Village Home Center has been an integral part of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, since 1983, serving a vital role in this predominantly senior retirement community. I purchased the store in 2013, but my journey into hardware retail was far from ordinary. At the time, I was living in California and running a business that supplied a wide range of products to the military and government. During a visit to my mom in Arkansas, I met her neighbor, who worked part-time at the store and mentioned that the store was for sale. It was the only home center in the area, with the nearest big box store located 20 miles away. If it didn’t find a buyer, it would close, which would greatly impact the community. This really resonated with me. Instead of buying a sports car for my 50th birthday, I decided to step up and buy Village Home Center.
Initially, I managed the store remotely from California, relying on a general manager for daily operations. Coming from the world of government and business sales, I knew very little about retail. However, friends at Do It Best helped me navigate key challenges, including shrinkage, inventory management, and customer service. By 2019, after settling my affairs in California, I moved to Arkansas full-time to take a more active role in the business. Over time, the store became more than just a business to me—it became a way to contribute to a community that deeply values local businesses. Every customer who shops here not only helps support the local economy, but they also know that our store serves as a hub for the community. With their support, we are able to contribute to many local charities.
When I purchased the store, it was operating with an outdated point-of-sale system originally designed for lumber operations. I replaced it with Epicor Eagle, a widely used platform in the hardware industry. However, over the years, the system’s inefficiencies, infrequent updates, and recurring accounting errors caused significant disruptions to our operations. By 2023, it was clear that we needed a better solution.
At a True Value show in Orlando, I discovered Rundoo—a modern, web-based platform. What caught my attention was their sandbox feature, which allowed me to test the system with real data before making a commitment. This gave me the confidence I needed to switch.
Since adopting Rundoo, the results have been transformative. Inventory management has improved, accounting processes are now accurate, and we’ve saved countless hours troubleshooting technical issues. Their frequent updates and responsive support have made working with them feel more like partnering with a team that genuinely cares about our success. Rundoo has liberated us from the frustrations of outdated technology, allowing us to focus on what matters most: serving our community.
Thanks to their platform, we’re now doing business the modern way—not the old-fashioned way.
