Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
From a plumbing shop to a hardware store, McAuliffe’s Ace Hardware in Marysville, Ohio, has been family-owned and serving the community for over 100 years.
The shop was first opened by brothers Jerry and John McAuliffe in 1920 and was originally established as a plumbing and heating contractor. The founder’s nephew, Larry Fitzgerald, joined the company in 1947, and it transitioned into the full-service retail hardware operation it is today.
Today, the store is owned by and managed by Dan Fitzgerald and his son, Sean Fitzgerald.
Sean says throughout the years, they haven’t been afraid to change up the store, which has helped with longevity. They aren’t scared to change the product they have in the store, the layout or even the way they operate.
He says the community has also played a significant role in the business’s success.
“We have been very fortunate to have great support from our community over the years,” Sean says. “We would not be the company we are if not for the community we live and operate in.”
McAuliffe’s Ace Hardware provides the community with many different products and services to choose from, including a large lawn and garden section and outdoor plant nursery. They also carry the traditional hardware line, tools, plumbing and hardware.
They even provide customers with large equipment, tools and party rentals that include everything from aerial lifts to dunk tanks.
“We are unique in the way we are willing to sell whatever it is our customers want,” Sean says.
The store offers buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) and buy-online-deliver-from-store (BODFS) as a way to provide an extra level of customer service.
“Even though online sales only account for about 2% of our total sales, I believe customers expect that to be an option regardless of whether they ever use that service or not,” Sean says.
Sean says their employees also contribute to the store’s success. The store employs between 40 and 45 staff members seasonally, and they always ask every employee for ideas about how to make the store better.
“Good employees are the success of the business,” Sean says. “I feel it’s a two-way street. The employees make the business successful; the business makes the employees successful.”
