Show & Sell

A Pennsylvania hearth retailer’s eye-catching fireplace displays engage customers and drive sales.

BY SHARON SANDERS PHOTOS BY ERIC FORBERGER

Ashowroom matters. Sam Stoltzfus, owner of LanChester Grill & Hearth (Gap, Pennsylvania), has built a flourishing business on this fact. “I’ve learned that every detail makes a difference, from the type of hearths you display to how tidy you keep your showroom,” Stoltzfus says. His passion for everything visual has set the business apart and built its reputation as being the go-to spot for everything hearth.

Stoltzfus started the company as a kitchen and appliance repair and installation business in 1996. After evolving into a kitchen appliance store, he added hearth products in 2000. The hearth side of the business flourished, so the appliance portion was slowly phased out to focus exclusively on hearth and barbecue.

Today, LanChester is known as the premier specialty dealer in its market. When customers walk through LanChester’s front doors, they are immediately enveloped in a cozy warmth and glow. With over 80 burning units on the immaculate showroom floor, to say it’s impressive is an understatement. Around every corner is a surprise, whether it’s a large statement hearth or a wall of hearths of every shape and size. “I’ve learned over time that if you display something, it will sell,” Stoltzfus explains.

TOP: Sam Stoltzfus

BOTTOM: Impressive fireplaces add a wow factor to LanChester Grill & Hearth’s showroom floor.

Back in 2008, when linear fireplaces were just starting to gain popularity, he brought in a single unit thinking it would never gain any traction in the store’s rural Pennsylvania market. “To my surprise, it did very well and we ended up bringing in a whole lineup of linear units that we sell in the store to this day.”

Since that time, he has never hesitated to bring in a fireplace, no matter the price or aesthetic. “I make it a point to bring in a few fireplaces with a wow factor that will attract attention on the showroom floor. If we sell just a few (or none), it’s worth it because they open up a conversation that will likely end in a sale for another unit.”

A few years back, Stoltzfus brought in a deckedout Travis Industries DaVinci fireplace that none of the staff really expected to sell because they thought it was too high end for the store’s target customer. “To everyone’s surprise, we ended up selling several units that year. This month, we installed our third version of the DaVinci called Timber Fire. In the end, it really doesn’t matter what we display, each fireplace will serve its purpose, in some way, because people can touch, see, and experience them.”

Equal care and attention are given to all fireplaces on the sales floor. The store has several large display walls and every unit has a different surround (brick, stone, tile) to set each one apart visually. Stoltzfus is constantly adding and changing displays to keep the product selection fresh and current.

With increasing interest in net zero fireplaces, there is a prominent section dedicated exclusively to these products at the front of the store. “The units create a buzz because people are interested to see what the technology is all about. Even though they are still emerging in popularity, sales are growing and any conversation is good conversation in my mind.”

Stoltzfus is always thinking one step ahead and planning the next showroom renovation. The store’s staff jokes that whenever they see him staring at a wall, he is most likely plotting his next renovation. “When I attend trade shows, I come back inspired with new ideas—some I implement right away, while others have to wait 6-8 months for the new product to be released. The showroom is a work in progress all the time.”

Once a year, the store throws an extravagant open house for current and past customers. The idea behind it is to make them feel special by treating them to a gourmet meal, as well as give them the chance to browse through the showroom and discover new things.

“Many customers show up to enjoy the event every year,” Stoltzfus says. “They don’t necessarily buy every year, but they come to see what has changed, eat and fellowship a bit. Often, they will spread the word about LanChester to their friends. Word of mouth is by far one of our most effective forms of advertising, along with the internet.”

TOP: Every fireplace on the sales floor has a personality of its own to appeal to a broad range of clients.

BOTTOM: The store’s product selection is second to none in the local market.

Over the past 20 years, LanChester Grill & Hearth has built its reputation as a premier specialty dealer.

In 2006, LanChester partnered with Mendota, and by 2018, they had become the largest Mendota display room in the world with over 30 burning units. Every fireplace that the company sells can be found on the showroom floor. Stoltzfus considers it to be one of the best decisions he’s made for business. “Being known as the premier Mendota dealer has shined a whole new light on our store. We’ve always done well with the brand, but now we are known for it.”

The store’s website and marketing materials prominently mention that LanChester has the world’s largest Men dota display. “Not only have Mendota sales increased since the transition, but the fireplaces are easier to sell because people see exactly what they are getting— every log style, face style, and color is some where on display. It’s really impressive.”

LanChester also proudly carries a selection of other high-end gas fireplaces and inserts along with net zero fireplaces from Dimplex, Faber, NetZero Fire, Valor, and Cal Fire. “We don’t want to be a one-brand, one-price dealer because it’s important to be unbiased and give customers the opportunity to compare products so they can discover for themselves what is best for them.”

LanChester doesn’t have the luxury of being located on a main highway, so walk-in business has never been its strong suit. A few years back, Stoltzfus added Google 360 on the store’s website so people could take a virtual tour of the showroom to decide if it was worth making a trip.

“We also posted informational videos on our website that highlight the details and differences between our fireplace brands—they were a hit.” The videos give people the ability to do research before they stop by the store, so they know what they want and what questions to ask. It unexpectedly made the sales staff’s job a lot easier, too. The store’s Mendota selection is a big draw that brings in new customers regularly as well. “Everything works together.”

Hard work and honesty is the core of what has made LanChester Grill & Hearth what it is today, and 2023 will be no exception. “It’s been an unpredictable few years. The retail industry has changed in many ways for good and bad. Consumers are desperate for service levels to be what they were before the pandemic,” Stoltzfus says, adding that he actually sees it as an opportunity for LanChester to shine.

“No matter what the overall retail environment is, to be a successful dealer, you need to understand your customers, follow through on promises, and be willing to admit when you miss the mark—be real in your words and actions,” he says. “Customers value it more than ever before.”

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BoldBBQ

Minnesota grill store owners draw from their experience as competitive pitmasters to deliver winning results.

BY MAURA KELLER PHOTOS BY JOHN HERMANSEN

Tucked in the heart of Minnetonka, Minnesota, where residents cherish the opportunities to barbecue during the warmer (and even colder) months, Northern Fire Grilling & BBQ Supply has been serving this community for over a decade.

As CEO Aaron Bourdage explains, his friend Tony Korthaus opened Quetopia BBQ Supply in 2011. After nearly a decade in the barbecue business, he decided to move back to Iowa. Bourdage and his wife, Missy, were customers at Quetopia and got to know Tony when the couple became involved in competition barbecue.

“After talking with Tony and hearing that he might be exiting the business, I thought there might be an opportunity for us to take over the business,” Bourdage says. “So, on the way back from one of our BBQ competitions, I mentioned to Missy that we should investigate buying him out and taking over the store.” Six months later, they were the new owners, along with their third partner, Jeff Vanderlinde of Shiggin & Grinnin Competition BBQ Team, and rebranded the store

TOP: To manage growth, Northern Fire recently added 1,200 square feet to its retail store. to Northern Fire Grilling & BBQ Supply on Jan. 31, 2020.

“We thought Quetopia had given us a great start, but we really wanted to go to the next level and increase the products offered and pursue everyone interested in grilling and barbecue rather than focusing on the competition cooks,” Bourdage says. “We decided to change the name to Northern Fire Grilling & BBQ Supply in order to make it obvious to everyone just what we are about. We are trying to hit every corner of the outdoor cooking and entertaining space.”

One thing Bourdage has noticed during his short tenure as a barbecue retail business owner is the considerable growth of the barbecue supply store industry. When Northern Fire was established three years ago, they were the only barbecue supply store in Minnesota. Now there are at least four others.

“In addition to the number of brickand-mortar competitors, most of these stores have an online store, which we initially decided against,” Bourdage says. “Our online retail location should open in early 2023, a little late to the party! I think everyone in this business got a big boost from the COVID shutdowns. With everyone stuck at home and restaurants closed, a lot of people got into cooking outdoors. I’ve been saying that people can tolerate cooking on substandard equipment every now and then, but when they started doing it four or five times a week, they started looking for better grills and smokers.”

Another unfortunate trend Bourdage has seen lately is that some vendors have begun selling online or

TOP: Northern Fire displays complete kitchen setups for customers who want it all.

MIDDLE: Left to right: Aaron Bourdage, Jon Hanson, Missy Fisher, Brad Gobar

BOTTOM: Pellet smokers are Northern Fire’s biggest sellers.

through big-box stores, sometimes selling at a lower price than their agreed upon “minimum advertised price” and occasionally even lower than Bourdage’s cost.

“We normally try to match whatever crazy pricing is in the market, but in the last six months, it has become much more difficult,” he says. “As a result, we are parting ways with some of these businesses that are using our retail location for a place for customers to see their products and learn about the functionality, only to go home and buy it at a lesser price online. We essentially made the sale for them, and made zero dollars doing it. I view our vendor relationships as partnerships, but I’m not sure it is being reciprocated by all of our vendors, which is unfortunate.”

EMBRACING INNOVATIONS Thanks to advancements in technology, Bourdage often explains to his customers that the barriers to making good barbecue have been mostly eliminated. For example, the modern pellet grill lights itself and monitors the cook temperature as well as the product you are cooking.

“While the end results may not be ‘traditional’ BBQ, they are getting pretty close,” Bourdage says. “Also, the apps available for the equipment offer built-in recipes and instructional videos. YouTube channels feature celebrity BBQ chefs giving free recipes and advice. There aren’t many excuses for making bad food. The best thing about these advances is that people aren’t having

as many negative experiences as I did growing up cooking outdoors.”

BESTSELLING PRODUCTS The growth in the BBQ market has enticed consumers to try new barbecue product options. As such, pellet smokers are Northern Fire’s “bread and butter.” As Bourdage notes, they sell a lot of the Yoder Smokers and Traeger pellet grills and their accessories. They also sell Memphis and Twin Eagle pellet grills. On the provisions side, Blues Hog and Meat Church products are popular, as are locally produced items.

“Of course, we also sell fuel like Jealous Devil and Rockwood charcoal, and about 3,000 pounds of smoker pellets per week, which keeps us all in shape!” Bourdage says. The company also sells fresh and frozen meats, including Snake River Farms wagyu beef and Compart Duroc pork. This year, Northern Fire started selling high-quality seafood as well.

“With the massive growth and interest in barbecue we’ve seen in the last two years, we are seeing people willing to spend more money for quality equipment—especially American-made equipment,” Bourdage says.

In addition, more people are interested in not just one grill or one smoker, but an entire outdoor kitchen setup. “I also think we are seeing more people that want the traditional barbecue experience. We’ve sold a lot of offset smokers from Yoder, Outlaw, and our Minnesota-made offsets, Anchor Grill Company,” he says.

When evaluating barbecue products, quality and ease of use are top of mind for most consumers. They want something they can count on and something the manufacturer will stand behind over the life of the product. “Our customers are often very well informed on arrival,” he says. “They’ve done their research, and most of the time, they know what they want. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for them to get set up, so offering assembly and delivery is a must.”

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FOOD, FUN, AND GREAT SERVICE The Northern Fire team focuses on a solid balance of work and fun. “We have a fun atmosphere and the people that are working here are not only knowledgeable but relaxed and happy to help,” Bourdage says. “We work hard, play harder, and we bend over backward to make sure everyone that walks through the door is acknowledged, welcomed, and their needs are met. In addition, we look like two thirds of ZZ Top ... so we have that going for us, which is nice!”

Northern Fire is also constantly revamping the retail experience and bringing in new products. They recently added 1,200 square feet to handle the store’s growth. They also sponsor 10 barbecue teams and attend events like last year’s Minnesota Monthly’s “Grillfest,” where Northern Fire’s employees and sponsored teams cooked 60 pounds of pork belly burnt ends, 500 Oishi shrimp, and 1,200 smash burgers made with Snake River Farms Wagyu ground beef.

“At the end of the weekend, our group won the burger battle, even though we were up against some of the great local restaurants in our area,” Bourdage says. “We also do a good amount of advertising with KFAN, our local sports station.”

The company also partners with a local cabinet maker, Premier Exterior Cabinets, which will come out and take measurements, and create a 3D model of a customer’s space. Bourdage and his team help customers select the equipment they will need to create their perfect outdoor kitchen.

“These outdoor spaces need planning quite a bit more than a standard kitchen in your home. Getting the plan right, and getting the right equipment the first time is very important,” Bourdage says. “We also host a variety of classes, which is a great way of not only educating customers, but also introducing them to new techniques and equipment.”

Evaluating the industry, Bourdage says they are reaching maximum density. “There are so many people trying to get into the market, and meanwhile the guys that are already in it are constantly expanding their product offering. I’m just not sure the world needs another pork rub. I’ve been saying that one of two things is going to happen—either we are going to see a flood of used outdoor cooking equipment on the market because people who bought during COVID just didn’t get the bug, or we have an awesome base of ‘newbies’ to grilling and smoking. So far, I would say it’s the latter.”

“I’m certainly hoping that the interest in outdoor cooking and equipment continues to grow,” he adds. “I think the increase in interest over the last couple of years should seed the future for us in the business. Now we just need the economy to come back so people have money to spend on their passion for barbecue!”

Universal Gas Orifice Is A Game Changer

THE UNIVERSAL GAS ORIFICE (UGO) FROM HPC FIRE INSPIRED™ started as an idea to simplify and streamline consumer

experiences. Hard work and dedication from HPC team members turned the concept into a reality that could well be a game changer for the industry. Considering that the UGO won the honorable VESTA award for its innovation, the enthusiasm is justified.

Sean Steimle, CEO of HPC Fire Inspired™ explains that the new UGO allows one orifice to handle either natural gas (NG) or liquid propane (LP). “The Universal Orifice allows for easy conversion between the gases onsite, with no disassembly required, and easily converts in seconds,” he says. “The process starts by turning off the gas supply, and from there it is three simple steps.”

According to Steimle, the process starts by loosening the set screw on the collar of the orifice. “Then rotate the collar to open the propane/LP Venturi openings,” he says. “Once aligned, retighten the set screw. Next, rotate the orifice ¼ turn to LP position with a flat head screwdriver. Lastly, turn the gas to the on position.”

The process can be repeated to convert to natural gas. Although it is an easy three-step process, HPC recommends a licensed technician for all HPC fire feature installations.

HPC’s fire appliances are CSA-certified utilizing the HPC UGO. For other manufacturers’ appliances, dealers are asked to contact HPC for proper application. “HPC engineers thought of everything, making the technology available in three sizes— 3⁄8”, 1⁄2”, and 3⁄4,” Steimle says. “It suits all needs, allowing the technology to be paired with fire appliances ranging from 65K to over 400K BTUs. The need for the three sizes is driven by the multitude of BTU and valve ranges. HPC ensures that all market needs are covered.”

All HPC gas fire appliances are certified using the HPC UGO. Working with CSA helps to understand the standards and requirements for safe and reliable fire features. CSA certifies the initial product and also requires quarterly manufacturing audits. Ultimately it’s a game changer for customers because it benefits them with reduced inventory, more availability to serve end users, and greater flexibility after the sale.

The well thought out technology eliminates the need for added parts to convert the fuel sources for fire appliances. In addition, the Gas Orifice can be paired with any of HPC’s technology available in Match Lit, Spark Ignition, Electronic Ignition, Bluetooth, and Home Automation. What once could be a costly error is easily fixed with the UGO. For more details about the conversion process, check out HPC’s How To Video, created by Chuck Parsons, HPC’s training and education manager, at https://www.you tube.com/watch?v=nBoi4SLjuk Q&t=2s.

By Summer of 2023, HPC is going to include this game changing new technology in every gas fired appliance, at no additional cost. “This is patented and exclusive HPC technology,” Steimle enthuses. “We believe that every installing technician will have a HPC UGO in their tool belt. This revolutionary technology will result in various benefits to our OEMs, distributors, dealers, installers, and consumers. Let our customer specialists elevate your experiences and service your needs. Reach us at 937436-9800. Join us in lighting the way in the fire and outdoor entertainment industry.”