In response to demand for Web-savvy tools and a localized focus, independent retail hardware distributor House-Hasson has created a website tool that will allow customers to order products from the House-Hasson website and pick them up at a store near them.

House-Hasson’s 2,000-plus independent hardware store and lumber yard dealers will be able to employ the electronic tool to help promote a hyper-local marketing ethic to their customers and offer a digital solution to the printed circular.

Nashville -- Epicor Software Corp. announced the newest version of Epicor Eagle business management software during its Insights global consumer conference here.

With high penetration in the LBM and hardware space, Epicor Eagle software empowers small to midsize retailers with the tools required to optimize their business and better manage day-to-day operations, the company said. 

U.S. retail and food services sales for April increased slightly, but home channel sales increased more.

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, the NAICS 444 category that includes lumberyards, home centers and hardware stores, showed sales of $25.5 billion, according to the government data. That's up 1.5% from the previous month, and up 4.1% from the same month a year ago.

That compares to increases of 0.1% and 3.7%, respectively, for all U.S. retail and food services sales.

Cascade, Iowa-based Cascade Lumber Company, a family-owned and operated retail lumberyard, is celebrating its 60th year of operation in 2013. Operating from a single location in eastern Iowa, Cascade Lumber operates a lumberyard in addition to a full-service home center serving retail and contractor customers. In addition, floor covering sales and installation are conducted from the Cascade location and a second outlet in nearby Monticello, Iowa.

From Ace's John Venhuizen