ing. They have 3,200 people participate and the event is sold out almost immediately each year. We sponsor the event and we enjoy having it in town because we see the riders all year long practicing. When a rider registers, they can reserve a parking spot. The donation is forwarded to the Thornapple Trails Association, a local bicycle group. This year, $4,400 has been raised for the Association to use in maintaining and expanding local trails. We’ve always had a big bicycle presence in Hastings. The town itself has bike trails through the city and there’s a mountain bike trail in Hastings township. We also have a full-service repair shop in the store. We sell bikes and we service bikes. What else do you do for the community? Our son Levi is on the Planning Commission for the county. He also served on a committee responsible for developing bicycle lanes and signage throughout the city. I’m on the DDA committee for the city, also the downtown business team, a group of merchants that meet, which is an arm of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce. I also sit on the board for the chamber. That’s the kind of community Hastings is: We may be busy, but we’re a tight community. As a retailer, why do you feel it’s so important to give back? Retail brick and mortar stores are a reflection of true community. Our customers are our friends and neighbors. The customer is the number one priority of our business. This is a team effort and we need to show the same respect and loyalty as the customers show to us. There were many choices of properties in the Hastings area when we moved into our current location. The downtown was chosen because we are committed to the downtown community. You own three stores. Why do you choose to live in Hastings? We love the quality of life that the city offers. Hastings has been listed in the top 100 Best Small Towns in America. We were raised in Hastings and have grown with the community. We have a really vibrant downtown in Hastings. The shops are unique and quaint. I don’t think there is an empty storefront right now. The community is such a picture of cooperation. There are multiple stories of the city helping the businesses and vice versa. Our community is growing so fast, I don’t always recognize everyone now. It’s a really good problem to have. What’s the history of the store? Jerry – We moved to Hastings when I was still very young. My parents had a hardware store in Grand Rapids, Sunshine Hardware, near what used to be Sunshine Hospital. We’re now in a great location between Grand Rapids, Lansing, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. The company was a member of Cotter & Co., True Value Hardware stores from the 1950s until 2000. We soon outgrew the original building and expanded into different buildings in the city. At one time, we were operating from 12 different buildings. In 2013, the current building was purchased from the former Felpausch grocery store and corporate offices. Hastings Ace Hardware became one store under one roof, on one floor. Our family is essentially in the third generation of the second family to own this business that started 180 years ago.
Photos STEVE JESSMORE/ROB MEENDERING Race photo by Rob Meendering MICHIGAN RETAILER FEB / MAR 2020
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