Ace Hardware Contest Offers a $1 Million Business Opportunity of a Lifetime

Ace Hardware will make dreams come true this year with the launch of its Dream AceSM contest. The unique contest will give aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete for one of them to win his or her very own Ace Hardware store valued at $1 million.

[ClickPress, Tue Jan 09 2007] Ace Hardware will make dreams come true this year with the launch of its Dream AceSM contest. The unique contest will give aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete for one of them to win his or her very own Ace Hardware store valued at $1 million.

Entries for the Dream Ace contest will be accepted throughout the month of January at www.dreamacehardware.com. Successful contestants will demonstrate a combination of business and sales expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and home improvement knowledge, as well as a true commitment to helpfulness.

“Two qualities are at the heart of Ace Hardware and our store owners – entrepreneurialism and helpfulness,” said Paula Erickson, director of advertising and brand development at Ace Hardware Corp. “Through the Dream Ace contest, one qualified and talented contestant will be judged the winner and will have the opportunity to join our Ace family of entrepreneurs, and, with our help, build a successful future.”

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What’s in Store for Your Future?
The selection process for the Dream Ace contest begins with an online entry form, including an entrepreneurial quiz and three essay questions, which will be reviewed by third-party judges to identify the top contestant from each state. Contest entries will be accepted from January 1 through January 31 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Throughout February, the 50 state finalist contestants will be narrowed down through a series of contest-related interviews, presentations and other skill-based tests taking place in New York City and Chicago. All contest activities will be judged by qualified Ace retailers or independent third parties and the Dream Ace Grand Prize Winner will be selected at the Ace Hardware convention in Las Vegas on March 15.
The culmination of the Dream Ace contest is the grand opening, on June 30 and July 1, of the winner’s store, which will be located in Houston or an alternate location at Ace’s discretion. The store prize is valued at approximately $1 million, and includes opening stock inventory, fixtures, décor and technology. Additionally, the winner and his/her staff will receive extensive training and support from Ace similar to the assistance the cooperative provides its new investors.
On the Road to Success
Beginning on January 4, a team of Dream Ace ambassadors will travel across the country promoting the entrepreneurial spirit of Ace Hardware and the Dream Ace contest. Bill Rancic, celebrity entrepreneur and season one winner of “The Apprentice,” and Lou Manfredini, national home improvement expert and Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man” and an Ace store owner, will cross the country in two 45-foot buses dubbed the “Dream Ace Machines.” The Dream Ace Tour will make stops at Ace Hardware stores in 40 cities, offering customers giveaways and a chance to meet Rancic and Manfredini.

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“Because I started my own company and grew it from the ground up, I understand the challenges and excitement of being an entrepreneur,” said Rancic. “I’m excited to be part of a contest that will give one entrepreneur the chance to fulfill his or her dream of owning and managing their own business. I look forward to meeting contestants across the country.
For more information on the Dream Ace contest, official contest rules or to enter the contest, visit www.dreamacehardware.com.

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