“Strong commitments to one another and shared commitments to our business helps keep us forward on the long-term outcome of our family. Entrepreneurship is absolutely a team sport. It is the overlap between time we spend with family and time we spend working.”
— Daniel Wesley
Lori Tracy Stobbe, spouse, parent of a child experiencing Autism, president and co-owner of Lori’s Ace Home and Hardware, embodies the principles of empowerment, family, and entrepreneurship teamwork.
All of these will be on display at the Lori’s Ace Home & Hardware BBQ Battle, which will take place on May 17 to 18.
“We are ‘all in’ on grilling at Lori’s Ace. We have a wide selection of high-quality grills with trained associates to find the right grill for them,” said Stobbe.
The BBQ Battle will be located at Lori’s Ace Home & Hardware, 2800 Raeford Road, Suite 24A. The BBQ Battle is sanctioned by the Southern BBQ Network. Teams are competing in the specialty areas of pork butts and ribs. A tasting event for the public will be held 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The tickets are ten dollars for the sampling event and can be purchased at the event. The proceeds of the sampling event will be donated to the Cumberland County Autism Society.
Lori Tracy Stobbe and her husband Nate Stobbe are a COVID love story.
“We met each other in 2020, as COVID was just beginning, yet thought it would be over in a few months. We lived in the Twin Cities, (St Paul and Minneapolis), Minnesota. So, while everything was closed, we chose to take long walks each day and talk about the future,” said Lori.
Lori Stobbe has a degree in Marketing and Public Relations. She was formerly Vice President of Creative Services at a large financial institution. She has a twenty-five year career span in Marketing. Nate Stobbe is an original resident of Saskatchewan, Canada. His career track is inclusive of being a Journeyman, CEO of a commercial fabric building and former owner of a custom home building company.
“In 2022, we married in St. Paul, Minnesota. We wanted to work together, and we wanted a warmer climate. After a few months, we chose Ace Hardware and North Carolina. We chose to open an Ace store because we knew it would be a good fit for our backgrounds, and we could help people,” Lori said. “Ace Hardware is a time-tested brand. Ace stores are in the Midwest. I would visit Ace in Marshall, Wisconsin with my father, a retired electrician. It was named ‘Ace’ after WW1 Fighter pilots. Fayetteville is a good fit. The specific site at 2800 Raeford Road proves to have the perfect size and location. There are no other Ace Stores in Fayetteville.”
“We named our store 'Lori’s Ace Home & Hardware' because of the robust home décor, gift section, garden center, toys and games. We designed the store to appeal to both men and women of all ages, a place that feels welcoming, a place that provides personal service, and a place where everyone can feel a sense of belonging to the community,” states Lori Stobbe
Autism Awareness is a family passion. Lori and Nate Stobbe are parents to a son experiencing Autism.
“I was fortunate to have a school system with Autism specialists and therapy resources that helped him navigate his sensory issues, and improve his speech, and motor skills. There was a network of parents to share ideas, successes, challenges and dietary recommendations. As with many Autistic children, he had strong interests. His interests were weather maps and cars. When bad weather approached, he would go outside, not inside. He would study the Rand McNally Road atlas for hours. He would collect Hot Wheels cars, read Car & Driver and watch NASCAR,” said Lori Stobbe
“Today, my son is twenty-seven and has a master’s degree in meteorology, lives independently, and is working for NASA on the Artemis project. The Artemis project explores technology development and preparation for human missions to Mars. He has just purchased a blue Ford Mustang. Without access as a child to therapy and trained school personnel, my son’s story would look different. It is saddening when I think about the children in years past who had no diagnosis and were placed in general special education rooms and labeled as ‘different.’ I am thankful for research and resources so that children in the autism spectrum today have a chance to reach the heights they never could reach before,” said Lori Stobbe.
The Autism Society of Cumberland County is a community resource for families dealing with autism spectrum disorder. The organization “strives to create a community where people with the autism spectrum and their families receive respect, services, and support based on individual differences, needs and preferences,” according to the website. This organization will receive the proceeds from the Lori Ace Home & Hardware BBQ Battle.
Lori Tracy Stobbe also has a zeal for women's entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency.
“Women have to fight and work hard to achieve their goals. Depending on your industry, you may have to fight harder and work harder than others. Do not assume you can not do something, Ditch the stereotypes in your childhood or past workplaces that may have prevented you from achieving your goals. If you are a leader, help your employees bury their stereotypes too. Start with one person—yourself—and go from there,” said Lori Stobbe.
“We provide Women in Power workshops at Lori’s Ace. These free workshops help women learn what equipment is best for them. Women can get their questions answered and learn how to operate power equipment safely and confidently. Women may not know the difference between gas and battery equipment. Women may not have grown up learning how to use power equipment,” shares Lori Stobbe. The next Women in Power workshop is May 21 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The Lori’s Ace BBQ Battle will be held May 17 to 18. The sampling event for the public is 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The tickets for the sampling event are $10, and tickets can be purchased the day of. The proceeds are a fundraiser for the Cumberland County Autism Society. For more info about the BBQ Battle, contact office@loris.ace.com

(Photo: Nate Strobbe and Lori Tracy Stobbe stand next to a barbecue at Lori's Ace Home & Hardware.)