep, muted green reminiscent of moss and lichen. The hue is promoted as a versatile choice for cabinetry, walls, and exterior surfaces. It arrives amid a consumer shift...
PPG Announces 2026 Color of the Year
PPG has unveiled Secret Safari as its 2026 Color of the Year, a versatile yellow‑green hue that anchors the company’s global Parallels theme. The theme is divided into three palettes—Authentic, Visionary and Expressive—each leveraging the shade’s ability to shift between...
Ace Hardware Unveils Clark+Kensington’s 2026 Color of the Year
Ace Hardware announced that it will be the sole retailer of Clark+Kensington’s 2026 Color of the Year, a deep shade called Hazelnut Crunch. The hue reflects rising consumer interest in biophilic design, cozy minimalism, and nature‑inspired palettes. Ace positions the...
Krylon Announces Matte Coffee Bean as 2026 Color of the Year
Krylon has named Matte Coffee Bean its 2026 Color of the Year, a deep, neutral hue that taps into the growing appetite for calm, nature‑inspired interiors. The shade draws on earthy elements like clay, wood and stone, positioning it as...
Dutch Boy Paints Reveals 2026 Color of the Year
Dutch Boy Paints announced Melodious Ivory as its 2026 Color of the Year, a soft, creamy beige positioned as a versatile backdrop for a range of interior styles. The company highlighted the shade’s ability to foster comfort, quality and connection...
Minwax Reveals 2026 Color of the Year
Minwax has named Special Walnut its 2026 Color of the Year, an earth‑toned wood stain that quickly gained popularity among DIYers and professionals. The shade reflects a broader shift toward darker, more dimensional wood finishes in interior design, moving away...
Fed Continues to Hold Rates Steady
The Federal Reserve left the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5%‑3.75%, extending the pause announced in December 2025. Officials cited elevated uncertainty about the economic outlook and the potential impact of Middle‑East tensions on U.S. growth....
Pittsburgh Paints Co. Announces Warm Mahogany as 2026 Color of the Year
Pittsburgh Paints Company has crowned Warm Mahogany as its 2026 Color of the Year, a deep red hue with brown undertones. The shade is marketed as a catalyst for wellness‑focused interiors, especially dining areas where red can boost appetite. The...
Behr Names Hidden Gem as 2026 Color of the Year
Behr Paint announced Hidden Gem as its 2026 Color of the Year, a smoky jade green that merges blue and green tones. The hue is positioned within the broader 2026 Color Trends Palette, which leans toward warmer, comforting earth and...
Valspar Names Warm Eucalyptus as 2026 Color of the Year
Valspar has named Warm Eucalyptus its 2026 Color of the Year, positioning the soothing green‑with‑warm‑undertones as the season’s flagship hue. The shade is described as restorative, grounding and inspired by nature and retro design. Valspar pairs it with complementary tones—light...
Lowe’s Expands Partnership with RELEX and Accenture
Lowe’s announced an expanded partnership with RELEX Solutions and Accenture to create a unified, AI‑driven inventory replenishment platform covering its entire product assortment, stores and distribution centers. The collaboration builds on RELEX’s existing seasonal‑business support and adds automated ordering, stock‑out...
Home Depot Announces 12 New U.S. Store Openings in 2026
Home Depot announced plans to open 12 new U.S. stores in 2026, spanning eight states. The rollout begins in spring with locations in Buckeye, Arizona; Leander, Texas; and Naples, Florida, followed by a larger fall wave across California, Texas, Tennessee,...
VEVOR Opens First U.S. Flagship Retail Store in Houston
VEVOR opened its first U.S. flagship retail store in Houston, a 32,000‑square‑foot space designed for hands‑on shopping. The launch follows more than 30 million online customers and introduces a “try before you buy” experience for DIYers, homeowners, and small businesses. Brand...
BeautiTone Names ‘Bark’ as 2026 Exterior Color of the Year
BeautiTone, the Canadian‑owned paint maker, has named “Bark” its 2026 Exterior Color of the Year. The shade is a warm, transparent stain formulated with UV‑resistant pigments that protect wood from harsh weather, peeling and cracking. Bark’s composition also reduces water...
Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Acquires Tulsa Fireplace Supply, Expanding Specialty Divisions
Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Company announced the finalization of its acquisition of Tulsa Fireplace Supply, a well‑established provider of fireplace, hearth and stone products in the Tulsa market. The deal keeps founders Bud and Jill Farris engaged during and...
Home Depot Exec Shares Insights Into New Delivery Tracker
The Home Depot will roll out the industry’s first real‑time delivery tracker for large and bulky items by the end of Q1 2026. The feature, embedded in the company’s mobile app and website, offers minute‑by‑minute GPS updates, route visibility, and estimated...
Mead Lumber Completes Brand Unification With Final Renaming of Former Knecht Home Center
Mead Lumber will finalize its brand unification on March 13, 2026, by renaming its former Knecht Home Center in Cañon City, Colorado to Mead Lumber. This marks the completion of a rollout that began in October 2025 and now brings...
Retail Sales Rise for Fifth Straight Month in February, Outpacing January Gains
Retail sales in February posted modest month‑over‑month growth and robust year‑over‑year gains, marking the fifth straight month of increases. Total retail sales, excluding auto dealers and gasoline stations, rose 0.28% from January and were up 6.24% compared with February 2025....
True Value Becomes Official Hardware Partner of BIG EAST Conference
True Value announced it is the Official Hardware Partner of the BIG EAST Conference, a March 11‑14 college basketball tournament. The partnership will showcase the brand on courtside LED signage, basket stanchion displays, ribbon boards, and the arena’s central videoboard. Executives...
A Measure of Success: Independent Retailer Index Q4 2025
The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s Independent Retailer Index shows 57% of independent home‑improvement stores reported year‑over‑year sales growth in Q4 2025, a 29% increase from the previous quarter. Transaction counts remained flat, with only 32% seeing gains, while...
QXO Reports Strong Q4 Net Sales Amid Acquisition
QXO Inc. posted fourth‑quarter 2025 net sales of $2.19 billion, a 14,000% jump from the same period a year earlier, and total 2025 sales of $6.8 billion. Adjusted EBITDA reached $150.3 million, while net income recorded a $90.2 million loss. The company announced a...
Reliance Worldwide Corporation Opens New Dallas Distribution Center
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) opened a new distribution center in Mesquite, Texas, part of the greater Dallas area. The facility consolidates RWC’s full portfolio of brands under one roof, creating a larger footprint and streamlined layout. By positioning inventory closer...
NHS Offers Exclusive Buyer Experience With Hosted VIP Program at NHS Concept to Commerce
The NHS Concept to Commerce trade show in Las Vegas (March 31‑April 2, 2026) is launching a Hosted VIP Program for qualified product, sourcing and private‑label teams. Hosted buyers receive travel support, VIP access, on‑site assistance and heightened visibility. The program also includes...
Do It Best Group’s New Retail Pulse Helps Retailers Turn Data Into Direction
Do it Best Group has launched Retail Pulse, a data‑driven platform that transforms independent hardware dealers’ POS and purchasing data into clear, actionable insights. By aggregating more than 1,000 member datasets, the tool creates tailored peer groups and highlights opportunities...
U.S. Retail Sales Up in October 2025, Building Materials Sector Sees Decline
U.S. Census Bureau reports October 2025 retail sales rose 2.2% year‑over‑year. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia posted positive changes, with New York leading at a 6.1% increase. Building‑materials and garden‑equipment dealers fell 5.4% YoY, while West Virginia saw a 16.1%...
Faster, Better, Stronger: Growth Awaits at the Newly Imagined National Hardware Show
The National Hardware Show has been rebranded as NHS Concept to Commerce, targeting the full product lifecycle from ideation to shelf. The 2026 Las Vegas event introduces dedicated pavilions for global manufacturers, brands, inventors and an AI‑driven Product Journey Experience...
In Real Life: Align Your Operation’s Digital and Brick-and-Mortar Presence
Retailers now have a digital twin that AI evaluates when generating search overviews. An optimized Google Business Profile serves as the new Yellow Pages, feeding AI the first impression of a store. Consistency of name, address, and phone across online...
Tight Connections: A Retailer’s Key to Success in the Fastener Category
The fastener aisle at Gus Bock’s Ace Hardware in northwestern Indiana has become a major revenue engine thanks to a close partnership with its fastener vendor. The vendor supplies planograms, color‑coded bulk bins, and an online ordering portal that give...
Builders FirstSource Partners With Blitzy to Implement AI Software Development
Builders FirstSource (BFS) announced a strategic partnership with Blitzy AI, an autonomous software development platform designed for product development. The collaboration introduces an agentic software development lifecycle, enabling BFS to modernize its technology stack and accelerate delivery. Within the first...
SRS Distribution Acquires Sider Lumber & Supply Co., Inc.
SRS Distribution Inc. announced the acquisition of Sider Lumber & Supply Co., a 75‑year‑old family lumber business in Long Island, with terms undisclosed. Frank Sider will retire at closing while his son Joe Sider remains to lead the company. Both...
Home Improvement Market Poised for Continued Growth Despite Economic Challenges
The U.S. home improvement products market is projected to reach roughly $688 billion by 2029, driven by an average 4% annual growth rate from 2026 through 2029. Despite lingering economic pressure, first‑quarter 2026 spending remained near record levels, anchored by repair...
84 Lumber Launches Campaign to Honor Nation’s 250th Anniversary
84 Lumber has launched the Building America 250 campaign to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence. The initiative ties the company’s 70‑year history to the national celebration, featuring a new logo unveiled at the International Builders’ Show and a series...
Ace Looks to Regain Its Convenience Crown Amidst Evolving Customer Expectations
Ace Hardware’s Spring 2026 Convention in Louisville gathered over 12,000 attendees, including a record 4,566 retailers, to address a slipping convenience reputation. CEO John Venhuizen outlined a five‑point plan to reclaim the “convenience crown,” focusing on expanding store proximity, reducing...
QXO Names New Chief Sales Officer
QXO has appointed Taylor Sommer as its new chief sales officer, bringing nearly three decades of experience in building high‑performance sales organizations. Sommer most recently served as executive vice president and chief sales officer at Republic National Distributing Company, where he...
