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Months after the doors closed on Yardbirds in Alamo, a new hardware chain will be taking up residence in the shuttered facility.

The Danville Weekly was able to confirm Tuesday that Ace Hardware will be taking over the Yardbirds site on Danville Boulevard, and shoppers will be able to start coming back as soon as mid-June.

“Our family has decided to move ahead with the Ace organization,” said Christopher Kretz, whose family is behind the new project. Kretz said they had been in contact with other vendors and had done some research before deciding to go with Ace.

The current plan is for the 10,000-square-foot garden center to open around June 15.

“There are a number of variables that have to be met,” Kretz said, “but we’re shooting for June 15.”

The Kretzes are hoping to open the 27,000-square-foot main facility in August.

Kretz said they ended up choosing Ace for a few reasons.

“The community seemed to embrace that brand and they’ve been ranked among the top six or seven national franchises over the last few years,” he said.

He added that Ace’s flexible stocking policy will let them provide goods to customers that may not be part of the Ace brand.

“That’s the beauty of Ace,” he enthused. “You don’t have to buy 100 percent of your product from them. You can mix and match.”

That seems to be indicative of how Kretz feels the store will be run, aiming at what the community is going to want and trying to fill that niche in Alamo.

“We’ve retained three people from the Yardbirds’ days. These three people who are helping us open up the store go back 10 to 15 years. Although it will be an Ace, we’ll completely eliminate the feel of Home Depot,” he explained.

Kretz said he feels having that familiarity with the community, coupled with the ability to tailor their stock to the people who come into the store, will make the new venture a big hit.

“Everybody’s going to be really excited when they come in. If there’s a need for something, we’ll fill it. I think you’re going to find we’re a lot more in tune with the community than back in the Yardbirds days,” Kretz said.

  • 2004_full
    Yardbirds gradually sold all its goods and is now empty and awaiting its new owner. Photo by Dolores Fox Ciardelli.
  • 2005_full
    The nursery section will be the first part of Ace Hardware to open, in mid-June. Photo by Dolores Fox Ciardelli.

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12 Comments

  2. Hooray! At last! A real hardware store!

    I really missed the one we used to have in Danville when Home Depot and Yardbirds ganged up on it and put it out of business. It was the “Walmart Effect” for hardward stores.

  5. Dear Dolores,

    Diablo Vista (Alamo) region neighborhoods’ e-exchanges are taking this discussion to the next step of planning the products to be included in the Alamo’s hardware plACE. With the poor THD approach to YardBIRDS in 2006, neighborhoods are seriously asking all neighbors to suggest to the new owners the products and services desired by customers that will celebrate the new store.

    Hal, as a community courtesy

  6. Well thats good to know. I see the auto parts store in Danville has put in some hardware…they seem to have the basics and say they are going to keep expanding. It sure beats going to Home Depot. Ace will be welcomed as well.

  7. Hubby and I could not be happier! Though we have stocked up for the next 20 years at the 2006 Yardbirds and 2009 HomeDepot/Yardbirds closing sales !

    Screws, Nuts and Bolts please!

  8. Fantastic. Can’t wait. We have been shopping at Yardbirds since 1981 and love having a local store we can support. We’ll be there.

  9. Dear Dolores,

    I received a complaint this morning from a small collection of neighbors that commented, “But it won’t be YardBirds!”

    After recounting the humor of BarnYARDS, a manure products store, I proposed to THD prior to re-opening THD YardBIRDs, as a poor replacement for the original, each of the neighbors responded that YardBirds is an institution in Alamo. Likely proven in the conversation is Alamo in an institution and residents are in-charge of our asylum.

    Anyway, what the HAL is a Yard Bird anyway?

    Hal, as Halamo
    The Alamo Towne Fool
    @ODDs, a Saloon for Fools
    The Hotel Snaysmuth
    2625 Crescent Moon Lane
    West Willimantic CA 94507-1078

  10. Several years ago I lived in Alamo, & we loved going to Yardbird. I now live in Dublin, (not even on your list of communities), & since becoming disabled, drove to Alamo, because the HD store had an electric shopping cart. I hope the new ACE store will continue to serve the disabled community, by providing a handicapped cart.

  12. Having managed this Yardbird location for 20 years, I have some insight to the organization of this newly planned Ace and it will be a fine store and well run! The owners have assembled a veteran group of knowledgeable, talented and customer focused retailers (ex- Original YardBirds) that will bring back the “Home Town” atmosphere and a selection of goods that will meet the needs of this supportive community. The Garden Center will show the enormous improvement when it opens in June.
    Good luck to the employees and new owners that will be working hard to bring back a business that thrived and was supported by all residents of the area.
    Pat

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