Changes at the Manchester Hardware

The crew at the new Manchester ACE Hardware includes brothers Brandon Clouse (far left) and Ryan and Byron Clouse (far right) who surround former owners Darwin and Brenda Ries and Tom Demlow (at rear). Photo courtesy of Brandon Clouse.

by Marsha Chartrand

“Good morning, Manchester … (long pause) … ACE Hardware,” said the voice on the phone Thursday morning when we called the familiar number.

The confusion was not surprising. After 34 years of answering as True Value Hardware, Brenda Ries was entitled to take a moment to orient herself on their first day as an ACE hardware. And that’s just the first of many changes she’s going to need to adjust to while she and Darwin stay on to help with the transition to Clouse’s ACE Hardware of Manchester.

Darwin came to work for Kleinschmidt’s True Value 34 years ago with his friend Bruce Zubke after working together for seven years at a hardware in Hudson. In 2004, they were joined by Tom Demlow and purchased the hardware as a partnership. Seven years ago, when Bruce died suddenly, it was a blow to Darwin, in particular, but also to the hardware team and the entire community.

When a life-changing event like the loss of a dear friend happens, it takes a toll on your emotions. And when it’s followed by something unprecedented like the pandemic of the last few years, you may start to re-think your direction. How you haven’t had a real vacation in 19 years. How you might want a little less responsibility and a little more freedom in your life. And so, about a year ago, Darwin and Tom quietly started seeking out buyers for the hardware.

“Of course, there are only so many secrets in Manchester,” he says with a chuckle. “We know that the rumors have been out there for a while, but we haven’t said anything openly until yesterday, which was our last day as True Value. November 2 is the first day as ACE Hardware, and they’re hitting the ground running.”

Already on Thursday morning, the changes were obvious. The True Value sign out front was removed and the ACE sign was put up. New shelving units were moved in. Blueprints for an updated and enlarged floor plan were being consulted. New brand signs (including Big Green Egg, Traeger, Weber, Benjamin Moore, Yeti, EGO, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Toro, and Stihl) were placed in the windows while the old brands were being replaced.

While Tom will be retiring, Brenda and Darwin will stay on for a few months to oversee a smooth transition and make introductions as new staff join the team. Darwin plans to change paths in a new job for a few years before he officially retires, but he is looking forward to taking that vacation and having more free time than he’s had in a very long while. Meanwhile, they will help the Clouse family to get acclimated to Manchester. It probably won’t be difficult, since Brandon, Byron, and Ryan are used to the family way of doing business, just like their family has been doing for more than 100 years, starting with their first general store/hardware in Glennie, Michigan.

Manchester is the Clouses’ 19th hardware location in Michigan and they are excited to serve this community just as they are serving 18 other communities across the lower peninsula of the state.

And as they stated in their introductory Facebook post, “We want to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to Darwin Ries, Brenda Ries, and Tom Demlow. They have served Manchester community for 34 years. Their hard work and dedication to the community have created a strong foundation that we are eager to build upon. We are committed to maintaining the strong traditions of quality service, community involvement, and customer satisfaction that you have come to expect.”

Wishing everyone a successful and productive future — and Manchester is definitely the winner with a brand-new, enlarged, and modernized hardware!

The new sign is going up and the old sign is piled in the foreground. Photo by Marsha Chartrand

New signage is completed, and it’s officially Clouse’s ACE Hardware. Photo by Sara Swanson

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.