Ace Hardware

Ace Hardware, a Ace Hardware Corp franchise, has been franchising since 1976 — 52 years after the concept was founded in 1924 , currently with 5,800 total locations in the retail sector, headquartered in IL. According to the 2024 FDD, the total initial investment ranges from $650K to $1.8M — a 177% spread between the low and high end that reflects how site size, market, and buildout scope change the capital requirement. This figure includes the franchise fee of $5K, equipment, leasehold improvements, and initial working capital through the ramp-up period.

Ongoing royalty and advertising-fund rates for this brand are not captured in the summary dataset — review Items 6 and 7 of the FDD for the authoritative schedule. Critically, Ace Hardware does disclose financial performance data in Item 19, a voluntary disclosure that only about a third of U.S. franchisors make. The reported average gross revenue per location is $2.7M. Revenue is not profit — actual franchisee take-home depends on rent, labor, cost of goods, and local demand.

Network momentum is currently positive: Ace Hardware added units at a 0.9% net rate year-over-year (150 openings, 100 closures). Sustained positive growth is a signal that the unit-economics are working well enough to attract new operators, though late-stage growth can also reflect aggressive sales push rather than operational health. Before committing capital, triangulate this summary against the full FDD, a franchise attorney's review, and direct conversations with five or more current and former franchisees from Item 20.