I was truly impressed with our first-ever joint Virtual Zoom Spring Conference with OHPBA this past month. Two days filled with outstanding speakers and Education. I was a little disappointed in our retail member attendance with such great topics and speakers with so much to offer all of us in this ever-changing industry.
With Expo 2022 just around the corner and it too being virtual, I urge all our members to take advantage of this inexpensive opportunity to get their full staff up to speed on products and education. Please sign up as our NWHPBA Affiliate gets credit and funding for all our members who sign up. This is an especially important revenue stream for our Association.
Spring has Sprung and things in the retail stores remain brisk and supply chains through Distributors and Manufacturers are having increasing lead times. As we struggle to keep our current clients supplied, we also need to look forward to what should be an outstanding Fall and Winter retail season due to last year’s power outages and storms. Be proactive in watching your inventories and cash flow moving forward. Be smart and prudent and be ready for a great Fall season.
As we come to an end in this pandemic, our next crucial battle is right on our doorsteps today. Green initiatives and Gas Bans are filling the airwaves and local and city council meetings as well as State Legislators Bills.
Never before have I felt more threatened than I do with these insane Nat Gas Bans that are currently getting too popular! The only way we have a chance at saving our businesses is to band together and get our customers involved in one of the biggest grassroots efforts we have ever undertaken. In the weeks and months coming our Communications Committee will be sending out flyers and POP information on ways will be going about fighting these bans. There are currently two Coalitions that are actively fighting these bans. Look for information coming your way on how to help in this most important fight.
Summer is usually our downtime, but this year we need to stay focused and committed to making our businesses stronger. Stay focused, stay strong, and remember we are here to help with any needs you may have.
Lastly, we have an At Large Board position that needs to be filled. Our Board feels strongly about getting a volunteer from Alaska, if you are that person or knows someone, please forward their name or your name to me so we may discuss the position.
Thank you all for your Membership and support!
Scott H. Ongley
NWHPBA President
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WA Cares Fund Program Overview:
The new Long Term Care Act that has a Payroll Tax Going into Effect
January 1, 2022
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Masked and Distancing Requirements Are Changing:
Key COVID-19 Updates for Fully Vaccinated Workers
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2021
Board of Directors:
Scott Ongley
President
Edward Hosack
Vice President/AK
Ryann Blake
Secretary/ At Large
Pat Braddock
Treasurer/At Large
At Large:
Jeff Davidson
Grant Falco
Daniel Hammer
Chris Loper
Troy Olsen
Debbie Hannig
Kelli Cruz
W WA
Colleen Kittridge
E WA
Chris Patterson
Idaho
Guy Hanson
Montana
Tim Reed
Reg 9 Rep
Carolyn Logue
Lobbyist
Katie Bohocky, CAE
Executive Director
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In this issue:
- President's Message
- WA Cares Fund Program Overview
- Masked and Distancing Requirements Are Changing
- NWHPBA Job Board
- Fire Time Magazine
- NWHPBA Member Spotlight
- Membership Renewals
- Job Opening
- HPBExpo - Now Virtual
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The new NWHPBA Job Board is featured on our website. The cost for posting is:
- $50/ NWHPBA members
- $65/ non-members.
Your job opening will be posted for
60-days on our website job board and
in 2 monthly Hearth Insight newsletters.
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The Fire Time Magazine
A digital publication for the hearth and bbq industries
This digital publication will teach you to grow your business through articles by the top experts in our industry.
Each issue will give you access to new products and innovation, as well as provide national market insights so you are never in the dark.
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Company Name:
Craft Stove
Mount Vernon, WA
Company Birthdate/Year:
1985
NWHPBA Member Type:
Retailer
Size of the store:
10,000 sf
(4000 warehouse, 6000 showroom)
Number of employees:
13 including the owner.
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Q: What do you do to separate your business from others?
A:
- Keep and retain employee family. ( Biggest asset)
- Cross-train most of our staff can do each other's job.
- Pre-burn, adjust ,test all pellet, and gas stoves before installation or pick up.
- All sales staff must have done installations and service of wood, pellet, and gas stoves before working on the retail floor. ( Man, I wish we were better designers /but we are working on it)
- All staff has carte blanche in helping clients in almost every situation. ( Works most of the time. But no one takes risks)
- When Craft Stove started in 1985, We were known as Craft Stove & Waterbeds. We sold more waterbeds than Hearth. Over the years we balanced hearth with such products as Waterbeds, Yard Furniture, Futons, BBQ, SPA, Custom indoor and outdoor Furniture, Laser Art, Metal Sculptures, Beds, Mailboxes, and the Puurfect Pet? ( Don't ask)
- In 2021 Craft Stove adorns itself with Antiques, Collectables, Local Artist offerings, Live Edge, Custom Firepits,
- Unique Vignettes, Displays, Courtyard, Kid's areas, Cool Fish tank, Percussion area.
- Good mix of Brands that don't compete against one another. Traditional, Contemporary, Electric
Q: What are customers telling you when they come into your shop?
A:
- We will give a deposit or pay in full to wait for the product.
- We're seeing price increases in our building project are yours going up also and do we have to wait for the product?
- Let's get it now before pricing and demand go up more.
- We think we heard less of"Are Woodstoves going to be outlawed?"
- With more insecurity, we are getting more inquiries about wood than the mainstream.
- What do you have for the outdoor area?
- How long will it take to get the product installed?
Q: Concerning the above question. Sorry time for us to boast:
A:
- What a great shop.
- Well worth the drive, your decor always changes.
- This place is fun you have the coolest s..t.
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Just bought a stove from you and had to bring our friends here from out of town. ( I may mention they purchased over $100.00 of pottery)
- Love your Fish Tank.
- Just brought my Son in to play on your Drums.
- This place is fun more like a destination.
Q: What trends do you see in the next year?:
A:
- Anything Home, security, comfort, escape, some sort of return on investment.
- In the words of the late great Tom Pugh"Cash Is King" purchase right and maybe purchase more? I know it sounds like the "Early Buys" from our mfg.'s long ago but I think will help stabilize supply and demand. If we all look at some of the best sellers from the last couple of years and add one or two when we sell one? (don't any of us go crazy and order hundreds).
- Local, Community, all are looking for a good guy/person advocate for the area in which they reside. (has always been this way just time to revisit)
- Conservation of any sort.
Personal Info:
Q: How long have you been in the hearth business?
A: 1985
Q: What got you started in the business?
A:
Q: What has kept you in the hearth business?
A: Fire, Friends, Family, Fun, Serving, Retail in a small town I had no idea how much that really meant/means.
Why are you a member of NWHPBA?
A:
- Silly not to be with the first reason. Full-time lobbyist at the door of the Capital being your watchdog and advocate.
- More like a nonunion / union with all your Brothers being in the same boat.
- Talent, knowledge, experience, nuggets of knowledge for sustaining life. Our current President Scott Onley just said at the current zoom meeting"Fire was here before us and will be here we are gone" and Scott said "We are all in this together" (I can't believe he coined that phrase, but it has always been true. Especially with NWHPA) As we are all in this together Scott spurred me on to share more about my business than I was going to. Because if we share our experiences others may pluck a nugget. Here are some nuggets I have gotten over the years through my association with NWHPA.
- Look at your store through other eyes. (Debbie)
- Personal Life must be order before you can help others (Dave)
- Give away, we are all in this together (Scott)
- Do the drive-by (Dave )
- Create sections/vignettes that don't need to cost a lot (Debbie & Gail )
- Cash is King/watch China ( Tom )
- Fire is Art and Art is Fire (Kurt)
- NFI NFI NFI NFI Did I say NFI?
- These are just a few nuggets that have sustained and made Craft Stove Flourish with the help and partnership of NWHPBA.
Q: Have you ever attended NWHPA/HPBA Events? If so what is your favorite part about them?:
A: Yes, to both questions Craft Stove has attended many of our Hearth products meetings both reginal and national. And what did we get from them? Everything that I have mentioned already and so much more. New product insight, knowledge, fun, learning we are in the same boat, wine & dine, problem solving, and on and on............
Q: What's your favorite NWHPBA memory?:
A:
- Seaside it was a combo NWHPBA/OHPBA. My wife had never been there (seaside) we were like kids in a candy shop, but we Learned, tasted, had hands on in a small venue (a lot more compared to national felt like we were the only ones there).
- Another Time we were at Tommy Bahamas and Dan Henry well let's say danced with my wife????? Again, and again We always walked away with more than we came with.
- Another Memory it's not with NWHPBA but HPBA many a year ago. Edward Hosack (Herb) was substituted for a ventriloquist Dummy. (We all have reasons for changing our names) I think it was in the late S0's or early 90's That was when Edward was still with Whitefield/Pyro. We Thank you for years of GREAT!! Service and commitment in our industry and for those 18 years in Government Affairs!!! No, You don't need to be a Dummy to be in Edwards position but sure does help.
- Getting one of our guys NFI certified at the Great Wolf Lodge. It happed but lucky we all did not kill ourselves. But in all the fun we combated the Olympia with the help of Pudget Sound Clean Air & NWClean Air Authority. Yes, they can be our advocates.
- ONE OF THE MANY CALL TO ACTIONS BY THE NWHPA and our lobbyist was the HVAC / Plumbers Union to require us to be certified. That was shut down due to the NWHPA and members. We are strong together. And yes, I believe we should all be NFI certified for ourselves and others and to avoid the Storm that will come!
Q: What's your favorite movie?:
A: Son in Law with Polly Shore
Q: First Car?:
A: 1962 Dodge Dart Station Wagon / push button automatic.
Q: First concert?:
A: Santana/ Ronnie Montrose
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For those who have not yet renewed, your membership is crucial and allows us to continue to advocate for the health of our industry. While 2020 was full of unprecedented events, we are thankful for our NWHPBA community. With the help of one another, we were able to support each other and share our successes through tough times.
Renewing your membership is easy, and we have many options for your convenience!
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Renew online and pay via card or check
- If you select to pay by check, you will be directly invoiced and can mail us a check.
- Call us directly at NWHPBA and we can renew over the phone with you
- 253-525-5153 (Due to COVID, if you do not connect with us, please leave a voicemail, and Katie, our Executive Director, will return your call within 24-48 hours)
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"This industry can feel really secluded and alone. Maintaining my membership has allowed me to build relationships and really get to know the other members. This has opened doors and encouraged brainstorming to solve industry wide issues as well as internal ones within my business that someone had already been through and knew a great solution for."
-Ryann Blake, Chimney Techniques
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Sales Representative
Earth N Sun is looking for a Sales Representative with some sales experience. Earth n Sun is a small mom-and-pop store in Rainier, OR that has been open for 35+ years. Earth N Sun sells hearth products that require keeping track of a lot of information. The Sales Representative we hire needs to have good memory skills, be able to work alone, be able to lift a 40-pound bag of pellets, be able to drive a forklift, and be able to work at least but not limited to working every other Saturday.
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HPBExpo June 23-26th, 2021:
Virtual Event
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The Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association announced today that HPBExpo 2021, scheduled to be in Louisville, will now be an all-virtual event. HPBExpo Connect will take place on the same dates, June 23-26, 2021, and be completely online.
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We want to hear from you!!! |
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The NWHPBA Communications Committee publishes the Hearth Insight monthly. If you have a story or article you would like to have shared, submit below to be included in our upcoming editions!!!
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