Bowers Ace Hardware expands to 6 locations with Irmo store

Bowers Ace Hardware is continuing its growth across South Carolina with the opening of its sixth location on Broad River Road in Irmo. The new store marks another milestone for the locally owned and operated company as it expands its presence in the Midlands.

The store, located at 10546 Broad River Road, is scheduled for a soft opening on Monday, Nov. 9, followed by a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring special promotions, giveaways and product demonstrations.

Boyer Construction of Columbia was the contractor for the new building, and Gray Engineering was the site engineer. Larry Woodrum of Heyward and Woodrum was the architect.

The new Irmo store, in a high-growth corridor along Broad River Road between Interstate 26 and Ballentine, follows the company’s opening earlier this year in the growing Elgin-Pontiac area. Designed to mirror that location, the new 14,000-square-foot Irmo store with a 5,000-square-foot garden center will offer a broad selection of hardware, lawn and garden supplies, paint, grilling products and home improvement essentials.

“Opening our sixth store is certainly an exciting milestone for our company, but our focus hasn’t changed,” said Claude Bowers, president of Bowers Ace Hardware. “Our goal has always been simple — take care of the customer better than anyone else. That means having knowledgeable people on the floor, keeping the products our customers need in stock and being willing to go the extra mile to help someone get a project done. We look forward to bringing that same commitment to the Irmo community.”

The grand opening will feature special pricing, grill giveaways, room makeover allowances and additional prizes throughout the event. Representatives from several leading brands will be on hand to demonstrate products, answer questions and help customers learn more about the equipment and supplies available at the store. A cookout will also be part of the celebration.

The Irmo store will also join Bowers Ace Hardware’s other locations as one of the Midlands select full-line Benjamin Moore Premium and Professional paint providers.

 “We’ve made a deliberate effort to build stores that can serve a wide range of customers,” Bowers said. “Whether someone is a homeowner tackling a weekend project or a contractor who depends on us every day, our responsibility is the same. We need to have the right products, the right people and the ability to deliver when and where the customer needs us. That’s what we believe separates us from the competition.”

With the addition of Irmo, Bowers Ace Hardware now operates six locations across South Carolina, including stores in Cayce, Columbia, Lexington, Elgin, Johns Island and Irmo.

The company’s roots date to 2016, when Bowers acquired the Cayce and North Beltline stores and began operating as South East Ace Hardware. Subsequent acquisitions and new store development have expanded the business, and in 2026, the company introduced the Bowers Ace Hardware name across its locations.

Looking ahead, Bowers Ace Hardware continues to evaluate new sites in communities where the company believes its approach to customer service can make a difference, the company said in a news release. Bowers also welcomes conversations with independent hardware store owners who may be considering retirement, succession planning or transitioning their businesses to new ownership.