GENTRY -- With the recent closing of Gentry's Walmart and the closing of a long-time Gentry business, Park's Lumber, Randy Bever, owner of Bever's Ace Hardware on Gentry's Main Street, issued a plea to Gentry-area residents to shop local first lest other Gentry businesses also disappear.
Following the Walmart closure, Bever posted to Facebook, "Dear neighbors, here at Bever's Ace Hardware, we want and need your business. Over the last several years, several long-time local brands have closed their doors and sadly disappeared. Now one of the world's largest retailers is abandoning our communities along Arkansas 59 and people ask me what I think. Nationwide, Wall Street retailers are knocking out local icons. After 114 years, we don't intend to join them, so we have spent these last few years investing in and improving our business. While our 'a-MAZE-ing' facility may not be world-class, we believe a lot of our operation is approaching these levels."
The problem, Bever says, is that residents shop local for the little things but fail to consider shopping local first for all their needs. He says his hardware store can usually meet or beat prices of major chains with stores in neighboring towns but many shoppers just leave town and travel to the big stores out of habit.
Bever said he didn't expect local customers to spend more money to shop local and pointed out that his store is part of an award-winning world-class organization and his business has spent "tens of thousands of dollars reinvesting in Gentry" to give local customers "something that they can support." He said it's "not only because we're local but because, when breadth and quality of goods (including 'primo' brands like Craftsman and Valspar among others) and the level of helpful, knowledgeable service is factored in, we offer value."
He tells the story of a hardware store owner from another town who finally closed his doors and said people often told him they missed his business because they could stop there and buy the two or three bolts they needed and didn't have to buy a whole package of bolts like they did when they went to a larger chain store. According to Bever, the store owner said his store would still be open for those needing two or three bolts if people also shopped his store for their other hardware needs.
"We have more than just the hard to find (items)," Bever wrote. "The simple fact is: 'if you only come here when you can't find it anywhere else,' pretty soon you won't be able to find it here because we'll be hard to find. We need more of your business to be able to stay in business. We've invested heavily based on our belief that you will see the value; if you don't, we will all lose," he wrote.
Bever points out that his staff members have expertise in many of the projects customers are doing and know the hardware they need. This, he said is not usually available at the larger chain stores. And, to better serve local customers, Bever's recently revamped and rearranged the store to better serve customers with more products and services. The different sections of his store offer everything from paint, tools, plumbing and electrical supplies, housewares, and lawn and garden supplies.
"We wouldn't be very helpful if we didn't have what you need to do your projects and fix your stuff," Bever said. "We've doubled our inventory selection and beefed up our quantities to better serve you. Yes, we regretfully and reluctantly got out of major home appliances, but only to free up resources (limited space) to invest in our core businesses to better serve your needs."
Originally established as the J.R. Bever Company, Bever's Ace Hardware is Gentry's oldest business. It was established in Gentry in 1902 and is still there serving the Gentry community. Randy Bever is the third-generation owner.
"When you spend your hard-earned money here, it goes right back into this community, not shipped off to a remote headquarters located in another metropolis or state," Bever said in his appeal. "We know you, often by name. We customize what we stock to fit local needs and tastes, not just what headquarters says we should sell. We still have Radio Flyer wagons, Rawlings baseball gloves and Daisy BB guns, including the Red Ryder," he wrote.
"We've been with Ace 40 years," Bever said, "and they've kept us in the game and held us accountable to live the brand. We've invested in hundreds of hours of training and testing to make sure that we have the skills and knowledge to help get your projects done correctly and efficiently. It's easy for me to say that, but the proof is ... when Ace measures our customers, our neighbors give us high marks ... I'll bet you can get some helpful attention in our store. We also still thread pipe, cut glass, make and repair window screens, sharpen and make chainsaw chains among other services you'd expect from 'a real hardware store,'" he said. "Come in and put us to the test, then let me know how we're doing."
"We are your neighbors and we try to treat you as a good neighbor should. If we fail, please let me know," Bever wrote.
General News on 02/10/2016