Summary: It started as resistance to the 9/11 attacks on America; on 9/14/2001, the Milams started their Ace Hardware. And now, Mark Labadie, the new owner, has begun the task of revitalizing the long-time Willow Park business.
Latest Update:Wednesday, 30 August, 2023
Tags: #DevelopmentSouth
Ace Hardware in Willow Park, new owner and new life
It started as resistance to the 9/11 attacks on America; three days after 9/11/2001, the Milams started their Ace Hardware -- first in Weatherford and then in 2004 at it's current site in Willow Park. And now, Mark Labadie, the new owner, has begun the task of refurbishing, restocking, and revitalizing the long-time Willow Park business.
• Milam Ace Hardware is example of American dream, Weatherford Democrat, 11 January 2006. [in .pdf] Excerpts
Encouraged by the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, and challenged by the economic slump that followed, the Milams bought a small hardware store, prospered, and expanded it to a new location in Willow Park.
“The terrorists were trying to get Americans to stop acting like Americans,” Wes said sternly pressing both palms on his desk. “Starting a business like this is the American dream, and if we didn’t act on it, we would lose that dream. They wanted us to be afraid, and we decided this was our way of fighting back.”
Milam Ace Hardware re-opened at the new building Nov. 27, 2004, ...[on the] north side of Interstate 20 in Willow Park.
“I absolutely love this community. I love it and I love the people,” Wes said. “The hardware business is such a community-based, fundamental business. I really feel that God called us to do this — to love the people around us and show them that we care.
• An Ace Up His Sleeve, The Community News, 25 August 2023, [in pdf] Excerpts
New Willow Park store owner brings knowledge and track record
You may have noticed some “spiffying-up” lately at Willow Park Ace Hardware. Last week the business officially changed hands, and Mark Labadie, the new owner, has begun the task of refurbishing, restocking, and revitalizing the long-time Willow Park business.
It’s no secret that the business has shown signs of disrepair lately — both literally, as in missing letters from signs — and as evidenced by missing merchandise from shelves.
Labadie has plans to fix all of that. He opened the Benbrook Ace Hardware in 2021 in the old Winn Dixie/Brookshire’s building and has had a top-flight operation there ever since.
The success of the Benbrook store may not be surprising since Labadie’s background includes a stint at Ace Hardware corporate, where his job was to teach Ace owners how to be better Ace owners.
When asked what sets ace Hardware apart from other hardware and big-box stores, Labadie replied “it's really the community that it's in. Ace corporately — they’re very picky about where they'll put a hardware store. You know, generally, it's the community that makes it special.”
Overall, Labadie feels his ownership of the Willow Park store was meant to be.
He was in another community looking at a store to possibly buy, but didn’t have a good feeling about it, when he found out the Willow Park store was for sale.
“I don't feel like was just a happy accident,” Labadie said. “I really feel like we were meant to purchase this store..."
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