United States of America
Renee Changnon is a writer and editor specializing in creative storytelling and feature writing. She has been writing for the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) trade publication, Hardware Retailing magazine, for four years. In addition, she contributes to multiple trade publications in the home improvement industry, including Paint and Decorating Retailer magazine. Prior to her role with NRHA, Renee was a traveling marketer with Jimmy John’s corporate. In college, she wrote for her college newspaper as a weekly columnist, and was the features editor her senior year.
When Peter Loveland heads to work, he knows he's walking in the footsteps of family members that came before him. Loveland is the fifth generation to manage his family's home improvement business, Maze Lumber. Founded in Peru, Illinois, in 1848 by Samuel Nesbitt Maze, it continues to thrive today.
When customers arrive at Oak Hill Hardware in Scarborough, Maine, they know they'll be greeted with a smile and a wagging tail. Black lab mix Rivet is a local celebrity, sought out by children and adults who drop in sometimes just to see her.
At Plain Hardware, customers can find all of the products and information they need to dive into the backyard birding hobby. Last summer, the store even hosted a bird watching event with Susan Ballinger, a biologist, naturalist and educator from the area.
Green thumbs from all over gathered in Chicago at Navy Pier to discover the latest trends in the lawn and garden category at the Independent Garden Center Show (IGC), which ran Aug. 14-16. Even with thousands of interesting items on display, these six trends caught Hardware Retailing editor Renee Changnon's attention.
When customers arrive at Bear Hardware in Nashville, Indiana, they are welcomed by a giant carved wooden bear and a friendly team of employees. While the store has all the products anyone needs for a DIY project, it also caters to outdoor adventure-seeking tourists through its extensive camping department.
"When a client is ready to update their bathroom, the first thing I want them to select is a new, upgraded toilet that not only functions well, but looks great, too," says Ebony Stephenson, owner of Designs by Ebony in Newport News, Virginia. While the toilet may not seem like a very trendy product, Stephenson insists this necessary piece can make or break a bathroom’s design. Hardware Retailing spoke to design professionals from across the country, including Stephenson, to find out the...
Imagine the home of the future five, 10 or 20 years from now. What do you see? If your vision doesn't include advancing technology or an interconnected smart home, think again. In this article, Hardware Retailing will highlight some of the latest smart plumbing trends that are catching consumers' attention.
In March, Renee Changnon, profiles editor at the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) joined small-business advocacy group Independent We Stand for its annual road trip. The Great American River Road Trip took them 1,400 miles along the Mississippi River, visiting independents in cities during the trip.
When Mina Starsiak Hawk graduated from Indiana University in 2007, she decided to rehab a home. With the support of her mom, Karen E Laine, she bought a house and their interest in rehabbing homes began. That hobby lead to a business called Two Chicks and a Hammer, which is highlighted on the hit HGTV show "Good Bones."
Growing up in Southeast Texas, Jason Ballard was conflicted. He spent his days playing outside in a heavily forested, biodiverse area called the Big Thicket National Preserve. However, that same community was also home to a very high concentration of oil refineries.