Mr. Fix-It Lou Manfredini Opening Villa Park Ace Hardware

An old standby is returning to neighboring Villa Park and bringing with it some local celebrity.

Lou and Mary Beth Manfredini, the store’s owners, are opening an Ace Hardware this month at 46 S. Villa Ave. in Villa Park. This is the couple’s second Ace Hardware store. They opened their first store in Edgebrook in 2005.

The store will open on Aug. 22 and a grand opening celebration is tentatively planned for Oct. 3-6.

Lou Manfredini is best known for his appearances as a contributor on The Today Show; his show, HomeSmarts, which will move to WGN this fall; and his radio call-in show, The Mr. Fix-It Show, on WGN-AM 720.

The Ace Hardware store will offer customers solutions to home maintenance needs through a variety of products typically seen at the chain store, including paint, and lawn and garden supplies. Along with hardware supplies, the store will also offer housewares, pet supplies and a grilling department, with grills from Weber and American manufacturer Primo, which sells Kamado-style grills, according to a news release from Ace Hardware.

The store has more than 10,000 square feet of retail space. 

"Villa Park is a community filled with independent businesses, and we are thrilled to be bringing an Ace Hardware store back to the neighborhood,” Lou Manfredini said in a news release. “We’re looking forward to providing the products and personalized advice local residents need and making a positive impact in the area for many years to come.”

Along with owning the Ace Hardware stores, Lou Manfredini is Ace’s "Home Expert," and he is nationally recognized, with more than 25 years of experience in the home improvement industry.

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