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Harry’s Ace Hardware, 3535 Magazine
The owners of Harry’s Ace Hardware, Cary Becker and Kelly and Scott Fox, announced Thursday (Dec. 2) that their iconic hardware store will close after 63 years of serving New Orleans’ do-it-yourselfers at 3535 Magazine St., and over 100 years in business in New Orleans.
Harry’s Ace Hardware will close its doors in the second quarter of 2022, the company said in a press release.
“We want to thank our long-term customers and our loyal employees and ensure that they have plenty of notice about this change,” Becker said. “They have been the heart and soul of Harry’s from the day we opened our doors so many years ago,”
The building at 3535 Magazine has a storied history, dating from its beginnings as a car dealership. From 1925 to 1935, the site was occupied by Jefferson Motor Co., then Menger-Fisher Motor Co. and then Fairchild. It was home to Mother’s Home-Made Pies from 1935 until 1954. Harry’s Ace Hardware moved into the building in 1958.
The neighborhood hardware store has remained a family business through the decades. Becker currently runs the store with his daughter Kelly and son-in-law Scott Fox.
“We have jointly come to the conclusion that rising costs, natural disasters and increasingly stiff competition from e-commerce outlets make continuing our business untenable,” Becker said.
The building has been purchased by Verdad Real Estate and Construction Services, a real estate development corporation owned by local Joe Mann Jr. and partners.
“We saw great potential for the building and recognize the importance of staying true to its history as a neighborhood asset that deserves to be respected and protected,” Mann said.
The building’s renovation will be led by Trapolin Peer. The developers said it will be focused on the historic integrity of the original façade and other elements, with retail on the ground floor and residential space above.
I had 30 panes of glass cut there..they all fit..took 30 minutes..another time I needed 6 inch hinge screws to help a front new orleans door…they had them…home depot not a hardware store…one other thing…the elderly cashier always made me calm when I was having a difficult day..Truly a great loss to the city.
I loved our Old New Orleans. The people who were from there many years ago, were kind and considerate. The people I meet today and deal with often, claim to be New Orleanians, but most are not. Not even close. I am glad historians made note of them.