The 2012 Home Chanel News Hardware Store All-Star list recognizes stores that in some way, shape or form distinguish themselves among competitors and customers.

The four stores listed here are part of a larger group -- one store from each state in the country -- that represent the hardware store virtues of ingenuity, helpfulness and customer service. Here are stores from Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire and New Jersey: 

Branchburg, N.J.-based LBM distributor Mid-State Lumber announced the culmination of an 18-month plan to expand into New England and announced its New England sales team.

"Today a complete staff is working with a 100% focus of supporting the retail lumber dealers and industry associations in the states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire," according to a company statement. The New England team is led by Mike Kelly, New England sales manager.

Jackson Lumber & Millwork has agreed to purchase the assets of the Eastern Lumber Co. in Amesbury, Mass., according to an article in the Newbury Port News.

The 14,000 sq. ft. former Eastern Lumber store, which sits on 3.5 acres, closed last June after 61 years in business.

Manchester, N.H., police are looking for a suspect who pulled an electronic stun gun on a loss prevention officer at a local Home Depot store. The Nov. 9 robbery, reported by WMUR television news, started as a shoplifting incident until the individual -- described as a white man in his 20s, about 5 ft. 9 ins. tall and 160 pounds -- was confronted when leaving the store without paying for two lawnmower engine bands. The merchandise was valued at approximately $150. 

After the economic crash of 2008-2009, retailers that successfully weathered the storm may be tempted to breathe a sigh of relief. However, John B. Heroux, president of Colonial Lumber Management in Bedford, N.H., and 48-year veteran of the wholesale building materials business, warned managers not to let their guard down.

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. 

East Coast Tile Group signed an exclusive master distribution arrangement with StonePeak Ceramics in the eastern United States. 

Under terms of the deal, East Coast Tile divisions Best Tile and Tile America will use their infrastructure to supply commercial-grade porcelain tiles to customers and prospects in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

A Home Depot store in Concord, N.H., reopened late on Jan. 24 after a pick-up truck drove through the wall of a local residence and landed in the living room. According to the story in the Union Leader, the driver of the pick-up lost control of the vehicle on a 90-degree curve in the road and plowed completely through the living room wall. The occupants of the home -- a man and his 7-year-old twin daughters -- escaped injury. But they needed to repair the damage enough to get through the night.