Q&A With Ace Hardware CEO
March 10, 2009 A hardware industry publication recently sat down with Ace Hardware CEO Ray Griffith and asked him about the company turning 85, and how it can stay relevant to today’s consumers. Some of the interview, conducted by Home Channel News, also touched on the lawn and garden side of the business, which he anticipates growing in the future. Here’s a segment of the conversation:
HCN: What do the hardware stores have going for them?
Griffith: “The consumer is cocooning more. They are thinking about their homes still as their biggest financial investment. And cocooning involves making the home a more enjoyable place to be. Some of that goes with outdoor living, more than just lawn and garden. It involves patio furniture and grills, certainly gardening.
“I think there is another factor, at least across the North. After all the bad economic news and as spring hits, people are ready to get out and work in their yards and get back to some basics. I think that bodes well for the business.”
Read the entire story here.
In other Ace Hardware news, the company made BusinessWeek’s list of 25 Customer Service Champs. Ace Hardware came in at No. 10, and True Value also appeared in the 23rd spot. No other home improvement stores made the list. The No. 1 spot went to Amazon.com. To see the list, click here.
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