Hardware store

thumb|A [[Germany|German Hardware store]]

thumb|A hardware store in China. The style and products offered in this [[Haikou City store are typical of hundreds of thousands of hardware stores throughout the country.]]

thumb|A hardware store in [[Telluride, Colorado ]]

Hardware stores (in a number of countries, "shops"), sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, building materials, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business. Many hardware stores have specialty departments unique to its region or its owner's interests. These departments include hunting and fishing supplies, plants and nursery products, marine and boating supplies, pet food and supplies, farm and ranch supplies including animal feed, swimming pool chemicals, homebrewing supplies and canning supplies.

Australia and New Zealand

upright|thumb|[[Mitre 10#Mitre 10 Mega|Mitre 10 MEGA store interior in Pakenham, Australia]]

In Australia hardware stores specialise in home décor and include large selections of paint. There are three major hardware companies in Australia: Bunnings, Mitre 10 and Home Hardware. Home Hardware is a retailers' co-operative and has many banners which store owners trade under.

Since the acquisition of Bunnings by Wesfarmers in 1994, the big-box store concept has changed how new hardware stores are built. In 2004, Mitre 10 built its first supercentre Mitre 10 MEGA with an average store size of 13,500 m<sup>2</sup>. These were later either closed or turned into large-concept Mitre 10 stores. In 2011 Masters Home Improvement entered the market and opened more than 49 stores, with an average footprint of 13,500 m<sup>2</sup>. Masters Home Improvement, which was the second-largest hardware chain in Australia, closed in December 2016.

Bunnings also operates in New Zealand, competing against Mitre 10 New Zealand and Hammer Hardware. The Australian Bunnings and Mitre 10 Mega format have also been introduced to New Zealand.

Canada

Home Hardware, Rona, Canac, BMR Group and Réno-Dépôt are Canadian hardware retailers. Aikenhead's Hardware became the Canadian unit of The Home Depot in 1994. Canadian Tire, Central, Kent Building Supplies, Lowe's and many smaller chains also sell hardware in Canada.

China

Most hardware stores in China, whether in the city or rural areas, are small, family-owned, non-franchise companies. They provide similar products to Western hardware stores, including plumbing and electrical supplies, tools, and some housewares. They do not normally carry lumber, fishing supplies, gardening products, or boating supplies. Some rural hardware stores supply animal feed, such as chicken feed.

Common to most non-Western countries, China has specialty hardware stores, dedicated to selling products in a particular category. These stores are usually grouped together in a shopping district. Examples are groups of stores that specialize in:

Chain, carrying different sizes of chain, couplings, lifting hooks, cutters, etc.
Generators and compressors, selling parts, hoses, plus products and tools related the maintenance and repair of generators and compressors.
Tubing and metal rods of various sizes and materials.
Large power tools, with accessories.
Electrical wire and wire rope, electrical switches, fuse boxes, wire rope sockets, clamps, and thimbles.

Europe and the Middle East

thumb|A hardware store in France

thumb|K-Rauta hardware store in [[Alajärvi, Finland]]

thumb|Praxis [[Amsterdam-Zuidoost big box store|420px]]

thumb|Dedeman store in Timișoara, Romania

European-based stores include:

Arabesque/BudMax/Mathaus
Bauhaus
Biltema
Brico
Brico Dépôt
Bricorama
Bricostore
Castorama
Clas Ohlson
Dedeman
EpiCentre K
Formido
Gamma
Hornbach
Hubo Belgium
Hubo Netherlands
Karwei
Leroy Merlin
Mr. Bricolage
Obi
Praktiker
Praxis
Puuilo
SACOs Hardware

United Kingdom

thumb|B&Q Warehouse store, [[Grimsby]]

In the United Kingdom, hardware stores can also be known as DIY stores and home improvement stores. The biggest chain is B&Q, followed by Wickes. Trade counter retailers are also popular, including Screwfix and Toolstation, where customers collect their order from a desk.

India

In India hardware stores are mostly small businesses, with no major store chains that carry a large selection of products. Stores lack ample floor space compared to their Western counterparts, but are usually stocked with a wide variety of items.

Indian hardware stores are similar to hardware stores around the world, offering products from several categories such as plumbing, machinery, household, gardening, manufacturing, cobbler, carpenter, and electrical.

Pakistan

Hardware stores in Pakistan vary from small family-owned shops to large wholesale markets. Major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad have well-established hardware markets catering to contractors, electricians, and DIY enthusiasts.

Some of the well-known hardware markets in Pakistan include:

Lighthouse Market (Karachi) – Specialises in electrical supplies, plumbing, and tools.
Hall Road (Lahore) – A hub for electronic and hardware supplies.
Rawalpindi Saddar Market – Offers a wide range of construction and industrial hardware.

Many stores import tools and materials from China, the UAE, and Europe, while local manufacturers also contribute to the supply chain. The rise of e-commerce platforms like Daraz and OLX Pakistan has also enabled online hardware sales.

United States

page=56|thumb|right|Advertisement for hardware dealers from Neville's Macon Directory and Advertiser for 1869 - 1870

Larger hardware stores may also sell building supplies including lumber, flooring, roofing materials and fencing. Such stores are often referred to as home improvement centers or home centers.

There may be fewer hardware stores in the US now than in the past, but according to the US Census Bureau, there were still 14,300 hardware stores in the US in 2005, employing on average 10 employees each. Despite competition from large chain stores (commonly referred to as big-box or destination hardware stores, e.g., The Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards) new hardware stores in the US continue to open.

There are four major nationwide wholesale suppliers to hardware stores. All four report more than US$1 billion in annual sales. Two of them operate as retailers' cooperatives: Do It Best Corp, from Fort Wayne Indiana, and Ace Hardware from Oakbrook Illinois.) is a membership organization that provides training and resources for hardware store owners and publishes a trade magazine in print and online.