ACE HARDWARE RANKED HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BY J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES FOR THE 4TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

OAK BROOK, Ill. - The J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Home Improvement Retail Store Satisfaction StudySM again ranked Ace Hardware the "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Major Home Improvement Retail Stores" for the fourth consecutive year.

The cooperative‟s nationwide network of 4,500 stores has once more demonstrated its top-notch customer satisfaction, driven by Ace‟s heritage of meeting and exceeding customer needs for more than 85 years.

"Each of our retailer-owned stores takes great pride in the message of helpfulness that we champion," said Ray Griffith, president and CEO of Ace Hardware. "Studies like this show that Ace is truly „the helpful place‟ and that we‟re making a positive impact on our customers everyday."

The J.D. Power and Associates study is based on responses from more than 6,400 consumers who purchased home improvement products or services in the previous 12 months. Ace Hardware ranked highest among major retailers with an overall satisfaction index score of 791 on a 1,000-point scale. According to consumers, Ace performs particularly well in the staff and service and store facility categories.

The score is based on performance in five areas: merchandise, price, sales and promotions, staff and service, and store facility.

About Ace Hardware For more than 85 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the helpful hardware store by both customers and communities. With 4,500 locally owned and operated hardware, home center and building materials stores, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace currently operates 14 distribution centers in the U.S. and one in Shanghai, China, and its retailers' stores are located in all 50 states and more than 60 countries.