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FOR THE HOME: Mark Schulein, president, in the original Crown Ace Hardware store in Corona del Mar.

“The culture of our company is based on being a resource to the community,” Schulein said. “We want to be the most helpful hardware store on the planet.”

That ambitious mission began with Schulein’s father, Jeff Schulein, who bought the original mom-and-pop hardware store in 1974 after falling in love with coastal Newport Beach.

Jeff Schulein ran the store for decades before handing the reins over to his son, who now continues the same formula of cultivating helpful employees and meeting customer expectations.

“I’m very fortunate that I have amazing parents who are both amazing role models,” Schulein said. “The culture of the company is based on them.”