Even though I’m thousands of miles from the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) headquarters, I find ways to connect with the international independent home improvement industry through the association. During my month in Valencia, Spain, as part of Remote Year, I visited Byggmaterialhandlarna, the association serving the home improvement industry in Sweden.
During my time in Sweden, a former retailer and association volunteer Göran Sundström showed me around several Swedish independent hardware stores, each with something unique to share.