| |
|
 |
| TRADER HORN HISTORY |
Trader Horn, Butler's "Original Idea Discount Store" has been serving local customers since 1958! The original store (opened as Warehouse Sales) is located on Rt. 422, west of Butler. After three or four additions to a building that started out as a feed store, that store is still operating and is relied upon by customers around the Prospect area.
The privately owned 11 store chain of Trader Horn stores has always been operated out of western Pennsylvania and is headquartered in the Butler area. The office and warehouse is attached to the Trader Horn on Rt. 8 (Penn Township), south of Butler. The chain employs over 400 western Pennsylvanians throughout the 11 stores, office and warehouse.
In 1973, the owner decided to open a second store and call it Trader Horn. It was named after a book written in the 1920's and was suggested by the manager of the Rt. 422 store. At first it was located across the street from the current location in the Greater Butler Mart. (They moved into the former Gaylords building in 1984.) The third store along Rt. 8 South in Penn Township opened five years later in 1978. From there they expanded to the North Hills area of Pittsburgh, New Castle, Eau Claire, Grove City, Ellwood City, Indiana, Kittanning and finally Clarion.
The chain features a low over head, no frills approach to selling a large inventory of plumbing, hardware, electrical, automotive supplies, paint, sporting goods, lawn and garden equipment and supplies, small appliances, pet and cleaning supplies, housewares, snacks, popular food items and pop.
The larger Trader Horns have departments featuring craft supplies, home improvements, flooring, unfinished and pre-finished furniture and more.
One advantage the Trader Horn stores have is that they can adjust the mix of products to suit the customer needs in a particular area. This is something that big national chains have trouble doing. The more rural Trader Horn store in Butler and the Trader Horn in Eau Claire have more of a general store flavor and carry expanded lines of product that serve the needs of the local customer.
The chain is also community minded. Over the years they have supported various charities in the areas they are located. Currently they have focused much of their efforts towards local shelters for abused women and children. In addition to the company support, the employees have taken on special projects. On their own, they started selling "Angels" and arranging raffles to raise funds or collect everyday necessities for the shelters.
Hopefully the future will afford an opportunity for continued growth to other small towns in Pennsylvania and the kind of customers that have declared Trader Horn as "My Favorite Store".
|
Copyright © 2008 Trader Horn
A Media Post Production |
|
