About Us
Our headquarters
In 2022, Do it Best relocated its world headquarters to the historic Electric Works campus in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. Do it Best is proud to be a part of the community revitalization happening in Fort Wayne.
Who we are
Headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN, the Do it Best Group is the world’s largest hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. With nearly $6 billion in annual sales, we support thousands of independently owned locations across the United States and in more than 60 countries worldwide. Partners in the company have the flexibility to operate under the Do it Best, True Value, or their own local store identities, offering a diverse range of branding options to best serve their communities. For more information, visit doitbestonline.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Do it Best mission and values
Our philosophy: Serving others as we would like to be served
Our mission: Making the best even better®
Our goal: Helping our members grow and achieve their dreams™
These guiding principles drive every decision we make, ensuring that we provide exceptional service and value to our members and their communities.
Our history
Founded in 1945 by Arnold Gerberding in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Do it Best began as Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. (HWI). Gerberding, along with 75 independent hardware and building materials dealers, established the cooperative to empower independent retailers through collective buying power. By 1980, HWI had members across the country and outside the United States. In 1998, HWI rebranded as Do it Best Corp. after a merger with Our Own Hardware. In May 2025, Do it Best completed a merger with United Hardware, expanding membership by over 20% and adding a new distribution center in the Great Plains.
Founders: Arnold Gerberding and 75 member stores
Founding date: June 28, 1945
Founding location: Fort Wayne, IN
True Value acquisition
In November 2024, Do it Best acquired True Value. This expanded our global network to over 8,000 locations in the US and more than 60 countries worldwide. Do it Best Group is now the largest home improvement co-op in the world.
Our scale and reach
Member stores: Over 8,000 in the US and more than 60 countries.
Annual sales: Nearly $6 billion.
Warehouses: More than 12 distribution centers across the US
Employees: Approximately 3,000
Miles driven annually by Do it Best trucks: 25,000,000+
Our product categories and brands
We offer the most complete selection of products for home improvement retailers across more than two dozen categories:
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Our portfolio includes top national brands such as Milwaukee, Diablo, DEWALT, Delta, Moen, Scotts, Traeger, Rust-Oleum, Channellock, Valspar, Philips, Simpson Strong-Tie, Stanley/Black&Decker, Crescent, 3M, Schlage, IRWIN, Bosch, Hillman. Midwest Fastener, Gorilla Glue, Fiskars, Rubbermaid, Sterilite, Bissell, Generac, Leviton, Char-Broil, Broil King, Pit Boss, Fluidmaster, Duracell, Energizer, DAP, Purdy, Loctite, Quikrete, Genie, Suncast, Greenworks, Black Flag, and thousands more.
Do it Best leadership team
Dan Starr
CEO (since 2016)
Nick Talarico
Do it Best President (since 2024)
Our community involvement
The Do it Best Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations aligning with our focus areas.
Our retail website
Our ecommerce platform, doitbest.com, offers customers the convenience of shopping online with the option to:
Choose their preferred store.
Select a delivery method (ship-to-home or store pickup).
Modify their selections at any time.
For assistance, contact our customer service at 1-855-828-9792.
Become a member store
Interested in joining our cooperative? Discover the benefits and start your journey with Do it Best by visiting doitbestonline.com.