Helping Independent Retailers Grow, Transition and Thrive
Strategic consulting rooted in retail — specializing in exit planning, retail operations, and trade organization advisory for independently owned businesses.
Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) · NHPA Strategic Consulting Partner · 20+ Years in Retail
Areas of Expertise
Featured
Value Acceleration Methodology
Systematically increase the transferable value of your business through proven frameworks that align operations, culture, and financials for maximum impact.
Exit and Succession Planning
Navigate ownership transitions with confidence — whether passing the business to family, a key employee, or an outside buyer.
Growth through Acquisition and Strategic Expansion
Identify, evaluate, and integrate acquisition targets to build a stronger, more competitive retail footprint.
KPI Development, Implementation, and Analysis
Build the measurement systems that drive accountability and surface the insights your leadership team needs to act.
Leadership Coaching and Organizational Development
Develop the next generation of leaders within your organization and build the structure that sustains long-term growth.
Meet Curtis Gillman
Curtis Gillman has built a 20+ year career as a dynamic leader in the retail home improvement industry. Guided by the principles of servant leadership, accountability, and performance measurement, he was instrumental in growing a six-store regional chain into an 18-location industry leader. Curtis is currently the owner-operator of Burney Hardware, a two-store chain in the Sandhills region of North Carolina founded in 1921. Driven by a passion for helping family-owned businesses preserve and strengthen their legacy, Curtis founded Legacy Retail Advisors to guide independent retailers through growth, transition, and succession. Curtis holds a bachelor's degree from Ball State University, an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University, and is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).
Curtis is also an experienced educational speaker, available for conferences, trade association events, industry panels, and professional development programs.
Curtis is a regular columnist for Hardware Retailing Magazine, sharing insights on retail strategy, business transition, and independent retail leadership.
Hardware Retailing Magazine
Curtis is a regular columnist for Hardware Retailing Magazine, contributing practical insights on retail strategy, exit planning, and independent business leadership.
The Cost of Complacency
Curtis shares insights on retail strategy and business transition for independent hardware retailers.
From Window Shopping to Strategy
A look at leadership and operational excellence in the independent retail channel.
Don't Leave Your Future in Limbo
Curtis explores exit planning and value acceleration strategies for family-owned retailers.
When the Whirlwind Takes Over
Featured in the September/October 2026 issue of Hardware Retailing Magazine, published by NHPA.
View Succession Planning as a Process, Not a One-Time Event
Curtis makes the case for treating succession planning as an ongoing discipline rather than a single transaction.
NHPA Strategic Consulting Partner
Legacy Retail Advisors is an official partner of the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) Strategic Consulting Program. Clients gain access to:
- NHPA's Industry Benchmarking Tools, including the Cost of Doing Business Study
- Custom Consulting Engagements tailored to each retailer's unique goals
- Leadership Development Support to identify and grow emerging leaders
- Succession and Transition Planning Expertise for smooth generational or ownership transitions
This collaboration reflects a shared mission: to empower independent retailers with the strategies, structure, and support they need to grow, transition, and thrive — while preserving the legacy they've built.
Contact Us
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