Ace Handyman Services® has built a solid reputation for itself, representing the Ace Hardware name that people have come to depend on by providing reliable handyman work to its customers. In serving that mission, the company proudly empowers its veteran franchisees to create a second career – one where their military experience directly translates to success. By Kelsi Trinidad
After finishing her active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Melissa Boatwright set out on a prestigious career path in corporate communications. While she climbed the corporate ladder, she hoped for a future with more community. She found that her strengths were in operationalizing strategy and figuring out how to take big concepts and distill them into day-to-day operations. By Kelsi Trinidad
In conjunction with National Simplify Your Life Week (Aug. 4–10), new data spotlights top maintenance pain points—and how Ace’s one-stop Home Services network can help
OAK BROOK, Ill. — In recognition of National Simplify Your Life Week (Aug. 4–10), Ace Hardware Home Services has released new national survey results spotlighting how U.S. millennial homeowners approach the challenges of home repairs, as well as what’s holding them back. According to the exclusive survey of 1,000 participants, 87% of U.S. millennial homeowners currently have at least one repair project pending—yet 84% admit they’ve delayed fixes, underscoring a clear need for convenient, trustworthy home‑repair solutions.
Observed every August, Simplify Your Life Week encourages people to cut through the clutter—mentally, physically and around the home, by finally tackling those long-postponed to‑dos, starting with the small home fixes that often get ignored.
“There’s a real sense of frustration that comes from walking past the same unfinished projects every day,” said Jason Hipskind, President, PHCE (Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electrical) for Ace Hardware Home Services. “Ace Hardware Home Services and Ace Handyman Services are here to take that weight off your shoulders, with trusted, local professionals who show up on time, offer transparent pricing and deliver guaranteed workmanship. Homeowners can book an expert in just a few clicks, finally cross those home projects off their list, and get back to enjoying life.”
Top Findings from U.S. Millennial Homeowners:
How Ace Hardware Home Services Helps Simplify Your Life:
Ace Hardware Home Services makes outsourcing easy by connecting consumers with its network of local professionals. With one‑stop online booking, transparent upfront pricing and guaranteed workmanship, homeowners can finally check off outstanding projects with ease. Homeowners can expect:
From plumbing and electrical to painting, HVAC and handyman work, Ace Hardware Home Services covers 48 states and more than 5,000 ZIP codes. Ace Hardware Home Services employs plumbers, electricians and HVAC techs; Ace Handyman and painting services are delivered by trusted franchise partners whose background-checked employee craftsmen are trained to Ace’s top-quality standards and typically available within a week. Below is a list of services available through Ace Hardware Home Services and Ace Handyman Services:
To book home services, please visit www.acehardwarehomeservices.com; to book handyman services, please visit www.acehandymanservices.com.
Data & Methodology
This custom online survey was conducted among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. Millennial homeowners, defined as individuals aged 29 to 44. The survey took place in July 2025. All data presented in this study are sourced from the survey unless otherwise specified. The research and analysis were conducted by Wakefield Research.
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 almost 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. Ace also owns Ace Hardware Home Services, a collection of local service companies with experienced professionals dedicated to helping homeowners complete home maintenance tasks. 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.
When Chris Duncan decided to invest in an Ace Handyman Services® franchise in Bozeman, Montana, his brother, Jerris, became an unexpected mentor, not because Jerris had years of franchise experience to share but because he was coaching Chris through the business fundamentals as a professional business coach. By Tamara Rahoumi
Mike Geisler is using his business to strengthen the community around him – not with grand gestures but with consistent, heartfelt actions. Owner of Ace Handyman Services® in Asheville and Cashiers, North Carolina, Geisler has transformed his franchise into a beacon of hope and support for those around him. By Tamara Rahoumi
Ace Handyman Services®, a franchise which links homeowners with multi-skilled technicians trained to complete more than 1,000 different projects, is a lifesaver for those with a list of nagging repairs. By Jessica Petrucelli
Charlotte Salek, owner of Ace Handyman Services of Greater New Braunfels, Texas, had never owned a business before purchasing her franchise in 2023. She had worked in back offices for various companies and was experienced in accounts payable, receivables and other administrative tasks. By Patty Horansky
Hardware Retail Leader and Subsidiary Receive Top Honors, Recognized as the Best Franchise Opportunities in the World by Entrepreneur Magazine
OAK BROOK, Ill. — Ace Hardware, the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Best of the Best’ title in the July/August issue of Entrepreneur magazine and on Entrepreneur.com. Ace Handyman Services has also been named a ‘Best of the Best’ opportunity in the home repairs and handyman services category. This top recognition underscores Ace’s commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and owner support, distinguishing both Ace Hardware and Ace Handyman Services as premier franchise opportunities globally.
“This accolade of Best of the Best from Entrepreneur magazine is a testament to our dedication to helping our business owners thrive,” said John Kittell, Vice President of Retail Operations and New Business at Ace Hardware. “Our priority remains supporting our local owners with industry-leading products and services that give them a competitive edge in the marketplace. The success and growth of Ace Hardware are directly attributable to our co-op owners, who uphold our helpful brand promise daily in the communities they serve.”
Entrepreneur‘s Best of the Best Franchises ranking is based on information submitted for its annual Franchise 500® and is part of the brand’s continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace. The franchises selected as 2024’s Best of the Best are ranked not only in the increasingly competitive Franchise 500 list this year but also at the top of their respective industry categories, based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.
“Everyone wants to know who’s the best—but at Entrepreneur, we go further,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “With so many incredible franchises out there, we love to celebrate the absolute best of the best. It’s the perfect place for any ambitious future franchisee to start looking for their dream brand.”
Ace Handyman Services, a subsidiary of Ace Hardware, was created in 2019 and consists of locally owned franchise businesses staffed by professional craftsmen and women trained to handle a wide range of home maintenance tasks, including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, drywall, painting, and flooring.
To view Ace Hardware and Ace Handyman Services in the 2024 Best of the Best list, pick up the July/August issue of Entrepreneur magazine, on newsstands now, or visit Entrepreneur.com.
About Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,900 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has been a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.
Kim Porter and her husband, Ken, launched their Ace Handyman Services® franchise in Shorewood, Illinois, in late 2022. However, their journey was unique because Kim previously worked for the Ace Hardware corporate marketing team for several years. By Nancy E. Williams
As proud members of VetFran, an initiative of the International Franchise Association that connects franchisors with potential franchisee veterans, Ace Handyman Services® is passionate about giving our nation’s heroes the support, resources and opportunities they need to succeed as franchise owners in the home repair and maintenance industry. By Erika Ortega