About Us
Founded in 1945 as Hardware Wholesalers, Inc. (HWI) by Arnold Gerberding, Do it Best is a member-owned, U.S.-based home improvement cooperative headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana. For nearly 80 years, our mission has been to strengthen independent hardware, lumber, and building materials retailers by combining collective purchasing power, operational efficiency, national support, and local autonomy.
From our early days serving regional stores, we expanded delivery fleets, opened warehouses nationwide, launched the innovative Do it Center store design, and grew into a global operation. In 1998, HWI merged with Our Own Hardware and rebranded as Do it Best Corp. Under successive leadership, we expanded our footprint, enhanced member services, and maintained industry-leading financial strength and credit ratings.
In 2022, we moved our global headquarters to Fort Wayne’s Electric Works district. In 2024, strategic acquisitions of United Hardware and True Value assets grew our network to more than 8,000 locations across the U.S. and over 60 countries, making us one of the largest and most supportive co-ops for independent home improvement retailers worldwide.
Today, with annual sales approaching $5 billion, we provide comprehensive sourcing, logistics, marketing, technology, and store support to help local businesses compete, profit, and serve their communities—proving that independent retail thrives when owners do their best, together.