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Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, says its plumbing department contributes about 10% to 12% of store revenue, despite the store having opened in 2023. Owner Sanu Silwal attributes the department’s role to broad product selection, organized displays and staff trained to understand customers’ repair problems before recommending parts.
Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, says plumbing accounts for about 10% to 12% of its revenue, as the independent retailer builds the department around staff guidance, a range of repair parts and displays organized by product type. Owner Sanu Silwal described the approach in a report by Hardware Retailing, which also cited a SupplyHouse survey on homeowners’ plumbing and HVAC repair habits.
Silwal told Hardware Retailing that the store’s plumbing section is only a few years old. Knob Hardware was founded in 2023 and sells across a range of departments and services, including hunting and fishing, U-Haul rentals, screen repair, plumbing and electrical. The store does not have a dedicated plumbing team; general sales employees assist across departments, with more experienced staff helping on complicated questions or projects.
The department stocks items including faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, pipes, valves, fittings and supply lines. It also carries specialty products such as sewage pumps, water-leak monitoring products and repair fittings. Silwal said larger boxed goods sit on shelves, while smaller parts and connectors are organized in bins and on peg hooks to make selection easier.
Staff are trained on basic product categories, applications, sizing, fittings, connections and common repairs. Silwal said employees are encouraged to understand the customer’s project before suggesting a product. DIY customers may need help identifying dimensions or a compatible replacement; contractors often want products that are easy to find and readily available. The report says the retailer’s standard items tend to sell as high-volume products, while specialty products call for staff to identify the problem and match the part to its intended use.
Service Helps Turn Repairs Into Sales
The example points to how a plumbing aisle can serve two roles for an independent hardware store: providing parts for immediate repairs and offering guidance that helps customers choose among them. Plumbing problems can be urgent, but the wrong size or connection can leave a repair unresolved. Silwal’s account suggests that staff knowledge and accessible displays are part of the retailer’s sales approach, alongside the products themselves.
For customers, that combination can reduce guesswork when selecting a replacement part. For contractors, clear organization and stocked shelves can make routine supply runs more efficient. The report does not establish that this model will produce the same revenue share at other stores, but it offers a specific example of how one retailer has built plumbing into a broader, multi-department business.
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Survey Points to Repair Delays
Hardware Retailing cited a SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners. It found that 93% said they delay plumbing or HVAC repairs at least sometimes; 13% said they waited six months or longer to address their most recent issue, and 8% said they did not address it at all. These figures describe respondents’ reported behavior, not a measurement of repair delays across all U.S. households.
The survey also found that 71% of homeowners facing plumbing issues tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Among those attempts, 51% either did not resolve the issue or made it worse, according to the report. Minor leaks and clogged drains were the two plumbing problems homeowners put off the longest. The report also gave rates for addressing the most recent issue immediately: 45% for baby boomers, 34% for Gen X, 35% for millennials and 31% for Gen Z.
Hardware Retailing presented these findings as an opportunity for retailers to support customers with practical education, including online demonstrations, in-store product demonstrations and grouped repair kits. The survey results and recommendations provide industry context; they do not show that a particular educational program has increased Knob Hardware’s sales.
““Staff are encouraged to understand the customer’s project before recommending a product.””
— Sanu Silwal, owner of Knob Hardware & Tool Store, as quoted by Hardware Retailing
Limits of the Reported Results
The report does not provide sales records or an independent audit to verify the store’s 10% to 12% revenue figure, nor does it specify the period used to calculate it. It also does not give a comparison with the department’s sales before it grew or with other independent hardware stores.
The SupplyHouse survey findings are self-reported, and the provided material does not describe the survey’s field dates, sampling method or margin of error. It is also unclear whether Knob Hardware has measured changes in customer satisfaction, repeat visits or sales tied to its staff training, product assortment or displays. The report describes the retailer’s approach, but does not establish which elements account for its reported revenue share.
Education Is the Proposed Next Step
Hardware Retailing’s report outlines several ways retailers could expand plumbing education: publish videos about common problems such as clogged drains, running toilets and dripping faucets; hold in-store demonstrations; and group the parts needed for a specific repair so customers can find them together. The report also suggests placing QR codes near repair products to link shoppers to instructional videos.
The source does not say whether Knob Hardware plans to adopt those measures or announce a timeline. For now, Silwal’s account focuses on the store’s existing approach: train general staff, keep common and specialty parts available, and help customers identify the repair before choosing a product.
Key Questions
How much of Knob Hardware’s revenue comes from plumbing?
Owner Sanu Silwal told Hardware Retailing that plumbing brings in about 10% to 12% of total store revenue. The report does not specify the period or provide supporting sales records.
Does Knob Hardware employ a dedicated plumbing specialist?
No dedicated plumbing team is described. Silwal said general sales staff help across the department, with more experienced employees assisting on complicated questions and projects.
What plumbing products does the store carry?
The report lists faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, pipes, valves, fittings and supply lines, as well as specialty items such as sewage pumps and water-leak monitoring products.
What did the SupplyHouse survey find about DIY plumbing?
Among homeowners facing plumbing issues, 71% said they tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Of those attempts, 51% either did not resolve the problem or made it worse, according to the survey cited by Hardware Retailing.
Did Knob Hardware announce new plumbing programs?
No new program or launch date is reported. The article discusses online videos, in-store demonstrations and grouped repair kits as ways retailers could educate customers, but does not say Knob Hardware has committed to them.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
