There’s been no big announcement, but plans are underway for the addition of an Ace Hardware store in Bridgman.
Speaking on the WSJM Morning Show with Ken Lundberg, Bridgman Chamber and Growth Alliance Director Nancy Kiernan discussed plans for the new hardware store to occupy the former RiteAid drugstore location at Gast & Shawnee Road on Bridgman’s East side.
The 10,000 square foot store has been vacant since RiteAid exited Michigan several years ago. Kiernan said it’s a great location, but not a lot of businesses are looking for that much space.
She said she’s been talking to the Borre family, owners of Ace locations in St. Joseph, Stevensville and Watervliet almost since the day she took the Bridgman development position–and the discussions paid off!
“I was talking to this operator like day one, so almost two years ago. And the timing’s got to be right, and the opportunity’s got to be right…
They will be expanding their footprint in our area and we’re just really grateful to have them. And I will emphasize that, my, philosophy is we’ve got to grow our own. And if we’ve got a good person that’s doing good things in our community, let’s see if we can help them go to another local community and do the same thing.”
In a social media post, Ace Hardware suggested they would be open in Bridgman sometime in the Spring of ’26, but nothing more specific.
Kiernan speculated that the Bridgman Ace store, with its crossroads location, might draw customers from a wider area of the South County, which doesn’t have many hardware stores.
