Paul's Ace Hardware
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersScottsdale, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Paul's Ace Hardware firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Paul's Ace Hardware industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Paul's Ace Hardware is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scottsdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Paul's Ace Hardware business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | — | Retail pricing for individual consumers |
| Unit Pricing | — | Commercial/Bulk discount pricing |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Paul's Ace Hardware product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Paul's Ace Hardware
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Paul's Ace Hardware technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Paul's Ace Hardware partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ace Hardware CorporationcorePaul'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
Paul's Ace Hardware competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Paul's Ace Hardware social profiles
Digital presencePaul's Ace Hardware financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paul's Ace Hardware leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Paul's Ace Hardware funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paul's Ace Hardware M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paul's Ace Hardware
What does Paul's Ace Hardware do?
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.
Is Paul's Ace Hardware a public or private company?
Paul's Ace Hardware is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Paul's Ace Hardware founded?
Paul's Ace Hardware was founded in 1956. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Paul's Ace Hardware based?
Paul's Ace Hardware is headquartered in Scottsdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paul's Ace Hardware make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are service Fees.
Who are Paul's Ace Hardware's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ace Hardware, True Value and Do it Best. Broad incumbents are The Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards and Walmart. Emerging players are Harbor Freight Tools, Tractor Supply Co. and Northern Tool + Equipment.
Does Paul's Ace Hardware have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paul's Ace Hardware.
What industry is Paul's Ace Hardware in?
Paul's Ace Hardware's product category is Hardware Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIADAA, General Home Improvement & Hardware Stores, with a secondary code of CRAIADAE, Electrical Supplies Retail (Wiring, Switches, Breakers, Conduit). Its NAICS code is 44414 and its SIC code is 5531.