Karsten’s Ace Hardware celebrates company’s 100th anniversary

The national Ace Hardware company marked its 100^th anniversary today and the employees at Karsten’s ACE Hardware celebrated by serving free food from the grill and bags of popcorn.

Lerrin Smith, a floor supervisor at Karsten’s, flipped the grilled poor man’s burnt ends and warmed the seasoned smoked pork and beans. It was also the store’s first cookout of the season just outside the main entrance. The store’s staff periodically puts on cookouts for customers, he said.

The store at 21542 N. John Wayne Parkway has been around for 17 years and is owned by Dave and Cheryl Karsten. They have more than 30 employees.

Smith, who has worked at Karsten’s for more than four years, saw the store remodeled, which expanded the barbecue section and created a pet aisle. All totaled the remodeling added three new aisles.

Smith said he loves working at Karsten’s.

“You’d have to burn the place down to get rid of me,” he said, chuckling. “I love the people. We have fun here.”

Business Manager Seth Edwards, who was working with Smith on the grill was quick add: “We’re family here.”

Smith said unlike the big-box stores, Karsten’s Ace serves the community, raising thousands of dollars for youth sports and a number of other charities.

As an example, Smith said, if a customer comes in and asks for a specialty item in the grill section, he makes an effort to quickly order it for a customer.

“We’re way more maneuverable” than the larger big-box building and home supply stores, he said. “We’re way more personable. (Karten’s) Ace is built around the community, built around the neighborhood. We’re about our people.”

Outside in the store’s garden center, supervisor Ashley Cross said Karsten’s was “all about teamwork.”

“Right now it’s planting season, so we are full on plants,” said Cross, who has worked at Karsten’s about two years and also works inside the store when needed there.

“I like being part of the community and I saw that Ace liked being part of the community,” she said.

A customer with a dog strolled through the garden center and Cross got on her radio to warn supervisors inside that a leashed canine was coming in.

Explaining the dog warning, she said the store’s friendly house cat and top mouser, Smokey, was on the prowl.

Cross said unlike other stores, at Karsten’s Ace she is allowed to “think outside of the box” on garden projects and ways to help customers.