Whanger family buys Rainelle ACE

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

When Adam Whanger was 20 years old, he lived in a tent in the woods. He didn’t have much, but he knew better days were ahead. 

“Adam and I have not had an easy road,” says Candace Whanger, Adam’s wife. “Life in general can be tough.” 

“We’re very blessed,” Adam says. “Only because of grace, and maybe hard work too.” 

Adam and Candace are now in their mid-40s and operate multiple businesses across the Greenbrier Valley including Adam Whanger Construction, ACE Hardware in White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier Glass, hauling lumber for 84 Lumber, & operating 22 rental properties.

Last month, they also purchased the ACE Hardware in Rainelle, WV, and they are excited to expand their business operations to a new area. 

A new beginning for Rainelle ACE Hardware

“We bought it July 12,” Adam says. “We like Rainelle. We like the store.” 

“We know what this place can be,” Candace says. “The first day we walked in, we could see it.” 

“It needed updated,” adds Adam. “New lighting, more inventory.” 

They say the entire process of updating the store will take several months. ACE Corporate will come to Rainelle on October 27, bringing with them three tractor-trailers filled with new inventory. In the meantime, Stihl will be in the store adding new kiosks for their renowned lawn equipment such as weedeaters and chainsaws. Adam is also personally overseeing the addition of a full lumber yard behind the store. 

“We will continue to stay open throughout the process,” Candace clarifies. “And the staff will keep working. We’re blessed with a great staff, who’ve been here a long time. One lady has been here 30 years and another has been here 27 years. We’re very glad they stayed.” 

Adam and Candace have their business headquarters in White Sulphur Springs, a town devastated by the June 2016 flood. They’ve been instrumental in rebuilding the town since then and are excited to bring their business and work ethic to Rainelle, another town devastated by the same flood. 

“People sometimes look down on this area, but that’s so unfair,” Adam says. “We want to help the town develop. You can go in 35 minutes in either direction and be in another town. It’s a good location.”

“There’s a mindset sometimes that nobody will buy this building or that product,” says Candace. “I disagree.” 

She believes Rainelle is ripe for responsible economic development with the right people at the right time. Her hope is to see Rainelle revitalized similar to White Sulphur, with a mix of new and existing businesses alongside housing in the downtown area. 

“We’ve already put in a bid on a house we want to renovate,” says Adam. They plan to be in Rainelle for the long haul. 

‘We want everybody to prosper’

The Rainelle ACE is the latest addition to the Whanger family business. They’ve been at the helm of two major renovations over the last few years in the Greenbrier Valley–The Schoolhouse Hotel and The Greenbrier County Health Department (which is in its final stages now). And they have several more major projects in the works for the next few years. 

“We sleep well at night,” Candace says with a smile. 

They employ 29 people in their various businesses, and that’s one of their primary motivations. 

“We want everybody to prosper,” Adam says. “We want our guys, the town, everybody to prosper if they want to.”

“He carries that commitment,” Candace adds. “He feels responsible for everybody that works for him. He has projects planned out for two years to keep his guys busy working.”

Adam says he likes a challenge. “The struggle is what makes me eager to get up and go each day. The struggle fuels me.”

Not long after buying Rainelle ACE, the Whangers met with Rainelle Police Chief Mike Evans. He explained that his department needed updated equipment. Adam and Candace got to work, and last week they presented Chief Evans with a $15,000 grant for new equipment.

“Rainelle is our new challenge,” Candace says. “Everybody in town that we’ve talked to is really excited. I hope we can keep that. Not just for us, but for all the businesses. This is a special place.” 

The Rainelle ACE Hardware is open Monday-Saturday from 8am-5pm. You can reach them by phone at 304-438-8731.