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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

BERMUDA RUN – Dale Lemmon was not scheduled to work on St. Patrick’s Day. It was his Friday off.

But there he was, greeting customers and helping fellow employees at Steelman’s Ace Hardware here as the business celebrated its grand re-opening and ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the Davie Chamber of Commerce.

For Lemmon, it isn’t really work.

“It’s the people here, I like them,” he said of not only his co-workers, but of the customers. “I feel comfortable here. I’ve worked at Lowe’s and this is altogether different – very personal.”

Owners Jeff and Dawn Steelman believe in hiring people like Lemmon. Good attitudes are expected.

Dawn said that on Lemmons’ first day, he walked in and said: “Let the festivities begin.”

The day was a celebration of the opening of Steelman’s new greenhouse and garden center.

“We’re trying to introduce the community to all of our new products, gardening items we can now offer year round,” said Katy Castellanos, marketing coordinator.

Steelman’s has been at its location on US 158 for 20 years, and this is just another addition that the customers wanted, Jeff said.

“We’re just expanding to try to meet the needs of the community, that’s what we’re all about. We try to make it a happy place for the people who work here and our customers who come in here.”

The store carries products manufactured by Stihl, Benjamin Moore, Weber, Yeti, Honda and more.

“We’ve got it all,” Jeff said.

Then a man came in and asked for an over-the-door hanger. Jeff was stumped, but luckily, Dale Lemmon had showed up that day. Jeff quickly called him over.

“If we have it, it will be over here,” Lemmon said, “but I think those are stored with our Christmas stock.”