Pat’s Home Center: Dedicated to Central

CENTRAL — The history of Pat’s Home Center began in 1983 with Pat and Ginger Vince.  Together, they saw a need for a hardware store that would serve the town of St. Francisville and the surrounding community.

With the goal of being more than just a hardware store, Pat and Ginger set out to become a customer-oriented business.  So, in 1984, Pat and Ginger opened Pat’s Hardware and Garden Center on Highway 61 in St. Francisville.  “Our goal originally,” Pat said, “was to make it possible for any of our customers to purchase anything they needed for their home or commercial building projects.  We began by comparing the pros and cons of local businesses in the same market.  We knew that the success of our business largely depended on our ability to succeed and excel in the same areas as other local businesses, while at the same time, outperforming our competitors where they were failing to meet customer needs.”

And succeed they did!  By 1989, Pat’s Hardware added a lumber yard to their original store to help meet the needs of its growing customer base.  In 1993, the business was doing so well that they began the search for a new piece of property in St. Francisville where they could build a bigger store with a larger lumber yard.  The search for land led them to begin an entirely new store in a different town.

In 1993, they started Partner’s Hardware in Clinton.

Now Pat’s Home Center of Clinton, the business currently includes a brand-new, 12,000-square-foot store with an additional 10,000 in warehouse space and a two-acre lumber yard with room to expand.

In 2002, Mr. Vince suffered a terrible tragedy — Ginger Vince passed away, leaving him with a tremendous loss but an incredible personal legacy.  “That was the defining moment in my life,” Pat said.  “In addition to losing my wife and the love of my life, I lost my business partner.  I had a choice to make: Do I continue to run the businesses or not?  I chose to continue what my wife and I worked so hard to build and make successful.  I decided to dedicate any further success to her life and her involvement in the business.”

In 2003, St. Francisville saw the construction of a brand-new, 18,000-square-foot facility with a warehouse and lumber yard totaling an additional three acres.  With the construction of a new building came a new name.  Pat’s Hardware became Pat’s Home Center.

“We expanded our inventory to include many new items for our customers including appliancnew line of contractor grade paint products, and many new hardware items,” Mr. Vince said.  “At the original store, we were a hardware store.  With the building of the new store, we became a home center.”

With the growth, success, and development of the St. Francisville location, Pat was able to expand his business into Central seven years ago.

Today Pat’s Home Center has a 20,000-square-foot showroom and a 18,000-square-foot warehouse in Central.  The store has hunting supplies, household items, barbeque pits, gift iems, specialty millworks, and so much more.

Throughout the years, Pat Vince has prided himself on being able to meet the needs of an ever-expanding customer base in this area.

“I’ve always made it a point to make sure all of our customers, no matter who they are, are always taken care of.  We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service,” Mr. Vince said.  “Put yourself in the customer’s shoes,” he says, “and do what you know is right.”

Currently, Pat’s Home Center employs 50 plus employees in three different locations including outside salesman at each location.

In Central, Kevin Dupuy, store manager; Michelle Estave, assistant manager; Jason Drury, inslde sales, and the helpful and knowledge staff are always willing to help you with anything you need or looking for.

Whether it’s a new construction or remodeling job, or just maintaining a beautiful home, Pat’s Home Center has been serving their customers for 28 years, including seven years here in Central!

Pat’s Home Center

13533 Hooper Road

Central, Louisiana

225-262-8685