Orgill Case Study | 43 Customer reactions when touring the newly remodeled store included appreciation for the expanded product and category selection— along with astonishment that this was the same neighborhood store they had shopped previously. “Now customers see Germantown Hardware as a place where they can get everything they want without having to go to a big-box store,” says John Sieggreen, CNRG president and executive vice president of retail at Orgill. “They're grateful for that local option with enough assortments, and a broad enough assortment, to be able to support all of their shopping needs.” “The turnout was amazing,” Wells says. “We literally needed overflow parking and traffic direction. Members of the community really came out to support this store reopening and were very excited to see the changes that were made. It had a big impact on sales afterwards.” The transition team also planned a smaller-scale event for the Saturday after the grand reopening as a backup in case of a rainy day, which would have been a disaster for the nursery and lawn and garden sale. But the success and numbers of the second Saturday almost rivaled those of the first Saturday event. Keys to a Successful Event • Start planning as early as possible • Involve the entire team in the event plan and make sure everyone understands the theme and goal of the event • Ensure the event has a clearly defined goal and fits with the operation's overall brand • Create a schedule and clearly outline everyone's role in the lead-up to the event and on the day of the event and beyond • Make sure advertising and promotions are part of the plan from the beginning • Make sure you are fully staffed (it's better to overestimate staffing needs than leave customers waiting) • Don't forget to follow up post-event
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