Retailer, wholesaler form joint venture

A retailer who spent three decades working at Mazur’s Discount store chain has joined forces with a wholesaler to open a new hardware store outlet in Birmingham, Ala., according to an article in the Birmingham News.

Home and Hardware Outlet, which opened in early October, is co-owned by Keith Russell, who operates a wholesale business in Pelham, and Danny Lambert, who left a position as head of purchasing at Mazer's Avondale store five years ago and opened his own outlet store, Lake Home Center, in Pell City in 2007.

The new store also employs assistant manager Trista Cox, who spent 20 years at the Mazer's chain before it closed last month after nearly 80 years in business.

Lambert told the newspaper that Home & Hardware Outlet will be similar to his Lake Home Center in Pell City, which sells items bought at a discount ranging from kitchen cabinets to flooring. Much of Home & Hardware Outlet's initial merchandise came from a major closeout of goods acquired from an unnamed national hardware store chain, plus other liquidation, closeout and bankruptcy goods.

''This is all-new, name-brand inventory,'' Russell said. ''We have two new truckloads of merchandise coming in this week, and will add new items every day.''