Page 24 - Vallejo_Chamber_of_Commerce_Magazine_Winter_2019
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in Vallejo, you can be sure that the         more complete than the average hardware
                                                                                                                                     quality of any products that they order      store. It’s not easy keeping such a bulk
                                                                                                                                     will be suited to meet your needs.           supply of nuts and bolts as they do here
                                                                                                                                                                                  at O’Connor Lumber & Ace Hardware.
                                                                                                                                     Their lumberyard is fully stocked all year
                                                                                                                                                                                  Back when Home Depot bought out
                                                                                                                                     round, so whenever you decide to upgrade
                                                                                                                                                                                  Yardbirds in Vallejo, O’Connor decided
                                                                                                                                     your home—or whenever something
                                                                                                                                                                                  to expand that department, and it’s
                                                                                                                                     needs to suddenly be fixed—the O’Connor
                                                                                                                                                                                  now one of their greatest assets.
                                                                                                                                     Lumber & Ace Hardware team is ready
                                                                                                                                     and waiting to help you. They do offer a     Filling another void as of late, they’ve
                                                                                                                                     delivery service, so if you find yourself in an   been doing more key cutting and
                                                                                                                                     emergency situation, or you don’t have the   duplication. “Since Newcomb & Sons
                                                                                                                                     right vehicle to transport what you need (or   closed—which was a great locksmith in
           The Helpful Place                                                                                                         will bring it to you. The team will also cut   cutting,” Joe said. “We’ve always done it,
                                                                                                                                                                                  town—we’ve been doing a lot more key
                                                                                                                                     you just prefer the convenience) O’Connor
                                                                                                                                     the lumber to your own specifications.
                                                                                                                                                                                  but we’ve been doing a lot more of it.”
                                                                                                                                     With such a full lumberyard, don’t feel
                                                                                                                                     intimidated if you have a relatively small   While the nuts and bolts are plentiful, and
                                                                                                                                                                                  their lumberyard is fully stocked, O’Connor
                                                                                                                                     request for a quick and simple job.          Lumber & Ace Hardware excels across
           O’Connor Lumber has been meeting Vallejo’s hardware needs                                                                 “We’re happy with sales of any size,”        the home improvement board. In addition
                                                                                                                                     Joe affirms. So just because you’re not      to all the basics, their plumbing and
           for 50+ years and counting                                                                                                building a new deck from scratch, you        electrical departments are very strong with
                                                                                                                                     can still get the same level of professional   everything from pipe fittings to electrical
           By Matt Larson                                                                                                            service for that little birdhouse project    tape, and light bulbs to batteries to fuses.
                                                                                                                                     with your kids; there’s no job too small     If you’re painting anything at all they
           For more than 50 years, O’Connor                                      so chances are you’ll get the help                  at O’Connor Lumber & Ace Hardware.           have everything you need to do the job,
           Lumber & Ace Hardware—two                                             you’re looking for at O’Connor.                     “I love that slogan: Ace is the helpful place,”   including both indoor and outdoor paints,
           names, one entity—has been serving                                                                                        Joe recited. O’Connor Lumber has been        primers, stains, sealants, and finishes.
           the home improvement needs of                                         “Everybody’s been here a long                       helping the community for more than          It’s the “helpful place,” after all. They even
           the greater Vallejo community.         50+                            time,” Rose confirmed. “So they all                 50 years, so joining forces with Ace “the    provide knife sharpening, having teamed
                                                                                 know what they’re talking about.”
           Originally opened in the late 1950s                                                                                       helpful place” was a perfect partnership.    up with Golden State Sharpening. Drop
           by Charlie O’Connor, a prominent                                      Originally known as, simply,                        There are certainly other likeminded         off your kitchen knives, scissors, garden
                                                                                 O’Connor Lumber, the partnership
                                                                                                                                                                                  shears, even food processor blades, and
           and operated by Mike’s son, and  YEARS                                with Ace Hardware has been going                    stores in the area, but what sets O’Connor   they’ll be ready to pick up in no time.
           builder in the area, it was purchased
           and incorporated in 1962 by Mike
                                                                                                                                     Lumber & Ace Hardware apart from the
                                                                                 strong for more than 20 years. By the
           and August Pierre. Now, it is owned
                                                                                                                                     rest? Well, they do have popcorn! Free
                                                                                                                                                                                  O’Connor Lumber & Ace Hardware is
                                                                                 time they joined forces, O’Connor
                                                                                 Lumber was such a household                         popcorn is a tradition that’s stayed true    open Monday through Saturday, from
           August’s grandson, Joe Pierre.
                                                                                 name in Vallejo that they didn’t                    ever since the very beginning in the         7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from
           It remains a family business to                                       want to take that away, plus, if they               1960s. “People literally come in for the     8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pay them a visit at 4310
           this day. The Vice President and                                      were known only as Ace Hardware,                    popcorn!” Rose laughed. Aside from that      Sonoma Boulevard in Vallejo. Call them
           bookkeeper is Joe’s wife, Rose,                                       it might be easy to forget that                     warm buttery welcome when you step           at (707) 642-8921 and find them online at
           and many of the employees have been there for         they also function as a full-service lumberyard.                    through their doors, O’Connor does have      acehardwareoconnor.com. Don’t forget to
           so long that the entire staff can feel like a family.                                                                     a number of specialties worth mentioning.    ask for some fresh popcorn as you shop.
                                                                 “People don’t realize how deep our lumberyard
           “Some of our people have been with us going           is,” Joe explained. “If somebody was driving by                     “If you’re looking for something that
           on 40 years,” Joe explained. “And all of our          and didn’t notice the ‘O’Connor Lumber’ sign,                       really makes us stand out over anybody
           employees are local to the Vallejo, American          they might think we’re just a hardware store. But                   in town, bar none, it would have to
           Canyon, Benicia area, so they’re all part of the      there’s a complete lumberyard in the back.”                         be our nuts and bolts in the fastener
           community! Including Rose and myself.”                                                                                    department,” Joe explained. “It’s
                                                                 Regardless of whatever your lumber needs may                        extensive—customers can still come in
           Such longevity of their employees speaks wonders      be, O’Connor Ace can meet them. If you happen                       and get metric or US, individually or in
           about the positive culture of their work environment.   to need something that they don’t carry, chances                  packages, and a lot of automotive bits.”
           It’s a great benefit to the customers as well, as over   are they can special order it for you to ensure you
           that many years they’ve fielded countless questions,   have all the materials you need for your project.                  Midwest Fasteners is one of many
           and have found even more ways to answer them,         And with more than 50 years of trusted business                     distributors that help keep their selection
      22                                                  Winter                    www.vallejochamber.com
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