Business & Tech

Village Ace Celebrates Grand Opening on Mack

Following a soft opening in January, the owners of Village Ace celebrated their official grand opening Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a week's worth of specials.

About six months after purchasing a new building, investing about $500,000 in the renovation and having a soft-opening in January, Village Ace on Mack Avenue is celebrating its grand opening this weekend. 

The new location, 18165 Mack Ave., is on the former Lochmoor Chrysler lot. Village Ace moved to Mack Avenue from the Village of Grosse Pointe, where it had been located for years at the corner of Kercheval Avenue and St. Clair Street.  

Owners Shelli and Mark Elmer thanked a variety of people who helped in the move including their employees, their attorney, the family from whom they bought the building and more. Dozens of people joined them Friday in celebrating the store's grand opening, which was kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce. 

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Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey spoke briefly before the ribbon-cutting, complimenting the Elmer's for opening a store in Detroit. Grosse Pointe Farms officials, including Mayor James Farquhar, Director of Public Safety Dan Jensen and City Manager Shane Reeside attended as well. 

Shelli Elmer said the move has been good for business.

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They closed on the buidling in October and began renovations late in the month, she said. They then has a soft-opening in January. 

Since, she said she is noticing more customers from other areas of the Grosse Pointes, specifically from the Woods. A few have even noted to her that when it was located in the Village, they were unlikely to shop their because they rarely made it into the Village. 

The visibility of the store is much improved, Shelli Elmer said, explaining they now draw potential customers from a much larger area. 

Additionally, the new store has its own parking lot--a change from the Village, where they had metered parking only for their customers. 

In addition the cosmetic changs they made to the buidling to make into what they wanted, Elmer said they had to complete a host of behind-the-scenes work related to the site, incuding environmental studies. 

This weekend the store is offering raffles for a variety of items and have vendor representatives available in the store. There is also a tent sale outside along with food and a bird feeder promotion in which purchasers will receive one pound of feed to fill their bird feeder. 

Additionally, a Jeep Wrangler being auctioned off through University Liggett via Laethem Automotive is parked just outside the door. 

The Mack Avenue location is one of five owned by the Elmers. Their other Ace stores include locations in Clarkston, Rochester, St. Clair Shores and Bloomfield. 

To contact the store, call 313-882-9230 or visit the website at www.villageacegifts.com.


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