Ace Hardware Opens in Port Jefferson Station

Spring cleaning may not quite be here, but a new Ace Hardware store opened its doors last week – though the store carries more than simply shovels and rakes.

Located in the Uncle Giuseppe's shopping center on Route 112, the store will be Steve and Astrid Caropelo's third Ace Hardware shop. Before opening its doors on Route 112 last Monday, the East Setauket couple opened up the East Setauket Ace store 13 years ago, and another in Wading River seven years back.

Though Caropelo said he was hoping to have opened doors earlier – and despite the fact that the past few years have been some of the harder ones at his existing locations – Caropelo said he is excited about the location.

"We like the fact that it's centrally located," he said. "It's not jammed up with traffic usually. I've always liked Port Jefferson, and I think there's a need here."

Ace joins Sears and the local D Lilly & Co as hardware options available around Port Jefferson.

The shop measures about 7,500 square feet in the front of the store, and beside the typical hardware merchandise such as lawn fertilizers, paint, tools ladders and more, the store is also a Yankee Candle merchandiser and features other home goods such as yarns, sewing equipment and school supplies.

"We try to bring in whatever people ask for," Caropelo said.

He said the store is expected to employ between 15 and 20 people.