True Value plans a Reunion with 'wow'

This year’s True Value Fall Reunion is bringing to Chicago the theme “The Value of Wow.”

Chief among the attention-grabbing initiatives is a $1 million Wow-Giveaway. The co-op says it’s giving away $1 million in product to four winners -- chosen by luck. Each will take away up to $250,000 in product inventory for their stores.

The first winner will be drawn on Sept. 18 to kick off the Friday afternoon General Session. Two other winners will be drawn on Saturday and another on Sunday.

The co-op’s Reunion Week in Chicago for the True Value Company is kicking off Sept. 16 with a community service project. The trade show floor will open early Friday morning.

According to President and CEO John Hartmann, the event will be about “The Wow our customers feel from the expert advice and superior service they get when they walk into the best hardware store in town," he said. "And the Wow our retailers experience when they hear about the innovative approaches now in place to enhance retailer relevance and profitability.”

The Wow theme also plays into the specials on the floor. Retailers in attendance will have all three days to save an additional 5% on the discounted “Wow 100 Deals.”

Also part of the Reunion, True Value will host a Retail Best Practices Conference on Sept. 17. The event offers networking opportunities, along with retail and business education. And on the McCormick Place Convention Center floor, new customized True Blue assortments will be on display. The co-op says retailers will have access to brand new, competitively priced power tool accessories, automotive, lawn and garden and paint CTB options, complete with planograms.

These assortments will be available for the first time at the Fall Reunion.