This week it’s a life-work balance here in Business Inc. as I found a place for fun and a place to fix just about anything. The nice part about it, they’re within walking distance of each other.
“Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks” is a familiar jingle, or should be since it’s been around about as long as Dewain Hendrix-son has been running the local Ace Hardware store on Highway 56.
“It’s a good location and I’ve been here 32 and a half years,” Hendrixson said. Located right next to the community, he’s seen some changes over the years. “I’ve seen RiteAid and Western Auto come and go. Town and Country Video was over here and that gas station wasn’t there.”
What hasn’t changed is Ace is still definitely the place to go for all your home repairs plus you can pick up your fishing tackle there as well because Dewain is well-stocked.
“We have all sorts of fishing lures, fishing poles and everything you might need except live bait, with Center Hill Lake so close by,” he said.
A lot of people don’t know what they need to fix things; some do but have plumbing and electrical questions.
Ace Hardware carries most items needed for common household repairs; they sell lots of paint and have a Labor Day Sale coming up, Red Hot Buys, lawnmowers and garden equipment.
Dewain definitely knows his stuff, when I was in the store a customer came in for some window glaze and he knew right where it was in aisle 15.
While some people might tend to buy more online these days, there’s no substitution for a leaky sink when you have to fix it right now. Plus you get the benefit of Dewain’s years of experience because DeKalb County Ace Hardware definitely has the helpful hardware folks there for the assist.

The Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center
Just across from Ace Hardware is a gem of a county service called the Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center. What a wonderful benefit for local residents to have this facility which is run by DeKalb County.
With low rates at $20 a month or $35 for a family, it’s a bargain with a fitness room of high-tech workout gear, a game room, a gym, rooms for meetings and parties, and there is even a theatre to put on plays.
Want to cook a gourmet meal? Well, you can do it here too as there’s an industrial-grade kitchen on the premises.
Need some help getting into shape? Just talk to personal trainer Lynn McCoy who is the fitness trainer on site. You can learn to dance in Bee Tubb’s Shake a Tail Feather dance class. If you get angry with your dance partner, learn martial arts with Center Hill Martial Arts classes.
The Girl Scouts meet here, there’re beauty pageants and you can even learn to play guitar, take piano lessons or make pottery.
With offerings like that, who can truly say there’s nothing to do?
Well, that’s all for this week. I’ll take up the mantle again for next edition. Email your business news to news@smithvillereview.com