DIY independents managed only 1.0% year-on-year sales growth in the second quarter of this year - but the figure nevertheless means that the sector enjoyed its seventh consecutive quarter of growth.
The latest figures from the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) also show that the independent garden, machinery and tool hire sector continued its run of strong growth, with sales up 8.7% on the previous year. Cookshops had their best result for some time, up 6.7%, as did pet product indies, up 6.0%.
The stand-out performer though was the furniture, floorcoverings and beds sector, which romped away with a 16.0% boost.
Overall, indies' sales grew by an average of 2.4% - a result which BIRA says would be regarded as a stellar success by the big supermarkets right now.
Comments supplied to BIRA by DIY and hardware independents responding to the survey reveal a mixed picture in Q2. One in the Midlands wrote: "In spite of the relentless competition from the internet and the sheds we managed to show a healthy increase in sales, and I put a lot of that down to going that extra mile to engage with the customer and give them advice and service that they would find hard to get online or in a shed."
Another, in the north west, said: "Pleased with quarter's performance, particularly given the mixed weather which meant the garden sales figures were not as they should have been. Internet sales are an important portion of our figures and I would not like to have only the shop without the internet, and vice versa."
"Great quarter," echoed a south-east DIY indie, "everything just seems busier across the board."
However, a Wales hardware store had found "summer very flat, footfall down", and another in the north west commented: "May let us down this year. I hope it is because of the weather, although 2015 has been very challenging. Somebody may be booming, not us."
Despite some poor experiences, BIRA's survey found that retailer anxiety is now at its lowest level since the beginning of 2014, with seven out of 10 respondents either confident or very confident about the year ahead.