Briggs Hardware, one of the county’s oldest businesses, changes ownership.

December 6, 2017

Rick and Susan Deering with new owner, Angie Larson.

Briggs Hardware, one of the county’s oldest businesses, changes ownership.

#MasonCountyBusiness.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — One of Mason County’s oldest businesses has changed ownership and its name will be part of the history books. As of today, Briggs True Value Hardware, 5840 W. US 10, is Larson’s Ace Hardware. The new owner, Angie Larson Smith, is no stranger to the hardware business, her family has owned Larson and Son Ace Hardware, located at 4 Lincoln St. in Hart, for 82 years; the business was started as a feed and seed store by her great-grandfather.

A store with the name Briggs has been in the area since the early 1890s when E.M. Briggs opened the Briggs Lumber Company in Scottville. Eventually that business became Briggs Hardware and moved to the 100 block of South Main Street in Scottville. It was in the Briggs family until the mid-1980s when Al and Elaine Deering purchased it. In 1991 the store was moved to its present location, the former Bonser’s grocery store, near the intersection of US 10 and Nelson Road. In 2001 Al’s brother Rick, along with his wife Susan, purchased the store.

“We’ve been working seven days a week for almost 17 years and it’s time to slow down,” Rick said. “I believe that Angie will continue the legacy that this store brings to our community and will provide the same quality customer service and products that the community is used to.

“We would like to thank each of  our customers for their business over these last 16 years,” Rick said.  “They all have become dear friends to us and we truly appreciate their support.  It has been a wonderful experience serving this great community.”

Larson said the store will undergo some aesthetic changes to be consistent with Ace Hardware’s standards, but the store’s personnel and reputation for outstanding customer service will remain the same. 

“I’m excited to get to know the employees and to work in the Mason County community,” Angie said. “We believe that opening a store in the Ludington market will allow us to continue the values that we portray in our Oceana County store.”

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