IDEA File

Warm Fuzzies

Looking for un affordable mascot to become the friendly face of your business? Well, here's the story of how a former stray cat has become the goodwill ambassador of the oldest Ace Hardware store in Colorado.

"People walk in and we say, 'Hi, how are you'?"' says Bill Ruth, owner of Offen Ace Hardware in Greeley. "They say, 'Where's the cat?"'

Bill's parents, Donald and Jo Ruth, bought the store from the Offens in 1963 and joined Ace Hardware two years later. Bill grew up working part-time at the store, then took over after his parents retired.

The cat showed up just when Bill decided that the store needed a "mouser" to catch the hungry critters attracted by bird seed sold at the store. Street-smart and agile, Miss Kitty was perfect for the job.

What he didn't know is that Miss Kitty had a family, having entered the store looking for a safe, warm place to have her kittens. He found out when he sent her to the vet-a customer-for a checkup and spaying. "The little devil had her kittens in the back of the store," says Bill. "We looked and looked to find them." Once the kittens were old enough, they were adopted by customers.

Nowadays, Miss Kitty usually resides in a cardboard box near the cash register that bears her name, so she's always close by, to deliver a friendly purr or accept a scratch behind her ears. When she needs a change of pace, she often rides around the store on Ruth's arrn or shoulder. "She's been a big part of the store," says Bill.

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