Do it Best

Even before her hour-long presentation at the Do it Best May Market on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Annette Bechtold was questioned about its potential impact on hardware retailers.

It happens all the time to Bechtold, senior VP regulatory affairs and reform initiatives for Digital Insurance.

"I laugh when I'm told 'you have an hour,'" Bechtold said about her presentation, "Preparing for Health Care Reform in 2014, What Employees Need to Know." "We could spend a day on it."

Taylor’s Do it Center of Virginia Beach, Va., celebrated the grand opening of its 11th store Saturday. 

The hardware store retailer’s newest store is in the Courthouse Marketplace shopping center in Virginia Beach. The store is the chain’s fifth in Virginia Beach.

 “It was an old fashioned grand opening with a board cutting, the mayor and chief of police,” said marketing manager Tom Townsend. The store’s soft opening took place in August.

At Pick & Shovel, a Do it Best dealer in Newport, Vermont, the time honored slogan is "If we don't have it, you don't need it."

Among the categories of this classic New England retailer are appliances, pet supplies, hobby goods, clothing, and even ice cream.

Do it Best Corp. has extended its contract with DemandTec, a provider of software for sales promotions. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based co-op uses two of DemandTec’s products, DemandTec's Promotion Planning & Management and Promotion Execution.

"With 4,000 member stores to support, it is very important for us to give each location as much autonomy as possible in communicating to their customers," said Tim Miller, VP marketing at Do it Best Corp.

Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Do it Best Corp. announced the appointment of new merchandise managers to replace three retiring managers, effective April 1, 2011.

The co-op appointed Gary Loosle for lawn and garden – green goods, Josh Meyer for paint and sundries, and Chris Steinlicht for rental and store supplies.

Do it Best Corp. has promoted Shane Burnworth to merchandise manager for the Farm & Ranch category, effective immediately.

Since joining the company in 2012, Burnworth has served as both an assistant and associate merchandise manager on the Farm & Ranch team.

In his new role, he will work closely with Do it Best member-owners in this growing category, bringing his extensive category experience, product knowledge and vendor and member relationships to bear on his new tasks.