You can’t blame family-owned businesses for wanting to throw in the towel at some point. Running a retail outlet requires 24/7 attention, and it’s getting harder and harder for independent businesses to survive.
Even hardware stores that are part of communities across the country and that have been around for generations are facing difficult times.
In fact, all retailers in the home-improvement sector, from Home Depot all the way down, have had a rough go lately, and things aren’t looking up for the rest of 2025, according to the September Home Improvement Research Institute report. The group said the growth projection for the home improvement sector in 2025 is a paltry 2.5%, according to LBM Journal.
Home Depot and Lowe’s dominate the home improvement retail market in the U.S., and both reported underwhelming numbers this week:
- Home Depot projected growth for FY 2025: 3%
Source: Home Depot - Lowe’s projected growth for FY 2025: 0%
Source: Lowe’s
That could be a bad sign for the home improvement/hardware sector overall.
The challenges facing the housing market aren’t helping, either. With interest rates stubbornly sticking above 6%, and with many Americans putting their home-improvement projects on hold, home improvement and hardware stores are suffering.
These generational hardware stores recently closed forever
The last few months have been tough for some of the oldest continuously operating hardware stores in the country:
- An historic True Value location, the 159-year-old Kreuger’s in Neenah, Wis., told customers in July 2025 it would permanently shut down in 12 to 16 months following a liquidation sale.
- Four-generation-old hardware retailer Ritter’s True Value Hardware in Mechanicsburg, Pa., closed its doors after 117 years on September 30.
- Carnation Ace Hardware, the 56-year-old hardware store in Carnation, Wash., closed its business forever on October 25.
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Kabelin Ace Hardware sells 8 locations to a bigger group
Now, the owners of a group of eight family-owned stores in Northern Indiana announced they are selling the business, which dates back to 1912.
Kabelin Ace Hardware says it will sell its locations to Houchens Food Group, the Bowling Green, Kentucky-based subsidiary of Houchen Industries, an employee-owned company that owns everything from grocery stores and construction businesses to fast-food restaurants and an insurance group.
Indiana Kaelin Ace Hardware store locations:
- South Bend
- Walterton
- New Carlisle
- Granger
- La Porte (2 locations)
- Michigan City (2 locations)
These Indiana Ace stores have now become part of the Houchens family of 40 other Ace Hardware locations across the country.
More business closings:
- Major trucking company closes Home Depot distribution facility
- 63-year-old bankrupt retail chain closes all stores permanently
- Discount retail chain closes half its store locations
“We knew we wanted to continue the Kabelin legacy, but wanted to do it from a position of strength while also giving back to our employees,” Mackenzie Kabelin Watkins told the South Bend Tribune.
Houchens will retain all 150 employees.
Related: 50-year-old Home Depot rival hardware chain closes stores
“Kabelin has an outstanding reputation for quality service and hometown care, which are values that align perfectly with our mission,” Houchens Food Group President Greg Rush told the South Bend Tribune.
Ace Hardware is having a banner year
While Ace does a fraction of the business of Home Depot or Lowe’s, the independently owned stores are beloved staples in communities across the country.
Consolidated revenues for the quarter ended September 27, 2025 totaled $2.5 billion. Total wholesale revenues were $2.3 billion, an increase of $120.6 million, or 5.6 percent, as compared to the prior-year third quarter.
Increases were seen across most departments with outdoor power equipment, grilling, fertilizers, power tools, and impulse showing the largest gains, according to Ace Hardware’s November 12 earnings report.
“Ace had a very strong third quarter,” said CEO John Venhuizen in the announcement. “I’m delighted to report a 5.5 percent increase in revenue, a 1.6 percent increase in same-store sales, and a 34.9 percent surge in our digital business.”
Top home improvement retailers 2025
As noted earlier, Home Depot and Lowe’s dominate the U.S. market, accounting for more than three-quarters of the business.
The following are projected estimates for FY2025 for the $292.8 billion U.S. market, from the IBISWorld Home Improvement Stores Report, published in May 2025:
- Home Depot: $149.4 billion, 51% of the U.S. market
- Lowe’s: $83.1 billion, 28.4%
- Menards: $13.6 billion,4.6%
- Other companies (Ace Hardware, True Value, etc.): $46.7 billion, 16%
