After 37 years in business as True Value, the hardware store and service center will soon become part of the Ace Hardware company.

“As times change, you have to change with them to remain relevant,” said John Yates, a co-owner of the business. “Ace gives us a better opportunity to keep our business strong.”

The decision has been a long time in the making, Yates said, as Ace Hardware has been talking to Yates and co-owner Doug Snyder for more than a decade. In the past year, Yates said, he and Snyder thought about the idea more seriously and made the final decision in October.

Ace Hardware is a strong company with a strong vision for growth and solid programs to assist retailers, Yates and Snyder said, while True Value has struggled in recent years. Both companies are member-owned buyers’ co-ops, and Ace, as the stronger, larger company, has a little more buying power than True Value. Ace also advertises nationally and locally, which True Value has not done in many years, making the Ace brand more recognizable. This brand recognition factor could help sales some, but Yates said on Vashon, that likely will not matter a lot.

“People come for the friendly staff,” he said. “They’ll still be here.”

Customer service is a priority at the hardware store, Yates noted, and one that aligns well with Ace Hardware. Indeed, according to J.D. Power, Ace Hardware has ranked highest among home improvement stores in customer satisfaction eight years in a row, drawing particularly high marks in the staff and service categories.

Vashon True Value first opened in 1977 as a 4,000-square-foot store and was owned by Snyder’s parents, Al and Laura Snyder. Since then, the store has grown considerably and is approximately 10,000 square feet, with the True Value Service Center adding another 4,000 square feet. Business is strong, Yates said, but like many businesses on Vashon, further growth is limited by the space in the building and the number of people who live on the island.

“Our goal is to maintain our strength as a viable, ongoing business,” Yates said.

Making the transition to Ace, they say, will help them do that, but changes will not be dramatic for customers.

The store’s last day as True Value will be Dec. 27, though it may take a bit longer to change the signage, Yates said. Early in the new year, the store will do some remodeling, including installing all new shelves, as many of the current shelves are as old as the store. The interior work will take about three weeks, and the store will maintain its regular hours throughout the process. The new layout will allow for an extra aisle, Yates noted, enabling the store to carry additional products in many of its departments.

Beyond the store’s new look, customers will find the same types of items, though many will be made by different companies.

“The products won’t change but for the labels,” Snyder said.

Some of the brands that the store will carry will be quite familiar to people, Yates said, as Ace Hardware has developed partnerships with companies with well-known brands. As Ace, for example, the store will carry such stalwart brands as Sears’ Craftsman tools and DieHard batteries, Valspar paints and Husqvarna products. The store will also carry a large selection of Ace’s own products, including Ace paint, which was ranked number one in Consumer Reports last year.

Customers will likely see True Value products on the shelves for awhile; the store owns the products and can sell them to customers or to another True Value, Yates said, noting those details have not yet been sorted out. Ace products will be available after the first of the year.

Looking ahead to the transition, Yates said he and Snyder are excited.

“The more we find out about Ace, the better we feel about it,” Yates said.

While they were in the decision-making phase, he added, they considered what Al Snyder, a thoughtful, deliberate man, would have done in this situation. They decided he would have made the same decision. Still, Yates acknowledged, after 37 years, roots run deep.

“People are still going to call us True Value,” Yates said. “That is OK.”