Throwback Thursday: Hechinger's Home Decor
The July 4, 1994 issue of National Home Center News, the forerunner of HBSDealer, reported "Home decor Hechinger's main Project: New Home Project Center lures mature customers with airier design, stress on decorating."
Here's how the editors described the scene in Laurel, Md. where Hechinger's new Home Project Center was pushing its softer side. "The home decor department is now the focal point of Hechinger's latest prototype, which debuted here last month. Customers entering through the new central entrance are led directly down the power aisle to the home decor department that dominates the cross-power aisle, too.
The HPC power aisle
"Flooring, window coverings and wallpaper form the nucleus of this brightly lit area that is carpeted to set it apart from the rest of the store. Surrounding these three categories are ceramic tile, mini-blinds, picture frames and mirrors."
Hechinger's Ken Cort, president, led NHCN on a tour of the new store.
The report added: "The most striking characteristic of the new store is that it feels much smaller than its 94,000 square feet. Signage, wider aisles and bright lights create this feeling."
The article was accompanied by several bright, clean photos of the store's interior.
Hechinger's valiant effort to appeal to the "sophisticated home improvement customer" didn't last. The company liquidated in 1999, about 5 years after it opened its Luarel, Md., store.
HBSDealer’s Throwback Thursday is sponsored by Schaffer Associates, a national management consulting firm specializing in executive search and organizational strategies for the hardware, home improvement, building materials, and consumer products industries. As the premier management consulting firm serving the industry, we help build organizations and leadership teams that foster corporate growth and success well into the future. Contact SchafferAssociates.com.
Here's how the editors described the scene in Laurel, Md. where Hechinger's new Home Project Center was pushing its softer side. "The home decor department is now the focal point of Hechinger's latest prototype, which debuted here last month. Customers entering through the new central entrance are led directly down the power aisle to the home decor department that dominates the cross-power aisle, too.
The HPC power aisle"Flooring, window coverings and wallpaper form the nucleus of this brightly lit area that is carpeted to set it apart from the rest of the store. Surrounding these three categories are ceramic tile, mini-blinds, picture frames and mirrors."
Hechinger's Ken Cort, president, led NHCN on a tour of the new store.
The report added: "The most striking characteristic of the new store is that it feels much smaller than its 94,000 square feet. Signage, wider aisles and bright lights create this feeling."
The article was accompanied by several bright, clean photos of the store's interior.
Hechinger's valiant effort to appeal to the "sophisticated home improvement customer" didn't last. The company liquidated in 1999, about 5 years after it opened its Luarel, Md., store.
HBSDealer’s Throwback Thursday is sponsored by Schaffer Associates, a national management consulting firm specializing in executive search and organizational strategies for the hardware, home improvement, building materials, and consumer products industries. As the premier management consulting firm serving the industry, we help build organizations and leadership teams that foster corporate growth and success well into the future. Contact SchafferAssociates.com.