Tips on starting a charcoal grill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1UvFZGI22M

Demo of the different products to start a charcoal grill.

Hassett ACE Hardware 4th of July Hours

Ace Hardware is having a fabulous 4th of July sale, Wednesday, July 3 through Monday, July 8!

Our hours will be shorter than normal, but we'll still be as helpful as we can.

Half Moon Bay:
Monday - Friday: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat and Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Palo Alto:
Monday - Friday: 7:30 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday & Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

San Mateo:
Monday - Saturday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Willow Glen:
Monday - Saturday: 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sundays: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

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[caption id="attachment_816" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Image © Josiah Mackenzie[/caption]

A Spare the Air Alert is in effect Saturday, June 29, 2013, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Residents are encouraged to drive less and reduce their energy use tomorrow and every day so pollution levels are lower, preventing health alerts when temperatures are high. For more information go to www.sparetheair.org.

We're a Best Place to Work in the Bay Area

On June 12, 2013, it was announced that our employees nominated us, and then voted us, one of the BANG (Bay Area News Group) 2013 Best Places to Work in the Bay Area!

We are honored and thrilled, as we have been actively changing the culture at all four of our stores for the past two years. We strive to create a workplace where employees are empowered, heard and seen; and feel a sense of teamwork, accomplishment and fun. Looks like we're on the right track!

Dynamic Workplaces is the independent survey company who ran the contest, the outcome of which was based entirely on employee input. They chose their three favorite quotes from the surveys, and these comments exemplify the way we want our employees to think and speak about their experience with us:

"I work with incredible people and the culture creates an energy that makes me excited about going to work every day."

"I have clear direction from my manager, know what is expected of me, have flexibility in my schedule, and am appreciated for my hard work! This company has far exceeded my expectations."

"Our culture is one where we get a lot of autonomy to succeed. I feel a high sense of trust to do my job. I also love the people I work with. We are a motivated and engaged group that lives by the "work hard, play hard" philosophy."

Hassett ACE Hardware was number 21 out of the winning 95 top workplaces - out of a total of 1,400 companies surveyed.

Buy Made in the USA from ACE Hardware

We have a great team at our stores called FACE (Facilitating Awesome Community Engagement) and most of the time, they impress me, but sometimes they just blow me out of the water, like with this chalkboard window art for our upcoming Fourth of July event:

Rock the Block, Half Moon Bay

Come join us at the Coastside's favorite block party! We'll have multiple chances to win prizes, and we'll be giving away lots of raffle tickets to win a BBQ (and other great stuff!).

ACE Paint Brand, Clark + Kensington, Outperforms Big Brands

In Consumer Reports' latest tests of interior paints, a newcomer, Clark+Kensington, outperformed products from Benjamin Moore, Behr, and other big name brands. Clark+Kensington, sold only at Ace Hardware stores, earned the highest scores of 65 products evaluated for overall finish, ability to hide, and more.
"When choosing paint, don't assume a leading brand you swore by last time will do just as well this time around," said Bob Markovich, home and yard editor for Consumer Reports. "Our tests found paints can vary year to year - and a bigger name does not always equal a better product."
Consumer Reports found Clark+Kensington paint to be tops in satin and semigloss finishes, and among the best for flat paints. It was also impressive at hiding, leaving a smooth finish that resisted stains, and scrubbing. Its volatile organic compounds are low enough to meet the toughest, regional California standards.
While Clark+Kensington is available only at Ace stores, other paints that were great at hiding, durable, washable, and low in volatile organic compounds, are as close as Home Depot, Lowe's, and Benjamin Moore retailers.
New formulas have improved some paints, but others performed worse than they did just a year ago in Consumer Reports' test. Compared with earlier versions, the Behr Premium Plus Satin Enamel wasn't quite as good at hiding and became dull when cleaned.
Some paints such as Olympic One Flat Enamel improved at hiding. Better hiding also helped move Valspar Signature matte and semigloss up in the ratings, joining Behr in besting Benjamin Moore, which costs roughly twice as much, among flat and semigloss paints.
Twenty of Consumer Reports' top picks let consumers skip priming and paint directly over old finishes, bare wood, and wallboard. One coat of a "Recommended" paint should be enough to hide most colors beneath it, though a second coat adds richness and results in a more even finish even for top performers.
Since colors often look different in different lights, Consumer Reports suggests buying a sample, painting a patch, and living with it for a day or two before buying more. Here are three things to consider when choosing paint:
Go online before hitting the store. Manufacturer and retailer websites and Facebook pages offer a wealth of tips on choosing colors, including photo galleries of finished rooms and calculators to help consumers figure out how much paint will do the trick. They are also the place to check for deals such as free samples, discounts, and rebates if consumers are unhappy with the color after it's applied.
Find the perfect color. Certain hues are specific to a brand, but retailers can often match colors. Paint-color formula books and color-matching computer technology means consumers don't have to rely solely on the skills of a sales clerk, though one with a good eye and mixing equipment with clean nozzles may be able to match colors, too.
Match sheen to surface. The best low-luster satin and eggshell paints offer easy hiding and durability, making them ideal for most surfaces. Flat paints hide flaws better but are less resistant to stains and smudges, so use in low-traffic areas. Semigloss works well for trim and other surfaces that don't need to be wiped frequently, because repeated cleaning will dull most finishes.
Consumer Reports writes columns, reviews, and ratings on cars, appliances, electronics, and other consumer goods. Previous stories can be found at consumerreports.org.