Beyond Hardware
Thinking Outside the Big Box
Matt Shapiro and Jim Marsh view their business as a modern take on the traditional hardware store — sized right for easy
shopping, yet with over 30,000 products and a service-focused commitment to the community. Located in Penfield, New York,
Beyond Hardware reflects its owners' determination to redefine how people shop for their home through a dynamic retail format
and philosophy that keeps the flavor local and goes above and beyond big box business as usual.
"Our goal is to build on a foundation and build it right. We can do anything that a big box can, but we're locally owned."
– Matt Shapiro and Jim Marsh, owners
FAC TS & STAT S
Store
Location
Retailers/Owners
Implementation
Format
Beyond Hardware True Value
Penfield, New York
Matt Shapiro and Jim Marsh
New (Ground up)
18,707 square feet with 15,700
square feet of retail space
Info of interest: When Matt Shapiro and
Jim Marsh teamed up to open Beyond
Hardware, the venture was new, but the
partnership was rooted in a lifelong
friendship. Both had grown up in Pittsford,
a suburb of Rochester, New York. Matt
moved around the country gaining handson experience in the hardware industry
through several high-profile positions. Jim's
career path took him to Boston and the
growth of his family's biotech research
lab products business. The unique
opportunity to launch a Destination True
Value hardware store near their hometown
brought them back to Penfield. Laying the
groundwork for future growth and multiple
locations, Matt and Jim bring upbeat
energy, a local sensibility and a welcoming
retail environment focused on winning the
loyalty of hometown customers.
Beyond Hardware
R E TAI L E R Q & A
“When customers
shop local, it stays
local. For every
dollar spent here,
62 cents stays in
the community.”
with Matt Shapiro and Jim Marsh
Q: What brought back "two guys from the neighborhood" to go into
the hardware business?
A: We saw a great opportunity to come back home and do our own thing while filling
a need in the market. As a big box alternative, Chase-Pitkin Home & Garden
pulled out several years ago and left a void in the Rochester market. We were
looking for something new and were intrigued and excited by the look, feel and
selection of the Destination True Value format. It was the right size — and the
right opportunity.
Q: How are you able to deliver the service of a neighborhood
hardware store with a big box selection?
A: True Value gives us the product selection. We can stay focused on driving service
day in and day out. Our staff also is very efficient at handling special orders.
Leveraging the True Value warehouse of more than 50,000 products allows us to
offer a bigger selection without carrying all the inventory. If we don't have it here,
a customer can place an order and it will be here within days.
Q: Can you provide some examples of "outside the big box" thinking?
A: Our product selection sets us apart. With pet supplies, we carry super premium
brands such as Wellness® and Eagle Pack® that you won't find in other stores.
No one has a fastener selection as large or unique. We also buy local. Turf Line®
fertilizer is formulated specifically for local soil conditions. We differentiate
ourselves with items not sold in the big boxes, like Finazzle® cleaning products.
Q: In what ways do you go beyond the big box with service?
A: Along with other services, we do handyman installs. If a customer buys a faucet
but needs installation, we can provide licensed and bonded professionals to
make it seamless. We're always taking service to the next level. We surprised
three families by delivering grills on Christmas day — complete with bows on
the products and elf hats on our heads.
Q: How is your store dedicated to investing in the community?
A: We stay active with donations and support – whether it's sponsoring a local little
league team or a Fourth of July float. We've donated to auctions and provided
lumber to Habitat for Humanity. We were among 10 stores chosen nationally
to partner with Energizer® to host a fire/safety education event for families
in the community.
Q: What's the key to building a staff that reflects your serviceoriented focus?
A: We've screened well. We have good, knowledgeable people and they fit into
our culture with good people skills. They like our format and the freshness and
energy we bring as owners. We take our business and service seriously, but the
atmosphere is fun. That comes through to the customer. People here are smiling.
Q: What do you want customers to leave the store knowing?
A: We are their neighborhood store and we're here to stay. We are a destination –
whether it's for nuts and bolts, a vacuum cleaner, food storage, workwear or
multi-tools. We offer our customers honest service, great value for their money
and we go beyond hardware to meet the everyday needs of their home.