Ace Hardware Stores

Ace Hardware is a classic success story of a good old American enterprise.  It began in Chicago, Illinois in 1924 as a central store supplier for its owners’ businesses.  It became very successful by the onset of the 1950s and turned into a cooperative business in 1973.  Worthy of its World War I namesake, the intrepid Ace fighter pilots, Ace Hardware continues to thrive as a successful business cooperative, with most pioneering retailers owning stake in the company as shareholders.  Over the years, the hardware stores also underwent transformations to unite the look and image of the independent stores and to come up with unified core product lines.

Today, Ace Hardware offers one of the most diverse ranges of building products from top brands like Black and Decker, Rubbermaid, Scotts, DeWalt and Weber.  Aside from hardware basics, its major lines also include home goods, outdoor living, lawns and gardens, heating and cooling, electrical and automotive.  This diversity makes Ace Hardware a total hardware center, befitting its latest tag line, “The helpful place.”

Ace Hardware has maximized earning potentials and customer retention through an interactive online presence. Its homepage affords customers the convenience of an online shopping feature with rewards program.  Customer relations is also beefed up with the company’s  online Projects and Solutions section, which features interactive project videos, step-by-step how to’s, advice sections from home professionals and frequently asked questions accessible to customers and the general public at the click of a mouse.

In 2005, Ace Hardware’s worth was placed at $13 billion, with more than 6,400 individual outlets across the United States and in strategic markets in the world, where it has established presence in 70 countries.