TL;DR
Get home appliances delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
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. The retailer combines a broad range of products with general staff training and customer-focused advice; the source report does not provide sales figures beyond Silwal’s estimate.
Knob Hardware & Tool Store in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, has built a plumbing department that brings in an estimated 10% to 12% of total store revenue, owner Sanu Silwal told Hardware Retailing. The retailer’s approach pairs a wide selection of standard and specialty parts with staff guidance for homeowners and contractors trying to identify the right repair solution.
Founded in 2023, Knob Hardware sells products across departments that include hunting and fishing, plumbing and electrical, and offers services such as U-Haul rentals and screen repair. Silwal said the plumbing section is only a few years old but has become a meaningful part of the business. The revenue share is his estimate, as reported by Hardware Retailing; the report does not give underlying sales totals or a measurement period.
The department carries faucets, pumps, drain and waste products, valves, pipes, fittings, supply lines and hoses. It also stocks more specialized goods, including sewage pumps, water-leak monitoring products and replacement parts. Larger boxed items sit on shelves, while smaller connectors and repair parts are arranged on peg hooks and in bins, Silwal said.
Employees are trained in basic product categories, applications, sizing, fittings and common repair situations. Silwal said staff are encouraged to understand the customer’s project before recommending a product. The store has no dedicated plumbing team; general sales staff help across departments, with more experienced employees taking on complicated questions. According to Silwal, contractors often need quick access to familiar products, while homeowners may need help identifying dimensions, connections or the right replacement part.
How Advice Supports Plumbing Sales
Plumbing problems can prompt urgent purchases, but selecting the wrong fitting or part can cost customers time and add to a repair. Knob Hardware’s model treats product knowledge and organized inventory as part of the sale, not just the merchandise. That can make a small department useful to both do-it-yourself customers and tradespeople, while giving shoppers a reason to return when another repair arises.
The report also points to a broader retail opportunity: helping customers understand a repair may build confidence and loyalty. That is an interpretation of the retailer’s approach, not evidence that training or displays caused Knob Hardware’s reported revenue share. The source provides no comparison with other stores or data on customer satisfaction, repeat visits or profitability.
Products Worth Considering
Ring Alarm 8-Piece Kit (2nd Gen) Home Security System
Ring Alarm 14-Piece Wireless Security System
eufy Security Essential 7-Piece Alarm System
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Homeowners Often Delay Repairs
Hardware Retailing cited a SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners. The survey found that 93% delayed plumbing or HVAC repairs at least sometimes; 13% said they waited six months or longer to address their most recent issue, and 8% said they did not address it. These figures cover plumbing and HVAC repair delays, not plumbing alone.
The survey also found that 71% of homeowners with plumbing issues tried a do-it-yourself fix before calling a professional. Among those attempts, 51% either failed to resolve the issue or made it worse. SupplyHouse reported that minor leaks and clogged drains were the issues homeowners put off the longest. The report suggests retailers can respond with practical education, such as demonstrations, online videos and grouped repair kits.
“We train our staff on the basic plumbing product categories, including product applications, sizing, fittings, connections and common repair situations.”
— Sanu Silwal, owner of Knob Hardware & Tool Store, as quoted by Hardware Retailing
Sales Data and Results Not Detailed
The report does not state how Knob Hardware calculated the 10% to 12% revenue estimate, what period it covers, or how the plumbing department’s sales have changed over time. It also gives no profit figures or evidence isolating the effects of staff training, inventory breadth or store layout.
The SupplyHouse survey’s findings are self-reported homeowner responses, and the report does not provide the survey dates or additional methodological details. It is not clear whether Knob Hardware plans to add dedicated plumbing staff, expand the department or formally measure the results of customer-education efforts.
Education Could Extend the Approach
Hardware Retailing outlined several ways retailers could offer more plumbing guidance: publish videos about common problems such as clogged drains, running toilets and dripping faucets; hold in-store demonstrations; and group supplies into job-specific emergency repair kits. QR codes beside products could link shoppers to demonstrations. These are recommendations in the report, not confirmed plans by Knob Hardware.
For Knob Hardware, the next developments to watch are whether it changes its plumbing inventory, adds customer-education activities or reports further sales results. The source report does not announce a new program or expansion, so any such steps remain unconfirmed.
Key Questions
How much of Knob Hardware’s revenue comes from plumbing?
Owner Sanu Silwal told Hardware Retailing the department generates around 10% to 12% of total store revenue. The report does not give a time period or underlying sales totals.
Where is Knob Hardware located?
Knob Hardware & Tool Store is in Connelly Springs, North Carolina. The report says it was founded in 2023.
Does the store employ a dedicated plumbing specialist?
No dedicated plumbing team is described. Silwal said general sales staff assist customers across the department, while more experienced employees help with complicated plumbing questions or projects.
What plumbing products does Knob Hardware carry?
The reported range includes faucets, pumps, valves, pipes, fittings, drain and waste products, supply lines and hoses, as well as specialty items such as sewage pumps and leak-monitoring products.
Did Knob Hardware announce new plumbing services or an expansion?
No. The report describes the existing department and offers general education ideas for retailers, but it does not announce a Knob Hardware expansion or new plumbing program.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
