Years in business: 11 as Kenney’s Ace and 43 as Houran’s Ben
Franklin
Family members involved: Terry, Libby, Patrick and Bryan
KenneyÂ
Products/services offered: Hardware store with custom picture
framing, gifts, balloons, UPS shipping, propane tank filling and
more
Your survival tips to others starting or maintaining a family
(small) business: Just remember, life is what you make it and if
you never ask the answer is always no.
What makes your family business unique? We hope that our
customer service is the best it can be. We realize customers have a
lot of choices in where they shop and we appreciate their business.
We also are unique in that we have many of the same folks working
and shopping with us for many years. We not only have our family
but have the Ace family.
Business history/future: 1962-Ben Franklin opened by Jim and
Ruth Turner (Libby’s grandparents); 1976-Jim and Ruth retired, Mike
and Alice Houran (Libby’s parents) headed the Ben Franklin;
1982-Terry joined the family and became the master picture framer;
1991-Terry and Libby took over the Ben Franklin; 1999-Terry and
Libby opened Kenney’s Ace Hardware; 2003-Ben Franklin closed and
the custom picture frame department was moved to Kenney’s Ace;
2008-Patrick became the manager of Kenney’s Ace Hardware.
Advice to someone starting a family business or working to
maintain a family business: Love what you are doing, keep a
positive attitude and be thankful for the support of family and
friends.
