SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · FLORIDA
Ace Hardware franchise in Florida: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Ace Hardware in Florida have taken 47 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $905,348). Fewer than 30 of them were approved through FY2020 and have resolved, so no local loss ratio is published. Ace Hardware's national ratio is 0.8×.
Loans in FL
47
Charged off (all years)
3 of 26
Loss ratio in FL
—
Loss ratio nationally
0.8×
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = FL. Loss ratio = charge-offs among loans approved through FY2020 ÷ the charge-offs expected if each had defaulted at the national rate for franchise loans approved the same year; 1.0× is the same. Only charged-off and paid-in-full loans count. A ratio is shown at 30+ such loans; “not clear” marks a ratio chance alone could produce. The all-years count mixes every era and is evidence, not a rate to compare. Borrowers are matched to the brand by name and SBA franchise code; some matches may be wrong or missing.
| System | Loans in FL | Charged off (all years) | Loss ratio in FL | Units in FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinch a Penny | 48 | 4 of 37 | 0.5×NOT CLEAR | — |
| Once Upon a Child | 21 | 0 of 11 | — | — |
| Golf Etc. | 18 | 9 of 17 | — | — |
| Naturals2Go | 18 | 1 of 4 | — | — |
| Play It Again Sports | 17 | 1 of 9 | — | — |
| Foot Solutions | 16 | 10 of 14 | — | — |
| General Nutrition Center | 15 | 1 of 8 | — | — |
| Plato'S Closet | 15 | 0 of 8 | — | — |
| Batteries Plus | 13 | 1 of 5 | — | — |
| WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED | 10 | 0 of 6 | — | 12 |
| Wireless Toyz | 10 | 6 of 9 | — | — |
| Athlete'S Foot | 9 | 2 of 8 | — | — |
Other systems in Ace Hardware's sector whose franchisees borrowed in Florida. A loss ratio appears only where at least 30 loans approved through FY2020 have resolved; “—” means too few.

A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing Ace Hardware’s numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.