SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT · WASHINGTON
Ace Hardware franchise in Washington: what the public record shows
Franchisees of Ace Hardware in Washington have taken 48 SBA loans in the FY1991–present FOIA files (average $744,558). Those approved through FY2020 defaulted at a rate not clearly different from franchise loans made in the same years nationally: 3 charge-offs among 31 resolved loans, where about 4.3 would be expected (0.7×). Ace Hardware's national ratio is 0.8×.
Loans in WA
48
Charged off (all years)
3 of 32
Loss ratio in WA (not clear)
0.7×
Loss ratio nationally
0.8×
Source: SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA files (data.sba.gov), borrower state = WA. 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 WA | Charged off (all years) | Loss ratio in WA | Units in WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play It Again Sports | 15 | 2 of 12 | — | — |
| Coast-to-Coast Store | 11 | 2 of 11 | — | — |
| WaterStation | 10 | 0 of 8 | — | — |
| BRICKS AND MINFIGS | 7 | 1 of 2 | — | 8 |
| Cartridge World | 6 | 0 of 5 | — | — |
| Computer Renaissance | 6 | 1 of 4 | — | — |
| True Value Hardware | 6 | 1 of 5 | — | — |
| WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED | 6 | 0 of 5 | — | 16 |
| Naturals2Go | 5 | — | — | — |
| Plato'S Closet | 5 | 0 of 4 | — | — |
| Sears Catalog Store | 5 | 0 of 4 | — | — |
Other systems in Ace Hardware's sector whose franchisees borrowed in Washington. 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.