Ace Hardware was founded in 1924 by a group of Chicago hardware store owners. It is a hardware retailers’ cooperative headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. It is the largest hardware retailer in the world with over 5,000 stores around the globe. It is worth noting that it is the largest non-grocery American retail cooperative and the majority of its stores owned independently and are run by local entrepreneurs in each region. Most of the time these entrepreneurs are local business owners and the stores come in all sizes and shapes depending on the needs of each location. Ace Hardware offers a wide variety of paint, lawn and garden, tools and everything you will need when you are fixing, repairing and maintaining your home. Also, individual stores can save a great deal of money by purchasing merchandise in bulk at the lowest possible prices.