“The energy was electric, “says one vendor who attended the recent Ace Fall Convention held September 21-23 in Orlando, Florida. By all accounts, the in-person event was a success—bringing together more than 10,000 attendees. A total of 3,300 Ace stores from across the country were eager to see the products that were offered by more than 1,200 vendors. “I enjoy learning from my fellow retailers and find these events are how we grow and advance.” Said Buck Hurst, owner of Buck’s Ace Hardware in St. George, Utah.
According to the company’s press release, “Ace occupied more than 800,000 square feet indoors, with an additional 150,000 square feet outdoors for grilling and outdoor power equipment. The outdoor space featuring outdoor power and BBQ demos as well as the latest grilling innovations from the top grill brands—was twice the size of Ace’s last in-person show held in Atlanta in 2019.” Highlights included:
- More than 15,000 new items
- 8.000 vendor deals
- Approximately 50 live and virtual training sessions
- More than 200 Ace Handyman Services franchisees are in attendance for the first time
AgroThrive’s Marko Macura – Director of Sales and Marketing
Simple Strap’s Ben Komer – Director of Sales and Marketing
Ace Anticipates Convention to Generate Record Sales
Although the ordering window is still open, the company anticipates record-high sales from the convention. Both the company and retailers were in agreement that holding an in-person convention after a 2-year hiatus was the right choice.
“Opening the show floor Tuesday morning to greet the rush of a couple of thousand eager Ace retailers was exhilarating! They were so excited to be back together, the energy was palpable. It was a major step back toward “normal” and they were quite vocal in their appreciation for moving forward with the convention. I couldn’t be happier to report that the Ace team pulled off a safe and productive experience that will pay dividends for our retailers in the months to come,” said John Surane, Executive Vice President, Chief Merchandising and Sales Officer at Ace Hardware Corporation.
