CNRG Acquires HomeFront Home Improvement Centers

Brian Waldrop, Ron “Rut” Ussery, Richie Fulgham and Fred Carl, Jr., owners of HomeFront Home Improvement Centers in Greenwood and Winona, Miss., have agreed to sell their business and operating assets to Central Network Retail Group (CNRG), a multi-format, multi-brand retailer and wholly owned subsidiary of Orgill currently operating 141 hardware stores, home centers and lumberyards in 16 states.

HomeFront will be rebranded and operate as part of CNRG’s Home Hardware Center brand. Home Hardware Center (HHC), which is headquartered in Natchez, Miss., now operates 23 stores in four states.

“I am excited about the future of this store with CNRG and Home Hardware Center serving the Mississippi delta region,” Fulgham said. “Home Hardware Center and HomeFront are a great fit. We both have the same ideas and standards when it comes to how we treat our employees and customers. I am comfortable knowing this business will continue to successfully support the community for many more years, and I am personally very excited about continuing to work in the business going forward.”

The new stores in Greenwood and Winona offer a full assortment of building materials, hardware, plumbing, electrical and paint as well as drive-through lumberyards.

“HomeFront has built a great business with an outstanding team. We are proud to have the opportunity to welcome this location and all of the team members in both stores to Home Hardware,” said Raymond White, CNRG senior vice president of operations. “CNRG continues to look for growth opportunities, both in new markets and, as is the case here, where we can add stores complementary to our existing brands. We are very optimistic about the long-term prospects for this partnership with HomeFront,” said John Sieggreen, CNRG president. “Home Hardware Center is our oldest and one of our top-performing brands and we look forward to bringing the experience and dedication of our HHC team to these new stores.”