Classifications
For this analysis, Ace retailers were classified into groups based on retail format and urban density.
Retai l Classif ications Ace retailers were classified into the following retail format classifications.
Hardware Store Formats Hardware stores cater to Do-It-Yourself consumers, focusing on repair, replacement, and small projects. Hardware stores are separated into three different categories by hardware square footage. Convenience Hardware Selling space up to 6,000 square feet Core Hardware Selling space of 6,001 to 12,000 square feet Super Hardware Selling space of 12,001 square feet or more Home Centers serve the small contractor as well as the Do-It-Yourself consumer, carrying basic hardware plus expanded millwork, windows and doors, lumber and building materials, and kitchen and bath lines. Contractor-Oriented Supply caters primarily to building and remodeling contractors, featuring lumber and building materials as well as essential core hardware items. Other Retail Classifications The columns labeled "Typical Non-Ace" present results for non-Ace single store operations from the NRHA Cost of Doing Business Study. NRHA is solely responsible for these results.
Density Classif ications Ace retailers were also classified into the following retail format classifications.
A store’s density classification is based on density ratings assigned by the United States Census Bureau to the census block groups surrounding the store. Census block groups are geographic units defined by the Census Bureau. They combine individual census blocks into over 211,000 groups. Individual blocks generally contain 600 and 3,000 people. Their physical size depends on geography. In urban areas, blocks are typically city blocks bound by streets. In rural areas, blocks may include many square miles. The density rating of a census block group is based on (1) the numbers of people living in the group and (2) the size/area of the group. Ratings range from zero for uninhabited to five for dense urban areas like Manhattan, N.Y. A store's density score is the average of the density ratings of the census block groups within the radius of a seven minute drive. Based on the score, stores are assigned one of four density classifications.
Rural Scores from 0.0 to 1.2 which is, on average, a population of 169 per square mile. Suburban Fringe Scores from 1.3 to 2.2 which is, on average, a population of 1,182 per square mile. Suburban Scores from 2.3 to 3.2 which is, on average, a population of 6,077 per square mile. Urban Scores from 3.3 to 5.0 which is, on average, a population of 39,847 per square mile.
2
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease