RTC's Business Communicator for Winter 2018

8 WINTER 2018 BADLANDS HARDWARE 140 Main Street inWatford City • 701-842-3321 RTC Services: Internet, Wireless Mesh Units, Phone, and TV Badlands Hardware is a small “Mom and Pop” store owned since 2004 by Laura and Jeff Dodds. It’s a member of the Do it Best Corp. buying cooperative, which expands the variety of available products. Laura Dodds explains, “If we don’t have an item here at Badlands Hardware, we can order it online for the customer and have it shipped to our store.” Another benefit of shopping at Badlands Hardware is its experi- enced team. Most of the employees have worked there for 8-10 years. “We provide knowledgeable and friendly service. For example, if a customer comes in who’s planning a painting project, we have a series of questions we’ll ask to help make sure they leave with the right products. The same goes for other types of projects and repairs. We know many of our customers by name but see some new faces from the gas and oil industry,” she notes. You’ll always find free coffee and cocoa in the store’s coffee nook. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas, you’ll also find a goodie table filled with homemade cookies and candy. Dodds says, “It’s our way to say thanks to our customers. Plus, baking is my stress reliever. Everybody at the store looks forward to the goodies I make during the holiday season. In fact, today I had a 92-year-old customer ask me when the cookies were coming.” When you stop by these hardware stores in the RTC service area, you can pick up much more than tools, paint, lumber, or holiday gifts. You can also pick up what you need to make it a better day— like repair advice, community news, or a free cup of coffee with old friends. Local Hardware Stores are the Nuts and Bolts of Community Unity BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Laura Dodds, Badlands Hardware