Cover Story ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
“ Aside from stores , a major turning point in our history occurred when we became Ace Hardware ( Ace ) dealers , which was in the early 1980s as we were opening the second store . The partnership had multiple benefits , as being associated with a successful brand gave us instant credibility , lower cost of goods , and freed my dad from the heavy demands of product sourcing , which freed up time for him to do what he enjoyed – helping customers . Also , while Ace was well-known in other parts of the country , ours was only one of two stores on Long Island at the time , so our partnership had opportunities for mutual growth .”
▶ Vincent ( Vinnie ) Costello - Founder
Growth through acquisition
Michael has learned first-hand from his father , having experienced his determination to succeed while prioritizing customers and the community . “ I was just ten years old when my dad took over the first store , so although I was
too young to work , I hung around – probably causing a nuisance – and helped out where I could with cleaning and putting away stock ,” Michael reflects . “ I spent a good chunk of my childhood like this , which looking back , gave me an opportunity to learn from scratch and has shaped how I lead the business today .
“ I have nine siblings in total , with six of us currently involved in the business . My three older siblings had already established their careers or were at college by the time our dad had taken over the first store , so they didn ’ t have the same opportunity to get involved as some of us younger siblings did . With our dad ’ s support and guidance , myself and my siblings , Michael , Jaime , Tim , Dan , Joey , and Bobby , became owners in 2001 , opening a 24,000-square-foot home center , our largest store to date . We have maintained our leadership structure since his passing almost eight years ago .
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