retailer-owned hardware cooperative

Ace Hardware

Industry Retail

A retailer-owned hardware cooperative selling tools, paint, garden, repair, and home-maintenance goods through locally owned stores. Ace Hardware scores well because the model leaves more value with stakeholders and ownership is comparatively aligned, and no current penalty outweighs that structure.

Why this matters: Hardware is an everyday category where cooperative wholesale scale can support locally owned stores instead of only big-box chains.

Letter grade B Qualified Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 6, 2026

Final Score 44* B - Qualified

BQUALIFIED44 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material42

Bonus+2

Cap66No structure cap

After Cap44

Penalties0

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Evaluation Overview

B - Qualified

The score turns mainly on Extraction; no penalty currently dominates the evaluation.

Strengths

Extraction7/10
Ownership6/10
Governance5/10

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessPartial (AI)
Linked claims5
Direct axis claims5
Coverage4/10

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	6 / 10	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Ownership: there is some mission, member, producer, or public-interest constraint, but decisive control is not fully democratic. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 125 scored entries below, 20 tied, 81 above on Ownership. Linked evidence Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] Ace Hardware’s official materials describe Ace as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [2]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	5 / 10	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Governance: there are accountability mechanisms, but they stop short of broad democratic control. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 127 scored entries below, 20 tied, 79 above on Governance. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	7 / 10	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Extraction: the institution creates real value but still leaves room for rent extraction, unequal bargaining, or surplus capture. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 140 scored entries below, 32 tied, 54 above on Extraction. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	4 / 7	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 112 scored entries below, 39 tied, 75 above on Labor Sovereignty. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	3 / 7	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Solidarity with the Unemployed: some access, severance, retraining, openness, or mutual-aid value is present, but it is not central or durable. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 81 scored entries below, 45 tied, 100 above on Solidarity with the Unemployed. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	4 / 7	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. That places Ace Hardware in the middle of Loss-Bearing Fidelity: there is some willingness to preserve obligations, but the record still leaves meaningful risk-shifting concerns. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 88 scored entries below, 30 tied, 108 above on Loss-Bearing Fidelity. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	5 / 5	Ace states that its cooperative model supports locally owned stores while providing scale, distribution, and shared buying power for hardware retail. Ace states that its cooperative model supports locally owned stores while providing scale, distribution, and shared buying power for hardware retail. That places Ace Hardware high on Market Conduct: pricing, access, switching, and bargaining practices show restraint compared with ordinary rent-seeking competitors. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 180 scored entries below, 46 tied, 0 above on Market Conduct. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4] Ace states that its cooperative model supports locally owned stores while providing scale, distribution, and shared buying power for hardware retail. [5]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	4 / 5	Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. That places Ace Hardware high on Product Integrity: the core offering is genuinely useful and comparatively less dependent on traps, degradation, or harmful dependencies. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 61 scored entries below, 72 tied, 93 above on Product Integrity. Linked evidence Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	4 / 5	The linked record identifies Ace Hardware as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 109 scored entries below, 81 tied, 36 above on Scale Integrity. Linked evidence context Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world. [1] context Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores. [3] context Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]

Penalties

No penalties applied in this version.

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	2 / 3	Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 185 scored entries below, 14 tied, 27 above on Good Deal. Linked evidence Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned. [4]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 74/100

5 verified linked claims 5 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 4/10 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 20/20

5 verified linked claims

Source quality 12/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 9/18

5 direct claims across 10 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 4/10

4/10 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessPartial (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Ace Hardware describes itself as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world.

Ownership Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Ace Hardware aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

2Ace Hardware’s official materials describe Ace as the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world.

Ownership Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Ace Hardware aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

3Ace Hardware stores sell home repair, tools, paint, lawn, garden, and maintenance products through locally owned retail stores.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Ace Hardware aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

4Ace says its cooperative structure gives local store owners scale, shared purchasing, and support while remaining locally owned.

Good Deal Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Ace Hardware aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

5Ace states that its cooperative model supports locally owned stores while providing scale, distribution, and shared buying power for hardware retail.

Market Conduct Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 6, 2026

AI scaffold

Ace Hardware aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

Alternatives

BQUALIFIED47 John Lewis Partnership employee-owned retailer · United Kingdom BQUALIFIED45 Second Use Building Materials employee-owned building-material salvage business · Washington, Pacific Northwest

Competitors

BQUALIFIED43 Do it Best member-owned hardware cooperative · same market BQUALIFIED42 Dr. Bronner's private benefit corporation · same market CPERFORMATIVE41 Patagonia private company · same market CPERFORMATIVE38 REI Co-op consumer cooperative · same market CPERFORMATIVE37 Taylor Guitars private instrument maker · same market DEXTRACTIVE34 Framework Computer private repairable-electronics company · same market DEXTRACTIVE34 Grove Collaborative public benefit household-products company · same market DEXTRACTIVE31 Costco public company · same market

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How This Page Is Maintained

Evidence comes in through contributors, is checked by verifiers, and is synthesized by reviewers. Founder authority remains narrow and visible; scores recalculate when verified claims or the rubric change.

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Audit Log

Recent public changes for this company or group. The full audit log is part of the Transparency record.

May 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM UTC ai-correction location-correction

Removed the active Ace Hardware - Carnation map listing at 4521 Tolt Avenue after user-reported factual correction that the store is closed. The parent Ace Hardware evaluation is unchanged.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding

Added source-backed tentative evaluation during the everyday-products and useful-shopping expansion pass.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding

Improved evidence specificity and recalibrated confidence after adding direct source-backed claims. Score values were not changed in this pass.

View Full Audit Log