Kansas based Westlake Ace Hardware acquires Towne Centre Hardware in Lake Forest Park

Photo Shoreline Area News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Westlake Ace Hardware announced today it will acquire Towne Centre Hardware. Towne Centre has two locations in Kirkland, Wash. (6613 132nd Avenue NE) and Lake Forest Park, Wash. (17171 Bothell Way NE). 

When the sale is finalized March 8, 2021, the stores will be rebranded as Westlake Ace Hardware. Both locations will be remodeled starting in summer 2021.

Westlake Ace currently owns six retail hardware stores in Washington state – under the North Bend Ace and Dennis Company Ace brands. 

According to Westlake Ace, it will be a seamless transition of ownership and the stores will retain management, store personnel, and continue to offer such leading brands as Benjamin Moore and Magnolia by Joanna Gaines paints, Weber and Traeger grills, Stihl outdoor power equipment, and DeWalt power tools.

“It has been our sincere pleasure to serve the Lake Forest Park and Kirkland communities with Towne Centre Hardware. We are proud of the dedicated employees who have represented our stores with the highest level of professionalism through the years,” said Joe and Tim Uhrich, owners of Towne Centre Hardware.

They added, “We have always been honored to be part of our local communities and are confident Westlake Ace will continue to provide employment opportunities for our staff and community and will maintain our tradition of outstanding customer service. We will miss the wonderful people of Lake Forest Park and Kirkland, but know their future is in good hands."

According to Joe Jeffries, president and CEO of Westlake Ace Hardware, 

“Westlake Ace is a growing and vibrant brand, and we are excited to continue Towne Centre Hardware’s outstanding tradition of customer service in Kirkland and Lake Forest Park. We look forward to showing our new neighbors how we live the Ace Helpful Promise every day by delivering reliable service, helpful advice, and products to help them get their projects done right.”

About Westlake Ace Hardware

Headquartered in the Kansas City area, 115-year-old Westlake Ace Hardware has been the helpful neighborhood hardware store countless generations have shopped at for power and hand tools, fasteners, paint, plumbing, lawn care, pet, electrical supplies, and BBQ grills and accessories. 

It has been part of the Ace Hardware Cooperative since 1959, and a wholly owned Ace subsidiary since 2012.

With access to more than 70,000 products, Westlake lives the Ace Helpful Promise every day by delivering reliable service, helpful advice, and products so its customers and neighbors get their projects done right every time. Westlake Commercial offers a wide array of HVAC equipment, plumbing supplies, safety products, commercial lighting, paint, and other hard-to-find products to business and trade customers.

Westlake currently owns and operates 145 stores in 12 states:

• California (Ace Hardware of Chico, Fresno, La Crescenta, Mountain View, Pinole, South Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, Turlock, Van Nuys, West LA, and Woodland)
• Illinois (Buikema’s Ace Hardware)
• Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico (Westlake Ace Hardware)
• North Carolina (Ace Hardware of Raleigh, Outer Banks Ace Hardware)
• Washington (Dennis Company Ace, North Bend)