David Hopper, co-owner of Ace Hardware in Homewood, really enjoys running his store.
“I love it,” he says. “Helping the people of Homewood with projects in their homes is very rewarding. It's a great feeling to give someone the tools and know-how to fix something themselves that they didn't think they could fix.”
Hopper, his step brother and co-owner Jason Russell along with their 12 well-trained employees offer their customers an extensive array of high-quality products, including paint, hardware, hand and power tools, plumbing and electrical supplies, and accessories for outdoor living.
They provide expert services in color paint matching, key cutting, delivery and assembly.
Perhaps best of all, Ace Hardware carries a great selection of top products.
“Ace has a list of what they call ‘Best Brands’ that’s a really wonderful lineup,” Hopper says.
These quality brands include Treager, Weber, Yeti, Benjamin Moore. EGO, Scotts, Craftsman, DeWalt and Toro. The store recently added Stihl Power Equipment to the lineup.
“Having a deep assortment of these quality items really sets us apart from Lowe’s and Home Depot,” Hopper said.
Ace Hardware in Homewood is also more than ready to provide customers with all of their needs for spring, which is the store’s busiest time of the year.
“We sell mulch, garden soil, fertilizers for yards and plants and outdoor power equipment, such as mowers, trimmers and blowers,” Hopper says.
The store takes pride in its stellar lineup of grilling equipment, as well.
Ace also prides itself on offering great customer service.
“This also differentiates us from the big box stores, where you can wander the aisles with no one around to help you,” Hopper says. “Helping our customers is the most important thing my staff and I do each day.”
Hopper’s staff is very knowledgeable in all the store’s departments.
“From plumbing and electrical, to grilling and outdoor power equipment, they will ask questions to make sure you leave the store with everything you need to complete your project,” Hopper says.
“Building those relationships with our customers might be my favorite part of operating an Ace,” he says.
In addition to providing necessities, Hopper says he enjoys “enhancing customers' homes with fun things,” such as Solo Stove fire pits and Big Green Egg grills. “I like to compare a trip to Homewood Ace to a trip to a grown-up toy store. It’s a fun experience.”
Ace Hardware is “a great franchise to be a part of” as a store owner and operator, Hopper says.
“From training opportunities for employees to keeping the store’s inventory up to date, Ace Corporate is taking steps to keep Ace relevant not just now but in the future.”
An example is the website, acehardware.com – an important part of the Homewood store’s business, Hopper says.
“We fulfill and deliver all the orders placed through the website from the store, allowing our customers to shop in their pajamas and pick up the items they purchased that day,” he says.
Hours
- Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
