PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Plans are in place to help bring an Ace Hardware store to Princeton in Mercer County at the old Save-a-Lot location on Stafford Drive.
Samuel Lusk, Executive Director of the Princeton Economic Development Authority, spoke in front of the Mercer County Commission at the special session Tuesday afternoon requesting $50,000 from the Commission to create a collaborative effort to draw a company to come to Princeton, which Lusk announced was Ace Hardware.
Lusk says that the City of Princeton has pledged $100,000 and that with the approval of $50,000 from the Mercer County Commission that will be allocated to the Mercer County EDA, they will have what is needed to bring this business to Princeton.
According to Lusk, the 37,000-square-foot store will bring 12-15 jobs to the area with salaries ranging from $20,000-$60,000 a year. He said that hourly wages start at $9.30 and average hourly pay is usually around $17.00.
Lusk says that Ace Hardware Stores average between $2.5-3 million a year in revenue.
Mercer County commissioners raised concerns about how the business will directly benefit the county revenue-wise. “How is the county itself going to benefit from this business coming to your city, I mean we’re not going to collect any revenue at all from this new business,” Commission President Gene Buckner said.
Lusk believes the new business will indeed benefit Mercer County. “To be honest with you, I think as far as revenue, it increases the number of ways, first it’s a big box store right on Stafford Drive,” Lusk said. Lusk also mentioned that people who come in from different parts of the county to shop at the store will bring benefits to the entire county.
Buckner acknowledged that the business would bring in revenue for Princeton but stated that none of that revenue would go to the County.
Commissioner Greg Puckett says he believes that the business would benefit the county in several ways. Puckett said he believes the jobs created by the new business will provide opportunities for people who may have left the county otherwise.
Puckett admits that the business will not bring in direct revenue to the county, but the people the business will bring in to shop will have a ripple effect. “If they come to town, and they’re from outside, they’ll probably get some food and get some gas and might do some different things,” Puckett said.
Commissioner Bill Archer questioned the small workforce of the estimated 12-15 employees compared to the large facility Ace Hardware plans to move into, but was supportive of the proposal.
After discussion, the Mercer County Commission approved the $50,000 request on a 3-0 vote.
Ace Hardware currently has 28 locations in West Virginia, according to its website.
