Fall 2019 Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

Given his background in the hardware and building supplies industry, he had a plan to form the location into the top destination for customers in the area. This meant shifting the focus for his seven employees to place a greater emphasis on customer service and personal connections with customers. It also meant emphasizing his and Tami’s local connections. The couple raised four children in Schuyler: sons Terry, Tony and Caine, and daughter Tasha. Today, several of their eight grandchildren are growing up in Schuyler, including one working at the store. Another benefit for Schuyler in having the Lindbergs take over was bringing ownership back to the local area. Under previous management, the business had been part of a local group, with ownership based in a community roughly 40 minutes away. One of the reasons the Lindbergs wanted to take ownership of the Schuyler location was to show loyalty and pride in their own community and other businesses owned by town residents. “We wanted our store to be local in every way. We’re on the main street here in Schuyler, and money spent here doesn’t go more than a few blocks away,” Art says. One specific initiative the Lindbergs have instituted at Schuyler Home & Building Supply is a welcoming attitude to contractors. This was helped due to Art having worked with many contractors during his career. Once he proposed the changes he planned to make in the product selection, including a larger emphasis on hardware and tools, along with an upgrade in the quality of building materials available, professionals and builders were eager to bring their business to Schuyler. On top of the focus on contractors and builders, Tami and Art also wanted the store to be a hub for the entire community. That includes homeowners, DIYers and just people in need of some advice. “We need the builders, because that’s the lifeblood of a lumberyard, but we also wanted the store to be a town

With eye-catching displays near the store’s entrance, Art and Tami Lindberg have turned Schuyler Home & Building Supply into a hub for the community and its citizens.

hardware store for everyone,” Tami says. “Our slogan of ‘Your Projects Start Here’ stands for everyone. We want to be your start-to-finish project place. We even tell the town to call us with any home improvement questions. We’ll do anything we can to get their projects complete.” The emphasis on location is also important due to a characteristic unique to Schuyler: its diversity. Surrounding businesses have drawn employees from a variety of countries, bringing people of Hispanic, Guatemalan, Central American

and Sudanese backgrounds to the town. This has led to a great melting pot of cultures, which Schuyler Home & Building Supply has sought to serve from the beginning. “We’ve made a lot of changes to be the best store we can be for all of our customers. One example is making a point to have employees who are bilingual,” Art says. “We want to be able to serve every customer with the best customer service, make sure they have everything they need for their project and that they’re happy with their experience.”

28 Fall 2019 • Hardlines Strategies