Paul's Ace Hardware

What Paul's Ace Hardware does

Paul's Ace Hardware Stores is a privately held, family-owned chain of 11 traditional hardware and home improvement retail stores across Arizona, headquartered in Scottsdale. Founded in 1956 by Paul E. Dauwalder as a 1,800-square-foot store, the company has expanded under four generations of family leadership — currently led by Julie Buchkowski — to operate locations in Scottsdale (3), Tempe (2), Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Payson, Tucson (2), and Oro Valley. The core business is brick-and-mortar retail of tools, paint, hardware, electrical, plumbing, housewares, building materials, lumber, and lawn & garden products, with 35,000+ items in stock and access to 80,000+ additional items through Ace Hardware's cooperative catalog.

The company supplements retail with a layered service and commercial offering: in-store services (glass cutting, key cutting, screen repair, pipe threading, propane exchange, custom paint matching), the Hearth Shoppe specialty hearth department at Payson, a full-service 56,000 sq ft lumberyard at the Tempe Priest & Broadway location, equipment rental at Fountain Hills, and valley-wide delivery. Business customers access commercial supply accounts through The Supply Place, a dedicated B2B platform with custom reorder lists, order history, invoicing, and charge accounts. Customer segments are primarily DIY homeowners, with secondary segments of contractors/commercial buyers and property managers.

Revenue is generated through standard retail unit pricing, commercial volume discounts, and service fees. Go-to-market is multi-channel: 11 physical storefronts, phone orders with curbside pickup and delivery, and delegated e-commerce via acehardware.com. Community engagement is a distinctive operating layer, with the Round Up for Charity program rotating monthly nonprofit beneficiaries (Phoenix Children's Hospital, Tucson Medical Center, Make-A-Wish, Community Food Bank of Southern AZ) supported by a 10% company match. The company has no proprietary technology platform, no public funding, and operates independently under the Ace Hardware cooperative brand.

Name

Paul's Ace Hardware

Legal name

Paul's Ace Hardware Stores

Website

https://paulsacehardware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Paul's Ace Hardware Stores is a fourth-generation, family-owned chain of 11 hardware and home improvement retail stores across Arizona, serving DIY homeowners, contractors, and commercial customers with tools, building materials, lumber, specialty services, and B2B supply accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hardware Retail

NAICS

Hardware Retailers (44414)

SIC

Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores (5531)

akta.pro primary industry

General Home Improvement & Hardware Stores (CRAIADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit) (CRAIADAE), Doors, Windows & Millwork Hardware Retail (Locks, Hinges, Handles) (CRAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Hardware retail stores
• Home improvement supplies
• Building materials supply
• Commercial contractor supply
• Power tools equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottsdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Traditional hardware retail store selling tools, building materials, paint, plumbing, electrical, housewares, lawn & garden, lumber, and more. Operates 11 retail locations plus online shopping through Ace Hardware's e-commerce platform. Carries 35,000+ items in stock with ability to order over 80,000 additional items for commercial accounts.
2. Service Fees: Various in-store services including glass cutting, key cutting, screen repair, pipe cutting/threading, propane exchange/refill, rug cleaner rentals, and more. Hearth Shoppe in Payson provides wood, gas, and pellet stove sales and service.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paul's Ace Hardware operates a chain of 11 brick-and-mortar hardware and home improvement retail stores across Arizona, stocking 35,000+ items across paint, hardware, electrical, plumbing, housewares, tools, building materials, lumber, and lawn & garden departments. The company supplements retail sales with in-store services (glass cutting, key cutting, screen repair, pipe threading, propane exchange) and a commercial supply program (The Supply Place) that gives business customers access to over 80,000 items with account-based ordering and delivery.

Product overview

Paul's Ace Hardware operates as a family-owned network of 11 traditional hardware and home improvement retail stores across Arizona (Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Tempe, Gilbert, Payson, and Tucson), serving both individual homeowners and commercial customers. The core offering is in-store retail of hardware, tools, building materials, and home improvement products, supplemented by specialized services including the Hearth Shoppe (stove sales and service), lumberyard operations, equipment rentals, and delivery services. Business customers can access commercial accounts through The Supply Place for bulk ordering from over 80,000 items. The company also operates community programs like the Round Up for Charity initiative and maintains a referral directory of local service providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paul's Ace Hardware Retail Stores
• In-Store Hardware Services
• Commercial/Business Account (The Supply Place)
• Hearth Shoppe (Payson)
• Equipment Rental Department
• Lumberyard and Building Materials Supply
• Delivery and Curbside Pickup Service

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ace Hardware CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPaul's Ace Hardware is an independently owned and operated Ace Hardware retailer. The franchise relationship provides brand recognition, access to Ace Hardware's product catalog (80,000+ items), Ace Rewards loyalty program, and co-marketing. The company operates under the Ace Hardware brand while maintaining independent ownership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ace Hardware: The national hardware cooperative of which Paul's Ace is an independently owned member. Operates the acehardware.com storefront, runs Ace Rewards, supplies 80,000+ SKUs to members, and competes nationally against Home Depot and Lowe's — making every Ace affiliate, including Paul's Ace, a directly comparable retail model.
• True Value: Competing hardware retailer cooperative with a similar independent-dealer model and product mix (paint, plumbing, electrical, tools, lawn & garden). Operates a comparable franchise/affiliate structure targeting small-town and suburban hardware markets.
• Do it Best: Member-owned hardware and lumber cooperative serving independent retailers across the United States. Closely comparable to Paul's Ace in assortment (hardware, paint, electrical, plumbing, building materials), dealer economics, and small-format suburban focus.

Broad incumbents

• The Home Depot: Largest U.S. home-improvement retailer; operates multiple superstores directly within Paul's Ace Hardware's Phoenix metro and Tucson trade areas, competing on price, depth of SKU, and contractor programs across the same DIY and prosumer customer base.
• Lowe's: Second-largest U.S. home-improvement retailer with overlapping product categories (hardware, paint, lumber, tools, appliances) and a national Pro/contractor program. Co-locates stores with Paul's Ace across its core markets and exerts sustained pricing pressure.
• Menards: Privately held, Midwest-rooted big-box home improvement chain with comparable full-line assortment (lumber, hardware, electrical, plumbing, lawn & garden). A relevant same-category incumbent benchmark, though with more limited Arizona presence than Home Depot or Lowe's.
• Walmart: Mass general-merchandise retailer with a sizable hardware, paint, tools, and lawn & garden assortment across supercenter locations throughout Arizona. Competes on convenience and price for entry-level DIY baskets rather than contractor work.

Emerging players

• Harbor Freight Tools: Value-positioned tools, equipment, and accessories retailer with a national store footprint. Overlaps with Paul's Ace Hardware on hand tools, power tools, and consumables, but competes primarily on price rather than the full-service contractor relationship.
• Tractor Supply Co. Rural-lifestyle retailer with growing overlap into hardware, tools, lawn and garden, and outdoor power equipment. Targets similar hobby/DIY/light contractor customers in suburban-rural trade areas, particularly around Arizona's exurban markets like Payson.
• Northern Tool + Equipment: Specialty retailer focused on tools, equipment, and outdoor power products for DIYers and contractors. Overlaps with Paul's Ace on tool assortments and equipment rental-adjacent demand, though narrower in scope and without paint or lumber yard offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paulshardware
• Facebookfacebook.com/paulshardwarescottsdale
• Instagraminstagram.com/paulshardware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paul's Ace Hardware