Donegal Hardware Store wins on the double at United in Excellence Awards

A number of hardware and builder merchant stores from around the country – including Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue – have been honoured for achieving exceptional standards in retailing at the 2nd United in Excellence Awards, held recently in the 5-star Heritage Hotel in Killenard, Co. Laois.

Lee Whittington & Martin McGowan from Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue. 

Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue took home two awards - the award for Best Regional Store in Ulster, along with the accolade of Best Merchanting Store in Ulster.

Patrick Cassidy, Group CEO of United Hardware, said: “The United in Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate best in class offerings, standards and customer service across the industry in Ireland. Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue have raised the bar when it comes to excellence in retailing and have proven that they are one of the very best hardware stores in Ireland.”

Martin McGowan, Donegal Town Hardware Homevalue, said: “We are delighted to have received two awards for the Best Regional Store and Best Merchanting Store in Ulster. This is a testament to the work we’ve done in making our store best in class. We are proud to win these awards for our store and staff, and it shows to our customers that we are going above and beyond that extra mile. These accolades are a point of differentiation in what is a very competitive marketplace and we’re honoured to receive the recognition.”

The event involved the presentation of 25 awards over various key business categories such as paint, customer service, light hardware, merchanting and best regional store. Rooney’s Homevalue in Kells won the highly coveted title of Store of the Year 2019, fighting off competition from over 150 other stores.

As part of the nomination process, every group member store across the entire network must comply with a strict set of criteria, to ensure that the highest possible standards are continuously upheld. This involves an assessment by Store Operations which also includes two independent mystery shopper audits by an external third party.

On the evening €5,500 was raised for United Hardware’s chosen charity, the Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People.

United Hardware operates and supplies the Homevalue retail brand on behalf of its members who together have over 150 stores across Ireland catering to a diverse base of trade and DIY customers. The group operates from a 140,000sq ft purpose-built distribution centre on the outskirts of Dublin and its overall mission is to deliver enhanced purchasing power, marketing, logistics and business advisory support to independent hardware, homeware, agri and garden retailers. United Hardware has a combined turnover of €400 million with 40 people and has 1,300 employees through its branded retail estate.