Nearly 10 months after Newell Products closed Everything Rubbermaid in downtown Wooster, a new locally-owned hardware store is set to take its place.
The E&H Ace Hardware flagship store opens at 7 a.m. Friday, March 4, in the old Quinby Building, said Christopher Buehler, vice president of marketing and strategy at E&H Ace Hardware.
“It’s exciting to finally open the store,” Buehler said. “We have big shoes to fill but we’re bringing something new to our hometown.”
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Store hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, he said.
New concept: Three floors of retail hardware shopping
After months of renovations, Buehler said, the space features a new retail concept encompassing nearly 20,000 square feet on the first three floors.
Each floor will feature different products and tools according to a different theme, he said.
Without giving too much away, Buehler called the first floor a nook boutique, which features walled-off areas to house a particular type of hardware.
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In a partnership with Traeger Grills, a first-floor nook will hold various Traeger hardware, clothing and accessories, he said.
Floor two will house painting, power tools and lawn-care needs, Buehler said.
The third retail floor will feature electrical and plumbing repair services and products.
“This floor will focus more on contractors with the contractor corner, which will provide coffee and treats and caters more toward them,” Buehler said.
The fourth-floor houses the hardware store’s headquarters.
“There are not many multi-floored hardware stores, so this was a good opportunity to test a concept,” he said. “We wanted to take the latest concept in designs to see how people wanted to see hardware presented.”
Employees and local connections
When E&H Ace Hardware acquired Tignor Hometown Hardware, the vast majority of Tignor’s employees joined the E&H team, Buehler said.
“We offered them jobs and a lot were excited about the store,” he said.
In addition to hiring Tignor employees, Buehler said, the Tignor plumbing and handyman services will remain available from the original Tignor location as part of the E&H family.
The store will employ around 25 to 30 retail workers, he said. While most positions have been filled, some spots remain open.
Anyone interested in working at E&H Ace Hardware can apply online.
Reach Bryce by email at [email protected]
On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie
