Building with Heart, Strategic Leadership
Nation’s Best
Retail Beacon Award
CEO Chris Miller’s leadership has rapidly expanded Nation’s Best into a retail powerhouse with a community-driven growth model and innovative practices that earned it the 2024 Retail Beacon Award.
Click Below to Watch the Nation’s Best Beacon Award Presentation Video:
Since its founding in 2019, Nation’s Best, led by CEO Chris Miller, has rapidly become a standout in the retail hardware industry, and is a recipient of the 2024 Retail Beacon Award. Headquartered in Dallas, and maintaining a strategic partnership with Do it Best, Nation’s Best has grown to encompass 60 locations across 18 states, employing more than 1,200 associates. The company’s success is rooted in a thoughtful acquisition strategy, a deep commitment to community involvement, and an emphasis on modernizing the hardware retail landscape while retaining local culture and traditions.
A Focus on Strategic Growth
Nation’s Best has adopted a unique growth model focused on acquiring well-established, profitable businesses, particularly in secondary markets. Unlike many retailers that rebrand and overhaul stores after acquisition, Nation’s Best preserves the original store names and empowers local management to maintain their individual business identities. This approach has allowed the company to retain customer loyalty while seamlessly integrating new operations.
Miller’s background in finance plays a significant role in this strategy. Miller began his career working for an oilfield services company before transitioning to retail hardware in 2006 as CFO of Parker’s Building Supply. His deep involvement in store operations and management experience at Parker’s led him to become vice president of operations at U.S. LBM, overseeing multiple locations across the country.
“Coming from the finance world, I consider myself a numbers guy,” Miller explains. He looks closely at financial metrics like balance sheets, P&Ls, and receivables to assess each acquisition, ensuring that Nation’s Best only pursues businesses with strong financial foundations.
“But I’ve learned that numbers alone don’t tell the whole story,” Miller adds, acknowledging the importance of the personal relationships and community ties that are so integral to the retail hardware business.
Modernizing Stores and Empowering Teams
A key component of Nation’s Best’s success is its focus on modernization. Through initiatives like upgrading store infrastructure and implementing cutting-edge technologies, including the Tracula inventory-tracking system, Nation’s Best improves operational efficiency while enhancing customer experience. After each acquisition, the company invests in upgrading buildings, remerchandising stores, and expanding product lines.
“We work within the first 90 days to identify areas for improvement,” Miller explains.
Whether it’s adding a new line of power tools or implementing better inventory control systems, Nation’s Best ensures that stores remain competitive in their local markets. Nation’s Best often finds opportunities to freshen or expand product lines. A common addition for new locations has been quality paint lines. “Every single store grows their paint business with what we bring to the table,” Miller says.
Despite these modernizations, the company is committed to preserving the unique identities of each store. The company’s playbook for new acquisitions ensures consistency in operations, but it also gives local managers autonomy to adapt to their specific markets.
Community Involvement at the Core
One of the defining characteristics of Nation’s Best is its deep commitment to the communities it serves. From the start, Miller and his team have prioritized retaining the local traditions of the stores they acquire. For example, Calaveras Lumber in California has long been a supporter of the 4-H club. Nation’s Best has continued that involvement, purchasing prize-winning cows at county fairs and donating the meat to employees.
“Community involvement is not just something we check off a list; it’s part of who we are as a company,” Miller says. The company’s non-profit foundation, NB Cares, reflects this philosophy by supporting local charities and providing scholarships. Additionally, Nation’s Best has raised more than $1 million for causes like Arrivederci ALD, a charity focused on combating childhood diseases.
Building a Culture of Trust and Relationships
Nation’s Best’s approach to acquisitions is rooted in trust and relationship-building. Miller is personally involved in every acquisition, ensuring that the culture of the business aligns with the values of Nation’s Best.
“I don’t want to change a store’s culture; I want to build on it,” Miller says. This hands-on approach extends beyond the initial transaction—Miller maintains relationships with previous owners, whether they remain involved in the business or not.
For Do it Best members, Nation’s Best offers an avenue for streamlined succession planning. “Third- and fourth-generation families who have made the choice to sell to Nation’s Best can see their businesses thrive and continue to be relevant in the marketplace,” Miller says.
For many of the family-owned businesses that Nation’s Best acquires, selling is an emotional decision that goes beyond a simple financial transaction. Miller understands the significance of this decision and takes the time to build trust with each seller, often maintaining open lines of communication well after the sale is complete.
“They can always call me if they have concerns, and we’ll work through them together,” Miller says.
Navigating Expansion with Flexibility
As Nation’s Best has expanded rapidly, Miller and his team have faced the challenge of making quick, impactful decisions. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, just months after Nation’s Best was founded, Miller had to decide whether to continue acquiring businesses amidst uncertainty. Miller credits his team with helping to guide the company through this period of rapid growth.
“I don’t make decisions in isolation—I involve my team in all major strategic moves,” he says. This collaborative approach has allowed Nation’s Best to stay nimble, even as it continues to grow. The company’s acquisition strategy remains focused on home centers, hardware stores, and lumberyards, resisting the temptation to expand into unrelated business areas.
Future Growth and Innovation
Looking ahead, Nation’s Best shows no signs of slowing down. While store count is not Miller’s primary focus, he emphasizes that the company will continue to seek out well-run businesses that align with its culture and values.
“We’re not racing to a finish line,” he says. “It’s about finding the right businesses and integrating them into our family.”
In addition to expanding its store footprint, Nation’s Best is also exploring new ways to enhance its operations. One of the essential tasks after an acquisition is updating the computer system to enable Nation’s Best to manage the business. “For all stores, converting to Epicor Eagle is critical to running a large business in real time,” Miller says.
Recognition with the Retail Beacon Award
Receiving the 2024 Retail Beacon Award is a testament to Nation’s Best’s remarkable achievements in just a few short years. “Being recognized with this award is an incredible honor,” Miller says. “It’s not just for me—it’s for our entire team and all the mentors I’ve had along the way.” The award reflects the company’s commitment to excellence, both in terms of retail operations and community involvement.
As Nation’s Best continues to grow, Miller remains focused on maintaining the company’s core values: trust, community, and innovation. “We’ve built something special here,” he says. “And we’re just getting started.”
