Featured DIStr i butor Featured DIStr i butor

by Tom Hammel the tool shed by Tom Hammel The tool shed celebrates 40 years of being “where the pros tool up” Toni, have intertwined their marriage at the age of 18. Howard Martin is and business successfully despite an avid woodworker who advises all the pitfalls that can occur when customers on all types of woodwork- working with a spouse. Nils jokingly ing questions. Don Frank’s experi- says that he’s fired Toni 500 times, ence as a mechanic makes him but then adds that she has quit The Tool Shed’s automotive expert. probably 1,000 times. Warehouse manager Doug Carver rounds out the core team. How does one work side by side with your spouse and keep from When Nils launched the busi- or 40 years, The Tool Shed ruining the marriage or the business? ness, The Tool Shed sold mechanics in Greenville, South Caro- It helps to have separate offices as tools and garage equipment. The lina, has built its business well as different job functions. Toni Tool Shed still features mechanic’s and reputation around the handles everything from payroll to hand tools and shop equipment, but slogan, “Where the pros accounts payable and receivable and woodworking machinery and power

www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com tool up.” This self-de- anything to do with money. Toni also tools dominate the showroom today. www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com scribedF retail tool store serves local manages the company’s health care This evolution of the product mix was contractors with power tools, acces- and benefit packages. heavily influenced by STAFDA. sories and specialty tools, many of which aren’t available anywhere else Neither Toni nor Nils wanted to Major influences in the area. jeopardize their family life to open “I was blown away by that first more stores, but they have poured STAFDA convention I attended,” Nils Today, with big box competitors their souls and considerable invest- recalls. “Seeing booth after booth of and specialty woodworking stores ment into building something of power tools was sexy but having the just down the street and the Internet which they and their employees can opportunity to talk with others in the literally overhead, founder and prin- be proud. industry really got me thinking about cipal owner Nils Lindbloom concen- how I could find the holy grail of the trates on keeping it that way. AUG | Each member of The Tool Shed tool business. Whatever was work- The Tool Shed’s owners AUG | team is a tool expert. The core team ing for another STAFDA member include (L-R) Toni Lindbloom, SEP 2017 Nils has spent virtually his whole is rounded out by Perry Barnard, seemed to be what The Tool Shed Perry Barnard and Nils SEP 2017 career at The Tool Shed, which he general manager and now part own- should be doing.” Lindbloom. Nils launched the store in 1977 and Terry cofounded in 1977. He and his wife, er, who joined the company in 1985 CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

ph o t s : J eff H amm nd joined the company in 1985 when he was just 18. 16 17 Featured DIStr i butor

The Tool Shed’s 15,000-square- foot showroom is laid out along the general plan of woodworking machines and tools on one side and mechanics tools on the other, with a bit of crossover in between. by Tom Hammel “our best customer still is only respon- sible for less than 3 percent of our sales. Over the years, this diversity has helped soften the effects of recessions and changes in the marketplace.” Nils Lindbloom, president, The tool shed

Nils joined STAFDA in 1987 and parts and only repair their brands, so Today, customers can walk has been mining its conventions, they handle repairs more efficiently,” through the 15,000-square-foot trade shows and training programs says Don Frank, who handles cus- store on the original hardwood floors. for gold ever since. tomer service for repairs. “We find Some still wax nostalgic about fun that we can offer faster turn around times they had there in the past. “STAFDA’s influence on our busi- and save our customers money by ness has been very significant,” Nils utilizing factory service centers for Walk on in says. “I would come home from repairs. But some customers want Walk-in trade accounts for up to a STAFDA convention or regional to repair their own tools, so we also 90 percent of Tool Shed business, meeting with 100 ideas. What stock many common parts.” so the showroom is a major focus, lines should we carry? Should we and making displays look clean, rent and repair tools? How about historic proportions organized and compelling is every delivery? Outside sales? Increase the Eventually it dawned on Nils that employee’s job. Display philosophies showroom? Talking to people in the one of The Tool Shed’s best assets have evolved through many ap-

www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com booths and other distributors really was the building itself. Purchased proaches, but a significant change opened my eyes about the power in 1978, The Tool Shed building is was the elimination of locked display tool business, not only for business a Greenville landmark located on cases and security cables on power direction and new lines but also for Poinsett Highway, a high traffic count tools. Placing the front counter near the advice that STAFDA offered on gateway into the fourth fastest the door allows staff to help custom- everything from hiring and warehous- growing city in the United States. ers and deter potential shoplifters. ing to financing. That was hugely significant.” Originally constructed in 1950 Power tools are organized by type as a skating rink, the building later so a customer can conveniently One such direction was tool repair. became the Poinsett Auditorium, Vil- compare models side by side. Cord- The company performed tool repair lage Barn and Blueridge Playhouse less tools are an exception since, as for a number of years, but phased it and was rented out for gospel sing- “system tools,” it makes more sense

AUG | out after Nils realized his technicians ing groups, Motown bands, dances, to keep then organized by brand were performing mainly unprofitable weddings and boxing matches. With and voltage. Accessories are usually SEP 2017 warranty work. its open interior space, wood floors located adjacent to the appropriate and distinctive barrel roof, it became that uses them, though “The manufacturers stock all the a popular destination. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

18 Featured DIStr i butor A customer’s truck leaves The Tool Shed on its way to a job site. The building, a former skating rink dating to 1950, is a Greenville landmark that has hosted Motown bands, dances and boxing matches. by Tom Hammel “our product knowledge, breadth of in-stock items and competitive pricing are important, but what helps set us apart from the Amazons of the world is the shopping experience.” Perry barnard, general manager, The tool shed

there are exceptions. Rather than remember where they saw it when and his team wanted to cater to pro displaying saw blades right next to the need arises.” users, they decided to offer premium saws, they keep the Freud and Dia- products only. Vendor selection blo area intact. Of course, there are After being in business for 40 became much simpler in 2001 when always exceptions where it makes years, The Tool Shed has more The Tool Shed joined Sphere 1. more sense to segregate products than 1,000 customers with open by customer type. Metal cutting accounts, although 70 percent of “Joining Sphere 1 was one of the circular saw blades, for example, their business is in some form of best decisions I ever made,” Nils are placed near products oriented cash. The accounts include con- says. “There are very few exceptions towards metal working clientele. struction and industrial, government, where we don’t use Sphere 1 sup- schools and ironworking, woodwork- pliers and most of those are either “We pride ourselves on making ing and automotive customers. because a given line is not relevant sure a customer is waited on as for the cooperative or the manufac- soon as they walk through the Safety in numbers turer is unique in the market. door. Time is money to these guys The Tool Shed has such a wide www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com and a lot of times they just want variety of clientele that it is not “For example, SawStop and to get it and go,” Nils says. “The dependent on any one market, nor Festool are extremely popular lines showroom is generally laid out with overly reliant on just a few high- for us and have a significant presen- consideration of the type of work volume customers. tation in the store. As much as we our customer does and what he’ll want to stay within Sphere 1’s ‘circle need, but we understand it’s hard to “Our best customer still is only of love,’ we still have to stock what anticipate that different contractor responsible for less than 3 percent the customer wants.” types may need similar tools,” of our sales,” Nils states. “Over Nils explains. “We basically have the years, this diversity has helped By using mainly Sphere 1 vendors, woodworking on one side of the soften the effects of recessions and The Tool Shed has been able to showroom and more mechanics changes in the marketplace.” grow and strengthen those relation- tools on the other. ships and obtain more favorable

AUG | Having such a diverse customer programs. The Tool Shed has been a “Of course, there is cross-over base brings its own challenges. It’s “ house” since the 1980s and SEP 2017 between trades too, so we want the difficult to purchase such a broad the Sphere 1 programs have only customer to see all we have to offer range of products and remain strengthened that relationship.

because it’s impressive and they will competitive. Ultimately, because Nils CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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RLR21010_ZeroSickDays_8375x10875_0514.indd 1 5/6/14 3:38 PM Featured DIStr i butor

Watching the web knowledge that we do,” Perry notes. “You’ve got to be aware of “They like to sell meat and pota- internet competition and stay toes but we also carry the Brussels competitive on price,” Perry notes. sprouts and asparagus. Every day “We find our typical pro customer a Home Depot or Lowes’ employee needs it today and appreciates the sends a customer to The Tool Shed, personal nature of dealing with a saying, ‘They’ll have it.’ local business that they trust. Our product knowledge, breadth of in- “We also frequently sell to other stock items and competitive pricing distributors, and in some cases it’s are important, but what helps set us almost like they are an outside sales apart from the Amazons of the world force for us,” Perry adds. is the shopping experience.”

by Tom Hammel Forty years of business has gener- “You can’t put your head in the ated a lot of word of mouth adver- From his days in a big box store, sand about Amazon,” Nils says. tising, but sometimes that word of Don Frank brought an appreciation “Amazon is the most significant mouth isn’t just to acquaintances, of the value of a well merchandised competitor for retailers like us be- but to generations. Numerous Tool showroom. An avid learner, Don has also taken more than 400 cause it drives margins. We would Shed customers shop here because Sphere 1 training courses. need to devote sizable resources to “Dad shopped here.” be competitive with Amazon on the CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 internet and at this point, we want to “In a lot of cases we can offer spe- focus on what we do best. The Tool Shed cial deals to our customers that can’t at a Glance be found with the big box stores or “It’s interesting that Amazon on the internet,” Perry points out. recently rolled out retail book stores Founded: 1977 in several markets and just bought Ownership: Privately held The Tool Shed also encourages Whole Foods,” he adds. “Could it be Headquarters: Greenville, SC employees to build their product that the predicted demise of ‘brick Facility: 10,000-square-foot showroom, knowledge through Sphere 1’s online and mortar’ stores is premature?” 5,000-square-foot warehouse on one acre preferred supplier courses. Don Staff: 8 Frank, who also does a lot of mer- In the end, Nils believes there is line card advertisers chandising work in the showroom, an opportunity in challenges from in this issue: Locate these advertisers using has taken more than 400 Sphere 1 the internet. the advertiser index on page 8. training courses. , driltec, freud/diablo tools, “The internet makes us raise our power tools, festool, , The Tool Shed staff all love tools game,” he says. “The displays have stabila, sunex tools

www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com and enjoy selling them. Whenever to be better, the experience has to MARKETS: Construction, Industrial, schools, Nils writes up a customer at the front be better.” municipal and government, ironworkers, counter he always thanks them and woodworkers and automotive says, “Have fun!” He occasionally The Tool Shed maintains good Services: Equipment assembly and delivery gets a weird look (especially from relationships with other STAFDA Lead Lines: , Champion Cutting Tools, Crain, CLC Custom Leather someone buying something as “un- distributors in town as well as the big Craft, DeWalt, Driltec, ERB Safety, FallTech, fun” as a sledge hammer) but for the box stores. An ironic twist of those Fast Cap, Fein, Festool, Freud, GearWrench, most part the response is a laugh relationships is that rather than taking Gorilla Glue, Hitachi, Imperial Blades, Irwin, and a grin. a big bite of The Tool Shed’s busi- JET, JOBOX, Klein Tools, Kreg, Lackmond, ness, Nils and Perry discovered that Lenox, Makita, Marshalltown, Milwaukee, Nebo, Newborn, Norton Abrasives, Occidential “I hope our customers feel the big boxes have been a boon to it. Leather, Porter Cable, Powermatic, Quik Drive, enthusiasm we have for this business Radians, Reed, Sawstop, Senco, Simpson

AUG | and enjoy coming here,” he says. “What we found over time was that Strong-Tie, Southwire, Stabila, Stanley, “We don’t live in a vacuum, but in a they helped us immensely because Stiletto, Sunex, Tajima, Werner Ladders, SEP 2017 very competitive environment that they brought all the contractors over Woodstock International, Wright Tool includes other STAFDA houses, big to this side of town, but they didn’t Affiliations: STAFDA, Sphere 1 box stores and the internet.” have the breadth of line or product Website: www.thetoolshedinc.com

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IC192_CS Ad_FP_August-September 2017 7-6-2017.indd 1 7/6/17 3:00 PM Featured DIStr i butor Light gauge steel fastening solutions from ET&F. by Tom Hammel “I think the future looks great. Being a small company actually helps us in a lot of ways.” toni Lindbloom, Controller, The tool shed The Tool Shed attracts a broad Still, The Tool Shed depends so year, customers receive a $10 gift range of customers from con- struction and industrial plant and much on walk-in trade they feel they card for every $100 they spend. The MRO crews to schools, govern- need to advertise. Past campaigns customer can spend it on the spot, ment and automotive shops. usually coincided with open houses. but many keep the card and have Nils has used TV, radio, newspaper, value added to it over the month. to walk-in trade, but those strategies email and direct mail. Vendors would continue to work for The Tool Shed. typically set up for Friday and a half- Some customers want the store to day on Saturday. track their purchases for the month Skating on ahead and then earn one large gift card at Nils and his team at The Tool Shed “We tried all of the formulas: Miss the end of the promotional period. are bullish on the future. A county Makita, Hooters girls and give- Either way, the gift card ends up in project promises to improve the road aways,” says Nils. “But after all the their wallet and is a huge incentive to past his store and bring even more discounts, free food and media buys, choose The Tool Shed the next time customers, Greenville’s economy we reached the conclusion that they need to stock up. continues to grow and Tool Shed although we sold a bunch of stuff, sales grew 15 percent last year. we weren’t making much money. “Gift cards are advertising that doesn’t cost us anything until it “I think the future looks great,” Toni www.ContractorSupplyMagazine.com “And in some ways, we were do- works,” Nils observes. “We find that says. “Being a small company actu- ing a disservice to our customers,” the gift cards are used for the higher- ally helps us in a lot of ways. Many he adds. “The events were like feed- margin ‘wants’ of the contractor. companies lost business a few years ing frenzies. Yes, we were getting There are occasions where someone back but going through downturns new people into our store, but they wants you to match a competitor’s has not hurt us in the past. I think weren’t getting the level of service price. Rather than just lower the it’s because Nils has always been that we would normally give them.” price we may offer a gift card for conservative and kept a tight rein on the difference. The customer wins how fast we grew.” The gift that keeps on and perhaps we will win a customer. The labor-saving alternative to traditional fasteners for cold formed steel framing. So, 15 years ago, The Tool Shed Whatever balance we have out- Winning new customers every day Engineers, architects, and building officials rely on code-approved drive pins from ET&F. Our commercial- began to promote itself in a different standing on a gift card we consider while retaining old ones by being way. Instead of discounting prices an asset, not a liability.” the place “where the pros tool up” grade high carbon heat-treated steel pins have ballistic points to penetrate the hardest substrates at the

AUG | across the board for a one- or two- has kept The Tool Shed in business same speed as driving into wood. ET&F - Now part of the BECK Fastener Group. day open house, they began to award Of course, Nils knows that not for 40 years. Perhaps the key to SEP 2017 Tool Shed gift cards toward the pur- every distributor can or would want the “holy grail” that Nils had been Get professionally connected chases of products from participating to handle gift cards, invest in a searching for all those years was at by visiting www.etf-fastening.com vendors. In May and October each showroom or dedicate their business The Tool Shed all along. or call 800-248-2376.

24 BECK Fastener Group® and ET&F Fastening Systems® are registered trademarks of the BECK Fastener Group. www.etf-fastening.com

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