New Jersey pro dealer Madison Township Lumber & Supply Co. passed the half-century mark this year. 

Serving the entire Garen State, the single-unit location in Matawan, N.J., was founded in 1962 by Anthony J. Martorana Sr., who remains as CEO of the family business. His wife, Louise Ann, is CFO and son Anthony Jr. serves as VP sales and operations.

The dealer distributes BlueLinx I Joist and Billet Beams, hardware, lumber, millwork, Silver Line Windows and Benjamin Moore Paint. 

In March of 1945, Vernon Lester Carr started V.L. Carr & Son Pattern Co. in an old metal shop behind his house in Los Angeles. His son, Wendell Whittaker Carr, joined him later that year at the end of World War II after his return from serving as a patternmaker in the Navy. 

Today, CARR is a third-generation, family owned, American-made manufacturer headquartered in Southern California. 

In Kensington, Md., 90-year-old Mizell Lumber and Hardware, a company that once delivered plywood to the White House in a wagon drawn by horses, closed over the weekend.

One owner, Jeannine Mizell, described the struggles as a "slow death," according to a report at MyFoxdc.com.

San Antonio — The layoffs, bankruptcies, pay cuts and long hours that have cast a pall over the industry for the last several years were pushed aside for three days last month as LBM executives gathered here to greet old friends, catch up on gossip, and maybe learn a thing or two about how to run a better business. The 2011 ProDealer Industry Summit, co-sponsored by the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and Home Channel News, hosted 100-plus pro dealers and LBM distributors from more than 65 companies Oct. 26 to 28.

Springfield, Mass.-based Rocky’s Ace Hardware, a 33-store New England chain, is marking its 85th anniversary with a celebration culminating Oct. 19 to 24 with special events, including 85-cent sales and $85 gift-card giveaways.

Rocky’s was founded in 1926, by Rocco (Rocky) Falcone Sr., located at the corner of Main and Union Streets in downtown Springfield, Mass., and tradition of service remains in effect today at all Rocky’s stores from Florida to New Hampshire.

Joining the ranks of new Ace Hardware dealers is Ralph Peperone, a retired police lieutenant from New Orleans who plans to open a 10,322-sq.-ft. store in the town of Oakland, Tenn., according to an article in the Memphis Business Journal.

Corpus Christi, Texas — Most people who look at the rising condominiums along the beach at Port Aransas think “vacation.” But for executives at Zarsky Lumber, the thought is “opportunity.”


Continuing the alphabetical, coast-to-coast rundown of high-performing American hardware stores, here are three distinguished dealers from Nebraska, Nevada and New Hampshire:

• Nebraska

 Q.P. Ace Hardware With deep roots in the Lincoln community, Q.P. Ace Hardware has four locations. You can get a free bag of popcorn at any one of them. Founded in 1966, the business was handed down to Doug and Lisa Long in 1999, son-in-law and daughter of the founders. 

Suspects are being sought by federal authorities for allegedly stealing $130,000 worth of merchandise from Lowe’s by smuggling it out in toilet and sink boxes, according to an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer. 

Westlake Ace Hardware and Price Hardware True Value were recognized for excellence during the 2011 Golden Hammer Awards ceremony held at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas.

George Smith, CEO of Lenexa, Kan.-based Westlake Ace Hardware accepted the Retailer of the Year award. John Price accepted the Tools of the Trade award for Price Hardware True Value of Atlanta, Texas.

John Price said a fairly typical customer in his Price Hardware True Value store used to stop in for a PVC elbow or similar pipe fitting and be gone in about 10 minutes. Today, that customer is apt to grab a shopping cart, stroll through the aisles and purchase several items.