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Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, has built a plumbing department that owner Sanu Silwal says accounts for about 10% to 12% of store revenue. A Hardware Retailing report describes the store’s mix of plumbing products and staff guidance for homeowners and professionals, against survey findings that many homeowners delay repairs or attempt DIY fixes.
Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, has grown its plumbing department into a category that owner Sanu Silwal says contributes about 10% to 12% of store revenue, according to a report by Hardware Retailing. The account describes the independent retailer’s inventory and staff assistance for homeowners attempting repairs and contractors seeking parts.
The store opened in 2023 and sells products across departments including hunting and fishing, plumbing and electrical. Its plumbing range covers faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, valves, pipes, fittings, supply lines and hoses. Silwal also says the store carries specialty items such as sewage pumps, water-leak monitoring products and less common repair fittings and replacement parts.
Silwal told Hardware Retailing that staff receive training on product applications, sizing, fittings, connections and common repairs. Employees are encouraged to understand what a customer is trying to fix before suggesting a product. The store has no plumbing-only sales team; general sales staff assist across departments, with more experienced employees helping on complicated questions or projects.
The department is arranged by product type and customer need, the report says. Larger boxed items sit on shelves, while smaller fittings and repair parts are displayed on peg hooks or in bins. Silwal describes standard products as readily available, higher-volume items, while specialty purchases often require staff to match a part to the problem, dimensions, capacity, connection and intended use.
Plumbing Category Combines Inventory and Assistance
The report describes how Knob Hardware combines plumbing product availability with staff assistance. According to Silwal, staff ask about customers’ repair needs and help identify products, including fittings and parts with specific dimensions or connections.
The report also cites a SupplyHouse survey in which respondents said they delayed plumbing or HVAC work and some DIY attempts did not resolve the problem. The survey does not establish that Knob Hardware’s approach causes higher sales or improves repair outcomes.
The reported 10% to 12% revenue share is a figure provided by the store’s owner, not an independently audited result. The report profiles one store and does not establish whether the same product mix or staffing model would produce similar results at other retailers.
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Survey Points to Delayed Repairs
Hardware Retailing cites a SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners. According to the report, 93% said they delay plumbing or HVAC repairs at least sometimes. It also says 13% waited six months or longer to address their most recent issue, while 8% did not address it at all. These percentages describe survey responses; the report does not provide further methodological detail in the supplied material.
The survey also found that 71% of homeowners facing plumbing issues tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Among those attempts, 51% either failed to resolve the issue or made it worse, according to the report. Minor leaks and clogged drains were the problems homeowners put off the longest. These results provide background for the retailer profile, but they do not measure Knob Hardware customers specifically.
Hardware Retailing also reports differences by generation in how quickly respondents addressed their most recent plumbing issue: 45% of baby boomers said they acted immediately, compared with 34% of Generation X, 35% of millennials and 31% of Generation Z. The figures are survey findings, not proof that age alone explains repair decisions.
““Staff are encouraged to understand the customer’s project before recommending a product.””
— Sanu Silwal, owner of Knob Hardware & Tool Store, speaking to Hardware Retailing
Sales Figures Need Store Context
The report does not specify the period used to calculate the 10% to 12% revenue share, nor does it provide sales totals, profit margins or year-over-year comparisons. It also does not detail the survey’s field dates, sampling method or margin of error. The survey figures should not be read as a forecast for the retailer or as proof that customer education directly increases revenue.
It is also unclear how often Knob Hardware updates its plumbing inventory, how many employees receive specialized training, or whether the store tracks repeat purchases or repair outcomes. The report presents Silwal’s account of the business but does not include independent verification of the store’s revenue mix.
Education Is the Proposed Next Step
Hardware Retailing’s report suggests ways retailers could build on this approach: publish videos demonstrating basic fixes such as clearing clogged drains or repairing running toilets, hold in-store demonstrations, and group products into emergency repair kits. QR codes beside bundled items could connect shoppers to those instructional resources.
The source material does not say that Knob Hardware has adopted these specific programs or announce a future rollout. The report describes the store’s plumbing department and Silwal’s account of how it serves DIY customers and professionals. Any further expansion or results from educational offerings remain unreported.
Key Questions
How much of Knob Hardware’s revenue comes from plumbing?
Owner Sanu Silwal told Hardware Retailing that plumbing generates around 10% to 12% of total store revenue. The report does not state the measurement period or independently verify the figure.
What plumbing products does the store carry?
The reported range includes faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, pipes, valves, fittings, supply lines and hoses. Silwal also cited specialty products such as sewage pumps, leak-monitoring products and repair parts.
Does Knob Hardware employ a dedicated plumbing team?
No. Silwal said general sales staff help customers across the plumbing department, with more experienced employees assisting on complicated questions or projects.
What did the homeowner survey find about DIY plumbing?
Hardware Retailing reports that 71% of homeowners who faced plumbing issues tried a DIY fix before calling a professional. Of those attempts, 51% did not resolve the issue or made it worse, according to the cited SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
