Phoenix-based Leslie’s Poolmart, the nation's leading retailer of swimming pool supplies and related products, opened a store in Herndon, Va. The store will celebrate its grand opening May 31 to June 3, with specials and festivities throughout the weekend,

In total, Leslie's opened 48 new stores this year, between March and May. With these new stores and its recent acquisition of 24 Warehouse Pool Supply stores in the Houston area, Leslie's brings its total store count to more than 800 stores nationwide.

Houston-based hardlines co-op Handy Hardware Wholesale submitted papers for their much-anticipated plan of reorganization March 6.

The 1,300-member regional co-op filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. Whether Handy can return to its place as a meaningful and profitable player in the hardware business remains to be seen. This much is certain: What was once $27 million in member equity in Class A and Class B shares has vanished.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) compliance is difficult and annoying, said Mark Oberti, an attorney with Oberti Sullivan LLP in Houston, at the National Employment Law Institute’s Annual Employment Law Conference in Arlington, Va., Nov. 16, 2012.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s FMLA regulations often aren’t much help, as they rarely make it clear when an employer may fire someone, he added.

Oberti outlined 12 compliance strategies for employers:

Oklahoma City-based distributor Cedar Creek has entered into an agreement to purchase the assets of Capital Lumber’s distribution locations in Dallas and Houston. 

In a deal expected to close Nov. 30, Capital Lumber will continue to operate eight other non-Texas distribution centers and focus on the western United States.

Handy Hardware Wholesales San Antonio market, Aug. 10 to 12, saw an attendance increase of 11.2% over 2011, the Houston-based hardware co-op reported. 

Handy gave away six Toyota Tundra trucks during the market weekend, and it expects warehouse sales from the event will be at an all-time high, said Mickey Schulte, VP marketing and purchasing.

Houston-based PF WaterWorks introduced the DrainEASY No Clog Bathtub Drain Replacement Stopper to eliminate trapping of hair and build-up of clogs in the bathtub drains.

The retirement of Houston-based Handy Hardware Wholesale President Tina Kirbie earlier this year marked the end of a 32-year run for the co-op executive. The company’s new leadership, meanwhile, told Home Channel News “everything’s positive and we’re moving forward.”

Kirbie, a 32-year Handy Hardware veteran who began her career as an accounting credit manager, took part in the co-op’s January market in Houston, but in a limited role. 

Ferguson Enterprises, one of the nation’s largest plumbing and HVAC wholesalers, has leased industrial space at the port of Houston, according to the Houston Business Journal.

The Newport News, Va.–based company, which has several locations in the Houston area, has leased about 206,000 sq. ft. of industrial space at the Port Crossing Commerce Center in La Porte.

PulteGroup has named Kevin Meuth as the new division president for its Houston operations, where he will oversee the 27 communities and about 100 employees throughout the Greater Houston area.

Meuth has 22 years of diversified home-building experience, all in the Houston market. Previously, he served as division president at Meritage Homes for the past five years. 

More than 50 residential builders and remodelers attended an all-day Houston Building Science and Energy Forum held at the Houston Dow Center.

Hosted by Dow Building Solutions and the Greater Houston Builders' Association (GHBA), presentations addressed the building and energy challenges specific to hot and humid climates, and outlined changes to 2012 Houston energy codes.