Acme Tools

Last updated
Acme Tools
Formerly
  • Acme Electric Motor, Inc.
    (1948–1970)
  • Tool Crib of the North
    (1970–2005)
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryRetailing
Founded1948;77 years ago (1948)
Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
FounderGeorge Kuhlman
Headquarters Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
Number of locations
12 stores (as of 2023)
Area served
United States, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa
Key people
  • Steve Kuhlman
    (President of Corporate Operations & Co-Owner)
  • Paul Kuhlman
    (President of Merchandise Operations & Co-Owner)
ProductsTools, power tools, hand tools, equipment, lawn mowers, garden tools, apparel, workwear, overhead storage, workspace, home improvement, personal protective equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, heavy equipment, hardware, automotive, cleaning agents, material-handling equipment
Number of employees
650+ (December 2023)
Website AcmeTools.com

Acme Electric Motor, Inc. (commonly referred to as Acme Tools) is a family-owned tool and equipment distributor [1] in the Midwestern United States. Founded in 1948 as Acme Electric Motor, Inc., this company was first rebranded as Tool Crib of the North in 1970, and then as Acme Tools in 2005.[ citation needed ] Acme Tools is headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and operates twelve brick-and-mortar stores, including ten Acme Tools and two Acme Equipment locations throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. [2] Across all locations, the company currently employs over 650+ staff members. [3]

Contents

In 1999, Acme Tools launched its initial eCommerce website. The company relaunched its eCommerce operations in 2010 after the expiration of a non-compete with Amazon.com. [4] By 2021, Acme Tools offered products from over 300 brands, including Milwaukee Tool, DeWalt, Makita USA, Bosch, and Husqvarna. [5] In 2023, the company now features over 900 brands. [6] Acme Tools also operates exclusively within the United States. This is because the company seeks to serve American contractors, woodworkers, and do-it-yourself professionals. [4]

History

1948–1969

Acme Electric Motor, Inc. was founded in 1948 by George Kuhlman out of a 300-square-foot garage in downtown Grand Forks. [7] [8] Although the initial focus was on electric motor repair, George had a vision for the future of Acme Electric. He named the company "ACME" because of what the term means: [5]

ACME – (noun) the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful.

In 1951, just three years later, George Kuhlman moved his company to a larger location to accommodate expansion opportunities. Acme Electric Motor, Inc. experienced growth in the mid-1950s because of the arrival of contractors to Grand Forks, North Dakota. The contractors were tasked with building the Grand Forks Air Force Base and nearby missile sites. George Kuhlman grew close to several defense contractors, delivering repaired power tools and hand tools to job sites. [9]

George Kuhlman's son, Daniel Kuhlman, began working at Acme Electric Motor, Inc. when he was just 10 years old. Dan officially joined the company in 1962. [9] In 1967, the company built a new retail location at 1705 13th Ave. North in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This location added much-needed retail and warehouse space. [4]

1970–2004

In 1970, Acme Electric Motor, Inc. rebranded itself to adopt the following name: Tool Crib of the North. [10] The Tool Crib of the North's first expansion following rebranding was in Bismarck, North Dakota. In 1979, the city was experiencing a growing number of oil and coal contractors, particularly because of the construction of a nearby coal gasification plant. This expansion continued over the following years, with new locations established in Fargo, North Dakota, in 1982; Minot, North Dakota, in 1985; and Duluth, Minnesota, in 1995. Celebrating its 50th year with a workforce of 150 employees, the Tool Crib of the North established itself as a significant player in the industry. [9]

George's son, Daniel Kuhlman, launched the company's first print catalog in 1976. The mail order division, operating under the name Tool Crib of the North, opened in 1985. The mail order division sold woodworking equipment from print ads in national trade magazines. The company's call center opened in 1988. [9] Dan's sons joined the company after graduating from the University of North Dakota, Steve in 1989 and Paul in 1994. Both Steve Kuhlman and Paul Kuhlman got their start at Acme Electric Motor, Inc. by working in the catalog division. More than six million catalogs were sent out each year nationwide. The division grew the business to more than seven times its size by offering tools to a national audience, realizing annual growth of 25%. [9]

In 1998, the Tool Crib of the North constructed a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center, employing over 100 staff to process 2,000 orders daily across a range of 4,000 items. That year, the company also opened Acme Rents in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The company then entered the online market in 1999, launching a website for tool and equipment sales, which soon made up five percent of its sales. [9] By the end of 1999, the Tool Crib of the North sold its online and catalog divisions to Amazon.com, [11] with Steve Kuhlman taking the role of Amazon's North Dakota division director [12] for three years, while Paul Kuhlman stayed with Acme Electric Motor, Inc. as the Vice President of Marketing for all retail locations. [9]

Adhering to a ten-year non-compete agreement with Amazon, the company focused on retail expansion, acquiring Dakota Fastening in 2003 and Puckett Tools in 2004, leading to new stores in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa. A new store was also opened in Bemidji, Minnesota, in late 2004. [9]

2005–2023

In 2005, the company rebranded as Acme Tools and expanded into the Twin Cities market with a new store in Plymouth, Minnesota. Acme Tools relaunched its online retail presence in 2010 with a new eCommerce website, initially offering 5,000 products, which grew to over 70,000 [13] by 2023. This site caters to a nationwide clientele, including contractors, home builders, woodworkers, remodelers, landscapers, farmers, and do-it-yourself professionals. The company's growth continued with the opening of its 10th retail location in Williston, North Dakota. In the same year, Acme Tools also created a new division, Acme Equipment, in Grand Forks, providing over 35+ lines of construction and landscaping equipment. [9]

In 2014, a 40,000-square-foot eCommerce distribution center was established in the Grand Forks Business Park, later doubled in size by 2019. Additionally, in 2015, the company expanded its headquarters by 15,000 square feet to accommodate new offices and facilities. Now led by the third and fourth generations of the Kuhlman family, Acme Tools remains a significant competitor in the tool and equipment industry after over 70 years. [9] This is because of the company's focus on taking care of its employees and customers. Steve Kuhlman remembers the following:

"Our success and growth over seventy years is a function of the importance we place on focusing on the customer and providing exceptional customer service. That was my grandfather's guiding business principle when he founded Acme Electric and it's even more relevant today in our stores and our digital platform." [14]

As of 2023, Acme Tools is the largest B2B e-retailer in North Dakota and is nationally ranked by Internet Retailer. In January 2023, the company's eCommerce division was also recognized on Newsweek's "Best Online Shops 2023" list; an award presented by Newsweek and Statista Incorporated. [15]

2024-2025

In 2024, the Acme Tools eCommerce division was once again recognized on Newsweek's "Best Online Shops 2024" list. The company received the highest score in both the "Garden & Craft" industry and the "DIY, Tools, Supplies" category, earning a rating of 8.32. [16] This distinction, awarded by Newsweek in collaboration with Statista Incorporated, was based on an evaluation that considered 46 criteria, including trust and security, purchase and delivery processes, site structure and usability, customer service and communication, technical performance, payment options, and traffic growth. [17]

In 2025, Acme Tools, a leading authorized online retailer of tools and equipment, was ranked first on Newsweek's "Best Online Shops 2025" list for the second consecutive year. The company topped the "Garden & Craft" industry and the "DIY, Tools, Supplies" category, earning a rating of 8.31. [18] The Newsweek list features 500 online shops across 25 categories, with rankings determined through objective evaluations and an online survey of over 3,000 U.S. shoppers. Retailers were scored on eight key dimensions, including customer trust, service quality, and traffic growth. [19]

Mascot

The mascot of Acme Tools has been Duster since his debut in 1997 at the 4th Annual Woodworking and Power Tool Show[ citation needed ]. This event was held in Duluth, Minnesota. Since then, Duster has been present on the company's social media platforms, like TikTok, [20] and is a consistent component of the Acme Tools brand and product lines. [21] Duster should not be confused with and is not related to the Acme Corporation's Wile E. Coyote.

Operations

The size of Acme Tools store locations is largely unknown. What is known is that one of the largest locations can be found in Plymouth, Minnesota. Acme Tools of Plymouth features a 13,600 sq. ft. of showroom. The company's primary and secondary colors include the following: Coyote Red #ED1C24, Coyote Black #222222, Coyote Grey #707372, Coyote White #FFFFFF, Coyote Yellow #FFC905, and Coyote White #177DFF. [22]

Marketing

The most commonly referred to slogans at Acme Tools are "Do Your Best Work" and "The Right Tools Do It". The only other slogan of relevance used in the company's history is the former name of Acme Electric Motor, Inc., and more recently the company's catalog division, "Tool Crib of the North".

Store locations

Acme Tools is headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Acme Tools operates 10 brick-and-mortar retail locations, 2 Acme Equipment stores that feature new and used heavy equipment offerings, and multiple Acme Rents locations throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. [2]

Distribution centers

In 1998, the company built a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center. [9] In 2014, another facility was built in the Grand Forks Business Park. This location featured a 40,000-square-foot eCommerce distribution center that later doubled in size by 2019. [23] In 2023, just four years later, Acme Tools constructed another new 115,888-square-foot distribution center in Burnsville, Minnesota. [24]

eCommerce

Acme Tools currently operates online at AcmeTools.com. At the Acme Tools eCommerce website, you will find over 70,000 products sourced from over 900 tool and equipment industry brands. The company has a customer service center with FAQs to answer customer questions. [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "Acme Tools – Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations". www.cbinsights.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  2. 1 2 "Acme Tools & Equipment Store Locations". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  3. ↑ "Careers | Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  4. 1 2 3 "About Us | Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  5. 1 2 Koehler, Kenny (2021-08-01). "Acme Tools Store and Company History". Pro Tool Reviews. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  6. ↑ "Shop Tools From 900+ Top Tool Brands – Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  7. ↑ "About Us | Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  8. ↑ "Acme Tools marks 75th anniversary". www.thegazette.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 I.Drache, II. Gjovig, I.Hiram, II. Bruce (2019). Innovative Entrepreneurs of North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. Smoky Water Press. pp. 141–144. ISBN   978-098207523-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Acme Tools celebrates 75 years in business". Bemidji Pioneer. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  11. ↑ "Amazon.com Launches Toolcrib.Amazon.com, a Tools and Equipment Store for Professional Tool Users and Woodworkers; Store's Wide Selection Includes Latest Tool Innovations and Tool Tests from Tools of the Trade". Press Center. 2000-02-09. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  12. ↑ "Amazon.com Continues Grand Forks Expansion; More Than 50 New Jobs Within Next Two Months Expected as a Result". Press Center. 2000-03-08. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  13. ↑ "- Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  14. ↑ "Acme Tools Celebrates Seven Decades of Expansion and Growth". markets.businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  15. ↑ "Acme Tools awarded on Newsweek's Best Online Shops 2023 list". Grand Forks Herald. 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  16. ↑ "America's Best Online Shops 2024". Newsweek. 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  17. ↑ "Acme Tools named one of Newsweek's Best Online Shops 2024". Grand Forks Herald. 2024-01-14. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  18. ↑ "America's Best Online Shops 2025". Newsweek. 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  19. ↑ Tools, Acme. "Newsweek Ranks AcmeTools.com America's Best Online Tool Store for 2025". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  20. ↑ "TikTok – Make Your Day". www.tiktok.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  21. ↑ "ACME TOOLS – Acme Tools". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  22. ↑ "Acme Tools – Best Online Tool Store – FREE Shipping Orders $199+". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  23. ↑ "Acme Tools Opens New Distribution Center in North Dakota | 2014-10-06 | Walls & Ceilings Online". www.wconline.com. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  24. ↑ "Acme Tools Opens Twin Cities Distribution Center". Industrial Distribution. 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  25. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions at AcmeTools.com". www.acmetools.com. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
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