NEVADA COUNTY'S HOME IMPROVEMENT CENTER
FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED
Who We Are
Mission Statement: To be the leading home improvement supplier in our community, providing expertise in servicing our customer's needs while providing quality products at a fair price.
Our Philosophy
We believe in respect for people, whether they are employees, customers or the community.
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We recognize and respect our customer's needs and are understanding and sympathetic to their point of view. We have well trained personnel to answer and solve their technical problems.
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For our employees we want safe and pleasant working conditions, a positive and open relationship, job security, fair wages and benefits. In return we expect our employees to perform to the best of their ability.​
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Since 1940 B&C has been active in the community we serve and continue to do so today. Our Family business is committed to taking an active role in enhancing our local culture and education, as well as helping to compliment community projects and organizations through our donations and personal involvement.
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We make every effort to have the merchandise in stock to fulfill our customer's needs as a one-stop home center. It is important for us to ensure our customers leave our store satisfied. Today we look toward the future as we continue to serve Nevada County.
B&C ACE HOME & GARDEN CENTER
Leland and Faye Fowler
The History of B&C Home and Garden Center
B&C Ace Home & Garden Center has a rich history that stretches back to 1940, when Leland and Faye Fowler founded Builders and Consumers Lumber Company on Nevada City Highway. At that time, the area was mostly undeveloped, making it a prime spot for a sawmill, planing mill, and retail lumberyard. Leland and Faye built the first all-electric sawmill in Nevada County, followed by a planing mill and retail store, quickly becoming a trusted resource for the community.
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During World War II, the company provided lumber to build Camp Beale (now Beale Air Force Base) and produced crating materials for military shipments overseas. By 1959, changes in the industry led to the dismantling of the sawmill, but the retail yard and planing mill thrived. Even after a fire in 1963 destroyed the original planing mill, the Fowlers rebuilt and continued to serve the growing community.
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Following Leland’s passing in 1963, the business became a partnership between their sons, Charles and Donald Fowler. Another fire in 1967 destroyed the retail store, but once again, they rebuilt—this time constructing a new 8,000-square-foot building farther from the highway.
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The 1970s brought further growth, with B&C joining the Cotter & Company True Value buying cooperative in 1977 to stay competitive. By the 1980s, plans were underway to develop the unused portion of their 14-acre property. In 1986, the Fowler family struck a deal to bring Albertsons to the area as an anchor store, transforming the site into the now-completed Fowler Center.
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B&C True Value Home Center officially opened in 1990, offering 41,000 square feet of space—three times larger than the previous store—complete with a "drive-thru" where customers could load their construction materials. Over the years, the store has undergone several renovations to modernize its nursery and sales spaces, including major remodels in 2013 and again in 2018 when B&C transitioned from True Value to Ace Hardware.
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Charles and Don Fowler retired in 1996, passing the torch to their children, who continue to run the business today. While Don passed away in 2003 and Charles in 2023, their legacy lives on, supported by the next generation of the Fowler family.
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And the story? It's far from over. Stay tuned for what's next at B&C Ace Home & Garden Center!