Oak Brook, Ill.,
01
July
2017
|
07:30 AM
America/Chicago

#MyLocalAce – “The Fourth of July is when the town comes alive”

#MyLocalAce

In celebration of reaching 5,000 Ace stores across the globe, we’ll be sharing short stories from local Ace stores from around the world. Have a story you would like to share about your Ace? We want to hear it! Tell us your story using the hashtag #mylocalace on social media.

Every Fourth of July, people across the country gear up for celebrations to honor America. “The Fourth of July is when the town comes alive, it’s the most American of all holidays,” said Ace Hardware store owner, Jay Smith. His store, Gloucester Hardware has been serving its local Massachusetts community since 1874, weaving themselves into the town’s fabric.

Every year, when the diverse community of locals and summer visitors gather for the Fourth to celebrate the town’s history and heritage, Gloucester Ace closes its doors for the day, and joins hands with the community. Smith and his team have created a tradition of designing and bringing to life a float for their local parade.

“The parades are a chance for us to be out in the community. Passing things out is a lot of fun, and the massive crowds clamor for what we pass out,” Smith said. “The last couple of years we’ve distributed thousands of Ace t-shirts, and people go wild for them.”

Smith loves being able to interact with customers at the parade. “The energy from the crowd is incredible. People are shouting things like ‘Hey Ace, we love you,’ and ‘Ace is the place,’” Smith said. “It just feels so good to hear our customers reaching out to us and recognizing us from the store. After the parade we’re with family and there is nothing quite like fireworks over the harbor.”

- Jay Smith, Gloucester Ace, Gloucester, MA