New ACE hardware opens on Hancock

Adeel Arshed had been looking to open his own ACE Hardware store for years, but was not able to find a suitable location in this area.
But when Grace Community Church closed down its community center and decided to sell the property, it provided the perfect opportunity.
ACE Hardware, at 4151 Hancock Bridge Parkway, is a close-by place to go to get tools, paint, screws, lightbulbs and even barbecue grills and electric lawnmowers, at prices, Arshed says meets or is lower than the huge superstores.
The location held a soft opening on Nov. 2, and the store has gotten busier every day, especially as the holidays approach and people are looking to get tools for their loved ones.
Arshed’s parents owned shopping plazas when he was a kid and hardware stores were among the tenants. He has been working with ACE for six years looking for a location that would suit them. While there were ACE stores in Cape Coral and to the east, there wasn’t one in between.
“We couldn’t find a location and we wanted to be in West Florida. It took a long time to find the right circumstance,” Arshed said. “The church sold the building to the landlord, and he was looking for a national tenant. They contacted ACE and saw there was a market for a store here.”
Arshed said he knows what they’re good at. His location is the place to go for home preservation and not home renovation. If you’re painting a room or doing light fix-ups, ACE is the place. If you’re doing an entire remodel, a Home Depot or Lowe’s might be best.
It is also where customer service, convenience and quality are king.
“We have products we service and stand behind. We are in your neighborhood and you don’t have to park a mile away,” Arshed said. “You can find a grill there but you won’t find Green Egg and Weber, but we do.”
ACE Hardware’s business model is a “cooperative” and not a franchise. All 5,000 ACE retailers own the corporation, entitling them to use the ACE brand, sell their products and pool resources to get better prices from suppliers.
“The business model appealed to me because it’s not a flash in the pan or what’s hot right now. This is 95 years of staying power,” Arshed said. “It’s not easy money or get rich quick.”
At the start of the new year or even sooner, the new ACE will ramp up advertising and its presence on social media
Arshed said he hopes that once things return to normal post-COVID, they can hold a grand opening by the end of February and have events in the spacious parking lot.
ACE Hardware is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.