A Small-Town Hub, Reinvented — Coulee Hardware Wins Beacon Award for Best New Store
Coulee Hardware sits on a narrow strip of land between Crescent Bay and Banks Lake in Grand Coulee, Wash., a rural town with fewer than 1,000 residents. It’s the kind of place where neighbors greet one another by name and local businesses double as gathering spots.
With just a handful of restaurants, shops and services stretched along the main road, Coulee Hardware stands out as a hub for both homeowners and contractors. The surrounding natural beauty is undeniable, but it’s the town’s tight-knit character and sense of community that truly define the area—and make the store’s role even more essential.
For Kerry Higgins, a longtime team member and now part-owner of Coulee Hardware, its place in the community has always encompassed more than just selling products. His devotion to serving his neighbors inspired an ambitious remodel, one driven by his desire to create a better shopping experience and ensure that the store could meet residents’ needs for years to come. That commitment to both innovation and service is a big reason Coulee Hardware earned the Beacon Award for Best New Store, showing what’s possible when small-town values meet forward-thinking leadership, merchandising and design.
“We started as a little nuts-and-bolts store,” Higgins says. “We’ve grown into something much bigger, a place where people come not just for supplies, but for guidance and support.”
A Strategic Overhaul
In August 2022, Coulee Hardware began a bold remodel designed both to retain the new customer base it gained during the pandemic and create a shopping experience that would meet the expectations of today’s clientele, all without losing its small-town character.
The expanded, 14,000-square-foot transformation, completed in October 2023, touched every corner of the operation. The redesign opened new entrances, cut through walls to connect previously disjointed buildings and reimagined the layout for a bright, open and welcoming experience. “You used to have to walk outside to get from one part of the store to the other,” Higgins says. “Now it feels unified and customer-friendly.”
The investment is already paying dividends. Since the remodel was finished, the store has enjoyed an 8 percent sales increase, building on the 35 percent growth it saw during the pandemic. Average transaction size is up nearly 13 percent, and gross margin percentage has risen by 4.5 percent—results that underscore how a well-planned reinvention can energize a community business.
Merchandising for Real People
The store’s product strategy is focused, intentional and rooted in local demand. Every aisle is thoughtfully stocked to serve the specific needs of rural customers, from gardening supplies and livestock fencing to home repair essentials and seasonal items.
“We know our customers by name,” Higgins says. “So we stock for real people, not just numbers on a spreadsheet. If it matters to the community, it matters to us.”
Looking ahead, the store is preparing to launch a kitchen design center, complete with stocked cabinets and plans for full-service design consultations. This expansion will make Coulee Hardware a go-to destination for both weekend DIYers and contractors tackling larger remodels.
Innovation Meets Independence
Coulee Hardware is a reminder that small-town stores can lead with big ideas. Higgins and his team have embraced technology to streamline operations and improve customer convenience, adopting a modern point-of-sale system and an online ordering platform that makes shopping seamless.
Digital hiring tools simplify onboarding new team members, while targeted digital promotions keep seasonal offers relevant and well-timed. “We’ve embraced change,” Higgins says. “Technology helps us serve people better, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Community at the Core
Coulee Hardware’s transformation has reverberated well beyond its walls. The store was named 2024 Business of the Year by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, recognition of its deep roots and continued investment in the community.
The Coulee team supports local events, fundraisers and neighbors in need—showing up wherever they can lend a hand, whether that entails stocking just the right part for a tricky repair or offering advice to help a weekend project go smoothly. “We’re not just selling things,” Higgins says. “We’re helping people figure things out. We take pride in being there when it matters.”
