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“ Secondly , we get to provide a succession plan for a business that doesn ’ t yet have one , which provides our business with a strong social purpose ,” Michael adds . “ We are passionate about helping fellow small business owners in our industry , and we want to continue the legacy they have worked so hard to create , supporting the local community and economy .
“ We recently acquired Smith ’ s Ace Hardware ( Smith ’ s ), which saw us take on an additional five Ace stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania . This was our largest acquisition to date , but it was a successful transition . As Smith ’ s already operated Ace stores , we had many similarities like using the same computer platform and technology , which allowed for seamless integration . George and Ed Smith built an amazing company and family ; any retail company would be proud to be associated with these stores and this team , and we feel honored to have them in our family .” 44