ST.MARTIN & ST.MAARTEN May  2008

The New Ace Megastore Opens In Sint Maarten

ACE Mega center is part of the two million square ft. of new retail selling space ACE Hardware Corporation intends to open this year through branch stores all over the globe, according to Sami Al-Yousef. Sami AlL-Yousef's and Yousef El Yousef's plan to build a Megastore did not come out of the air, but was preceded by careful observations and assessments of the island's economic position over the years.

" When we purchased the land five years ago, the time was not ripe for a new store of this magnitude. From 2001 to 2003 business on St. Maarten in general was down. In 2005 and 2006 it started to boom, which we also experienced in our business and so we felt the need to grow. By the end of 2005 we took the decision to build the new ACE Mega- center.

We have had exceptional success with Liteline Electrical in Philipsburg, which we opened in 1990 and Ace Home Center at Cay Hill which we opened in 1998. We have identified a strong need for a Home Improvement store in Cole Bay and we are excited to have the opportunity to provide building materials and home improvement solutions to even more customers in this other part of St. Maarten through ACE Megacenter," Sami Al-Yousef said.
Born in Kuwait and having grown up in a traditionally business-oriented family, Yousef El Yousef and Sami Al-Yousef take a lot of pride in feeling that they have become real St. Maarteners. "I am here since 1991 and my brother arrived in 1988.1 went to study accounting for two years at the University of St. Martin and another two years at Johnson & Wales University in the US. Yousef is an electrical engineer and graduated From Memphis State University.



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