NAPLES, Fla. - TelAve -- Sunshine Ace Hardware is now open in Ave Maria, bringing the inland community its first hardware store while adding new jobs to the local economy.

Located at 5360 Ave Maria Blvd., in the Ave Maria Park of Commerce, Sunshine Ace Hardware is less than a mile from the community's Town Center. Sunshine Ace Hardware's newest store opened Monday, Oct. 14 to serve this neighborhood. The new store features comprehensive paint and grilling departments, as well as a wide selection of power and hand tools, hardware, lawn and garden supplies, plumbing fixtures, propane and supplies for DIYers.

"When you need to buy a new lightbulb, charcoal for the grill or tools to complete that long-overdue DIY project, you don't want to drive 15 or 20 minutes each way," said Sunshine Ace Hardware President Michael Wynn. "This new store brings convenience to residents and businesses in Ave Maria, along with the friendly, helpful customer service that has defined our brand for 66 years."

At its buildout, the town of Ave Maria will include up to 11,000 residences and feature 1.8 million square feet of retail, office and business park across its 5,000 acres. Peter Kennedy, a veteran in the hardware store industry, is serving as Sunshine Ace Hardware's store manager for Ave Maria.

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In addition to the retail store, Sunshine Ace Hardware will expand Ace Handyman Services of Southwest Florida into Ave Maria. The service offers licensed and bonded, multi-skilled craftsmen who can complete in-home residential projects like bathroom and kitchen repairs, as well as refreshes for bedrooms, home offices, dining rooms and living rooms.

The addition of an Ave Maria store brings the total number of retail locations operating under the Sunshine Ace Hardware umbrella to 16 stores across Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Manatee and Pinellas counties. The Naples-based company is among the largest family-owned home improvement retailers in Florida and one of Ace Hardware's top franchisees in America.

Sunshine Ace Hardware has three additional stores under development in Southwest Florida planned to open in 2025: at The Shoppes at Yellow Pines off S.R. 31 in Babcock Ranch, The Marketplace at Pelican Bay along U.S. 41 in North Naples and the Winchester Center east of North Naples at Immokalee Road and Orange Tree Boulevard near Golden Gate Estates.

For a full list of retail store locations and operating hours, please visit SunshineAce.com/sunshine-locations.