Petersburg Hardware Puts Family & Community First

At Petersburg Hardware in Petersburg, Indiana, there’s more to family business than sales and service. The Do it Best Corp. member business is locally owned and operated by the Bishop family, with the help of a team of long-time employees. In business, they all work together to serve customers expertly, but in the community, each family member has found their niche.

Husband-and-wife team Dennis and Sherry Bishop purchased Petersburg Hardware in 1995. Over the years, the Bishops have grown the business from a 6,000-square-foot space to a 28,000-square-foot space, and they’ve added a second generation of family members to the team. The Bishops’ daughter and son-in-law, Robin and Eric Smith, now run the store alongside the original husband-and-wife duo.

To regular customers, the Bishops and Smiths aren’t the only familiar faces at Petersburg Hardware. Employees Kenny Hurst and Jenna White have each worked in the family business for more than 20 years, and Wendell Wilson has been employed for more than 10 years. The familiar faces have helped to make Petersburg Hardware an important part of the community, but the store’s impact on the community reaches well beyond the parking lot.

“Mom always taught us to focus on customers – give them a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold,” Robin says. “If we don’t support the community, they won’t support us.”

Clearly, taking care of customers and the community seems to run in the family. But it’s the breadth of activity that truly makes Petersburg Hardware’s team stand out. Dennis, a county councilman and member of the local Growth Council, gives back through policymaking and economic development initiatives. Sherry is passionate about supporting local schools and churches.

“Mom always goes above and beyond,” Robin says.

For her part, Robin is president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and lead organizer of the annual Pike County Azalea Festival. Through her work, she makes the community a more vibrant place to live and work, attracting new investments to the region along the way.

As independent businesses, Do it Best Corp. members across the country are known for their community involvement. In Petersburg Hardware’s case, familiar faces and a familial commitment to community service seems to be paying off.

“Our customers are very loyal. When we had our grand opening of the new store last year, more than 2,000 people came out to support us,” Robin recalls.

For more information about Petersburg Hardware, visit www.petersburghardware.com.