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Start your search below to find the perfect franchise or business opportunity for you! 
What We Offer
A solid opportunity. A powerful model.
Ace has been America's neighborhood hardware retailer for eight decades. Throughout the decades - through booms and busts, war and peace, fads and legitimate breakthroughs - we've been a cornerstone of neighborhood commerce. Today, the opportunity has never been greater. The "do-it-yourself" market is thriving. And Ace Hardware remains poised to serve and thrive, as well.
Build your future on a strong foundation.
Today, Ace retailers have built their annual retail sales to more than $13 billion. And the future looks bright. The hardware industry is not only stable, it's expanding. America is fast becoming a nation of do-it-yourselfers. Just take a look at your local TV listings, brimming with home-improvement programming (source: Hardware Retailing Dec. 2006).
What's more, studies indicate that home-improvement sales will grow at 5.7 percent from 2005 to 2010 (source: Do it Yourself Retailing Dec. 2006). And according to a 2006 Yankelovich study, the average homeowner is expected to do three projects over the next year, primarily in the areas of painting and landscaping, with a total spending budget of approximately $2,000.
Training And Support
Learning the nuts and bolts of the hardware business.
Starting your own business is one area where you don't want to do it yourself. When you become an Ace Hardware owner, you gain the support of a dedicated and experienced team of experts. Our program provides you with extensive training to help you make an effective entry into the DIY Consumer Market and to provide you with the programs, systems and support that will enable you to keep your Ace Hardware store(s) running at peak efficiency for years to come
- Financing programs for qualified individuals
- Assist you in finding the right location
- Store set-up and design, including store planning, visual merchandising, pricing strategy development, office set-up and product selection
Our start up assistance includes help with:
- Effective store management
- Managing each revenue center
- Purchasing and inventory
- Implementing superior customer service
- Financial management and back-office procedures
- Hiring, training and managing employees
- Effective marketing techniques
Ace's comprehensive training covers strategies for:
- Hands-on, on-site support at your grand opening
- Visits from our experienced retail support staff
- In-store tools for continual improvement, such as customer surveys, customer comment card programs and mystery shopper programs
Our on-site support includes:
- Grand opening planning, assistance and awareness programs
- Local store marketing programs, such as newspaper ad slicks, direct marketing materials and regional radio and television opportunities
- Comprehensive and effective national advertising
- Public relations strategies and materials
- Community involvement programs and local charity tie-ins
- Ace Rewards - our one-to-one consumer loyalty program
- System-wide website with store directory and e-commerce functions
Marketing and advertising support includes:
And don't forget the powerful reputation of the Ace Hardware name and logo -- one of the top 100 most recognizable brands in the world!
- Access to 10,000 proprietary Ace label products
- Exclusive vendor programs for products and services
- ACENET online communication programs
- Ace Loss Prevention Service
- Ace Rental Place program
Our exclusive Ace Hardware programs include:
Turn up the power of Ace.
Since the Ace Hardware cooperative structure allows our buyers to negotiate with combined buying-power of over 4,800 locations, our store owners have a significant advantage over non-affiliated stores. Our regional and state-of-the-art distribution centers and computerized ordering give you efficient access to more than 70,000 items in every major hardware category.
Your Ace Hardware store will also be equipped with a proprietary computerized management system, which will provide accurate sales transaction processing, detailed sales and expense information, and extensive inventory management and ordering features to help you run a "tight ship."
But being a part of the Ace family has other advantages - shared innovations, corporate marketing insight and state-of-the-art retailing design, to name a few. You'll be backed by national media advertising, proven business models and a corporate culture that is driven by service and innovation.
A true co-op atmosphere Including owners, store personnel, retail support and corporate employees, there are more than 80,000 members in the Ace Hardware team. Their combined talents strengthen the Ace name. Their vision propels the future of the corporation. And their dedication and expertise works to help all Ace Hardware owners run their business efficiently.
Products
More than tools. A veritable treasure chest. 
As an Ace Hardware owner, you'll be able to offer your customers thousands of high-quality products - from paint to pet supplies. Today's do-it-yourselfers are updating complex plumbing, maintaining impeccable yards, installing cabinets, shingling roofs, cutting glass … you name it, they're doing it! But not without your help.
That's because as an Ace Hardware owner you'll build your business on the solid foundation of the Ace retail concept. Through a variety of store sizes and design possibilities, your Ace Hardware store will provide the extensive product line you'd expect from a major chain. (In fact, you'll have access to over 70,000 high-quality products from our fifteen world class distribution centers located throughout the country.) Yet, you will still be able to maintain the personal and one-on-one help your customers deserve. And with services that include key making, equipment rental and repair, you'll have a diverse and productive set of revenue centers, as well.
One-stop shopping. One powerful brand. The Ace® product assortment includes more than 10,000 items - all value priced. Your store will stock paint and paint supplies, plumbing and heating materials, lawn and garden products, electrical supplies and accessories, outdoor living products, building supplies, hand tools and power tools, hardware and fasteners, housewares and small appliances, ladders and cleaning supplies - all under the Ace name.
To provide more value for customers owners may also stock holiday and seasonal decorations, sporting goods, pet supplies, marine supplies, pool chemicals, automotive merchandise, fire extinguishers and safety equipment, live goods, grill and grill accessories, propane exchange, and other exciting niche opportunities.
How To Do It Yourself
The steps to ownership. Your blueprint to your own business. 
Over the years, we've built Ace Hardware from a small group of local stores into a vast global network with over 4,800 locations. You can find us in all 50 states and in more than 70 countries. Ace's steady growth is a testament to our ability to stay one step ahead of industry trends and deliver ultimate satisfaction to the consumer. With over 80,000 members in the Ace team, including store owners, store personnel, retail support personnel, and corporate employees, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the world.
If you become a member of the Ace ownership team, we can provide you with start-up assistance, comprehensive training, on-site support, and proven programs to help you market and advertise your store (or stores).
But first, we have to get to know you. Over the last couple of decades, Ace's focus on retail has made Ace Hardware the brand it is today. During this time, our individual store owners invested in their businesses and it has paid off even in today's competitive market place. We apply stringent criteria for selecting our potential owner retailers.
Who We Need
We need people with the tools to succeed...and the drive to serve.
You've probably heard that "Ace is the place with the Helpful Hardware Folks." Our store owners enjoy helping people and solving problems for the neighborhood "do-it-yourselfers." You don't necessarily have to have retail or hardware experience to get started with your own Ace Hardware store. You must, however, have a commitment to excellence, a will to succeed, the caliber of character to uphold the Ace brand and a strong team of Ace associates behind you, ready to meet and exceed your customers' expectations.
Building a sense of community
If you're looking for the opportunity to play a vital role in your community, to help your neighbors, to be a stalwart of your local marketplace, and to build a business, Ace could be the place for you.
Investment And Financing
An investment to build on.
The following is a brief summary of the initial investment, affiliation process, and available incentives. At Ace, we don't charge you royalty and franchise fees. Instead, we provide qualified individuals with an incentive package to assist you in opening your nationally-recognized business. Our exclusive incentive package helps prepare you for ownership and can drive down the total investment for a business by nearly 20 percent. What other company reduces the cost of entry rather than charging for it? To further discuss your investment, first complete and submit our no-cost, no-obligation confidential qualification form to get qualified.
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Affiliation Process: | |
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Membership Application |
$5,000 |
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Initial Ownership Stock Investment |
$5,000 |
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Liquid Capital |
$250,000 |
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Loan |
$390,000 - $740,000 (depending on store size) |
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Total Investment* |
$650,000 - $1,000,000 |
* Total investment figure is based on 12,000 retail square foot store. Total Investment will vary based on store size. Items included in this figure are store fixtures, inventory, office equipment, computer system, decor, signage and operating capital. These costs do not include such things as land and building costs or leasehold improvements.
Incentive Benefits
Qualified individuals will receive our exclusive incentive package of up to $255,000 that can assist in your store’s opening.
Our incentive package helps prepare you for ownership and can drive down the total investment for a business by nearly 20 percent. Additionally, an enhanced incentives package is available when you decide to open additional stores. For more information, contact our Business Development Team at 630-990-6900 or myace@acehardware.com.
