Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware Corporation is an American hardware retailers' cooperative based in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States. It is the largest non-grocery retail cooperative in the United States. Founded on October 25, 1924, as "Ace Stores", the company changed its name to "Ace Hardware Corporation" in 1931.^[1]

History

In 1924, to increase buying power and profits, entrepreneurs Richard Hesse, E. Gunnard Lindquist, Frank Burke, and Oscar Fisher united their Chicago, Illinois, hardware stores into "Ace Stores". The company was named after the ace fighter pilots of World War I, who overcame all odds.^[1]

Home services

In recent years, Ace Hardware has invested heavily in residential repair services once it saw younger customers shift away from DIY.^[1]

Advertising

In 1989, Ace's longtime jingle "Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man" was modified, replacing man with the more gender neutral folks. Celebrities Connie Stevens (from 1974 to 1978) and Suzanne Somers (from 1979 to 1982) starred in TV commercials for Ace Hardware. From 1987 to 2010, former NFL coach and NFL commentator John Madden also starred in Ace commercials.^[1]

International operations

In July 1963, Ace opened its first international store in Guam. In 1990, Ace created a separate division known as Ace International. An international board committee was established in 1994.^[1]

North America

In 2010, Tim-Br Mart Group acquired licensing rights to the Ace brand name in Canada. By February 2012, Ace had 400 locations outside of the United States. Four years later, Rona, Inc., signed an agreement with Ace Hardware for the master license to the Ace brand in Canada.^[1]

Middle East

In 1991, Al-Futtaim Group obtained the licensing rights to bring the Ace name to Dubai. It opened a flagship store in 2006.^[1]

Oceania

By 2002, Ace had six locations in Guam. In June 2014, Ace Hardware International announced an agreement to be a wholesale supplier for New Zealand's Mitre 10.^[1]

Asia

PT Ace Hardware brought the brand to Indonesia in 1995 and became a publicly traded company in 2007. By 2010, there were 39 stores in 18 cities. As of January 2023, there were 229 stores located in 56 cities throughout Indonesia.^[1]