Weyman Combs is not a man to shirk from an honest day’s work. In fact, he’s the exact opposite, having just celebrated 50 years of employment with Ace Hardware.
Combs, the store’s assistant manager, was given the Golden Hammer Award celebrating his five decades of service by the hardware store’s owner Dwight Glover in a low-key ceremony on July 16, then went straight back to helping customers.
Each day, Combs leaves his Rockdale County home and drives 36 miles to the Dunwoody Village Ace Hardware, arriving early so he can catch a nap in his truck before the store opens at 8 a.m.
Even after helping customers all day, Combs often volunteers to stay late to assist with after-hours duties before heading back to his three-acre sanctuary that is populated by deer and guineas.
“That is what makes him great,” said former Ace Hardware owner John Giaquinto, who sold the business in 2020 to Dwight Glover. “He is a true hardware man and was one of my most dedicated employees.”
Glover said Combs “knows more about hardware than anyone else.”
“He’s great to have around and is an amazing employee,” he said.
Combs was unaware of the award, saying if he had been given the heads-up, “would have called out sick.”
Combs downplayed his longevity and brushed off the effusive praise from his employers and co-workers.
“I just love helping people and spreading knowledge,” he said. “And as long as everything is running smoothly, I plan to keep on working.”
His five-decade career has seen him working at several locations, including Smith Hardware in Decatur, Workbench Ace in Toco Hills, and Ace Hardware on Roswell Road. He has worked three different stints an the Village Ace, this time for the last five years.
Talk about trustworthy: At the age of 16, Combs was in charge of Ace’s dynamite department, which was a real thing back then.
