TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2012 — Their efforts to transform their business earned them the first-ever Marc Robichaud Award for Retail Innovation. The award was presented recently at the 17th Annual Hardlines Conference. It was named in honour of Marc Robichaud, a dealer from Meteghan Centre, NS, who was considered a pioneer of innovative retailing. He died earlier this year at the age of 36.
Realizing that it could not compete head-to-head with the big box giants around them, Lumberland North chose instead to focus on selling the complete project. The centre of the store was turned over to kitchen and bath — more than 100 vignettes offering everything from high-end modern sinks to sleek faucets and the tiles and countertops to complete the job.
All of this backed by an intense commitment to customer service. In fact, Vince and Max make the same-day deliveries themselves.
The other half of the store maintained its traditional focus, but with a narrower breadth of lines. And at the back of the store, lumber, especially moulding and rails, take up about 5,000 of the 45,000 square feet of the store. Out back, a warehouse provides further storage.
Owner Vince Cavallo and manager Max Careri have displayed the innovative attitude to make changes to their business that set it apart from their competition. Without a doubt, Lumberland North has displayed the imagination, originality, and courage to make it a worthy recipient of the first-ever Marc Robichaud Award for Retail Innovation.
The Marc Robichaud Award for Retail Innovation was presented at the 17th Annual Hardlines Conference, Oct. 25, 2012. The Award was sponsored by Kohltech Windows & Entrance Systems. For more information, contact: Michael McLarney, Editor of HARDLINES; 416-489-3396 or mike@hardlines.ca