Former Our Own Hardware CEO James Weyrens Passes Away
James Weyrens, former president and CEO of Our Own Hardware Inc. and a key figure in the formation of what became Do it Best, passed away Jan. 9, 2026, at his home in Eagan, Minnesota. He was 86.
Born June 10, 1939, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Weyrens graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 1961 with a business degree before beginning a retail career with Montgomery Ward and later Target, where he served as a sporting goods buyer. He eventually joined Our Own Hardware Inc. as general merchandise manager and became president and CEO of the cooperative in 1982.
Weyrens is remembered throughout the hardware industry for helping guide Our Own Hardware through a pivotal period of change that ultimately led to the company joining Hardware Wholesalers Inc. (HWI), helping form the foundation of today’s Do it Best organization.
At the time, Our Own Hardware was regarded as one of the oldest and best-run member-owned hardware distributors in the country, though its geographic footprint across the upper Midwest and Great Plains limited long-term expansion opportunities as technology and operating costs increased.
Industry leaders familiar with the discussions said Weyrens and the board approached the merger process with a strong commitment to cooperative values and member interests.
“When Jim came to say they were ready to join us, he made one thing clear: there would be no premium asked, only that we honor the current value of the members’ stock,” one longtime industry executive recalled. “Jim and the board knew they could have pursued other options, but that was not the path they chose.”
Colleagues said the decision helped establish a lasting relationship that strengthened the independent hardware channel for decades to come.
Outside the industry, Weyrens was active in church, Rotary and local chambers of commerce. According to his obituary, he enjoyed golf, travel, pottery and time with family at the family cabin known as “Hakuna Matata.”
