Mead Lumber, the regional LBM chain with locations in seven Midwestern states, has purchased four locations of Fullerton Building Center, according to an announcement on its website.  

The stores are located in Yankton, S.D., and Vermillion, Winner, and Norfolk, Neb. Fullerton will still operate its lumberyards in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Orchard Supply Hardware has gone through a lot of changes in its 80-year history, but the California chain — now numbering 89 units with $660.7 million in annual sales — has weathered them all. Changes in ownership, leadership, store design, color scheme and signage have come and gone. But the stores’ customers — known for their exceptional loyalty — have generally stuck with the chain. 


TW Perry isn’t just a lumberyard with a 100-year history. It’s a company — ranked 33rd on the HCN Top 200 Pro Dealer Scoreboard — with a story. 


The drama includes an extreme makeover in the late 1990s, when it recast itself from a home center to a pro dealer firmly focused on the remodeler and contractor. It’s a turnaround story starring motivated salesmen, and it’s an ongoing example of how a decentralized, entrepreneurial business can thrive — even in a tough market.


To complement the baseball theme of its Grand Slam Power Challenge promotion at the National Hardware Show last month, Briggs & Stratton presented its catalog in the form of baseball cards. It featured a portrait of the product on the front, with stats and information on the back.


“We thought our customers might find them a bit more interesting and handy than a product catalog,” said Eric Loferski, director of marketing of Briggs & Stratton’s portable power and cleaning systems.


The idea may be catching on. 


From New York’s Island to the Redwood Forests, the great American hardware store maintains a revered place in the commercial history of these United States. 


On the following pages, Home Channel News editors travel state-by-state to find examples of leading hardware store retailers. To those deserving candidates not on the list — and there are many — we offer this advice as consolation: “Keep up the good work. We’ll get to you eventually.” 


Bristol, Tenn. -- A carpenter from Halifax, England, outlasted some 16,000 tradesmen to win $10,000 in the finals of a tradesman skills competition held at the Bristol Motor Speedway during race day on Sunday. 

The event was part of a larger campaign by Irwin Tools to elevate and support the often underappreciated tradesman, according to organizers. "Tradesmen keep America running strong, and this is our way of saying thanks for what they do for our country," said Curt Rahilly, VP marketing for Irwin Tools.

Lowe's promoted four executives to key positions in merchandising, store operations and strategic planning. Here are the executives and their backgrounds:

Owens Corning has named two new executives to lead its building materials and composites divisions, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Chuck Dana has been appointed group president, building materials, and Arnaud Genis has been appointed group president, composites, succeeding Dana. These changes are effective immediately.

Karel Czanderna, currently the group president of the building materials group, has resigned and will leave the company following a transition period.