Meet the 2023 STIHL Hardware All Stars: Mich., Minn., Miss.
Here are the next three in the latest class of STIHL 2023 Hardware Store All Stars that represent community-oriented, customer-focused, high-performance hardware-and-building-supply retailing at its finest. From each of the 50 states, HBSDealer recognized an All-Star performer.
You can read about all 50 honorees here in the digital issue of HBSDealer. Additionally, HBSDealer.com will highlight a handful of honorees one batch at a time. This year’s superstar performers from Michigan, Minnesota and Mississippi are featured below.
Michigan
Allendale True Value and Rental
Recent winner of STIHL’s territory of the year award in the Midwest region, this hardware store serves a Midwestern beach community 15 miles east of Lake Michigan. It has undergone renovations and expansion as it transitions toward the future, under the care of co-owner Chad Ayers. The store continues to add new product lines in all categories with a particular focus on expanding its selection of major appliances.
Minnesota
More than thirty years ago, this store opened with one goal in mind, to be the Friendliest Store in Town. Owner Kendall Crosby started working in 1976 at the age of 14 at his hardware store in West St. Paul, and in 2005 he opened his second store. Now his daughter Ashley and her husband Matt are taking over the store to carry on the friendly tradition. Their store cats Makita and Stanley, and dog Cleo greet every customer.
Mississippi
Owner Lee Nabors opened his fourth location last year and the once pro-oriented lumberyard has evolved into a welcoming, inclusive environment influenced by popular social media sites and home improvement shows. After the recent severe storms in Mississippi, Lee and his wife and co-owner Millette made the 40-mile drive from their home in Houston, Miss., to Amory to help with cleanup. Soon after, their store became a recovery center helping their community.
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Special thanks to STIHL for its support of the ALL-STAR project. (Note: Not all honorees are STIHL dealers.)
