Your Store Could Be a Winner: Hardlines 2021 Outstanding Retailer Awards

What’s the best part about being an Outstanding Retailer Award winner? Oh sure, there’s the engraved plaque, the promotion of the award within one’s community, and being celebrated in person at the Hardlines Gala Dinner.

But winning owners and managers will report that it’s the sense of pride they have for their staff that really highlights their experience. That sense of pride is shared by all winners and by the industry at large, as ORA winners represent the very best qualities of retailing, leadership, and humanity that make this industry so great.

That’s why Hardlines is pleased to announce the call for entries for the 2021 Outstanding Retailer Awards. The awards, which are national in scope, are open to all Canadian hardware and home improvement retailers and managers who have operated under their current ownership for at least two years.

Dealers may submit their entries directly to Hardlines. Alternatively, their chain or buying group head offices may select their best dealer(s) and prepare their entries for them in collaboration with the dealer. Head offices may enter more than one store per category. In addition, suppliers may identify specific outstanding retailers for entry. ORA submissions are due June 25.

While the state of the world remains uncertain, right now Hardlines is planning to award the winning dealers in person during our Gala Dinner at this year’s Hardlines Conference, which will be held Oct. 19 and 20 at the Queen’s Landing Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Hardlines is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment in which to host the conference and the awards and will provide updates as the event draws nearer. (Click here to see a full list of categories and entry details, et en français ici.)

Winners will receive a trip for two, plus two nights’ accommodation in Niagara-on-the-Lake, to attend the Hardlines Conference on Oct. 19 and 20 and participate in the ORA Gala Dinner.
In addition, winners will receive an inscribed plaque, a write‐up in Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly magazine, and a customized video and photo ready to be sent to local media.

Launched in 1992, the Hardlines Outstanding Retailer Awards are the industry’s only national awards program dedicated to celebrating the achievements of hardware and building supply dealers in Canada. Over almost three decades, the program has honoured more than 160 retailers.

(To fill out the ORA application, please visit www.oras.ca; or contact our Editor, Christina Manocchio, for further information. Le formulaire est également disponible en français.)

About Hardlines
Celebrating its 27th year, Hardlines Inc. is the leading authority on the retail home improvement industry. Hardlines’ products and services include the Hardlines weekly electronic newsletter; Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly magazine; Hardlines Dealer News; free Daily News; and the Annual Hardlines Conference.