MR. WALLACE’S LEGACY…”THE SHOW MUST GO ON!”

WALLACE HARDWARE HOSTED DEALERS AND PROSPECTIVE RETAILERS AT THE FALL BUYING MARKET IN GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE

Gatlinburg, Tennessee (December 4, 2008) – Approximately 325 retailers and 200 vendors attended the Morristown, Tennessee based Wallace Hardware Company’s Fall “Hometown Christmas” Dealer Market on December 2-4 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, according to Richard Snowden, vice president sales & marketing.  On Thanksgiving Day the week before the market, Mr. John D. Wallace, President and CEO passed away.  It was an appropriate day for his earthly departure since Thanksgiving was a favorite holiday.  His funeral was held at First Baptist Church in Morristown, Tennessee, on Sunday, November 30,  with family, friends, and many of Wallace’s retailers and vendors in attendance.  As Mr. Wallace would have wanted, the family went back to work Monday carrying on everyday business.  As he would say, “The show must go on” and the “Hometown Christmas” dealer market took place

as scheduled.

Before the market, Wallace Hardware hosted a Dealer Advisory Board meeting that featured a tour of the new 40,000 square-foot Walker’s Supply warehouse and showroom in Maryville, Tennessee.  The Walker’s showroom features upscale lighting, kitchen, and bath displays.  Eight key PRO Hardware and FARM MART retailers attended the Dealer Advisory meeting along with Wallace personnel and Shari Kalbach and Randy Burns from the Denver based PRO Group.  Many retailers attended the popular Tuesday afternoon pre-show dealer conference featuring a round table presentation by Tom Shay of Profits Plus.  Its theme was “Power Promoting – Creating a Sales Happening in Tough Times”.  Retailers and Wallace sales people were both excited about in-store promotion ideas presented by Tom.

Dealers were treated to a Christmas Celebration at the Tennessee Shindig.  As Mr. Wallace would have wanted, THE SHOW DID GO ON!

###

Wallace Hardware Company, Inc., based in Morristown, Tennessee, is a wholesale distributor of hardware, lumber and building materials, and farm supplies. Wallace Hardware joined the PRO Group in 1964 and currently markets the PRO Hardware, FARM MART and GOLDEN-LINK programs to more than 2,000 retailers. Wallace Hardware Company serves retailers in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

For More Information Contact:

Richard Snowden, Wallace Hardware Company (423)586-5650