Bitterroot Health Foundation partners with Evans Ace to benefit local Hospice. The Bitterroot Health Foundation is spreading holiday cheer this season with the support of a long-time community partner, Evans Ace Hardware. Together, they are hosting Christmas-themed photo sessions throughout December to raise funds for Bitterroot Health Hospice, helping ensure compassionate end-of-life care for patients and families across the Bitterroot Valley. Local photographer Katelynn Rose Photography will offer 5-minute sessions for just $25, which includes 2-4 edited digital images. For each session, $10 will be donated directly to Bitterroot Health Hospice in support of its mission. Photo sessions will be held at Evans Ace Hardware in Hamilton on the following dates: Saturday, December 13, Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21. Scan this QR code to reserve a dedicated timeslot for your photo session. Time: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. each day but participants are encouraged to reserve a dedicated timeslot via the above QR code. Families can enjoy free cookies and hot cocoa while they wait, and each participant will receive $5 off their in-store purchase on the day of their photos. Pets are welcome to join in the Christmas photo fun! Payment can be made in-store, or conveniently via Cash App or Venmo. Evans Ace Hardware, owned by Dave Evans and his family, has a long and heartfelt legacy of supporting the Bitterroot community. Dave Evans, who also serves on the Bitterroot Health Foundation Board, has helped champion countless local initiatives. Over the years, Evans Ace has played an important role in Foundation fundraising efforts, including the Colors of Cancer and many other events that strengthen local healthcare services for families and neighbors throughout the valley. "Evans Ace Hardware has always stepped up for this community," said Jerod Smith, Senior Director of the Bitterroot Health Foundation. "Their commitment to Bitterroot Health Hospice and to local families reflects the true spirit of the holidays. We're grateful for their partnership and excited to offer a fun, festive way for families to capture memories while supporting an important cause."

Ace Hardware ranks #5 on Franchise Times Top 400 list for fourth consecutive year. * By Ace Hardware Corporation * Oct 8, 2025 * 0 * 2 min to read Hardware Retail Leader Retains Its Top 5 Position Thanks to Continued Store Growth and Strong Performance OAK BROOK, Ill., Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Ace Hardware, the world's largest hardware cooperative, has earned the #5 ranking on the Franchise Times Top 400 list for the fourth year in a row. The Franchise Times Top 400 is an exclusive annual ranking of the largest U.S.-based franchise systems by global systemwide sales. Ace Hardware once again joins the top five alongside iconic global brands McDonald's, 7-Eleven, KFC, and Burger King, respectively. Ace Hardware's steady performance and consistent growth helped secure its place among the industry's top corporations. In 2024, Ace posted $23.5 billion in retail sales, driven by strong same-store sales and new store development. The cooperative added 230 new stores, bringing its global total to more than 5,900. Over the past five years, Ace has opened more than 1,000 new stores worldwide. "Ace is proud to be recognized once again by Franchise Times as one of the top five franchises, and as the #1 ranked retailer, on this respected list," said Andy Enright, Senior Vice President of Retail Strategy and Operations at Ace Hardware Corporation. "Our continued success is fueled by the strength of our store owners, who are deeply rooted in their communities and committed to delivering helpful service every day." Ace Hardware operates as a retailer-owned cooperative, where independent owners both operate their stores and hold ownership in the cooperative itself. While Ace shares similarities with traditional franchise systems, its structure is unique; store owners are shareholders who benefit from annual profits distributed back to them as a patronage dividend. In 2024, Ace distributed $357 million in patronage dividends, representing a return on equity of nearly 39%. Unlike traditional franchise models, Ace store owners pay no royalty or ongoing franchise fees. For more information about investment opportunities with Ace Hardware, visit www.myace.com. The Franchise Times Top 400 is the most comprehensive ranking of the largest U.S.-based franchise systems by global sales and units. The annual list is the result of extensive research and reporting, offering the most credible and objective analysis in franchising. The rankings, full report, and searchable online database are available at www.franchisetimes.com/top-400-2025. About Ace Hardware Ace Hardware is the largest hardware cooperative in the world, serving more than 8,700 locally owned and operated stores around the globe, while providing the best products, services, and operating methods to more than 5,200 Ace retail stores in the United States. Ace Hardware's family of brands includes Ace Hardware, Emery Jensen Distribution, and independent retailers worldwide. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace operates an expansive network of U.S. distribution centers, along with international capabilities in Ningbo, China, and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has been a part of local communities, known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ace-hardware-ranks-5-on-franchise-times-top-400-list-for-fourth-consecutive-year-302578079.html SOURCE Ace Hardware Corporation

Ace Hardware teams up with Affirm to offer flexible payment options for in-store purchases. Partnership gives Ace customers more ways to pay with confidence OAK BROOK, Ill.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Oct. 1, 2025- Ace Hardware, the world's largest hardware cooperative, today announced a new partnership with Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM), the payment network that empowers consumers and helps merchants drive growth, to provide a pay over time option to customers shopping in-store. With over 5,200 locations, most of them independently owned and operated, Ace now offers Affirm at participating retailers across the U.S., giving consumers a flexible and transparent way to buy now and pay later for their home improvement, lawn, and backyard projects. Paying with Affirm in-store at Ace Hardware is simple. By scanning a QR code at checkout in participating stores, Ace customers go through a quick, real-time eligibility check. Approved consumers will see the payment options available to them for purchases starting at $50. Affirm shows consumers their terms up front with no late fees or hidden charges - ever. "For more than a century, Ace has been proud to help neighbors with the right products, advice and support," said Andy Enright, Senior Vice President, Retail Strategy & Operations at Ace Hardware. "Our partnership with Affirm builds on Ace's Helpful promise, giving customers more flexibility to take on the projects that matter to them - whether it's refreshing a room, enhancing the backyard, or tackling a to-do list." "From essential daily repairs to bigger home upgrades, Ace is where people go for their home improvement needs - and it's a category where flexibility at checkout really matters," said Pat Suh, SVP of Revenue at Affirm. "That's why we're so excited to partner with Ace and give their customers transparent payment options tailored to their needs, right there in-store. By underwriting each transaction in real time, and never charging late or hidden fees, Affirm ensures Ace customers always know what they'll pay." This new offering underscores Ace's commitment to providing helpful service and trusted solutions, extending that support to checkout. Ace Hardware joins over 375,000 Affirm retail partners, including World Market, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, West Elm and more. About Ace Hardware Ace Hardware is the largest hardware cooperative in the world, serving more than 8,700 locally owned and operated stores around the globe, while providing the best products, services, and operating methods to more than 5,200 Ace retail stores in the United States. Ace Hardware's family of brands includes Ace Hardware, Emery Jensen Distribution, and independent retailers worldwide. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace operates an expansive network of U.S. distribution centers, along with international capabilities in Ningbo, China, and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has been a part of local communities, known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com. About Affirm Affirm's mission is to deliver honest financial products that improve lives. By building a new kind of payment network - one based on trust, transparency, and putting people first - Affirm empower millions of consumers to spend and save responsibly, and give thousands of businesses the tools to fuel growth. Unlike most credit cards and other pay-over-time options, Affirm never charge any late or hidden fees. Follow Affirm on social media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X. Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Options depend on your purchase amount, and a down payment may be required. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251001992367/en/ Press Contacts Affirm [email protected] AFRM-PA Ace Hardware [email protected]