SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · GEORGIA
Ace Hardware franchise in Georgia: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Ace Hardware in Georgia have taken 79 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $821,556). Those approved through FY2020 defaulted at a rate not clearly different from franchise loans made in the same years nationally: 9 charge-offs among 44 resolved loans, where about 7.2 would be expected (1.2×). Ace Hardware's national ratio is 0.8×.
Loans in GA
79
Charged off (all years)
9 of 46
Loss ratio in GA (not clear)
1.2×
Loss ratio nationally
0.8×
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = GA. 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 GA | Charged off (all years) | Loss ratio in GA | Units in GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naturals2Go | 20 | 1 of 6 | — | — |
| Play It Again Sports | 19 | 0 of 12 | — | — |
| Plato'S Closet | 16 | 0 of 9 | — | — |
| Athlete'S Foot | 12 | 3 of 9 | — | — |
| Once Upon a Child | 11 | 1 of 6 | — | — |
| WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED | 11 | 1 of 8 | — | 15 |
| Cartridge World | 10 | 2 of 6 | — | — |
| Experimac | 6 | 4 of 5 | — | — |
| Piggly Wiggly | 6 | 0 of 4 | — | — |
| Play N Trade | 6 | 6 of 6 | — | — |
| Sears Catalog Store | 6 | 1 of 6 | — | — |
| Golf Etc. | 5 | 3 of 5 | — | — |
Other systems in Ace Hardware's sector whose franchisees borrowed in Georgia. 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.