Steve Jobs once said, “Great things in business are never done by one person. They are done by a team of people.” Billy Atchison and Tim Gibson would agree with Mr. Jobs because they have been business partners for years and they currently own four Ace Hardware stores in Southern Hillsborough County.
“We started in 2003 with the first store in Lithia,” Gibson said. “We opened the second store near Big Bend in 2005. We acquired the Sun City Center store in 2015 at its previous location. Our fourth store was opened in 2017 on Hwy. 301 in Riverview.”
Gibson and Atchison recently relocated the Sun City Center to Wimauma this past November and reopened their new Ace Hardware on December 20, 2019.
“We moved the Sun City Center store to the new location 1.7 miles away at 16440 S. US Hwy. 301 in Wimauma behind the Walmart,” Gibson said. “It is 10,000 sq. ft., which is double the size of the old location, allowing us to offer wider aisles and better selection. It is conveniently located at the traffic light for golf carts to cross Hwy. 301. We officially opened on December 20 after some construction delays and the response has been tremendous.”
If you ask Gibson and Atchison what makes Ace Hardware stores different from other hardware stores in the Tampa Bay area, they will tell you it’s the variety of items and services Ace Hardware has to offer their customers.
“Ace Hardware offers the best selection, convenience and service for your home maintenance and animal supply needs,” Gibson said. “We strive to provide expert advice and a friendly smile. We also offer free local delivery on orders over $50.”
What Gibson and Atchison like most about owning multiple Ace Hardware stores is that they get to be problem solvers.
“Our favorite part of being in the Ace family is helping others solve problems,” Gibson said. “It’s very rewarding to help someone find the right solution to their home or pet needs.”
Their new Ace Hardware store will have many things to offer the SouthShore community.
“The new location will have twice as much product, a full line of Purina feeds, Benjamin Moore paints, propane refills, screen repairs and the same helpful faces, plus a couple of new ones,” Gibson said.
If you would like to learn more about the new SouthShore Ace Hardware store, you can visit the store’s website at www.crossroadsace.com or call 634-5363.
