Orgill welcomed thousands of retailers to the Big Easy last week at the 2023 Spring Dealer Market at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

The event brought together retailers from across the United States and around the world to browse more than 900,000 square feet of exhibits from the industry’s leading vendors, interacted with Orgill team members, shop for best-in-class promotional buys and attend a range of educational sessions.

“We are thrilled to welcome our customers and exhibitors to New Orleans,” says Boyden Moore, Orgill’s president, and CEO. “We know how these events play an important role in helping our customers build more profitable businesses, and we are committed to finding ways to make our Markets even more meaningful and accessible.”

The big showcase of the event was a replica of the actual Germantown Hardware Store located in Germantown, Tennessee.

The model store version of Germantown Hardware features a 16,300-square-foot sales area and a 1,820-square-foot garden center with a layout and branding inspired by the actual remodeled store.

“This is the first time we have had a model store that is such a close representation of a real-world operation,” Walker says. “This is a great way that we can spotlight the leading-edge programs we are featuring at Germantown, but do it in a way that more of our customers can see it.”

Like the actual location, the model store is a traditional hardware store with a covered outdoor garden center. It also features seasonal “flex” areas for popular categories, including outdoor living, grills, wild birds, and outdoor power equipment.

In addition, it had a destination paint department and showcases a variety of merchandising techniques for maximizing inventory and highlighting impulse items.

“This isn’t just a representation of what we might be able to offer,” Walker says. “These are actual features that have been implemented in the real store.”

The live Orgill Dealer Market ran through Feb. 11. Meanwhile, the distributor’s companion Online Buying Event continues through Feb. 19.