Reflecting on Ace Hardware’s Century-Long Journey
In 1924, a group of Chicago hardware professionals founded a company that would come to completely transform the industry. Their business model allowed store owners to purchase retail merchandise in bulk and pass the savings on to their customers, creating new opportunities for competition between these entrepreneur-owned stores and the big names in the field. One hundred years later, that company is still renowned across the world for its helpful staff and affordable prices; you may know them as Ace Hardware.
Over their first century in business, Ace has been ‘the place,’ as their slogan proclaims, where everyday people can support local business owners and enjoy kind, knowledgeable staff. The cornerstone of their mission is supporting entrepreneurs, neighbors, and laborers; in upholding this standard, the stores have always been owned and operated by real neighborhood members, not corporations. Their ‘helpful hardware folks’ are just that– folks, a part of the community, and an essential piece of the Ace operation.
Much More than Just Hardware
Ace Hardware has also made invaluable contributions to those in need during its hundred-year reign, including work through organizations such as Ace Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and the American Red Cross. Most recently, the company launched its Heartware Stories campaign, wherein real hometown folks share stories of kindness and humanity in a mini-documentary series, showcasing the heart behind the hardware.
The company continues to grow, as Ace Hardware stores are being opened regularly across the nation and internationally each year. As for the rest of the world, the hardware chain is open for business in over sixty countries and has operated its international subsidiary since 1990.
Ace Hardware + E.A. Langenfeld
E.A. Langenfeld‘s long-standing partnership with Ace Hardware has supported their growth and goals for decades through marketing campaigns that reinforce Ace’s mission. These combined efforts for over 50 years have reached countless retailers, supporting them in finding exactly what products their individual stores can offer their unique set of customers. Ace Hardware’s one-hundredth anniversary is yet another successful landmark on the road ahead.
As part of their centennial celebration, the Ace Hardware 2024 Fall Convention will provide special opportunities for teams to plan, buy, and sell among other successful players in the industry. For more information about Ace Hardware and its hundred-year anniversary, visit www.acehardware.com or visit E.A. Langenfeld to learn about our work in the hardware channel.