 the ace hardware corporation is a retailers' cooperative based in oak brook, illinois, united states. it has 4,077 (2012) hardware stores, and does over $3 billion in retail hardware sales annually. ==history== hardware was founded in 1924 by richard hesse, e. gunnard lindquist, frank burke, and oscar fisher in chicago, illinois. ace hardware, incorporated in 1927 as ace stores inc., was founded to provide a centralized purchasing organization to supply the founders' and members' stores. the company was named after the ace fighter pilots of world war i, who were able to overcome all odds. its retail network expanded to hundreds of dealers by 1949, when annual sales reached about $10 million. after hesse retired in 1973, ace was sold to its retailers, becoming a cooperative,"ace hardware accounting off by $154 million". associated press. 5 sept. 2007. and the headquarters moved to suburban oak brook. independent owners became dealer-owners and shareholders in the company. because it is a co-op and not a franchise, each ace hardware store looks different. ace has placed a focus on ace stores exhibiting some similar characteristics, such as signaled and core product lines. the vision 21 program, as this is called, is aimed to make all stores look recognizable as an ace hardware. ace hardware's long-time slogan the helpful hardware place has been replaced by the helpful place. another change came when its longtime jingleâ"ace is the place with the helpful hardware man"âwas modified with the more politically correct "folks" replacing "man". celebrities connie stevens (from 1974 to 1978) and suzanne somers (from 1979 into the early 80s) did tv commercials for ace hardware; and since 1987, former nfl coach and nfl commentator john madden did their commerc
Companies_based_in_Chicago,_Illinois Companies_based_in_DuPage_County,_Illinois Companies_established_in_1924 Hardware_stores_of_the_United_States Oak_Brook,_Illinois Retailers\'_cooperatives