The Wells County Chamber of Commerce staff and Ambassadors surprises Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center owners, Mark Schaufelberger and Whitney McBride, as the March Member of the Month. Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center is located at 250 East South Street in Markle.
The recognition came at a great time as Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center just celebrated 16 years on March 1. Schaufelberger explained that in 2007 he had injured his back and needed to do something different. Buying this store was the perfect opportunity. A lot has changed in the past 16 years growing inventory, adding the rental center, and expanding services. However, Schaufelberger and McBride said that their love for customers and the service they provide has not changed.
“We strive to provide excellent customer service at all times,” said Schaufelberger. “We have had an increase of customers over the years because we treat them right. Sales will come if you treat people correctly and provide them what they need. Whitney and I work well together, and we are both good at certain things, which has made a big improvement over the years.”
Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center provides hardware and necessities to people in Huntington, Wells, and the surrounding counties. “We can supply materials from fixing toilets, providing landscaping supplies, to helping our factories grow and keep going,” explained McBride. “We have done everything from offering canning classes to being a food bank during COVID. God has allowed us to remain open and has blessed us to support Him in everything we do.”
Expanding services and investing in the Markle area is important to the owners. “Our new rental center has equipment that is barely a year old,” said McBride. “We are investing in expanding our greenhouse and offering new trees and shrubs this year. A brand-new paint line just came in this week and that is exciting to carry in the store.”
Community involvement is essential for both Schaufelberger and McBride. “We enjoy being a part of the community and we both volunteer and continue to look for things to do to give back,” stated Schaufelberger. “Either we give our time or money because we feel it is important to support and say thank you to the community that supports us.”
Offering services for the needs of the customers is important for McBride and Schaufelberger. Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center offers canning products, in addition to classes on how to can fruit, vegetables, meat, and chicken. Taking the expertise from Mark as a gardener, and advice from locals, they created classes on how to can. “We were actually featured in a local trade magazine for canning,” explained McBride. “The first year we held the class we had up to 10 individuals, and this past year we maxed out at 35. We have expanded to teaching people the difference between dehydrating, freezing, and freeze-drying food. It has been a lot of fun for us.”
“We have such a wide variety of customers and they are all great in their own way,” said Schaufelberger. “Whitney and I both enjoy helping our customers solve programs and that is more fun than anything else. When we can help solve those problems or give advice, it seems to do well for us. Our store is stocked very well, and we will add items based on customer needs.”
Markle Do It Best Hardware and Rental Center is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
