Good Spirits: Building Good - How Busy Beaver Combines Home Improvement and Community Commitment

Good Spirits are quarterly interviews with business leaders. During Good Spirits, we bring you a distilled look at business owners who are working to make a better future by giving back to their community through their work or philanthropy. These leaders inspire and empower us to make a positive difference in our own backyards.

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Inside the Conversation:

Today, we’re thrilled to spotlight a story that’s about much more than home improvement—it’s about the ongoing relationship between a business, its employees, and the neighborhoods it serves.

I had the chance to sit down with Adam Gunnett, Vice President of Business Intelligence and Strategy at Busy Beaver Building Centers. Through the decades, Busy Beaver has grown out of a few lumber yards in Pennsylvania to a recognizable chain of DIY home improvement stores. Along the way, it’s stayed focused on a mission that transcends hardware and shelving—it’s all about community.

This post dives into the heart of Busy Beaver’s community-focused culture, how they engage staff, what servant leadership looks like in practice, and the big and small ways they give back. If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or just someone who cares about doing good, there are plenty of lessons here.

Busy Beaver Origins: The Neighborhood Hardware Store

"Busy Beaver has been around since 1962. It started in the Carnegie area as some lumberyards, but then developed into a DIY home improvement store."

Busy Beaver's story begins in western Pennsylvania. In the 1960s and 70s, the company operated as both a lumber yard and a home improvement center, serving communities across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and even New York.

But like many small businesses, Busy Beaver faced rough patches—especially during the rise of "big box" competitors like Lowe’s and Home Depot in the 80s and 90s. Many independent hardware stores couldn’t keep up with the scale and pricing. Through strategic shifts and a heavy emphasis on being a "neighborhood store," Busy Beaver survived, pulling its focus back to core service areas when times got tough.

"A lot of other home improvement centers did not survive the big box boom, but we've been lucky enough to survive. I think part of that is because we make ourselves part of the community."

— Adam Gunnett

A new ownership group came in 2013, doubling down on a mission of "giving back and being a family-oriented business." That meant not just serving as a retail destination, but embedding Busy Beaver in the lives and causes of local people.

This wasn’t just a strategy to boost sales—it was about weathering storms together and building relationships stronger than any single transaction.

Community Focus: How Busy Beaver Gives Back

One of the standout features at Busy Beaver is how the stores’ physical spaces, resources, and teams are directly involved with the local area.

Everyday Giving: What Giving Back Looks Like

• Charity Fundraisers: Local fire departments, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and community gardens regularly use store space for events and drives

• Product & Supplies Donations: Organizations like Habitat for Humanity ask for—and receive—supplies for building and improvement projects.

• Financial Campaigns: “Round-up” campaigns let customers donate spare change at the register to charity partners both national and local.

"We like to be involved in the community. Local fire departments have fundraisers in our parking lots. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts set up at our front doors. Organizations ask for supplies, and we make sure we're involved."

The Round-Up Campaigns

If you’ve shopped at Busy Beaver, you’ve likely been asked if you want to “round up” your sale. This collected change goes right to charity—and Busy Beaver rotates their partners regularly, working with both regional food banks and well-known organizations like the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

The rounds up campaigns aren’t a generic request—they’re carefully chosen and locally impactful. "We work with charities that have a big impact," Adam explains. "Everyone on our exec team has been affected by heart disease or cancer, so those causes are close."

Employee Engagement: Getting Everyone Involved

Busy Beaver doesn’t just write checks. The company brings employees, from support office staff to in-store associates, right into the mix.

Volunteering and Events

From participating in the Pittsburgh Marathon to volunteering at local food banks, such events give team members a chance to give back outside of the daily grind. For retail employees, who may have less flexibility, Busy Beaver creates in-store opportunities to make a difference—like competing to raise the most roundup donations or decorating the store.

"We get competitive with donations," Adam laughs. "We have awards for highest dollar amount, most spirit, best decorated store—people love it! Some people get really into it for the chance at a free lunch or even just a branded quarter zip."

It’s a model that gives everyone a way to pitch in, regardless of their schedule or job. As Adam puts it, "We want every employee to feel included and to have opportunities to give back, whether it's through money, time, or spirit."

Meeting People Where They Are

"A lot of charity walks and events happen during typical office hours, but our front-line retail workers are busiest on weekends. We try to have options in the store, so everyone can feel like part of the community effort."

Servant Leadership: The Busy Beaver Approach

Great company culture starts at the top. Busy Beaver leans into servant leadership—a style that puts workers first and meets people where they are.

Policies that Prioritize People

• Thoughtful Procedures: Changes are explained carefully, with an emphasis on the "why."

• Flexible Schedules: Designed for employees with families or special needs.

• Paid Time Off: Family-friendly practices are the rule.

Adam shares: "Our CEO is very humble, but I've seen times where a single mother's refrigerator broke and we paid for it. When employees face emergencies, we're there. Every associate is part of the family."

Leading by Example

You won’t find Busy Beaver leadership locked away.

• Owner in the stores: 3-4 days a week, stocking shelves, talking to customers, and pitching in on overnight register swaps.

• Executive team present: "Don’t ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself."

That kind of leadership creates trust and genuine buy-in from employees.

Charity Highlights: Impactful Partnerships & Campaigns

For Busy Beaver, giving back isn’t a box-ticking exercise. The campaigns they run aren’t just for show—they’re effective, personal, and sometimes even a little surprising.

Major Partners

• American Heart Association

• American Cancer Society ("Men Wear Pink" campaign)

• Alex’s Lemonade Stand

• Local Food Banks (matched to each store’s city)

• Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Community Groups

What’s the Impact?

Busy Beaver was the No. 3 fundraiser for the American Heart Association in their area, beating out billion-dollar companies.

In the Men Wear Pink campaign, Adam personally raised enough to be the No. 23 individual fundraisers nationwide—outpacing efforts in huge cities.

For Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the company received a thank-you video from a child cancer survivor, bringing home the real-life results of all those donations.

"To get a video from someone whose life was changed by the campaign—there's nothing like it. Seeing the real-world impact makes everything worth it."

Local Impact

Busy Beaver’s giving is tailored for each community:

• Pittsburgh stores donate to 412 Food Rescue

• Ohio stores work with city-based food banks

• Special efforts for "Backpacks for Good" at local schools

Every store’s efforts reflect the specific needs of its neighborhood. That kind of impact is hard for big chains to match.

Annual Golf Outing: A Unique Community Event

Step aside, boring business conferences. Busy Beaver hosts an annual golf outing that’s as much about doing good as it is about building vendor relationships.

What’s It All About?

• Gathers vendors big and small (think Dewalt, Milwaukee, and even local nurseries like Uncle John’s Farm)

• Opportunity to share Busy Beaver’s mission and upcoming plans

• Community give-back is always front and center—they report on their fundraising to the crowd

Special Event: "Beat the CEO" Hole On one of the par 3s, the company owner sets up a challenge: can you beat him? All proceeds go to the local "Backpacks for Good" program, which provides school lunches for kids in need.

"The amount of money and lunches we've helped provide is really meaningful. We've been doing this for the last three years and it's become a highlight."

The golf outing isn’t just about fun—it’s about deepening partnerships and inspiring vendors to join the mission of giving back.

Lessons Learned: Why Community Work Matters

All of this giving and engagement isn’t just for good PR. Busy Beaver finds that being genuinely connected to the community pays dividends in ways they never expected.

The Real Business Impact

"One of the main reasons people come to our stores is because we focus on customer service and being local. When they learn about what we’re doing in the community, they want to support us even more."

Simple conversations at the register often turn into deep, personal exchanges—customers share stories about loved ones affected by cancer, or chat about their own ties to charities. This builds loyalty and makes every visit more meaningful.

Local Stores, Big Impact

On average, local businesses give 250% more back to the community, compared to big box stores—which are often forced to spread donations thinly on a national scale. That means more of every dollar stays where it matters: supporting local kids, families, and causes.

"People know when they donate at our stores, the funds are staying local—the transparency matters a lot."

Closing Thoughts & Practical Advice

So, what can other business owners or entrepreneurs take from Busy Beaver’s story?

"It's never too late to get started. No effort or donation is too small. Start where you are, with what you have."

— Adam Gunnett

Adam described how his personal journey in volunteering and giving began with simple steps: working a soup kitchen, setting up the point-of-sale system for roundups. Over time, that built momentum—a few dollars here, a little involvement there—resulting in large-scale, company-wide engagement.

You don’t have to be a major chain, or have a huge community relations department. If you care, show up, and start somewhere—that’s all it takes.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in following Busy Beaver’s community efforts or want to get involved:

Visit: busybeaver.com

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Curio412 is a consultancy for businesses and nonprofits who want to improve their bottom line, build relationships, and scale meaningful impact. We believe in creating lasting impact. Which is why we share knowledge and tell stories to keep nonprofits, business, social enterprises, and charitable organizations informed about current trends, ideas, and impact.