Ellis Ace Hardware Rental & RadioShack"Illinois' Oldest Family Owned Hardware Store"

Our Original Store, Downtown Seneca

   Founded in 1872, Ellis Ace Hardware & Rental has been family owned and operated for over 135 years. Located in the historic I&M Canal Heritage Corridor, brothers David & John Ellis are the 4th generation to run the store with their wives Jenny and Sandra Ellis. David's son Michael joined the store in 1993 and continues on as the 5th generation. Joel Wallace Ellis founded the business in downtown Seneca, Illinois carrying everything from postal service and gasoline to clothing and hardware. He passed the business down on his death to his son Elmer. Elmer died in 1947 and passed the store to his son, Norbert. When Norbert died suddenly in 1953, his wife Frieda Ellis re-opened the store against the advice of family and friends and continued the store with two small children. She still tells stories of threading pipe by hand and measuring nails by the pound while the customers looked on. Ellis Ace Hardware & Rental is Illinois' Oldest Family Owned Hardware Store