WGN Radio host Lou Manfredini and his wife, Mary Beth, are selling their store Edgebrook Ace Hardware in Forest Glen to Westlake Ace Hardware, the new owner announced on Tuesday.
The couple said in a news release: “This store is more than just a place to buy paint, tools, nuts, and bolts — it’s a trusted resource where neighbors find solutions, guidance, and a helping hand, always with a smile.”
They bought the store at 5423 W. Devon Ave. in 2005. The shop, a neighborhood fixture, will keep its Ace branding and will retain most of its current products and personnel. The acquisition is expected to close on June 1, according to a news release. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Longtime store manager Ed Coren and his wife, Sue, front-end manager, will retire when the acquisition is finalized. The Corens began working at the store nearly 40 years ago.
The couple also met while working at Ace four decades ago, Ed Coren said. As the store transitions, the Corens have spent recent weeks reassuring current employees they will still have jobs at the store, he added.
The Manfredinis run other businesses including an Ace Hardware store in Villa Park, said Lou Manfredini.
“We were looking to pare down some of our activities. With the retirement of two of our key people, we felt like the timing was right,” he said. “We are so proud of our 20 years of being part of the Edgebrook community and excited the store will continue with the Ace brand under new ownership for many years to come.”
Lou Manfredini will celebrate his 30th anniversary on WGN this year with his Saturday morning call-in show that features home improvement advice. He renewed a five-year contract in 2024.
Manfredini first appeared on the station as a guest on the Bob Collins Show in 1995 following a letter writing campaign to pitch a home improvement show, according to WGN’s website.
Joe Jeffries, president and CEO of Ace Retail Holdings, the parent company of Westlake Ace Hardware, said in a news release: “For the past 20 years, Lou and Mary Beth Manfredini have continued the decades-long tradition of steadfast community support and service at Edgebrook Ace. It’s an honor to carry on their legacy.”
Headquartered in the Kansas City area, Westlake Ace owns and operates more than 170 stores in 13 states. It also owns Buikema’s Ace Hardware, a seven-store chain in the Chicago area. The company has been part of the Ace Hardware Cooperative since 1959.
Contributing: Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere