Long before Dave Karsten was running five Ace Hardware stores, he was a kid working on projects with his dad. That lifelong love of working with his hands eventually led Karsten and his wife on a 24-year journey in the hardware industry.  

You opened your first Ace Hardware store 24 years ago. What started that journey? 

Looking back, it seems like we just started yesterday, but at the same time a lot of ground has been covered. My wife and I opened our first store with no experience. We had no real experience in retail, but I was an Ace Hardware fan from the DIY side. I’m a DIYer still today. 

So, we left our previous careers and decided to open a store. We started with one and have grown it to five.  

When did that dream begin for you? 

It goes way back as far as the desire to work on things, back to my childhood when I was working with my dad on projects. In adulthood, my wife and I bought our first house, and we just continued to do our own projects. 

We opened our first store because we moved into an area that didn’t have a hardware store. We had to drive really far to get to one. It seems cliché, but we decided to open a hardware business in our backyard because we saw the need. 

I’ve always had the desire to be hands-on and create with my own hands, so that was the passion that drove us. 

What brought you to Maricopa? 

I had known the previous retailer long before we bought the store from them. They retired and reached out to us. The thing that struck us about Maricopa, why we felt it was a good fit for Ace, is the community connection. It’s a city, but the feel is very small-town. We just love that environment.  

We met our neighbors, we served our neighbors, we problem-solved with our neighbors. It’s such a great way to connect with community. 

What do you enjoy most about being a small business owner? 

Connection with the community, with the business community and with our customers. What drove me into that business was in my previous career I didn’t really from the have that connection. I was a commuter from the ‘burbs into downtown Chicago.  

Our desire was to build a business within the community we live in, where we could do everything — live, work, play. 

That constant connection to community, getting involved with the chamber of commerce, working with other businesses is really what excites me the most.  

What do customers ask you about most often? 

There are all kinds of them, you know. It’s easier now with our phones, so they’ll bring in examples of projects. Toilets are a big issue or any plumbing issue, really. The most common question we get is, “The toilet’s running, how do we solve that?” 

Another issue is how to manage packrats or rodents. They chew wires under the hood and are a hugely expensive problem to have. 

What are Maricopa customers buying most? 

Paint, plumbing, barbecue and outdoor are certainly the top items. I think in Maricopa we’ve got a lot of barbecue fans. We’ve got passionate associates in the store that use the products. We sell seasonings, sauces and wood chips, too, so many of them cook with the products so that they are experts on them. 

Barbecue and that whole outdoor living experience is popular in Maricopa. As the weather gets better, we grill every weekend and host events, which is a great opportunity to try a sauce or rub. 

What’s one thing you want customers to know about Ace Hardware? 

Obviously, there’s more choices today for our customers. The areas where we try to differentiate and make a difference really center around convenience, quality and service.  

Our format is low friction, easy in and out, manageable and close parking and customer-friendly layouts. We find our customers appreciate quality, so we’ve got those brands to back that up.  

We’re people-forward, people-first and problem-solvers who just want to help. 

What’s one lesson entrepreneurship taught you? 

Listen to the customer, for sure. We didn’t come into the business with any preconceived notions, but we truly ask customers what they’re looking for and how we can do a better job. That’s how we started the business and continue to do the same thing today. I think that would apply to most businesses.  

Sounds cliché to say ‘listen to your customers’, but to me, that’s the heart of our business. 

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity. 

DIY wins and fails 

A lifelong DIY-er, Karsten has had his fair share of war stories, from helping parents with craft projects to a shocking experience.  

Favorite project: I built a barn for working on cars. I’m “flying the colors” with vintage Ace sign décor. 

Failed project: As a kid, when I tried a wiring project with a lamp, it ended up short-circuiting and I electrocuted myself. It was a bit of a shock, but I never made that mistake again. 

Memorable DIY project assistance: I like helping parents help their kids with projects. Like, maybe the dad is not as handy as he’d like to be. A project that stands out is a marshmallow shooter made with PVC pipe; it reminded me of Legos and was fun to lay it all out and put it together. 

This story was first published in the September issue of InMaricopa.