Ace has been the place with the helpful hardware folks for 100 years. On Saturday, Ace Hardware stores across the nation celebrated their 100th anniversary with block parties.
Owner of the Great Falls Ace Hardware locations, Jim Hellen, said this was a way to give back to the community and show appreciation for their constant support.
“It continued to grow, you know, all the way through the depression and the world wars and all that. Now there's over 5,000 stores, there's like 3,500 owners, and we're all locally owned,” Hellen said.
The first Ace Hardware store in Great Falls (10th Ave S) was opened in 2001, and has grown over the years due, in part, to the support of the Great Falls community.
“I can't even tell you how phenomenally grateful we are to the community. We got urged into opening one on the west side, so we opened this one [215 NW Bypass] in 2006, and then back in 2019 we tore that store down on 10th Avenue and built that new store, so that kind of gives you an idea of what kind of support we've had,” explained Hellen.
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Hellen said he appreciates every customer he has had over the years and sees them more as friends and neighbors than they are customers.
“We're continuing to grow, and we just feel like if we continue to be helpful and knowledgeable and friendly, we can be here for the duration,” Hellen added.
The 100-year-anniversary block party was free to the community to come out and celebrate. The event consisted of refreshments, games, as well as live music by Steve Keller and The Castle Reefers.
