Arts & Entertainment

Gwinnett ACE Hardware Employee Could Lose Job Over Zombie Film

A worker at the hardware store in Lawrenceville could be fired for appearing in the documentary, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.

Do you know how to prepare yourself for a zombie attack?

According to the short documentary film "When the Zombies Come," you can get many of the supplies you need at your local ACE Hardware. In fact, one ACE store has created a zombie preparedness website.

Director Jon Hurst talked to several employees at the Lawrenceville ACE Hardware on Dogwood Road about people preparing for the zombie apocalypse, spurred by the popularity of shows like AMC's "The Walking Dead," which is filmed partly in Metro Atlanta.

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According to 11Alive, one of those employees, Alex Warner, could be fired for appearing in the film. In it, he explains why the ACE would make a great bunker while fighting off the flesh eating monsters. One reason, according to Warner, is its proximity to an "old folks home--" Laurel Grove on Five Forks Trickum Road. "Which we're pretty sure is gonna be overtaken by zombies," said Warner in the film, "because what are older people gonna do besides become zombies? But they're gonna be slow moving zombies."

Warner then goes on to say the elderly zombies would make great targets for shooting practice.

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--Should the ACE employee lose his job for participating in the movie? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

Hurst and Warner told 11Alive the film was not meant to be taken seriously, however ACE Hardware has.

The company posted the following on their Facebook page:

"Ace Hardware was not aware that a deplorable video encouraging violent behavior was produced and we did not approve the use of our brand or store in the filming of that video. We are aghast and outraged that these individuals used our nationally recognized brand in this film. This video does not in any way represent Ace Hardware and the thousands of hardworking Ace employees that are knowledgeable, friendly and dedicated to serving Ace customers. We are making every effort to remove this video from all online sources. We greatly value our customers as well as our 'helpful' brand image and are deeply offended by the content of this video."

According to an ACE spokesperson, the company had issues with Warner showing several guns on the roof of the store.

Although the film was shot when Warner was off the clock, he has reportedly been taken of the schedule indefinitely.

Warner told 11Alive he was helping out his friend Hurst in the film for his class at Georgia State. "When the Zombies Come" was accepted as an entry for the Sundance Film Festival.

This story originated on Lawrenceville Patch.


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