Westlake Ace Hardware, Bolivar, Missouri
Westlake Ace Hardware is showing off a new, fresh design at its location in Bolivar, Missouri. The 17,845-sq.-ft. store has an organic and modern feel, with a wood and metal façade and polished concrete floors. Garage-style doors (kept open, weather permitting) and skylights allow natural light into the space. The format works to encourage browsing and helps make Westlake a preferred destination for project needs. (Westlake was designed by JGA, Southfield, Mich.)
In addition to a signing and décor package designed specifically for Westlake, the store boasts improved adjacencies and a new layout. Traditional hardware product categories, including tools, electrical, plumbing and paint, are strategically located around the perimeter of the store. Decorative and lifestyle categories are situated in the center. And in a first for Westlake, the Garden Center is attached, and is directly accessible from inside the store. Not only does this allow customers to more conveniently access products, especially during inclement weather, it also provides additional venues to merchandise seasonal items in new and interesting ways.
"We've spent the past year studying and analyzing everything we know about our customers: the products they need, their mindset when they shop, and the help they're looking for," said George Smith, CEO of Westlake Ace Hardware, which operates 86 hardware stores in seven states. "The Bolivar store is the culmination of that effort and I'm convinced we have created a store specifically designed to meet their needs and preferences. From the building materials to the floor plan, it is uniquely designed to deliver a noticeably superior shopping experience to our customers.”