Before the days of the big box stores, there were family-owned local hardware stores owned and run by folks who lived within the community they served. Few of these stores have managed to survive in the Brave New World of hardware retailing.
Bill’s Ace Hardware and Ace Truckbox are a story of family, community, persistence, faith, and Hardware! At a time when most folks are planning for retirement Bill and Elva Wygal were just getting started in a new endeavor. Entrepreneurs at heart, Bill and Elva saw a need in the community for a hardware store and so they built one right in their front yard on Pacheco Blvd. Bill Sr. would drive to the San Francisco weekly to pick up merchandise from suppliers in the area. If someone needed a special tool or part, off Bill would go in search of what the customer needed. Elva would tend to the store with her cash box and a handwritten ledger recording every transaction.
For almost twenty years, and very few days off, the store operated with the help of only Bill and Elva and their three growing sons. In 1966, the business was officially turned over to Bruce, David and Dennis to operate. Soon after the boys took over, Vine Hill Hardware became an Ace Hardware store and was about to start multiplying.
The family and the business have survived what life has dished out and become a strong influence to our community. They have mourned the premature loss of brothers, Bruce and David and in turn welcomed a new generation to operate the growing company. Bill Wygal, grandson of Bill and Elva Wygal and the son of Dennis Wygal, operates the business today with the help of 100 great employees.
The business currently operates two Bill’s Ace hardware stores in Martinez and Concord. In addition to Hardware, Ace Truckbox store in Martinez has the largest in stock inventory of truck and job boxes in the West.
The prefix Bill’s was added to “Ace Hardware” in 2004 as a tribute to Bill senior and as an identifier of family pride and dedication to their customers. Bill’s has become a community leader in supporting education and the environment. The business currently employs over 100 residents, young, old and in between, all trained to be helpful to every customer we serve. Bill continues in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and can still be found making that extra effort to locate that “special” item or making the occasional house call to help a customer pinpoint their hardware problem.
Thank you for helping us continue on the tradition of Bill’s and allowing us to serve our communities!
Bill's Ace Hardware 