Independent Home Improvement Leader Dawson Taylor Passes Away at 103

Dawson Taylor, whose vision helped shape one of the nation’s earliest home improvement centers and whose leadership influenced generations of independent retailers, died July 4 at the age of 103.

A lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Taylor built a legacy that extended well beyond the family business. During nearly eight decades in the industry, he became known as an innovative retailer, a thoughtful mentor and a steadfast advocate for the independent home improvement channel.

Taylor’s career began in 1947 when he joined Fuel Feed and Building Materials Corp., the single-location hardware and building materials business in which his father was a partner. Eighteen years later, he helped launch Fuel Feed Plaza Home Center, converting a 35,000-square-foot former steel fabrication plant into what was among the country’s first indoor home improvement lumber yards. The company also joined True Value that year, providing a foundation for future growth.

Regular trips to True Value markets in Chicago exposed Taylor to emerging retail concepts and forged relationships with other progressive independent dealers across the country. Colleagues remember him as someone who freely shared ideas and encouraged others to embrace innovation while remaining committed to serving their local communities.

Among those influenced by Taylor was Vaughan Privett, former president of Robbie’s True Value. The two traveled together to countless industry markets over the years, building a friendship rooted in their shared belief in independent retailing.

“Dawson made everyone around him better,” Privett said. “He was thoughtful, steady and always willing to share what he had learned. In all our travels, I always came away with a new idea, a better perspective or simply a deeper appreciation for the people in this industry. Dawson believed in independent retailers. He believed in helping one another.”

Taylor also earned the admiration of Do it Best President Emeritus Mike McClelland, who described him as “a gentleman above all else—kind, dignified, honest and admirable.” McClelland noted that long before meeting Taylor personally, he knew him by reputation as one of True Value founder John Cotter’s most respected retail advisors.

In 1990, Taylor and his family made one of the most significant strategic decisions in the company’s history, leaving True Value to join Hardware Wholesalers Inc., now Do it Best Group. At the time, switching wholesale partners was uncommon among established dealers, making the move one of the industry’s most closely watched transitions.

The decision positioned Taylor’s Do it Centers to compete as national home improvement chains rapidly expanded into southeastern Virginia. Virginia Beach became one of the country’s most competitive home improvement markets, with Taylor’s facing competitors including Home Depot, Lowe’s, Hechinger’s, Builders Square, Home Quarters, Mr. HOW Warehouse and Moore’s Warehouse. Under Taylor’s leadership, the company continued to grow while remaining independently owned.

Taylor turned day-to-day leadership of the business over to his son Bob in 1990 while remaining chairman. Bob Taylor later joined Do it Best, serving as president and CEO beginning in 2001, while Joe Taylor assumed leadership of the family business.

Today, Taylor’s Do it Centers and Pleasants Hardware operate 22 locations across Virginia and North Carolina, with three generations of the Taylor family contributing to the company’s continued success. Dawson Taylor remained closely connected to the business long after stepping back from daily management, regularly visiting the office until he was 96.

Before his retail career, Taylor served his country during World War II after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1945. He served aboard the USS Hancock and USS Leyte Gulf before returning to Virginia Beach and later was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict, ultimately retiring from the U.S. Naval Reserve as a commander in 1965.

Outside the business, Taylor devoted considerable time to civic and charitable efforts throughout Virginia Beach, believing successful businesses carried a responsibility to strengthen the communities they served. Friends and colleagues also remember his handwritten letters, thoughtful advice and quiet encouragement, qualities that reflected his reputation as a humble servant leader.

Taylor was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Ann Elizabeth Norfleet Taylor, daughter Buff Taylor and sister Mildred Taylor Rose. He is survived by his sons Bob, Russ and Joe, along with nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Few independent retailers leave an imprint that extends across generations of family, employees, customers and fellow dealers. Through his entrepreneurial vision, commitment to independent retailing and willingness to invest in others, Dawson Taylor helped shape both his company and the broader home improvement industry, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence retailers for years to come. Hardware Connection sincerely expresses condolences to the Taylor family and to all those who called Dawson a friend and colleague.