Ace Hardware is celebrating the one-year anniversary and ongoing rollout of its Elevate3 Ace experiential store format introduction, one that emphasizes outdoor living as well as home maintenance, paint and power tools.
Ace developed Elevate3 to improve the customer experience, especially in the Paint, Power, Backyard & Barbeque, and Home Preservation categories, by arranging products in the store to ensure easy shopping and promote inspiration, according to the company.
Within the categories, Backyard sales are up 6% with core brands highlighted in the new format, including Lodge, Solo Stove, Stanley and Yeti. As for barbecue, sales are up 22%, with key brands including Big Green Egg, Blackstone, Traeger, Weber, Ace pointed out.
Other Elevate3 Ace enhancements include a pilot Sun & Shade department offering premium sunglasses from Costa, Native and Oakley, along with lifestyle apparel, hydration products and outdoor audio equipment.
Ace maintained that it would continue to transform new and existing Ace Hardware stores over the next several years, with the initiatives supported by a $1 billion investment.
“Elevate3 Ace is experiential retail wrapped in the servant-hearted humanity that’s made Ace famous,” said John Venhuizen, Ace president and CEO, in announcing the anniversary. “These stores let customers see, touch and try the best of Ace while staying true to our mission of serving neighbors. A year in, they’re driving strong growth for our retailers and making Ace an even more valuable part of the communities we serve.”
