Ace Garden Center

 

3/2/25 Ace Hardware's new garden center

Probably the Maple Leaf business that Greg and I patronized most regularly in our nearly four decades of living here was Reckless Video, where we rented movies every weekend. Formerly a house, the building remained empty after Reckless closed a few years ago. The family that owns the adjacent Ace Hardware store (which we’ve also patronized the whole time we’ve lived here) also owns the Reckless property. They tried to find ways to use the existing building as an extension of the store, but it didn’t work out.

I was sad to see the old building come down; its traditional architectural style is so emblematic of Maple Leaf. The good news, however, is that Ace has decided to use the space as a garden center that will open this spring. Although I’m unlikely to shop there (Me, garden?? I can barely keep a house plant alive), it might have colorful flowers to sketch someday. More important, it means that a family-owned neighborhood business is thriving and growing.