USA Today: Ace more than holds its own
Every time he gets on an airplane wearing his gray Ace Hardware work shirt, Ray Griffith hears expressions of concern.
Fellow passengers always want to know if the venerable cooperative is managing to get by OK in the face of competition from ever-proliferating home improvement superstores. It’s a question Ace’s chief executive finds almost embarrassing, he says, because the retailer-owned company is doing so well.
There’s no need to worry about Ace. With a focus on convenience and knowledgeable service, the 4,600-store chain has staked out a modest but healthy share of the huge hardware market, supporting the biggest new-store expansion in its history.
Ace is also a lucky winner the chance to win an Ace Hardware store worth $1 million. According to Clickpress: Entries for the Dream Ace contest will be accepted throughout the month of January at www.dreamacehardware.com. Successful contestants will demonstrate a combination of business and sales expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and home improvement knowledge, as well as a true commitment to helpfulness.