182 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 10 “That happens to a lot of other stores of our type and size,” Corey observes, citing companies unfortunate enough not to opt for an ESOP model.“They get swallowed up by some other store that has multiple locations. Then it just becomes another big box.” He credits C&S Supply co-founder Corcoran, who later bought out Sherwood in 1985, with creating the company’s ESOP model. Corcoran’s vision, as Corey points out, was to maintain the company as a local entity and to reward its hardworking, longtime employees. An ESOP was the perfect way to do that. “That was a nice thing he did for all of us,” Corey says of Corcoran’s foresight and generosity. It took a lot of careful planning and research to create the ESOP for C&S Supply, but in the end, as Corey notes, it all paid off and was well worth it. Further, he praises Erin for her handling of the company’s ESOP-related aspects, Staying focused Robin says the company relies heavily upon service and inventory. “We are known around the area to have what you need in stock,” he says. “We don’t tend to get into frilly things. We stay focused on what we’re good at, and if we can continue to do that, then that’s what draws customers in.” Throughout the industry, traditional brickand-mortar hardware stores are decreasing. Yet Robin says he doesn’t see that happening with C&S. The company is doing business up a storm, he says, citing more than 300 charge accounts with contractors in the Mankato area. Plus, of course, there are the general hardware, power equipment (and they service what they sell in their on-site small engine repair center), and specialized work clothing facets to the company’s business, all moving like gangbusters. “We’re unique in the way that we do business,” Robin says, “compared to a regular farm retail.”
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