Ace Hardware announced plans to open a new Retail Support Center (RCS) in Visalia, Calif. The new facility will occupy more than 1 million square feet and is estimated to create more than 400 jobs in the region.
Ace said the new facility will augment the retailer’s Rocklin, Calif., and Prescott Valley, Ariz., distribution centers and will be centrally located between Sacramento and Los Angeles in California. Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin later in 2021 with the facility fully operational by early 2023.
“Ace Hardware continuously elevates distribution capabilities to ensure we meet our growing business demands and offer the best support and service to Ace retailers and our wholesale customers,” Jeff Gooding, corporate vice president of marketing for Ace Hardware, said in a news release. “Opening this new facility is essential for Ace to keep up with our historic growth and better serve our network of retailers and ultimately our Ace customers.”
The Visalia RCS will feature new technology, a climate-controlled environment, and improved automation to streamline and enhance operations, according to Ace. The distribution center will serve more than 300 Ace affiliated stores servicing multiple states, according to the retailer.
Additionally, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based retailer said it is planning to open at least 60 more stores by the end of the year.
“Our proposition for consumers is that Ace is the most helpful store on the planet; for prospective new store owners, our proposition is that Ace is the most financially and emotionally rewarding opportunity available,” CEO John Venhuizen said in a prepared statement. “An essential business, rooted in people, that exists to serve others; we are blessed with local owners who genuinely serve the communities in which they reside.”
Ace operates more than 5,500 locally-owned hardware stores in all 50 states, with global sales topping $20 billion.
