Winning Formula: Teamwork, Tradition, and Community

Buchheit

Perryville, Missouri

Retail Beacon Award

From a single truck in 1934 to a multi-divisional enterprise, Buchheit’s longstanding commitment to teamwork and customer service earns them the 2024 Retail Beacon Award.

Click below to watch Buchheit’s Beacon Award presentation video:

The wagon wheel in Buchheit’s logo is deeply meaningful to the Buchheit family, owners of this Perryville, Missouri-based company and recipients of the 2024 Retail Beacon Award.

“The wagon wheel is symbolic of how we operate as a team,” says CEO Tim Buchheit. “Each spoke must function for the wheel’s success, just as every team member must serve our customers and communities.”

Founded by Rudy Buchheit during the Great Depression in 1934 with a single truck and a promise to help his neighbors, the company began by bringing goods from St. Louis to locals. “Our communities are our essence,” says Jon Buchheit, executive vice president. “Most of our team members live and were raised in the communities they serve.”

Throughout its history, Buchheit has been recognized for retail excellence and community involvement. Notable accolades include Kenny Buchheit, a second-generation leader, being named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Perry County Community Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2021. Other honors include the Orgill Pinnacle Award, American Legion Employer of Veterans Award, and Hamilton Carhartt Retailer of Excellence Award.

Buchheit has grown to include 850 employees 20 retail stores, a logistics company, agricultural division, cabinet manufacturing unit, and metal production business. Active family members, including Tim, Jon, Doug, and Jeff Buchheit, along with Kristi Hahs, are deeply involved in daily operations and serve on the board.

Buchheit’s innovative leadership, employee recognition, and customer-focused assortment distinguish it as a retail hardware industry leader and worthy recipient of the Retail Beacon Award. “It’s an honor to be recognized,” says Tim Buchheit. “Our success is driven by happy customers and team members, and we are grateful for this recognition.”
 

Rebuilding Better, Bigger after Fire

Resilience and tenacity have been enduring traits throughout the company’s history. Founded out of the necessity to bring agricultural goods to the city and urban goods back to farmers during the Great Depression, Buchheit has faced numerous challenges during its 90-year history, including a devastating fire in 1986 that destroyed the company’s only store. The Buchheit family and its community rallied together, enabling the store to operate out of an outbuilding the very next day.

In 1988, the company opened its second store in Sparta, Ill., and continued to grow, reaching a total of eight stores by 2021. The decision to rebuild and expand has led to substantial growth, including the recent acquisition of 12 Orscheln Farm and Home stores.
 

Community Roots Run Deep

Community involvement is a cornerstone of Buchheit’s corporate culture, exemplified by programs such as Handshakes for Heroes, Wreaths Across America, and the Buchheit Family Foundation, created in 2020 to give back to the communities the company serves and team members in times of need, mirroring the support the family received after the 1986 fire.

With a customer base that is 70 percent do-it-yourselfers, including many farmers, Buchheit is deeply connected to its rural roots. They support Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs and helped found the American Tractor Museum in Perryville, showcasing Kenny Buchheit’s rare antique tractor collection.

Buchheit’s community commitment is also evident on social media. Their most popular Facebook post announced the reopening at 11 p.m. of a store to support tornado victims. “Our store was busy that night, offering both product and emotional support,” says Jared Hotop, president of retail operations.

Culture of Employee Engagement

Buchheit’s commitment to learning and development is evident at Orgill Dealer Markets, where executives, management, buying staff, and associates actively participate in numerous learning seminars. By providing tools and fostering a company culture that encourages participation at all levels of management, Buchheit ensures that team members understand the operations of the company and have opportunities to contribute. This inclusive approach fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment among team members, making Buchheit a strong, successful, and driven company where everyone feels they are part of something big.

Even Buchheit’s in-house CRM system is designed to encourage employee engagement. The system is complemented by a learning management portal, a recognition platform, and an internal social network. These tools allow team members to share accomplishments, inspire each other, and foster a sense of unity, even across great distances. By cultivating a company-wide and consistent culture, Buchheit effectively brings its team together and encourages everyone to exceed expectations, according to Jon Buchheit.

Orgill Supports Diverse Product Mix

The diversity of product offerings is a crucial factor in the stores’ success, catering to a wide range of needs from home improvement categories and building supplies to agriculture, farm, and pet products.

A key to Buchheit’s growth has been its relationship with distributor Orgill. At Orgill Dealer Markets, Buchheit’s team participates in seminars to improve their business. “Orgill provides access to a wide range of products and services crucial to our growth,” says Jon Buchheit. “Their warehouse, 45 minutes from our headquarters, allows us to be nimble in serving our customers.”

Buchheit’s connection to its communities is reflected in its customer-driven store design and diverse product offerings, catering to a wide range of needs from home improvement supplies to home repair assortments like Fluidmaster plumbing products.

“Fluidmaster is successful due to its reliability and wide product mix,” Hotop says.

During his remarks after accepting the Beacon Award, Jon Buchheit said: “Our team made this award possible.” He added, “The other thing you need to get an award like this is good business partners. Fluidmaster has been in our store for 50 years. Epicor came to us the day after the fire and asked how they could help. We participate in all of Orgill’s programs.”

Innovative Programs, Technology Enhance Customer Engagement

Buchheit has made significant strides in enhancing customer engagement and loyalty through its innovative programs. The Buchheit Buyer$ Club and the eBATE program have been central to this effort. The Buyer$ Club offers exclusive discounts and promotions, while the eBATE program, entirely electronic, allows customers to earn rebates that never expire, encouraging repeat purchases. Promotions such as “Earn 12% Back Weekends” further incentivize customers to engage with the store regularly. These programs, alongside investments in technology and custom CRM tools, have helped Buchheit boost customer loyalty and increase average ticket sizes.

For business operations, they rely on Epicor’s Falcon software. “The relational database structure allows us to create analytics and processes for data-driven decisions,” says Hotop.