SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · OHIO
Ace Hardware franchise in Ohio: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Ace Hardware in Ohio have taken 68 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $423,554). Those approved through FY2020 defaulted at a rate not clearly different from franchise loans made in the same years nationally: 7 charge-offs among 44 resolved loans, where about 6.4 would be expected (1.1×). Ace Hardware's national ratio is 0.8×.
Loans in OH
68
Charged off (all years)
7 of 46
Loss ratio in OH (not clear)
1.1×
Loss ratio nationally
0.8×
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = OH. 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 OH | Charged off (all years) | Loss ratio in OH | Units in OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play It Again Sports | 40 | 2 of 29 | — | — |
| Convenient Food Mart | 23 | 4 of 21 | — | — |
| FLOWERAMA | 22 | 5 of 18 | — | — |
| Once Upon a Child | 16 | 1 of 10 | — | — |
| Fleet Feet | 12 | 0 of 5 | — | 9 |
| Iga Food Stores | 11 | 1 of 9 | — | — |
| General Nutrition Center | 10 | 0 of 8 | — | — |
| Woodcraft | 10 | 0 of 8 | — | — |
| Uptown Cheapskate | 9 | 0 of 3 | — | — |
| Grow Biz International | 8 | 1 of 5 | — | — |
| Batteries Plus | 7 | 1 of 4 | — | — |
| Naturals2Go | 7 | 0 of 1 | — | — |
Other systems in Ace Hardware's sector whose franchisees borrowed in Ohio. 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.