Stihl Hardware All Stars: Mich., Minn., N.C.

From old-time, traditional hardware stores to modern building supply dealers, the 2017 class of Stihl Hardware All Stars takes all kinds. If a store connects with the community, evolves with the customer and engages with the industry -- then there is all-star material at work.

The following three honorees are a representative sample of the wide range of All Star players across the country. HBSDealer selected one retailer from each state: Here are Michigan, Minnesota and North Carolina:

Michigan

Zeeland Lumber and Supply

This Zeeland, Mich.-based company earned industry accolades in 2006 as Independent Pro Dealer of the Year. And as evidence of its All-Star approach, the company never stopped growing, changing and adapting. First came a new slogan: “Build. Trust.” Then diversification into six business units, including concept showroom and truss. And expansion has been a steady, continuous story — most recently in Mishawaka, facility number seven. “It’s amazing how much we’ve changed since 2006, and we’re still growing,” CEO Mike Dykstra said.

Minnesota

Carlson Do it Best Hardware

Serving the community of Nisswa, in central Minnesota, Greg and Kari Carlson’s store caters to cabin dwellers and lake lovers. Top sellers at Carlson Do it Best include insect repellent and propane. Customer service is a natural for the Carlsons. “We’re just always here for the people in the cabins and the people who enjoy the lake,” Greg Carlson said. The Carlsons were recently recognized by the local school district as “Volunteers of the Year.”

North Carolina

Burney True Value

Best known as purveyors of hard-to-find items, this landmark institution in Aberdeen has nearly completed a five-year plan to renovate and expand its business, growing from 12,000 to 13,500 sq. ft. in the primary retail area, plus an addition that connects the shop to a nearby 10,000-sq.-ft. building. The store includes refinished floors that resemble marble, and a relocated counter custom-built with reclaimed heart pinewood from an old train depot in Goldsboro. “We wanted to be an old-time traditional hardware store,” co-owner Jim Ransdell said. 

See the full Class of 2017 All Stars  — presented by Stihl — in the May issue of HBSDealer