Will you chip in to support our nonprofit newsroom with a donation today?
Yes, I want to support My MLTnews!
After decades serving customers from its Cedar Plaza location, the only hardware store in Mountlake Terrace closed its doors for good on Sunday.
Employee Christina Hutchison locked the front door of the Ace Hardware store at 22803 44th Ave. W. Suite D-2 precisely at 6 p.m. to end the 40-plus-year history of the business that was a favorite of many in South Snohomish County.
“It’s a hard day,” said Jim Dessin. “It’s been a staple. The employees have been close friends all these years.”
A Brier resident, Dessin said he has been shopping at the store for 40 years, dating back to the days when it operated under the True Value banner. And on the final day of the store’s operation on Sunday, Dessin helped commemorate the occasion by making a couple of purchases and serving nearly 100 meals to staff and customers prepared by the Bothell business he helps run, Carolina Smoke BBQ and Catering.
Ace Hardware employees were kept busy throughout the day on Sunday greeting and assisting customers who either wanted a last-day purchase from the store or to simply look inside for one last time.
While the store is now closed for sales, the staff will be busy for the next month or so packaging up the remaining inventory (and all the store shelving) that will then be trucked to a new Ace Hardware location opening in Sammamish. Some of the Cedar Plaza employees have chosen to continue working for the new store when it opens in a month or two.
This is a sad loss to the community. While I no longer live in the area it was my “go to” hardware store any time I was nearby.
It was small town convenience. Ace, Bartell’s (soon a CVS) and QFC (formerly Olson’s, Albertsons)
Hardware, pharmacy, grocery.
Now, off to Lynnwood, or Lake Forest Park, or Bothell, for your hardware needs, if you live in Brier or Terrace. Ace was a great Family store. I hope whatever goes in next can continue that hometown feeling.
This is just the first business to leave. QFC, Bartells, and everything else in cedar plaza is slated to go the way of the dodo when the new planned complex goes up across the street.
I suspect Cedar plaza will end up the same way, mixed residential and retail.
Besides its convenient MLT location to one-stop shopping at Pet Adventure and Bartell’s (my favorites), Sound Bank and QFC, Ace Hardware was a terrific place to shop for those hard-to-find widgets as well as lawn mowers and duct tape. The employees were so helpful, something you can’t easily get at a big box store.
You’ll be sorely missed, Ace!
Both of my boys worked there during/after High School starting when it was True Value. I’ve been shopping there for 20 years. I’ll miss the “Hillman Aisle” the most.
Very sad indeed ….will really miss this staff after shopping here regularly the last 15 years Shout out to Carolina Smoke , ALWAYS a FANTASTIC community support !!!!
I loved that Ace too! Speaking of the new planned complex, is there any update? Seems its been sitting in limbo.
Another follow-up. Was just at the Lynnwood ACE close to Trader Joe’s and met former MLT ACE staff there. She said most of the “old fogies” work there now while the younger staff just took the rest of their summer vacation before going back to school.