Retail Innovator of the Year Nominee
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Article from Do It Best Corp 2009 Annual Report "The Power of the Big Idea"
One Stop to Success
Keim Lumber is located in Charm, Ohio — population 100, including owner Bill Keim and his family. And yet it is one of the largest building supply businesses in the entire state. “When you’re in the middle of nowhere, like we are,” said Keim, “you really have to draw people in.” So, in February 2007, Keim Lumber opened a new 120,000 sq. ft. mega showroom. The new Keim Lumber is a truly unique retail experience. Now, the middle of nowhere has a remarkable destination.
“Our goal is to do things the big-box stores won’t do,” said Keim. “We try to be everything those places aren’t.” You get your first signal that Keim’s is different when you walk through the door. You’re greeted by a service desk designed like a town square, with lights and a clock, and the entire facility features handmade Shaker-style cherry woodwork — no metal end caps here. In addition, the store takes spaciousness to new levels. “We insisted on having wide aisles, for a completely different shopping experience.”
Keim adds they have a his-and-her approach to luring customers. “We have a huge selection of tools, because everyone knows men like to shop for tools. And we also have dozens and dozens of display areas to appeal to women — the decision makers.” Indeed, Keim uses the showroom not only for outstanding kitchen, bath and home decor displays, but also to highlight the impressive output of his millwork operations. Keim Lumber stocks 1.5 million linear feet (over 280 miles) of trim in 200 profiles and 10 different woods. Moldings also may be customized from 120 domestic and exotic hardwoods.
“Go to a big box store and you’ll find a handful of door designs and a limited selection of wood styles,” said Keim. “Here, we have 80 interior doors in many high quality woods on display and a huge selection of windows that are actually installed in the showroom.”
Another way Keim sets his business apart from the big box stores is by offering free delivery up to 150 miles. The service is so popular that Keim Lumber has a fleet of 22 delivery trucks.
Because of the recent economic downturn, Keim has renewed his To help ensure steady professional foot traffic, Keim Lumber is home to the Carpenters Cafe. “It’s convenient for pros to stop by for breakfast or lunch and pick up a few items while they’re here,” he said. Other incentives that are making a difference include a Saturday morning express line, for customers with a small number of items and a 5 percent discount for cash purchases. Keim also has a popular Bargain Nook section with more than 1,000 items that have been discontinued, returned, scratch or dented, and new items are added every day to encourage customers to check back often.
Despite being nestled in the heart of Holmes County’s Amish Community, Keim Lumber has embraced new technology. The company’s website, www.keimlumber.com is well-designed and user-friendly, with a large selection of “how-to” guides. Online shopping is in the process of being implemented as well.
Keim Lumber is now in its third generation of leadership, with the fourth generation already rising in the company, with sales of more than $51 million in 2007. When it comes to merchandising, Bill Keim has found a very effective formula for success: become the one-stop building center. And what a stop it is.focus on appealing to those with smaller remodeling and decking projects, and the approach has paid off. “Take wallpaper, for an example,” he said. “Many other stores are getting out of wallpaper, and by keeping a good selection, we have seen an increase in sales.