Dallin Redd named Retailer of the Year

by David Boyle
Dallin Redd, owner of the local Redds Ace Hardware in Blanding, has been awarded the 2015 Young Retailer of the Year by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA).
The Young Retailer of the Year award is given to owners, age 35 and younger, who are members of the organization. More than 30,000 businesses are part of the NRHA.
Redd received the award, in part, due to significant expansion to the business, including the new addition that looks to add 8,000 square feet to his business. It will also bring his Subway franchise under the same roof as the hardware store.
Redd said, “The store has stood on the same corner of the town for almost as long as the town itself has been in existence. So many of the people of Blanding have grown up shopping at our store or have worked at our store. These deep roots have created strong memories and nostalgia for the people of this community.”
Redd took over the business in 2010, when he bought it from his father. He is the latest owner of a family store that goes back four generations to the early 1900’s.
The store was originally founded as a co-op and was then bought by Redd’s great-grandfather, Parley Redd. It is the oldest continuous running business in San Juan County.
Redd says this unique tie to the community makes him feel that the store belongs to the people of Blanding as much as it does to his family.
The NRHA stated that Redd’s focus on improving the employee culture, along with an increase of inventory, has lead to net sales increasing by 44 percent since he has taken over operations.