DISTRIBUTORS/CO-OPS

Hardware store owners are getting into the social networking scene, using such Internet sites as...

Oak Brook, Ill.-based Ace Hardware Corp. hired Frank Carroll as general merchandise manager.

Reporting to senior VP merchandising, marketing and sales John Surane, Carroll will focus on merchandising strategy both domestically and internationally. 

HCN congratulates the 50 hardware store, home center and farm and ranch retailers who made the annual HCN Hardware Store All-Star list.

Now in its third year, HCN's annual list of high performers recognizes hardware stores -- one from each state -- that are outstanding in their field. The complete list and analysis can be found in the September issue of HCN. Meanwhile, HCN Daily will work its way across the country with mini profiles, continuing this week with New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

HCN congratulates the 50 hardware store, home center and farm & ranch retailers who made the annual HCN Hardware Store All-Star list.

Now in its third year, HCN's annual list of high performers recognizes hardware stores -- one from each state -- that are outstanding in their field. The complete list and analysis can be found in the September issue of HCN. Meanwhile, HCN Daily will work its way across the country with mini profiles, continuing this week with North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

Store design and the art of packing high-volume sales in a small space was one of the front-and-center topics at the True Value Market in Philadelphia.

The company's Destination True Value (DTV) initiative -- its store design and merchandising concept -- came to Philadelphia in a new package that measured just over 5,200 sq. ft. The concept store, on full display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, included 50% less lineal feet than the medium-size DTV format, but had 68% of the SKU count, according to the co-op.

The latest tally from the U.S. Department of Commerce showed housing starts in August at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 571,000.

The disappointing August rate -- analysts were expecting a pace of about 590,000 -- was 5% below July's downwardly revised figure, and 5.8% below the August 2010 rate of 606,000.

High praise from Indiana Chapter of Meeting Professionals International.

The Chicago-based co-op builds on its New Zealand connection