Trio Hardware Wins Nationwide Award for Independent Businesses

An iconic Plainview landmark, Trio Hardware & Paint has been named the recipient of the 2013 "Independent We Stand" Independent Small Business of the Year Award.

The award, sponsored by the Chrysler Group, was in part voted on by the public.

Trio Hardware & Paint is a Do it Best hardware store that has served the Plainview community for more than 50 years.

Local communities came together to stand by their favorite business in towns across America, organizers at IWS said.

The vast outpouring of support Trio Hardware & Paint received during the Indie Award is one of many examples of the loyalty their customers have shown for the store.

After a devastating fire, Trio’s customers helped tremendously by physically carrying merchandise several stores over to a larger location. They also rallied to keep Home Depot out of their community, organizers at IWS said.

“We love our community, they’ve been incredible to us and we try to reciprocate to them,” said co-owner Bruce Carlow. In addition to being one of the founding members of the Plainview Chamber of Commerce, Trio sponsors the local high school robotics team, they give two scholarships yearly to a graduating male and female student, they hire locally, and they sponsor little league and soccer teams.

As the 2013 Independent Small Business of the Year, Trio Hardware & Paint will receive prizes with a combined value of more than $15,000. Prizes include a $5,000 American Express gift card from Chrysler Group, a $1,000 STIHL equipment certificate redeemable at one of more than 8,000 local dealers nationwide, a “Small Business Web Starter Package” from independent web design firm Launch Interactive or ARI Network Services that includes custom website layout design and programming with a location page with Google map integration and web traffic reporting, a three day/two night stay at an independent beach resort hotel in Virginia Beach, Va., as well as a tour of the STIHL Inc. headquarters and dinner with the Independent We Stand team.

The Indie Award winner will also receive a plaque to display at their business, a five-minute video to be featured on the Independent We Stand YouTube Channel and public relations and social media recognition.

Todd Kirschner, another co-owner of Trio Hardware, said he was most looking forward to the STIHL Plant tour as part of the Indie Award prize.

Trio Hardware & Paint was in good company among the other finalists in this year’s Indie Award contest. Each business that made it this far into the competition deserves to be recognized for their outstanding customer service and community support.

The 10 businesses that received the highest number of public votes were:

• A. Dodson’s, a retail gift shop in Suffolk, Va.
• Afterwords Books, a bookstore in Edwardsville, Ill.
• Authentic Haven Brand Natural Brew, a premium tea company in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
• Charis Books and More, a bookstore in Atlanta, Ga.
• Cornells True Value Hardware, a hardware store in Eastchester, N.Y.
• Ju-Ju Monkey, a retail shop in Allentown, Pa.
• Matt’s Building Materials, a lumberyard and hardware store in Pharr, Texas
• Mike’s Community Cup, a coffee shop in SeaTac, Wash.
• Seth Broudy School of Surf, a surf school in Virginia Beach, Va.
• Trio Hardware & Paint, a hardware store in Plainview, N.Y.

The 24 quarter-finalists who were not selected for the Grand Prize will each receive an Independent We Stand Premium Membership.

The story was also featured on CNNMoney: See it here.