Gerry Smith This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. News-Leader.com | Business

   www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs. - [Cached]

   Published on: 9/22/2005   Last Visited: 9/22/2005

   Owner: Gerry Smith
   
   When business started: The hardware store opened in 1949. Smith bought it in 1997.
   
   Location: 1844 N. Glenstone Ave.
   
   Number of employees: Five.
   
   About the business: Smith operates a full-service hardware store. The clientele is mostly do-it-yourselfers and commercial accounts, he said.
   
   Smith says Consumer's Hardware offers services of a bygone era that have sustained the business through the introduction of big-box stores and mass competition. Smith credits his hard-to-find services like kerosene heater wick replacement, Sun Twin heater repair or screen and window repair as the reason for the business's longevity.
   
   Offering a broad mix of brands helps the family-owned business accommodate the customer. Where big-box stores have mandates from a corporation on what to buy, Smith said he goes on gut instinct. "I am constantly looking for merchandise that enables us to remain competitive in the marketplace."
   
   Difference from competition: "The loyal customer base," said the owner. The sales staff is encouraged to learn the first names of customers frequenting the store and to get to know them, he said.
   
   Listening to the needs and requests of the clientele is important, too, said Smith. If he doesn't have an item, he doesn't mind ordering it.
   
   How business started: Smith grew up in Kansas and enjoyed the hardware stores of his childhood. As a young man, he was able to join the management training program at Payless Cashways and started working his way up.
   
   The management training program required several relocations for Smith during his career. He was moved to Springfield 21 years ago to work as an assistant store manager. He was becoming positioned to operate his own store when the corporation informed him of another transfer, that time to Houston, Texas. Smith said no.
   
   He began working at Consumer's Hardware in 1984 as general manager. He was able to purchase the business and become the second owner in the business's 56-year history in 1997.
   
   Roots of success: Smith said over the past three years, the business has experienced a growth spurt.
   
   In 1999, Consumer's Hardware and other small hardware operations took a hit when big-box stores came to Springfield, he said. Smith knew that if he held on and maintained quality, customers would return. They did, in surprising numbers, too. "Small operations are surviving because we work hard at customer service," he said.
   
   Toughest part of business: Long hours, hard work and sleepless nights filled with worry are the pitfalls of owning a business, said Smith.
   
   Most rewarding: Customers offer compliments on the store's appearance and how happy they are with the service, said Smith. Those comments make him sure he is doing something right, he said.