Summer's official start is this week. Get a jump on your summer adventures with the help of your friends at Billings Hardware & Garden Center.

We have a full line of Weber Grills, Traeger Smokers, and all the gear to get you grilling. While you're out in the back yard enjoying the warm sunshine how about a friendly game of Bocce Ball or Croquet? Don't forget to keep your drinks chilled with a rubbermaid 48qt Cooler. This baby holds up to 70 canned beverages. 

Our newly expanded housewares department has everything you want to make entertaining friends and family easy. Sun Tea jars, Ice Cream Makers, and every gadget you can think of to make your fruit and vegetable tray the star of the show.

The Garden Center has some great ideas for summer planters, and garden accessories. Get a standing planter from our Grownomics line. They're ideal for small apartment or condo patios, and great for flowers or vegetables.

Don't forget about tuning up that lawnmower or trimmer that's been sitting in the garage for the past 6 months. We have our own repair and service shop and are happy to work on your Stihl, or Snapper product. If you have a different type, call Dan at the repair shop and he'll sure let you know if it's something he can fix.

Here's to another outstanding summer. See you soon.

 Wow!

Have you stopped by Billings Hardware & Garden Center lately? We've spent the winter months applying fresh paint, adding brighter, more environmentally friendly lighting, and colorful "point me in the right direction" signage to help you get it, get it out, and get it done.

Our Housewares department has been given its own unique, expanded area. We've also added more of the latest kitchen gadgets, and equipment that any professional, or home chef will enjoy exploring.

A bigger fastener and hardware area has been created as well. We have made the assortment of metric bolts and nuts about five times larger than before the remodel, which now includes both course, and fine threaded items. Stainless steel has grown and we now offer bulk, and those hard to find items. We've also brought in color headed stainless screws in both hex, and combo heads.

Remember the days last summer of going around the building to reach our expansive Garden Center? No more. We added a door going from our indoor retail area out to the Garden Center. Now you'll be able to do all of your shopping in a more enjoyable manner, and be checked out from any register inside or out. The Garden Center is in its second year, and the friendly employees will help you with practical ideas and materials that will help you transform your own backyard or garden into an area that's truly enjoyable.

The center of the store has been transformed into an oasis of outdoor living pieces. Taking the shelving out of the middle of the store has helped in creating a more enjoyable, visually pleasing landscape of the store, the departments, and the many great products and services that we offer.

Since we're on the subject of service. Our Service and Repair Department has moved from the location in the back of the retail store to its own building. The Service & Repair Department is now located at 3209 Grand Avenue, Suite 105. For those of you that are like me and need landmark directions, it's located on the far end of the A+ Storage facility. Dan's hours of operation are from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, and as always, arrangements can be made for pick-up and drop-off at the store. 

Hope to see you soon. 

The remodel of the store is coming along nicely. TJ, Kami, and the rest of the gang at Billings Hardware have been working diligently on getting walls painted, getting product moved and reset, all while continuing to give our customers the service that we've become known for. You're in for a pleasant surprise. 

It's about time for spring to get here, fingers crossed, and the Garden Center has a soft opening date of April 1, 2011. We have some exciting new plant varieties wheeling into Billings this year that are sure to make any garden, or front yard planter box stand out. We also have some beautiful Easter Lillie's scheduled for arrival, so stop in and get yours before they're gone.

Now, how about a little tool talk. Milwaukee Tools are on the way. After much time searching the market and power tool offerings in quality, price, durability, and let's face it... looks, TJ and Jade have decided to give Milwaukee Tools a new home at Billings Hardware. Milwaukee has some exciting consumer programs in place and we look forward to having them in our line-up. 

So, stop in and say hi. We've got some great new items to tell you about, some cool stuff to look at, and a knowledgable staff that can help you with all of your own "do it yourself" projects.

Take Care - 

Today at 7:30 am we broke down the first wall of our remodel project. Over the course of the next two months we will be working on improving our store, our offerings, and stepping up the already incredible customer service that we are known for. With this project we are commited to not only changing our playing field, but changing the game for our industry in a way that brings customer service, convenience, product selection, and shopping atmosphere front and center.

During the remodel we will remain open for regular business hours, and have plenty of staff around to help you with all your do it yourself projects, and questions. We may be a little dusty from time to time, but rest assured; the outcome will be worth it.

Check in on the calendar, and here, on the news page to follow our progress. While you're in the store, ask the cashier to sign you up for our Rewards Program. Our Rewards Members will have the opportunity for a sneak peek into the project and have the first opportunity to explore our added features in a private event.

Hope to see you soon at Billings Hardware.

 TJ Comstock

TJ Comstock’s exposure to retail came early. When he was six months old, his family purchased a grocery and hardware store in Eureka, Mont., and a few years later, he was toddling around the store, helping dust and stock shelves. While he likely didn’t realize it at the time, these were the formative years of a career that would quickly make its mark on the Montana retail landscape.

Comstock’s retail education continued throughout his childhood. At age 10, Comstock was learning skills such as inventory management, advertising and marketing from his father and even tagging along to meetings with the store’s lawyer and accountant. After his high school graduation, Comstock stepped in to help out his family and manage their 5,000-square-foot hardware business when the previous manager left the store.

But he also had his mind set on exploring other career opportunities. He left the store to pursue a degree in secondary education at the University of Montana, and, after graduating early with honors, he began working for the Scientific Application International Corporation. But it wasn’t long before he realized he felt more at home in the family hardware business than in corporate America and he returned to Eureka.

In 2006, an opportunity presented itself when the owner of Billings Hardware in Billings, Mont., was looking to retire. It was the opportunity Comstock was waiting for, and he jumped on the chance to purchase the store. While the store was already highly visible and profitable, he recognized a need to build on the current clientele and better target Generation Xers. He understood the shopping experience for Generation X customers was about more than just price—Gen Xers expect a complete shopping experience.

Comstock’s goal was to create unique and creative displays that would attract attention and ultimately generate sales. He quickly identified the paint department as an area in need of improvement. Since most customers looking for paint are initially drawn in by color, he began by moving the color chip racks to the front of the department. He also built an up-scale paint mixing station complete with copper counters, rough timbers and a faux rock archway. The hard work paid off as paint department sales increased by 38 percent.

Comstock continued to spruce up the store and soon moved on to the store’s nursery. By expanding on selection and using the same concept of grabbing the customers’ attention with elaborate statues and fountain displays, live plant sales grew by 270 percent. He even made a point of maximizing the nursery space in what is traditionally the off-season by creating a Christmas tree yard in the winter and a pumpkin patch in the fall.

In late 2006, Comstock continued to expand by purchasing his parents’ store in Eureka, Mont. Since the purchase, he has increased the store’s total sales by 67 percent. The following year, he took the next step toward growing the business when he opened a store in Roundup, Mont., his third store in two years. True to his style, each store has its own unique personality and clientele.

Comstock does take time out of the store; he plays timpani drums in the Billings orchestra. But sometimes that time-out is spent visiting the home of a customer to provide a little free-of-charge assistance with a home repair project. It’s just another way he’s making a big impact and creating a new standard for hardware retailing in big sky country.