SLEEPY EYE — After 27 years in the hardware store business, Ann and Russ McCabe retired Saturday with a big sale and open house at their store on U.S. Highway 14 at the east end of town.

“We’d like to thank our loyal customers and great employees, all of which will continue to work here,” said Ann McCabe.

Russ McCabe said he was grateful for being able to keep the store in Sleepy Eye and keep it an Ace Hardware store that will be owned by Mike Wiebolt of Brainerd.

“It’s been great here with all the support we got from Sleepy Eye. Thanks to all our customers. Now it’s time to get more time for ourselves and our family and for me to do more hunting and fishing,” Russ said.

The McCabe’s said they aren’t moving anywhere. They’ll continue to live near the Cottonwood River south of Sleepy Eye.

He was managing an Ace hardware store in St. Peter and Ann worked as an agronomist at Sleepy Eye Farmer’s Elevator when they bought Hose Ace Hardware in downtown Sleepy Eye from Ron and Bonnie Hose in 1992.

Using all local contractors, the McCabes opened their new, larger store at the east edge of town on U.S. Highway 14 in April 1998. The store continued to grow, adding new product lines.

The store will remain open at McCabe’s Ace Hardware through Saturday, Aug. 31. After three days of inventory, it will re-open as Sleepy Eye Ace Hardware on Wednesday, Sept. 4.