MARSHFIELD – “After 63 amazing years as Hiller’s True Value Hardware, we’re excited to share a huge announcement: Hiller’s True Value is becoming Hiller’s Ace Hardware,” read the Feb. 2 social media post from the longtime Marshfield retailer.
Aside from building and opening the business’s new facility at 751 S. Central Ave. in 1997, second-generation owners Phil and Jill Hiller call this “the next-largest and most exciting upgrade in our history.”
“There was a big change in the True Value co-op that we had been doing business with and a co-op member since 1963, and a big enough shakeup that resulted in bankruptcy. Our long-rivaled competitor in the hardware business, ACE, came to talk to us at one point, kind of courting us to make a change to ACE, because they of course knew what we were going through and what had happened to True Value. That got us starting to think about making that adjustment and that change. And when I say adjustment that means mental adjustment to the fact that we could be one of them, or would we want to be one of them, after 63 years of being True Value. So, we did our exploratory work and then eventually, after a couple visits to their buying markets, we decided to make the switch,” Phil Hiller told Hub City Times on Jan. 30.
Chicago-based True Value announced in October 2024 that the company had initiated Chapter 11 proceedings.
“The assets from the bankruptcy were then purchased by Do it Best Corporation, which is another hardware wholesaler that has been around as long as True Value. They were financially stable and able to buy up the assets, including our paint factory, and I’m talking True Value’s paint factory,” Hiller explained. “But it was still going to be a challenge for them to reverse what had taken place with the bad business management of True Value. So, at that point, it was a matter of how long is it going to take to get True Value turned around and be the reckoning force that it was at one time. True Value was the No. 1 hardware wholesaler in the world, but over the years ACE has done the right things to take over that position. ACE’s management put ACE on the right track for being No. 1, so right now ACE is No. 1 worldwide.”
“Over the years they (ACE) were able to build a brand that actually has a following and that’s able to get momentum and compete with the big boxes,” Ryan Hiller added.
The Hillers add that ACE will allow them to do some things that with True Value they were not able to offer their customers.
“That’s a definite,” Phil told us. “There are a lot of opportunities for us. And also we still have our independence to do anything else we might want to do, as in the case of Thorogood boots that we’re doing now. It’s not a part of ACE, but it’s something that we felt was a great tie-in with the huge Milwaukee [Tool] business that we do.”
“ACE is actually Milwaukee’s second-largest customer behind Home Depot, so the partnership between ACE and Milwaukee is huge,” Ryan Hiller mentioned.
“Far stronger than what True Value ever had,” Phil added.
“We’ll be expanding into DeWalt, Craftsman and then the two big ones are going to be STIHL and EGO for their outdoor power equipment. Those two are big boys in the outdoor power world,” Ryan also told us.
The Hillers said the transition would also bring a stronger rewards program and opportunities for online purchasing and in-store pick-up through the Ace Hardware app.
“We want people to understand that this sort of huge transition takes time because we’re going to be selling down on merchandise that is not going to be in our new assortment, so there’s a lot of True Value merchandise that is going to be marked down,” Phil explained. “Therefore, before some of the new assortments arrive, we may look like we’re going out of business. We may start to look empty, but we hope our customers understand what’s going to take place during the time we’re getting ourselves converted. It will be worth the wait.”
In other words, Phil says to expect the same great service from the same people and same place, soon to be ACE.
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