True Value is owned by Do it Best, a hardware and building materials buying cooperative. Do it Best acquired True Value in November 2024, operating it as a subsidiary.
In 2006, TruServ Corporation was renamed True Value Company. In July 2017, True Value was offered for sale, and competitor Ace Hardware expressed interest in purchasing it. Eventually, in 2018, international private equity investment firm, ACON, purchased True Value.
Stihl, Ace Hardware and Do It Best are the largest hardware stores in the United States in 2026 based on the number of locations. Stihl has the most number of locations with 10,189 locations across 54 states and territories. Ace Hardware has 4,865 and Do It Best has 3,227 locations in the US.
Yes, almost all True Value stores are independently owned and operated by local merchants.
True Value operates as an independently owned hardware cooperative rather than a traditional corporate franchise. Independent store owners pay a membership buy-in fee to purchase inventory through True Value's wholesale distribution network and use their nationally recognized branding.
In November 2024, the hardware and home improvement cooperative Do it Best successfully acquired True Value after True Value filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The most expensive franchises to open are large-scale hotels and resorts, such as DoubleTree by Hilton, which can cost upwards of $50 million to $122 million depending on the property size. Because of heavy real estate, construction, and brand compliance costs, hospitality franchises require the highest initial capital.
Founded in 1948 by John Cotter with 25 member stores, today True Value serves over 4,500 independent retail hardware stores in 60 countries.
Sam's West, Inc.
(doing business as Sam's Club) is a division of Walmart that operates a chain of membership-only warehouse club retail stores. Founded in 1983 as Sam's Wholesale Club, it was named after Walmart founder Sam Walton.
In February 2024, Ace acquired Unique Indoor Comfort, an HVAC service company in the Boston area. By June 2024, Ace Home Services had expanded to 400 locations across 48 states and 5,000 zip codes. In the same month, Ace acquired the North Carolina–based Minyard Plumbing.
Home Depot is significantly larger than Lowe's. It holds over half of the U.S. home improvement market share, while Lowe's captures about 28%.
True Value filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2024 and agreed to sell substantially all of its business operations to its rival, Do it Best. The 75-year-old hardware brand suffered from cash shortages following a stalled housing market and declining consumer spending.
Yes, Ace Hardware is generally more expensive than Home Depot. Because Ace operates as a cooperative of smaller, independently owned stores, they lack the massive purchasing and bulk-pricing power of big-box retailers.
Ace Hardware: Sourcing Diversification and Margin Protection
“Our sourcing strategy is a strength,” Wiborg explained, noting that Ace sources products from more than 75 countries, with 51 percent of its volume coming from the United States, 26 percent from China and 8 percent from Mexico.
The largest independent hardware store in the U.S. is Hartville Hardware in Hartville, Ohio. Spanning a massive 305,000 square feet (about 7 acres) under one roof, it features full-scale building facades and a fully constructed 1,850-square-foot model farmhouse inside the store.
About True Value
True Value has an average rating of 3.8 from 5665 reviews. The rating indicates that most customers are generally satisfied. The official website is truevalue.com. True Value is popular for Shopping, Home & Garden, Hardware Stores.
Walmart's "10-foot rule" is a core customer service policy created by founder Sam Walton. It requires any employee who comes within a 10-foot radius of a customer to make eye contact, smile, and offer a friendly greeting or assistance.
Before passing away, Walmart founder Sam Walton reportedly uttered the words "I blew it!"
Customers are leaving Sam's Club primarily due to a shift toward tech-heavy, self-serve shopping experiences, frustration over waiting in multiple lines to exit the store, and perceived decreases in bulk product quality.
Comprehensively, the top 5 Retail companies in the world had a total market cap of $1,997,073.1 million (as of December 31, 2022), with Amazon.com Inc having the highest ($856,939 million), followed by Walmart Inc ($382,379 million), and The Home Depot Inc ($321,920 million), while Costco Wholesale Corp is the lowest ...
Do it Best announced Nov. 22 the signing of a purchase agreement to acquire True Value Co., creating what it calls "the world's largest network of independent home improvement stores." Roughly 500 of True Value's 4,500 dealers already were doing business with Do it Best.
See the list of major store openings below.
You can buy a reputable franchise for \\$10,000 or less. Most opportunities at this price point are home-based, mobile, or service-oriented, meaning you avoid the massive overhead costs of brick-and-mortar locations.
Among major, widely accessible chains, Five Guys holds the title for the most expensive fast-food restaurant. Industry studies show an average meal (burger, fries, and a drink) costs $20.84. Shake Shack is a close second, frequently cited by consumers as the most overpriced chain in the country.