Ace holds grand opening for pool store

The month of April Ace Hardware will celebrate the opening of its new pool store by hosting three customer appreciation events and holding a month long sale.

“This is really about letting the customer know we are here and doing our best to give something back,” said Ace owner Tom Bechtel

The customer appreciation events are being held the second, third and fourth Saturdays of the month with a different freebee each event.

The April 10 event features a free inspection of a customer’s Navigator or Ultra, plus a free set of wings or shoes for the device; the April 17 event features a free bag of shock and inspection of pool cleaners, and the April 24 event features free hot dogs and drinks.

In addition to the freebies at the final event, the main focus will be on a new line of ceramic grills that are being introduced at the Ace location.

“These grills are kind of a three-in-one device,” Bechtel said. “They grill, smoke and bake.”

Ace opened its full-service, seven-day-a-week pool supply store  more than a month ago.

The store within a store offers a full line of pool chemicals, supplies and pool toys.

“We are going to have repair parts, water testing chemicals, toys and outdoor living items,” Bechtel said. “Our whole slogan is ‘get in, get out and get on with your day. This store just further supports that statement.”

To help facilitate the new store, Bechtel  brought in two people trained in the pool industry and cross-trained other employees in the store. “The people running this store are experts in their craft,” he said.

While the concept of having “a pool store within the hardware store” is new, carrying pool supplies is not, Bechtel said. “We have had a pool section for years now, but it seems each year the section just continued to grow.”

The services offered at the store will include water testing, supply sales and equipment repair. “Typical pool stores have relatively short hours and are not open on Sundays,” Bechtel said. “Our pool store will be open seven days a week, the same hours as the Ace Hardware store.”

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