Seashore Ace in Stone Harbor sells everything from hardware to stemware

STONE HARBOR — Over nearly 65 years, the Fisher
family’s hardware store, Seashore Ace, evolved into a business that
sells a wide range of products — from patio furniture, to plumbing
supplies, to stemware — in downtown Stone Harbor.

“There’s not a lot of stores in the area where you can buy your
hardware, your housewares, your beach supplies and your outdoor
furniture,” said Jim Fisher, 61, of Stone Harbor, who owns Seashore
Ace with his wife, Joey, and son, Scott Fisher.

Jim Fisher said his parents opened it in 1946 as an appliance
store.

The makeup of Stone Harbor as a seasonal tourist destination
influences the amount and types of inventory the shop
carries.

“Most of our clientele is different than anybody else because they
don’t live here,” Fisher said.

“Our job is to make sure they’re not going to their local hardware
stores — the Lowe’s or the Home Depots — on Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday when they’re coming down for the weekend because they can
get their stuff here,” he said. “And it’s worked out very well for
us.”

Having on hand the products the customer needs is vital to the
store, he said.

“We need to have the product when people come down,” he said. “We
can’t say no because we’re going to lose that sale. They’re going
to go somewhere else and we won’t see them again because they need
it now. It’s not like you can say, ‘Come back on Wednesday,’
because they’re not here on Wednesday.”

Jim Fisher grew up in the family business — and above it. His
family lived above the store. His father, Spike Fisher, instilled a
work ethic at an early age.

“I can remember being 8 years old. We had a Styrofoam boat in the
store, and I wanted it. My father said, ‘You can have it.
Twenty-five cents an hour.’ That was how I started working for
him.”

Like in other seashore towns, business fluctuates seasonally. The
offseason allows them to evaluate and make changes each year to
improve the store and what it offers, Fisher said.

“A couple years ago we redid the outdoor furniture showroom. This
year we’re looking at bringing in Craftsman tools.”

Due to the economy, business was down slightly in 2009 but bounced
back in 2010, Fisher said. This year has been down a little, too,
especially due to the weather.

“Then we had (Hurricane) Irene when we had to close up, and that
cost us a pretty penny. That cost a lot of people down here. That’s
an important week to get sales, and although we’re open three days
later, the people weren’t back until the weekend,” he said.

Fisher, who also serves as chairman of the board of directors for
Sturdy Savings Bank, said he is seeing positive signs for an
economic recovery.

“What I’m seeing on the island is much more construction than I’ve
seen in a number of years,” he said. “Even at the bank, I’ve seen
more construction loans. I haven’t seen that in a number of
years.”

Contact Brian Ianieri:

609-272-7253

BIanieri@pressofac.com