Convert Your Store

Learn more about converting your existing store to Ace
START YOUR ACE JOURNEY
CONVERSION RESULTS
+4.2%
Retail Sales
+3.8%
Gross Margin
+7.9%
Gross Profit Dollars
Sample size = 76 stores. Data indicates what average conversion metric percentages are for a typical Ace conversion.

Incentives

We set you up for success when you convert your store to Ace Hardware. Incentives vary by store format/size and are based on Discovery recommended products and quantities. Our incentives are given as a credit, not as cash or a loan.
Ace Owner
Upfront incentives to get you started!
Ace Owner
Additional product assortment incentive opportunities
Ace Owner
FREE labor to bin-tag the entire store!
Ace Owner
FREE Ace Paint/Clark & Kensington opening stock order

Success Stories

play video W.D. Bryant & Son Ace Hardware play video Hahn Ace Hardware play video Bryant's Ace Hardware play video Paradis Ace Hardware
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Entrepreneur's Franchise 500

Entrepreneur's Franchise 500

Ranked #1 in our category and #5 overall by Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 List

Forbes

Forbes

Ranked #1 Best Customer Service Forbes magazine's 2024 rankings in the home improvement category

Franchise Times Top 400

Franchise Times

5th Largest Franchise Globally

Convert to Ace

Our Support

An Ace Franchise propels your business forward.
Ace Owner
We Back You Up

A field management team advises and consults our retailers to help them grow and develop their business.

Ace Owner
Your Success

We provide in-store training for owners and associates on effective store management, implementing superior customer service, and effective marketing techniques.

Convert your Store

How We Compete

It takes something special to succeed in the hardware business.
Service
SERVICE
We can compete with big boxes with knowledgeable associates and the entrepreneurial spirit of its owners.
Convenience
CONVENIENCE
Ace stores can be found right in the neighborhood and combine a quick, in-and-out shopping experience with fast checkout.
Quality
QUALITY
With top brands like Craftsman, Weber and STIHL, Ace Hardware stores offer the best brands in home improvement.
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Ace is the place for...

Veterans
Veterans

As a benefit for prospective Ace retailers who are also U.S. Veterans, Ace Hardware will waive its $5,000 application fee for those who qualify*

*Owner must have a DD214 and own at least 25% of the business

Coolest Stores
The Coolest Stores

Only a select few Ace Stores receive this coveted recognition annually, based on how well the store differentiates its offerings, services, and culture to meet the needs of the community.

Women in retail
Women in Retail

Ace supports women-owned franchises. Ace Women in Retail allows retailers to participate in a group that shares ideas, hosts guest speakers, and network with fellow retailers.

Become an ace owner
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Ace History

The beginning of one of the most successful franchises.
1924
•
Four hardware shop owners unite to start Ace Stores, Inc.
1931
•
Ace Stores, Inc. officially changes its name to Ace Hardware Corporation.
1940
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By the end of the 1940s, Ace Hardware Corporation is supplying 133 Ace stores in seven states.
1959
•
Ace celebrates its 35-year anniversary with sales of $24.5 million and 325 stores.
1963
•
Ace begins to expand into the southeastern and western states.
1975
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With stores in nearly all 50 states, Ace expands internationally, opening a store in Guam.
1985
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A retailer ordering masking tape at a store in Michigan pushes Ace past $1 billion wholesale.
1994
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The "New Retail Age of Ace" is launched to battle the "big box" chain hardware stores and help ensure the company's growth for years to come.
2006
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Wholesale sales reach 10-year highs and the bottom line exceeds $100 million for the fourth straight year.
2013
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Ace's Clark+Kensington® semi-gloss and satin paints are ranked No. 1 by a leading consumer magazine.
2019
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12 out of 13 years ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction" by J.D. Power*