Ace to host BBQ in honor of 100th year

In celebration of Ace Hardware’s 100th year in operation, the St. Helens Ace Hardware location will be hosting a community event with free food, vendors, and activities for folks on June 29.

Ace Hardware was founded in 1924 in Chicago, and over the course of its operation, the business has expanded internationally. The St. Helens location was founded in 1973, according to St. Helens Ace Store Manager Melissa Peterson. From there, it moved to the old Columbia Lanes Bowling Alley building on S. 17th Street in 1982, and in 2008, it moved to its current location on Columbia Boulevard and Highway 30.

Though it is a large corporation, Peterson wants to host a family-friendly event that gives people a reason to come out and celebrate.

“Our goal here is we’re going to host a free barbecue. We should have enough food for three to four hundred people, somewhere in there,” Peterson said. “It will go from 11 a.m. until probably 3 or 4 p.m., or unless we run out of food.”

Peterson said there would be plenty of food for people to try, including hotdogs, turkey, and ham. There will also be salad and other sides to make sure no one goes away without a decent portion while supplies last, including salad and a dessert of some kind. Crooked Creek Brewery and Tap into Wine will do “samplers” to wash down the free meal.

Though this is a special occasion, Peterson said that Ace Hardware often holds barbecue events for the community during the year. Looking over her schedule, Peterson said they have around 11 or 12 events planned throughout the year, and they typically draw around 150-200 people if the weather’s nice.

“Because it’s the 100th year, I want more people to be out here to acknowledge what’s happening. Not everybody’s turning 100 business-wise nowadays after COVID. That was a challenge and a half,” Peterson said.

To mark the occasion, the Highway 30 Cruisers will be showing off their steel, with some of their hot rods on display for attendees to check out. For those who like to toss bags, Peterson said there will be a cornhole toss game for prizes. Though that will be an activity mostly for kids, Peterson said there would be activities for folks of all ages.

The barbecue will also feature vendors and demos from companies. One example Peterson gave was Mutual Materials, who will come in and do a fire pit building demo and, after that, will raffle off the newly made item.

Ace itself will be raffling off a $50 Ace Gift Card, Glass Birdbath and Stand, Craftsman 104pc Mechanics Tool Set, 14” Shade Planter, and Weber 22” Kettle Grill.

Other vendors who will have items up for grabs and demoing their services include Stihl, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Crooked Creek Brewery, Tap into Wine, Columbia City Storage, SodaStream, Georgia Boots, Mutual Materials, and Sunfrog Products.

Peterson said these barbecues and events where companies do giveaways are a way that Ace Hardware gives back to the community. Peterson said she tries to highlight local businesses as vendors for the events to bring more awareness to the services they provide. She sees the barbecues as a way to bring people together.

“We try to give back locally; when I’m doing my barbecues, it isn’t just a matter of us standing out there, cooking food, and handing it away. I’m trying to help little businesses here. When we have our barbecues, it’s to involve them,” Peterson said.

Another way Ace gives back is by allowing people to donate when they round up their purchases in the store, which supports Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Other initiatives Peterson discussed include donating and supporting the St. Helens Senior Center and cash donations to the local Boy Scouts to support Meals on Wheels.

“We try to give back locally. We’re not covering Longview, we’re not covering Portland, we’re covering our neighbors here, and our businesses that are here. We’re making sure that we’re in touch with them locally,” Peterson said. “We want to be here in our community, we want to make a difference here.”

In that spirit, Peterson said that Ace Hardware in St. Helens will be hosting a food drive for Columbia Pacific Foodbank through the event, with donation barrels in the store and at the 100th-year celebration for the company. People are encouraged to bring canned or nonperishable food items to donate to support families with food scarcity in Columbia County.