There’s something special about a hometown hardware store. They invoke feelings of small town America and a time when life was a bit more simple. Although the big box stores provide all the products you’d ever need, from building a birdhouse to a house of your own, they can also be sterile and uninviting. That hometown feel is missing the moment you step inside.
I have good news for you Tega Cay. That’s about to change.
Ryan and Carmen Carroll, residents of Tega Cay since 2004, are in the process of opening an ACE Hardware store. The store will be housed in the building once occupied by the YMCA across from Stockbridge Shopping Center.
A machinist by trade, Ryan left the corporate world in January after 28 years of working with robotic machinery as a project manager and applications engineer. He has dreamed of opening an ACE hardware for years. He is still consulting part time a couple of days a week prior to the official opening of the store in early July.
He credits his wife with helping him make the leap to entrepreneurship, “she kept nudging me to say, we can do this,” said Ryan. When I asked him why he settled on ACE Hardware, he went on to say, “people helping people aligns very well with our life sentiment”. “The ACE culture also aligns with our general beliefs and our faith.”
A self proclaimed, “do it yourselfer,” Ryan and Carmen built their first house in Lancaster, SC after a family friend had helped erect the foundation and frame the home. The rest, they did themselves. “We wanted more house than we could afford at 22 years old, so we built our own,” said Ryan.
Years later, the couple decided to move to Tega Cay in order to take advantage of the excellent schools for their son Chase. They lived in Lakeshore until 2015 when they found their current home in historic Tega Cay. Similarly, they had to remodel this house to fit the needs of their family. “We enjoy doing the work ourselves. Also, we struggle trying to justify spending the amount of money that is required for labor these days,” said Ryan.
With a goal to leave the corporate world at 50 (he’s 49 now), Ryan wanted to follow in his Dad’s footsteps. His father also left corporate America at 55 and became a residential general contractor, a job he considered fun. With the former YMCA as an option, Ryan jumped on the idea, taking advantage of an opportunity to do something he loves while helping people in the process.
After 8 months, the Carroll’s were able to settle on a deal with the property owner. Ryan was quick to point out that if this deal hadn’t gone through, the couple most likely would’ve waited for something else to open a few years down the road.
The store itself will provide convenience, a knowledgeable staff and that personal hometown feel the other box stores are lacking. Along with standard hardware store items, the location will feature a garden area and glass cutting. There will even be a service for key fob replacement, which will help customers avoid having to go to a dealership in situations where car keys are lost.
Management of the store will be a family affair as Ryan, Chase and Carmen will be involved in some capacity. Ryan is excited to get started but is also asking for patience after the store gets up and running. He wants the community to understand that they’re growing and hopefully we’re willing to grow with them. “This isn’t our 5th store, this is our first.” He’s asking for patience in the first few weeks after the opening so they can get their feet under them.
The store will be located just outside Tega Cay but Ryan wants “all local neighborhoods and communities to feel welcome”. This includes our furry friends. The Carroll’s are avid dog lovers, so pets are more than welcome. “Don’t be surprised if our dogs are running around the store from time to time,” said Ryan with a laugh.
Setup for the store will begin in early June with training to follow in early July. A soft opening is targeted for July 8th, although this may shift depending on schedules.
Are you interested in full or part-time employment? If you’d like to inquire, reach out to Ryan Carroll via email:
[email protected]
