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Discount Store News, August 22, 1988

Buyers Dredge Hardware Show for Trends

CHICAGO--A large contingent of discounters were among the 72,000 people expected at this month's National Hardware Show. Discount store buyers told DSN they would be scouring the aisles looking for new products, merchandising programs and packaging innovations to help drive their hard lines business.

Particularly important to many discounters this year are lawn and garden furniture and accessories, hardware items suitable for developing the burgeoning female DIY market, cordless tools, and general supplies of basic hardware.

Discounters are also looking to determine what the trends will be over the coming year, something many admit is unclear right now.

"I haven't seen anything so far that will set the world on fire," said George Glidden, K mart's divisional merchandise manager for home improvement, noting that he had already seen most manufacturers' newest offerings prior to the show.

Looking for Hardware Trends

However, Glidden said when he goes to the Hardware Show he always looks to see what the trends are, particularly in merchandising displays, color, home improvement merchandise, horticulture, and lawn and garden products. This year, he is interested in seeing what will be the popular colors in garden planters.

Alan Close, vice president and general merchandise manager of hard lines at Ames, said he, too, is looking for the newest trends, particularly in lawn and garden furniture. But generally, Close said he is going to the Hardware Show looking to determine "what's going to be hot."

During the four-day event, held here Aug. 14 to 17 at McCormick Place, discounters were expected to see 2,205 exhibitors, 100 more than last year, spread out over 780,000 square feet of exhibition space in all three McCormick Place buildings, 10,000 more square feet than were utilized for the 1987 event.

The size, scope and organization of the Hardware Show has made it a premier event in the hard lines industry, according to discounters. In fact, one discounter, Darol Beecher, senior vp and general merchandise manager for hard lines at Prange Way, feels the Hardware Show is the "best show ever produced."

Prior to the show, Beecher said he and his buying staff would be looking for new products to expand Prange Way's inventory of hardware items geared to female DIYers, an "exploding business" for the discounter. He said he is not only going to beef up on pastel-colored hardware items but also find hand tools specifically designed to fit women's hands and weight requirements.

Beecher said he would also be looking for decorative accessories in the lawn and garden area to enhance his current selection and planned to scan the offerings in home security even though the category has not proved successful for the Green Bay, Wis.-based discounter.

At Gee Bee, seasonals buyer Stan Gold said he would be paying particular attention to finding new products to add to his grill accessories area and more resin garden furniture.

Products for Female DIYers

Joe Meyers, hardware buyer for Quality Farm & Fleet, Muskegon, Mich., said he would be looking for new electric power tools, cordless tools, "a main subject," tool boxes and fasteners. He said he also would be "keeping his eyes open" for some female DIY products suitable for gift giving during the holiday season.

Bradlees' Herb Douglas, vice president and general merchandise manager for hard lines, said each buyer attends the show with a list of specific objectives, but overall they would be "looking around for items."

Douglas said the Braintree, Mass.-based discount chain no longer emphasizes broad assortments of hardware but rather particular items. "We are becoming item people," he said, noting that the hardware business "needs a breath of something" to stimulate sales--and that is generally found in specific hardware items.

PHOTO : Basic hardware items are still a staple in most discounters' hardware departments, including the new Ames prototype in Winsted, Conn.