Ace Hardware is an American hardware retailer, headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. It is a cooperative of independently owned hardware stores. As of 2018, Ace had 4,700 locations in 60 countries and territories.
Ace Hardware was founded in 1924 by a group of Chicago hardware store owners.
The first store was opened in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1931, the group expanded to include stores in Detroit and Indianapolis. In 1936, the name “Ace” was adopted as the cooperative’s official name.
In Ace’s early years, the company focused on wholesale operations, selling to hardware stores rather than to consumers. This changed in 1952, when Ace began allowing its member stores to sell directly to consumers. The company began expanding rapidly in the 1960s, opening new stores and acquiring existing hardware chains.
Ace Hardware Corporation is currently headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. The company has over 4,700 locations worldwide and employs over 70,000 people.
