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Business owner returns to roots at Five Star Ace

Store stocks hard-to-find items








Laura Colvin, hometownlife.com Published 3:04 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2015 | Updated 8:17 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2015 Paul Greyerbiehl, new owner of Five Star Supply in Highland Township, stocks up on bird food ahead of this weekâs cold weather.(Photo: Laura Colvin)


The helpful hardware man is home again.

That was the message Paul Greyerbiehl wanted to send after he and Lori Woods â whom he calls his âbetter halfâ â took ownership of Five Star Ace Hardware in Highland Township in late January.

Greyerbiehl and Woods, who are Highland residents, purchased the business from Greyerbiehlâs brother, Mark Greyerbiehl, and plan to continue operations on a foundation of family values with a focus on customer service.

âItâs a return to my roots,â said Greyerbiehl, who grew up in Hartland and worked at the business, as well as at a former Highland Township plumbing store owned by his uncle, for many years. All totaled, he has nearly 30 yearsâ hardware experience.

The first order of business, Greyerbiehl said, was to revert to the businessâ former name of Five Star Supply while keeping the Ace Hardware affiliation.

With an emphasis on five major product lines â heating, plumbing, electrical irrigation and pools â Greyerbiehl said he takes pride in helping customers find what they need, even if it means making calls to other local businesses if he doesnât have a particular item, or staying past closing time in an emergency situation â as he did recently when a customerâs furnace stopped working.

âWeâre not what I would consider a cookie-cutter store,â he said. âI love problem-solving; I learned early that, as a business owner, you have to have a hands-on approach. People will see me at that back counter 90 percent of the time.â

While the store carries many hard-to-find items, customers will also find everything from power tools, paint and hardware to lake pumps, water softeners and Weber grills.

âWe also have a lot of people who come for birdseed,â Greyerbiehl added. âWeâve got a great deal on a 40-pound bag.â

âStrong family valuesâ

Operating a family business, he said, means that, in addition to regular employees, several members of the family help out as well, whether by plowing the parking lot, keeping the books or running the register.

âWe believe in strong family values and in families working together,â Greyerbiehl said. âOne day, we hope our two grandsons will be working in the store.â

Five Star is located at 1135 South Milford Road in Highland. Call the store at 248-887-3741.

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