After being empty for years, the building at the end of Fox Run that was once an ALCO and a Shopko will now be home to Sidney's new Ace Hardware. (Photo by Jaymi Mozeak)
Pictured (L-R) Head Manager Reese Gairrett and Owner Skip King are looking forward to bringing Ace Hardware to Sidney and the surrounding community. (Photo by Jaymi Mozeak)
After a 1½ years of extensive repairs, the building that once housed ALCO and Sidney's North Shopko will soon house an Ace Hardware store.
In 2015, Skip King, an owner of seven different Ace Hardware stores in the state of Montana, set his eyes on Sidney as a place for another store. He has four stores in Billings, one in Columbus, Laurel, and Lockwood. He has owned Ace Hardware stores for 37 years and they are part of a second-generation family business. According to King, he wanted to bring a store to Sidney but at the time eastern Montana was still experiencing the effects of the oil boom. The plan did not seem feasible but times were changing. In late 2021, he was finally able to purchase the building out of the Sheriff's auction and repaired it. He also bought the lot on the north end of it.
It is 27,000 sq. ft. King said, "It was the only spot in Sidney that I could put a store in without building a building someplace. I wanted to be next to Reynolds. I think it's a draw, the center's a draw for the community and the surrounding area."
The Sidney Ace Hardware will be a full-line hardware store. They will carry products from tools and hardware to riding lawn mowers and even plan on holding a garden center in the lot, north of the building. They will carry many popular brands like Benjamin Moore paint, Honda and Toro Stihl lawn equipment, Milwaukee tools, Traeger grills, and a lot more. They will even have a toy section and try their best to keep popular toys like Legos on hand.
The Sidney Ace Hardware is scheduled to open in mid-May 2023. Reese Gairrett, a transplant from Joliet, was hired as the head manager. So far, 12 people have been hired but King expects to have 20-25 employees to start. King's other stores already serve their communities by helping the local Rotary Club, Children's Miracle Network, and 4-H troops. Gairrett is already applying to join the Kiwanis Club. He and the rest of his crew will be honored to serve Sidney and the surrounding area through the store.
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