Paint & Decorating Retailer

As it continually strives to make independent home improvement retailers better and more profitable, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) is leaning into technology to bring efficient and time-saving training offerings to the channel.  The new RetailWise program will deliver fast, high-impact two-minute training videos developed with artificial intelligence that are designed to …

Houzz Inc. recently released the first-ever 2025 U.S. Houzz State of AI in Construction and Design Report, providing a comprehensive view into the industry’s reaction to the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The report surveyed over 700 construction and design professionals, reporting broad awareness, moderate adoption and high expectations for AI’s impact. Over a third of …

PPG Industries Inc. recently released its financial results for the second quarter of 2025. Net sales in Q2 decreased 1% year over year to $4.2 billion, primarily due to business divestitures. Net income decreased 9% from Q2 2024, down to $450 billion from $493 billion. Diluted earnings per share reached $1.98 billion, a 5% decrease from …

After watching his father serve in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years and growing up in the military community, Andy Horton was determined to follow the same path for his own life. While he achieved his dreams of serving in the military, his journey wasn’t without a few bumps in the road. “Originally, I …

For many contractors, caulking is like a second arm—an item many can’t work without. DIYers are also in need of caulk products, but often need direction to know what to buy. While caulk and caulk tools are small categories by size in many paint and decorating stores, this department can make a significant impact in …

Brick-and-mortar stores are still a critical component to retailers’ growth, but a recent study from Jumpmind, a point-of-sale software platform, found that the in-store experience frequently falls short of customer expectations. The study found that while 85% of retailers say brick-and-mortar stores remain their primary growth strategy, many are still struggling to meet evolving customer …

By Luke Vander Linden, VP of Membership & Marketing, Retail & Hospitality ISAC With high volumes of daily transactions and access to customers’ personal data, such as phone numbers, addresses and credit card numbers, retailers are highly targeted by cybercriminals. Unfortunately, cyberthreats for retailers continue to rise. As brands expand their digital footprints with the …

Bringing the independent channel together in Orlando, Florida, the 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference (IHI Conference) combined learning and leisure, sending attendees home with best practices on retail operations and insights to address current market conditions. Attendees of the event, hosted by the North American Hardware and Paint Association and the Hardware Conference, included retailers …

The first day of the 2025 Independent Home Improvement Conference kicked off with education, networking and celebrations of the industry. During his State of the Industry address, NHPA COO Dan Tratensek shared that even though the pandemic was five years ago, the entire industry is still “shell shocked.” “We are still facing challenges that were …

Affordability challenges and economic uncertainty continue to influence the housing industry as many home buyers held off on purchasing new homes in June, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Newly built single-family home sales rose slightly by 0.6% in June, increasing to a seasonally adjusted rate of 627,000, according to data released by …

Students in the 2025 Retail Management Certification Program (RMCP) recently completed the first site visit of the year in Fishers, Indiana. Designed specifically for store owners, regional supervisors and managers, the program blends strategic leadership training, hands-on business improvement projects and real-world application to help retailers increase profitability, improve operations and build stronger teams. This …

For over 80 years, the National Hardware Show has been a staple for the home improvement industry to share best practices, engage with educational sessions and discover new products. In 2026, NHS will debut NHS Concept to Commerce, an evolution of the key components that NHS has always offered to the industry. The newly redesigned event—which includes a more …

For over 80 years, the National Hardware Show has been a staple for the home improvement industry to share best practices, engage with educational sessions and discover new products. In 2026, NHS will debut NHS Concept to Commerce, an evolution of the key components that NHS has always offered to the industry. The newly redesigned event—which …

Annual spending for home remodeling is expected to soften in 2026, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. “Weakness in the current housing market is expected to have a dampening effect on home improvement spending,” says Rachel …

Single-family housing starts decreased in June to the lowest rate since July 2024, due to elevated interest rates, rising inventories and ongoing supply issues in the housing sector, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). While overall housing starts increased 4.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.32 million units, …

Behr Paint Company recently announced its partnership with Google Cloud to provide a personalized paint shopping experience for customers.  Combining Behr’s color data with Google Cloud’s AI capabilities, Behr has built an AI-powered agent named ChatHUE to help homeowners with color decisions.  “We are constantly listening to our customers and striving to simplify the home …

Stocking the right paint brushes and applicators can make a big difference in customer satisfaction and sales. From high-quality tools for professional painters to affordable options for DIYers, independent retailers have an opportunity to build trust and boost revenue by offering a well-rounded selection. Brushes The Thin Angle Paint Brush from Wooster Brush Company features …

Summer is a good time for homeowners and professionals to upgrade the exteriors of their homes and businesses. Whether it’s staining a deck, painting a front door or touching up outdoor trim, the warm weather is a popular time to work on outdoor projects.  Paint and Decorating Retailer recommends stocking these four exterior paint and …

The Pittsburgh Paints Company (PPC) notified customers that it will implement price increases of 5.8% on its products beginning August 15, citing rising production and distribution costs. Additional higher increases on a smaller group of products were also announced, but not specified. In the letter signed by Brian Carson, PPC president and CEO, the company …

Black and Silver Tools (SPONSORED) Hyde Tools has tirelessly worked over the decades to build the best quality tools at a reasonable price. Their Black & Silver tools—multitools, scrapers, joint knives and more—are made in North America, some of them in the factory in Southbridge, Massachusetts. No matter what overseas tariffs may bring, The post …

The 17th edition of Bricoday, the leading B2B event for the DIY, technical, home improvement and decoration industries, is expected to be a record-setting event.  460 companies are participating in Bricoday so far, with 150 new entries. The show will be hosted at Fiera Milano Rho in Milan, Italy, from September 24-25, 2025, and will …

Back-to-school shoppers have already begun purchasing items for the upcoming school year this month, according to an annual survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Two-thirds (67%) of shoppers began their shopping in early July, up 55% from last year and the highest number since NRF started tracking early …

The average home improvement store has thousands of SKUs, so it’s easy to see why anyone starting a job there could easily be overwhelmed. For many years, retailers have turned to the North American Hardware Association’s (NHPA) product knowledge courses to give their employees the foundational knowledge needed to start a successful retailing career.  To …

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the second quarter of 2025. The index reported a reading of 59, down four points from the previous quarter. While Q2’s reading of 59 is positive, this is only the second time the index has dropped below 60 since …