Ace Hardware

(This post is inspired by Elyse).

Ace Hardware stores provide a great option to the typical Lowe’s and Home Depot stores (and insert other big box retailers here).  These stores, although national, are individually owned by the local store owners.  Corporate shares are not publicly traded.  See the faq page on the Ace Hardware site.  http://www.acehardware.com/corp/index.jsp?page=faq

And come on, how many times have you been in Lowe’s or Home Depot and not been able to find help with what you need? My experiences have always been better in smaller hardware stores like Ace.

The next time you need a hardware store, skip the big boxes and support your local community by going to Ace.*  As an added bonus, as pointed out by Elyse, Ace Hardware offers national gift cards.  This means that if you want to give a gift card you can buy it from Ace in your hometown and your friend can spend it elsewhere.  (Just be sure to indicate it needs to be nationally accepted).

Thanks, Elyse, for the “how to live as a preservationist” tip!

*I would suggest visiting a hardware store that is 100% local, but that is not always an option so Ace would make a good second.