Small shop owners not losing sleep over new Lowe’s headed for Silverdale.

POULSBO — Another hardware megastore has been announced for Silverdale, but small North Kitsap dealers aren’t throwing in the towel just yet.

Lowe’s, the “Do-It-Yourself” retailer, is slated to open at the end of this year in the southeast quadrant of Myhre and Mickelberry roads. With 32,000 products under one roof, the corporate outlet represents an average investment in the community of $12 million and will create 120 new jobs, according to a press release.

Another Lowe’s is located on Wheaton Way in Bremerton, and Silverdale already boasts a Home Depot.

Poulsbo Village’s Coast Do It Best Hardware store owner Bonita Doerksen said she believes one more large home supply retailer won’t put a dent in the clientele she’s built. Aside from the outlets in Silverdale and Bremerton, Poulsbo itself houses a Home Depot and Wal-Mart. While the additions of those stores made a bit of initial difference, “your business comes back.”

“Honestly, I don’t think that’s going to impact me a whole lot,” she said. “I think we’ve stayed strong because of our loyal service and our customers.”

It’s the one-on-one interaction between employees and customers she said is key and makes small Poulsbo businesses unique.

Laura Warner, manager of Kingston Henery Hardware, said her shop has held its own against competition in the past, and she doesn’t feel threatened by another large chain.

“We have a great base of community people. There’s enough population to go around,” she said.

And with Kingston being a few miles away from most big box shopping, for some customers the closest choice is best.

“With gas prices being on everyone’s mind, people would rather stay in town, so I think that will be to our advantage,” she added.

For Peninsula Paint Co. owner Ray Donahue, the sting of chain store marketing has hit close to home.

Customer Carly Roney was shopping in Silverdale’s Home Depot two weeks ago when she spotted an in-store ad display comparing the cost of one of the store’s cans of paint with the cost of a different can from Donahue’s shop. A larger-than-life receipt was posted with Peninsula Paint’s name and information, as well as the words, “You be the judge.”

Roney said though she shops small businesses when she can and larger retailers when she needs to, the presentation didn’t sit well.

“When they’re a giant company, they don’t need to be doing that kind of stuff to smaller companies. They really don’t need the business,” she said.

Roney spoke to a sales associate, who agreed with her discomfort and took immediate action, covering Peninsula Paint’s name on the oversized receipt, though their name remained on the paint can.

Home Depot spokesperson Kathryn Gallagher said set-ups like that aren’t necessarily common, but are used by individual Home Depot stores to convey value and services to local shoppers.

“Each store has the autonomy to reach their customers specifically,” she said. “We certainly didn’t intend it to harm any neighboring business. In this case, it was just our way of trying to communicate with our customers a value that we’re providing them. … We always want to be a good business in the community and a good neighbor. The reason we present certain things is always for our customers. We alway have the customers in mind.”

But to Donohue, the shot was a cheap one.

“I took it personally and locally,” he said. “Why are they picking on the little guy on the block?

They got a Lowe’s coming into town, why don’t they pick on somebody their own size?”

Still, Donohue agreed with Doerksen and Warner — a new box store doesn’t necessarily forebode badly for him. And to add to it, he said, there’s a misconception smaller stores can’t beat big box pricing.

“They have deeper pockets. I guess they can fight harder and longer than we can, but the bottom line is we can compete with them,” he said. “What they can compete on is price. What we can compete on is better service, better color matching. Our niche in the market place as an independent is that quality of service.”

Donahue said he’s compared costs between the stores, and Peninsula Paint has come within 2 percent of Home Depot’s charge. His approach is to sell on value, not on having the cheapest product around. In a way, retailing is a “lost art,” he said.

And shopping in the North End’s independent dealers — whose world headquarters may just be in an extra bedroom in a local house — is a choice he’s happy to make.

“I know I can’t stop people from shopping at Home Depot, but in my own way I vote with my wallet.”