Arthur’s True Value going strong at 101
Company says service to customers is key
With walls adorned with little more than a Yellowstone poster, a map of the United States and two quotes, the simplicity of Thomas Morrow’s office reflects his approach to running Arthur’s True Value Hardware.
Stepping into the 101-year-old family-run store is a reminder of a time with less frills and more emphasis on customer service. There is an air of authenticity in the approximately 7,000-square-foot space lined with aisles of nails and paint, chain-saws and grills.
The business, in the heart of the Village of Orchard Park off of West Quaker Street, began in 1907 when William G. Arthur opened a store a few blocks away. The store was passed along to his son-in-law, Porter Morrow; son, William H. Arthur, and then to grandson, Thomas A. Morrow.
A little less than a month ago, True Value announced that the store won the “Best Hardware Store in Town” award for its district, which spans from mid-Ohio to mid-New York.
Bill Gilbert, retail consultant for True Value, said that contestants filled out a self-nominated application and went through a process that included a review by a mystery shopper and judgment of the store’s interior and exterior.
But perhaps the greatest testimony to Arthur’s is the fact that its doors are still open after nearly 101 years. From grease pencils to price stickers to bar codes, Arthur’s has taken significant leaps to stay in step with technology and survive the emergence of mega stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s and Walmart.
A lot of its long-term success is due to the ability to make wise business decisions, even the painful ones, Morrow said. Arthur’s closed its gift shop when it was no longer profitable. It also closed another Arthur’s in Hamburg when it was not successful.
As for the mega stores, they cannot offer the service and expertise of Arthur’s, said Joseph R. Wales, vice president of Arthur’s.
“A lot of the competition around here, they have the product, but you ask a question and they don’t have any idea,” he said.
Wales, who worked at Arthur’s while attending Orchard Park High School, will be the first non-family member to take the helm of the company someday.
His career at Arthur’s, though, had a bit of a bumpy start. In October 1994, he sought the screen and window repair job. But he was beat out by another candidate with experience.
The next day, Morrow called Wales to ask if he would be willing to take a job sweeping the floor, cashing out customers, stocking shelves and changing light bulbs. Wales attended University at Buffalo’s School of Management and then returned to Arthur’s full-time after graduation in 1999. Wales recalled saying to himself, “I’d love to work here for the rest of my life.”
Wales has thrown himself into community involvement. He is the president-elect of the Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce, on the board of the local Boys and Girls Club and on a board at the Orchard Park high school that prepares students for the business world.
“He’s a natural leader,”Morrow said about his eventual successor, with a wink.
Their obvious love for what they do makes it possible to deliver exceptional service, Wales said.
Morrow said Arthur’s employees simply aim to give the customer what he or she wants. For example, they recently ordered rock salt for making ice cream and wooden gliders for children.
Years ago, Morrow ran over to a customer’s home to help when a mother called saying that her son was locked in the bathroom. Wales, who moved to have a four-minute walk to work, told about how he bumps into customers around town, like a local who sat next to him and asked questions about fixing up a deck.
In 10 years, Morrow said, he expects a lot of things to be different. There probably won’t be any keys, or at least the kind that people are used to. “So are we going to be duplicating chips?” he joked.
After weathering the winds of the past century, he and Wales don’t seem worried.
