Employer of the Year MAYFIELD ACE HARDWARE ‘We stood with our community’

By Garrett Pitts news@covnews.com

For decades, Mayfield’s Ace Hardware has been one of the staple hardware stores for generations of Covington residents.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, the store also celebrates the title “Employer of the Year.”

Specializing in personal service, quality products and creating a convenient shopping experience, Mayfield’s Ace Hardware provides something for almost everyone in Covington as they proudly call themselves “the Helpful Place.”

The owner, Lee Mayfield, has continued to build the brand but also the relationships that the store has been able to create with members of the community.

“[Working at Ace] means you have the opportunity to provide for the community,” manager Ryan Norsworthy said. “We had really bad weather a few weeks back, and we were able to provide assistance immediately. We stood with our community. We try to do different fundraisers with girls and boy scouts and other entities within the city.”

Despite multiple relocations since the grand opening in 1973, the family business has continued to thrive regardless no matter where it’s placed in the city.

Along with keeping the store running, Mayfield also contributes to charitable organizations in Georgia such as assisting with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Mayfield went in-person to the hospital to lend his hand in a Christmas tree farm during the holiday season.

Norsworthy explained how the store would not be where it is today without the team of employees that he considers a family.

“A lot of the people we work alongside are people we know outside of work; we always check up on each other. But at the same time, it is always comfortable to step in and tell someone when it’s time to step up or where they need to improve,” Norsworthy said. “It is easy to walk up and talk to someone, even the owners. They are always open. It’s an open-door policy.”

Like Norsworthy, many members of the management team started as sales associates, showing the ability to grow and develop within the store.

“There is always room to grow, a couple of us started out in sales and moved up the track to being managers. We have young managers and there is a lot of room to grow and move up.”

As Mayfield’s Ace Hardware continues to grow as a team and company, they always stay focused on the main goal of serving the community.