Even though it’s been open for a few months, the Ayr Home Hardware is officially welcoming people back with a grand reopening of the store.
It was heavily damaged in an EF2 tornado that touched down in the town on Aug. 17, 2024. The roof of the Home Hardware collapsed, and debris was scattered throughout the property. More than a year later, renovations were complete, and it had a soft opening in November.
Jeff Seydel, the owner of the Ayr Home Hardware, told 570 NewsRadio that the business chose to celebrate the reopening with a “splash.”
“Celebrating the fact that after almost 20 months, we’re reopened and we’re back in business,” he said.
When the tornado ripped through the area, it brought high winds that tore portions of the roof from the building. Days after the incident, a store employee, Alexander Breen, said it felt like the whole store was “falling down around us.”
It’s been an emotional rebuild, Seydel said. Not only had the store’s employees been impacted, but the devastation also dipped into the store’s sales. The repairs cost well over a million, according to the owner.
“It’s been a challenge but today represents all of that’s behind us and today’s new beginnings for some exciting times and some exciting sales, hopefully,” he said.
Mayor Sue Foxton and MP Connie Cody helped Seydel with the ribbon — piece of wood — cutting ceremony.
“I’m thrilled to see so many in this beautiful community coming out to support us,” Seydel said. “It’s been really busy already, and so we’re excited about the new beginning that we’re embarking on.”
