‘ACE is the place’: Missouri man goes to ACE hardware. Then he sees what else they’ve started selling
Ace Hardware is one of the most popular go-to destinations for handiworkers. DIY projects, home repairs, or tools needed for a task, you name it, the retailer more than likely has it. And if you need to crack a cold one after a difficult job, Ace is the place to purchase one. At least, this was what one Missouri man observed.
Alcohol At Ace?
The video begins with TikTok creator Kaden (@forclosurefiles) standing inside a business, revealing several rows of various booze to over 48,000 viewers. The interior can easily pass for the liquor section at a supermarket. But apparently, it’s an Ace Hardware in Monett, Missouri.
“Since when did Ace Hardware sell alcohol?” he asks, panning over the aisles. To prove it, he spins around to unveil a giant ‘Ace Hardware’ sign hanging in the center of the store. “Like what?” the content creator adds, laughing as he reveals the aisle full of tools behind him.
How Did This All Happen?
During an interview with The Mary Sue, Kaden revealed right off the bat that he suspected this wasn’t an ordinary Ace Hardware. As it turns out, it was merged with a grocery store.
“I did not know it was an Ace Hardware/Price Cutter combo. I searched up an Ace Hardware closest to where my job was located. I’m not from Monett so I was shocked when I pulled into a Price Cutter parking lot that also had an Ace Hardware sign on it,” he shared via TikTok comment.
While shopping for materials for his job, the section practically jumped out at him.
“Went to Ace Hardware to look for supplies for a job I had in town [in Monett]. I work on forclosures for a living,” he shared. “I did not stumble across the liquor section. It stumbled across me while looking for materials for the job I had. I didn’t buy any of the alcohol. I actually dont drink.”
Overall, the content creator had a fascinating visit to this combo store.
“It was an interesting place. One aisle you could be searching for tools and supplies, look over see alcohol, look behind you and see milk, groceries, etc. It was not very separated which threw me off,” he recounted. “When I needed to check out. I was confused if there were separate registers or not. And there wasn’t. You just use the Price Cutter self checkout, which was also very odd. It was weird seeing my receipt. Top of the receipt said Price Cutter’ but had my Milwaukee knives and paint i purchased below it, which felt so odd.”
Here Comes The Booze Jokes
In the comments section, many of Kaden’s viewers couldn’t resist cracking jokes about the clichés of those who opt to be their own do-it-themselfers.
“It’s for the third trip back when you realized you forgot something else,” one viewer quipped.
“Because they understand the rigors of DIY projects,” another jested.
“Ace is the place to get [expletive] faced,” a third joked, referencing Ace’s iconic jingle.
Moreover, this wasn’t quite unusual for others, who spotted some unusual things they’d noticed at different locations.
“Mine sells pies. Like frozen [cake] and bake pies,” one commenter revealed.
“Ace can do whatever they want. I’ve been to one that had a full skateboard shop in it and another that [had sub] sandwiches,” a second recalled.
How Could An Ace Store Sell Liquor?
The company’s motto has always strived for personability, aiming for a visit to be equivalent to stopping by a neighbor’s house. To live up to it, they run on a cooperative business model where the majority of their stores are franchises and are operated by local business people, according to their website.
Each owner selects the products suited for their community while being able to compete with other retailers. Because every store is run by a different owner, they can partner with local businesses, hence why you might spot an Ace Hardware inside a grocery store like Price Cutter. As of 2023, there are over 300 grocery/Ace Hardware combination stores, per The Krazy Coupon Lady.
However, the content creator wasn’t the first (and won’t be the last) one to stumble into a store-within-a-store that sold liquor. A Redditor posted two years ago about their findings in an r/whiskey subreddit. As you can conclude from the subreddit name, he discovered a shelf full of glass Whiskey bottles in an Ace Hardware.
“I’m going [to regret] not buying that,” they wrote above the picture.
@forclosurefiles #weirdstore #pricecutteracehardwarecombo #acehardware #alcohol ♬ original sound – ForclosureFiles
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