They greet you when you come in the door and then walk you to the correct aisle to look for your desired items. They spend time answering questions and sometimes even demonstrate how to use a certain tool. That is what has been drilled into Michael Wynn since he was a young child working his way up the business ladder at Sunshine Ace Hardware. His hard work carving a niche in an enterprise dominated by big box shops has paid off. Sunshine Ace has rapidly expanded, with four stores opening in just 382 days. Wynn added stores in Ave Maria, Babcock Ranch and Winchester, and this month had the grand opening at the newest shop near Pelican Bay with construction by PBS Contractors.
“The goal is to continue to grow,” said Wynn, who has been board chairman and president of Sunshine Ace Hardware since 2005. “We are planning to take a pause in 2026 and remodel some existing stores, but the goal is to continue to look for new locations and open two new locations a year. It could be new or an acquisition. The goal is not to grow to any specific size, but to continue to grow and serve customers with products and the knowledge that people have come to enjoy.”
There are now 16 Sunshine Ace hardware stores and two paint and decorating stores that employ about 550 people.
Wynn said his knowledge of what customers want and need comes from a long history in the business. When he was just six years old he would dress up as the Keebler Elf, or a slice of Wonder Bread or a clown to help draw customers to his family’s hardware and grocery stores…