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Business
Dec. 15 - Jan. 18, 2008 23
Local Ace celebrates fi rst year
by Sharon Schnakenburg
This time of year includes multiple holidays and
celebrations, causing some people to stop and refl ect
upon the fl eeting year’s successes. Similarly, Chandler
Ace Hardware co-owner Robert Vasquez of Gilbert
recently celebrated his “neighborhood hardware
store’s” one-year anniversary, new products and
services and holiday offerings.
A milestone reached during his store’s fi rst year of
business, Vasquez says, is customer connection.
“One of the biggest things that I’m seeing is that we
are becoming that neighborhood hardware store that
people enjoy shopping at. In a year’s time, our regular
customers know us by name, and we know them by
name.”
Never say never
Taking care of customers, and expanding the store’s
inventory in the process, was also a priority at Chandler
Ace this past year.
“We have people walk in and they can’t fi nd
something small. We don’t just say, ‘Oh, we don’t
know where it is’ or ‘We can’t help you.’ We’ll go to
our warehouse computer and see if the warehouse is
carrying it,” Vasquez says. “We’ll bring it in special for
them.”
Requested items are then typically added
permanently to the store’s 40,000-plus item
inventory. STSN photo by Gordon Murray
“Now they’re available to other customers who
HELPFUL HARDWARE MAN: Robert Vasquez is the quintessential “helpful hardware man” with holiday items of all kinds, including
would’ve never seen that product,” he adds.
gadgets to hang decorations, at his Ace Hardware store in S. Chandler.
Granite countertops were another focus this year,
with customers choosing from nearly 400 different
colors. Something Vasquez feels makes Chandler
Ace’s granite installation unique is “book matching,”
where the large countertop is cut from the center of
the slab instead of from a corner. Then, the pieces
immediately around the cut are used for the edge’s
underside to ensure an exact design fl ow match, as
opposed to using random pieces from the same slab
that create only a reasonable design fl ow match, he
states.
Shutters, blinds and roll-down shades installation
services, catering-style table and chair rentals, an “As
Seen on TV” display, expanded kitchen section and a
STSN photos by Gordon Murray
dollar store section were also added to the store since EVERYTHING HOLIDAY: From gifts to decorations to decorating tools, Ace Hardware has thousands of items for the holidays.
its opening, Vasquez reports.
decorate safer, faster and easier,” he adds. Chandler Ace Hardware is located at 4870 S. Gilbert
Holiday help from experts Meanwhile, Vasquez says adding more rental services Rd. in Chandler. Business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
With the holidays here, Chandler Ace is presently is on next year’s agenda, along with highlighting more Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays
offering many Christmas lights accessories and tips products. and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. For more information,
on how to use them. Vasquez and business co-owner “We want to designate a certain display for new and call 480-802-2100.
Brian Freeland of Arden Park used to be professional cool items. Many of them are already in our store, but
decorators, helping with Glendale Glitters and the City they’re hidden in the aisles,” he explains.
Sharon Schnakenburg is a freelance reporter who can be
of Tempe’s Festival of Lights in past years. He also looks forward to connecting with more
reached at Sharon@SanTanSun.com.
“We did a lot of commercial jobs, so we know customers in the coming year.
everything there is to know as far as professional “I think more than anything for this next year, we
Christmas decorating,” Vasquez says. just want people to basically, if they haven’t tried us,
Christmas decorating aids sold by Chandler Ace just to try us one time. Because once people walk in
include a pole with a clip on the end to help get lights and they have an experience with us, they come back,”
up on a house without a ladder, tile clips and extension Vasquez concludes.
poles to put lights up in trees “to help customers
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