What Kimps ACE Hardware does

Kimps ACE Hardware is a third-generation, family-owned hardware retail franchise operating three full-service stores in Northeast Wisconsin (Howard, Ashwaubenon, Wrightstown) under the Ace Hardware brand. The company sells hardware, fasteners, tools, Benjamin Moore and related paint lines, outdoor power equipment from STIHL, Toro, EGO, Ariens, Cub Cadet and Craftsman, grills from Traeger, Weber and Big Green Egg, lawn and garden supplies, greenhouse inventory, and seasonal home decor. In-store services include precision key cutting (including automotive transponder keys), propane refills, small engine repair, glass and acrylic cutting, pipe cutting and threading, and equipment rentals of professional-grade tools. A B2B commercial accounts program serves local contractors and facilities with dedicated account representatives, monthly billing, and job site delivery.

The business operates on a traditional multi-channel retail model: in-store sales across three locations, online sales via the Ace Hardware national marketplace (acehardware.com), and the B2B direct sales channel. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the consumer side is pay-as-you-go with participation in the Ace Rewards loyalty program, while commercial accounts operate on monthly billing with volume-based commercial pricing, and equipment rentals on hourly and daily usage-based rates. Founded in 1940 by Bernard and Luella Kimps and currently led by third-generation owners Craig and Laurie Kimps (since 2010), with fourth-generation family members including CFO Clint Kimps, the company employs 11-50 people across the three locations and has no external investors or parent company. The underlying technology stack is conventional retail hardware operations with no proprietary platform; technical capabilities are limited to in-store color-matching for paint, precision key cutting equipment, and small engine diagnostics.

Name

Kimps ACE Hardware

Legal name

Craig & Laurie Kimps

Website

https://kimpshardware.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kimps ACE Hardware is a third-generation, family-owned Ace Hardware franchise operating three full-service hardware retail stores in Howard, Ashwaubenon, and Wrightstown, Wisconsin, selling tools, paint, power equipment, grills, and lawn and garden supplies alongside key cutting, small engine repair, equipment rentals, and B2B commercial accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Green Bay

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Core revenue from selling hardware, tools, paint, outdoor power equipment, lawn & garden supplies, seasonal decor, grills, and related merchandise across three physical store locations and online via Ace Hardware marketplace.
2. Services: Revenue from paid services including key cutting, propane refills, small engine repair, glass cutting, acrylic sheet cutting, pipe cutting & threading, and equipment rentals.
3. B2B Commercial Sales: Commercial account revenue from local businesses, contractors, and facilities management through dedicated B2B accounts with commercial pricing, bulk ordering, and job site delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kimps ACE Hardware is a family-owned, third-generation independent hardware retailer operating three Ace Hardware franchise locations in Northeast Wisconsin. The company sells hardware, tools, paint, lawn and garden supplies, outdoor power equipment, grills, and seasonal merchandise, and offers fee-based services including key cutting, propane refill, small engine repair, glass and screen repair, equipment rental, and shipping.

Product overview

Kimps ACE Hardware is a family-owned third-generation hardware store franchise operating three retail locations in Northeast Wisconsin (Howard, Ashwaubenon, and Wrightstown). The company operates as a unified retail operation offering multiple departments including Greenhouse, Grills & Outdoor Cooking, Hardware, Lawn & Garden, Paint, Power Equipment, Seasonal Home Decor, Tools, and a Gift Shop. The store provides services such as Key Cutting, Propane Refills, Shipping (UPS/FedEx/SpeeDee), Small Engine Repair, and B2B Business Accounts. As an Ace Hardware franchise, the company integrates with the Ace Rewards program and online shopping platform. The business features branded product partnerships including Milwaukee tools, STIHL outdoor power equipment, Traeger grills, Weber grills, Big Green Egg, Benjamin Moore paint, Clark + Kensington paint, Magnolia Home paint, Scotts lawn products, Toro, EGO, Ariens, Cub Cadet, and Craftsman tools. The product portfolio combines physical retail merchandise with in-store services to serve both consumer DIY and professional contractor segments in the Wisconsin market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hardware and Tools Retail sale of hand tools, fasteners, plumbing, electrical, and general hardware items for DIY homeowners and contractors.
• Paint and Painting Supplies Interior and exterior paints, stains, and painting accessories for residential and light commercial projects.
• Lawn and Garden Supplies Plants, soil, mulch, fertilizers, gardening tools, and outdoor supplies for residential lawn and garden care.
• Outdoor Power Equipment Walk-behind and riding lawn mowers, trimmers, blowers, and other powered outdoor equipment.
• Grills Gas, charcoal, and electric grills and grilling accessories for outdoor cooking.
• Seasonal Decor Holiday and seasonal decor products for residential use.
• Key Cutting and Engraving Duplicate key cutting and laser engraving services for residential and light commercial customers.
• Propane Refill Propane tank refilling service for grills, RVs, and other residential uses.
• Small Engine Repair Repair service for small engine equipment such as mowers, trimmers, and snow blowers.
• Glass and Screen Repair Custom glass cutting and window/screen repair for residential customers.
• Equipment Rental Short-term rental of tools and equipment for DIY and contractor use.
• Shipping Services Parcel and package shipping services offered via in-store counters.
• B2B / Pro Accounts Business account program providing contractors and commercial buyers with dedicated sales support, account billing, and curated product offerings.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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 HardwarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKimps is an Ace Hardware franchisee operating under the Ace Hardware brand. Benefits include national brand recognition, Ace Rewards loyalty program, access to Ace Hardware's buying power and distribution network, co-marketing support, and online marketplace integration through acehardware.com.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Runnings: Regional farm, home, and hardware retailer across the Upper Midwest with comparable product mix in hardware, tools, power equipment, and lawn & garden, and similar small-format community store positioning.
• True Value: Hardware cooperative and franchise system with similar franchise model, comparable product categories, and community-store positioning competing for the same independent hardware operator space as Ace franchisees like Kimps.
• Fleet Farm: Wisconsin-based regional retail chain with overlapping hardware, tools, lawn & garden, grills, and outdoor power equipment categories, serving similar rural and suburban Wisconsin customers with a comparable community-store format and multi-department mix.
• Bomgaars: Regional farm, home, and hardware retailer in the Upper Midwest with similar multi-store operations, broad hardware assortment, and rural/suburban customer base served from small-format community stores.
• Lamperts: Midwest regional hardware chain with multi-store operations, similar product mix across hardware, tools, and lawn & garden, and comparable small-town community positioning to Kimps Ace Hardware.
• Do it Best: Hardware cooperative and franchise model structurally similar to Ace Hardware, with member-store operations, comparable product mix, and the same service-driven differentiation strategy used by Kimps.
• Theisen's Home-Farm-Auto: Regional multi-store hardware, farm, and home retailer in the Midwest with a similar store format, multi-department offering, and DIY/contractor customer base—comparable scale and operating model to Kimps Ace Hardware.

Broad incumbents

• Menards: Wisconsin-headquartered big-box home improvement retailer that competes directly with Kimps Ace in the same regional market with significantly greater scale, broader assortment, and stronger pricing power on commodity hardware and building supplies.
• Home Depot: National big-box home improvement retailer with overlapping product categories across hardware, tools, paint, and outdoor power equipment—competes in the same Wisconsin trade area with significantly larger assortment, brand budgets, and supply chain scale.
• Lowe's: National big-box home improvement retailer with overlapping product offerings in hardware, tools, paint, and outdoor equipment, and similar DIY and professional contractor customer segments to Kimps.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kimps-ace-hardware

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kimps ACE Hardware