Westlake grabs a slice of Chicago

Westlake Ace Hardware, the 100-plus-store retail division of Ace Hardware Corp., will enter the Chicagoland market through the acquisition of Buikema’s Ace Hardware.

 

Westlake agreed to acquire the seven-store Chicago-area hardware store in a deal expected to be completed on Jan. 2. With this acquisition, Westlake will operate 115 retail hardware locations in the U.S. 

 

“We are excited to expand in the Chicago area, and look forward to continuing Buikema’s Ace Hardware’s outstanding tradition of customer service,” said Tom Knox, CEO of Westlake. “As Westlake expands, our goal will never change – always help our customers keep their households running smoothly by providing the highest level of service, know-how, and products.”

 

[For more on Westlake’s attitude toward growth, click here.]

 

The new Westlake stores will retain the Buikema’s Ace name, as well as its former management, store personnel, and the current product mix. Founded in 1948, Buikema’s Ace Hardware has grown to include seven stores throughout the Chicagoland area: 

 

• 1030 North Washington St. (Naperville, Ill.)

• 5035 Ace Ln. (Naperville, Ill.)

• 963 West 75th St. (Naperville, Ill.)

• 2240 South Route 59 (Plainfield, Ill)

• 445 Weber Rd. (Romeoville, Ill.)

• 1705 North Main St. (Wheaton, Ill.)

• 90 East Loop Rd. (Wheaton, Ill.)

 

Financial terms of the deal were not revealed.

 

According to Kyle Buikema, president of Buikema's Ace Hardware, “Through three generations, my family has built Buikema’s Ace Hardware into what it is today – a vital business partner in the communities we serve. Handing over the reins to Westlake Ace Hardware at this point in our history makes a lot of sense, as their excellent reputation, shared values, and focus on continuity will help Buikema’s Ace continue to prosper well into the future.”

 

Jessie and Clarence Buikema opened their first store, Naperville Ace Hardware, in 1948. Since then, successive generations of the Buikema family have expanded the family business throughout the Chicagoland to include three locations in Naperville, two in Wheaton, and stores in Plainfield and Romeoville. The chain currently employs nearly 200 people.