"Average tickets are down, but the volume is still there if you work harder to get it," said Walker on the phone recently, having just taken out more deep-discount ads in the local paper. "We run these 'Scratch and Dent, Up to 50% Off' ads and it gets people in the building, and then 60-70 percent of them end up buying something new."
Calculated, savvy merchandising moves like these close-out calls-to-action have led to remarkable sales figures for Hahn's in the last few months, especially in light of both the wheezing economy and the highly competitive appliances market in Tulsa. Walker said sales have been up over 25 percent in the last eight months. Last year, they did $7 million and are on track to hit over $9 million in '09.
"It just comes down to execution and staying on top of what you're trying to do," he said. "We're blocking and tackling and doing the little things and it's paying off."
Both Walker and long-time Hahn owner Lee Sherman are big on football references. They've only been teammates since May of last year. Before that, the two spent years going head-to-head in Tulsa, with Walker working for a major competitor, Metro Builders Supply.
"He's a great merchandiser. He pretty much made my life miserable for six years!" laughed Sherman. "I'd see him around town and say, 'Aw, you got me on that deal the other day.' But just like in pro football, at the end of the game, you're still friends. It was business."
And just like in pro football, Sherman, known industry-wide for his experience and sales prowess, decided that a merchandising/marketing talent acquisition could "store up" peformance. After a number of talks and a consultancy, he recruited Walker to join him in a 50-50 partnership.
"Mike seems to just recognize buying habits better than I do," explained Sherman. "He can look at 10 different models, examine their prices, and say, 'These two are going to be winners. Let's buy some additional ones there, negotiate a better price and really push those.' And you know what? It works."
