Costello’s Ace Hardware Expands with Acquisition of Rommel’s Ace Home Centers
Costello’s Ace Hardware has acquired Rommel’s Ace Home Centers, a family-owned group of 11 stores across Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The deal, announced Sept. 24, represents the largest single acquisition in Costello’s 52-year history and extends the company’s footprint into Delaware for the first time.
With the addition of Rommel’s locations, Costello’s now operates 62 stores across six states. The Rommel’s name will remain in place, preserving its four-decades of local service. All 170 Rommel’s employees, including its leadership team, are joining Costello’s, bringing the Deer Park, N.Y.-based company’s workforce to more than 1,250.
Michael Costello, CEO of Costello’s Ace Hardware, said the move reflects more than just geographic growth. “It is about building a team that makes us stronger, more adaptive, and capable of taking on the future,” he said.
The 11 acquired locations include two in Delaware (Dover and Selbyville), two in Virginia (Chincoteague and Exmore), and seven in Maryland (Ocean City, Severna Park, Salisbury, Cambridge, Stevensville, Perry Hall, and Rock Hall).
Costello’s President Jaime Maloney called the acquisition “about uniting two strong teams with the same love for people and service,” while Rommel’s CEO Michael Cottingham said he was confident Costello’s would carry forward the company’s community-focused approach.
Founded in 1973, Costello’s Ace Hardware is one of the largest family-owned Ace Hardware groups in the country, with stores across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and now Delaware.
