Westlake Ace makes Midwest moves
Westlake Ace Hardware has agreed to acquire Edgebrook Ace Hardware, a family-owned retailer based in northwest Chicago, Ill.
The 8,700 sq. ft. store, located at 5423 West Devon Ave., will keep its Ace branding and retain much of its current product mix and personnel, per the company. It is anticipated that the acquisition will be completed on June 1, 2025.
The Edgebrook location has served the northwest Chicago community as a hardware store for several decades. Mary Beth and Lou Manfredini purchased the hardware store in 2005 and rebranded it as Edgebrook Ace Hardware. Lou Mandfredini, known as Ace Hardware's resident home expert, is also an author, TV producer and well-known Chicago radio host.
“This store is more than just a place to buy paint, tools, nuts, and bolts – it’s a trusted resource where neighbors find solutions, guidance, and a helping hand, always with a smile,” said Mary Beth and Lou Manfredini. “We are deeply grateful to our customers and are thrilled that Edgebrook Ace will continue serving the community under Westlake Ace’s leadership.”
The sale also marks the retirement of longtime store manager Ed Coren and his wife Sue, front-end manager. Both began working at the store nearly 40 years ago.
“For the past 20 years, Lou and Mary Beth Manfredini have continued the decades-long tradition of steadfast community support and service at Edgebrook Ace,” said Joe Jeffries, president and CEO of Ace Retail Holdings, the parent company of Westlake Ace Hardware. “It’s an honor to carry on their legacy. We look forward to showing our new friends, neighbors, and customers in Edgebrook how we live the Ace Helpful Promise daily through world-class service, helpful advice, and the leading products they need to get their projects done right.”
Westlake Ace Hardware also owns Buikema’s Ace Hardware, a seven-store chain in the Chicagoland area.
Growing in Missouri
The Edgebrook acquisition comes amid a flurry of openings and new store announcements for Westlake Ace. The company's latest opening, in Columbia, Mo., is Westlake Ace's 39th location in the Show Me State. The new 22,000 sq. ft. store, located at 405 E Nifong Blvd. in the Rock Bridge Shopping Center, will officially open its doors on March 14 with a “board cutting.”
The new store in Columbia will showcase several specialty departments and store-within-a-store concepts, selling brands like:
- Stihl, Ego, and Milwaukee outdoor power equipment
- Benjamin Moore and Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paints
- A full-line Garden Center featuring annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, tropicals, and shrubs
- The Kitchen Connection department features gourmet foods, cookware, kitchen utensils, kitchen linens, and more
- Milwaukee, DeWalt, and Craftsman power tools
- Weber, Traeger, and Big Green Egg grills and accessories
- Carhartt, Ariat, Dickies, and CAT workwear and men’s apparel
- Scotts lawn care products
- Yeti coolers, drinkware, and accessories
