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Berkeley Ace Hardware
Category: Shopping Home & Garden Hardware Stores Hardware Stores [Edit]
2145 University Ave(between Shattuck Ave & Walnut St)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Downtown Berkeley
(510) 845-0410
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 6 pm
Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
About This Business:
Cole Fox Hardware specializes in great customer service. Our staff is totally dedicated to providing you with the most helpful and best advice possible… read more »
72 reviews for Berkeley Ace Hardware
Review Highlights
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"My second favorite hobby place in the Bay Area." In 20 reviews -
"...to get started in model trains, model planes and diecast..." In 6 reviews -
"lots of other toys and slot cars too." In 3 reviews
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72 reviews in English
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Review from Paul O.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2012
I hadn't been back here in years, but I decided to come back again with my fam when we were in the area. Its got a good selection of hardware supplies. Its not huge but its big enough. I think they make use of every available space in the store which makes it seem endless when you first enter!
The real reason I love this store is for the downstairs area. Its a model/hobbyist store in a hardware store's clothing! They have dozens of model trains, aircraft & cars! I remember as a kid I was just in awe of how much they had! Some of this stuff ranges from being affordable to being very pricey. It really depends on how into this you are. There's also a little train set that they set up on the ceiling which goes around part of the store. If you have kids, I highly recommend bringing them here to check it out.
Being an aviation buff, I couldn't resist buying a cheap little beginner model kit of a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter plane. For $10 it came with the paints, a brush and parts that would snap together without glue. I was skeptical about how this would come out but after dedicating a little time to make it come together, the end product turned out to be very awesome.
The only complaint I had was I felt more like a suspect than a customer. I agree with other Yelpers here that this store may be getting hit by lots of shoplifters, but that really hurts their business when they start being suspicious of every single person that walks in the store. Overall I think most of their staff are well-intentioned and are friendly. But there were a couple employees who kept a watchful eye on me & my fam as we were shopping. Not cool! -
Review from Tim S.
Berkeley, CA
11/27/2011
I've always been a big box hardware store kind of guy. I can spend hours inside a Lowe's or Home Depot. However it is more and more difficult to fork money over to heartless corporations these days.
Ace seems really well established in the bay area. This particular store is in a great location near UC and the downtown Bart. The smallish presence on the street is misleading--this store is three stories tall. They do have everything (everything, well, except for lumber and other building materials). I usually end up here once a month or so for fasteners, gardening tools, canning jars, light bulbs, or other small goods. It's rare that I leave empty handed.
My only quibbles are with the prices and the semi-paranoid security detail. Often times when I'm shopping I get the feeling I'm being watched, turn my head, BAM, one of the employees is watching. Maybe they do have a shoplifting problem, but that might be solved with other tactics besides watching shoppers. -
Review from Alvin L.
Richmond, CA
4/12/2012
Love the Hobby Section downstairs. Hella plastic model kits. Great for crafters. and architect/art students.
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Review from Juanito L.
Berkeley, CA
4/4/2012
If you need plumbing stuff, pray to Oprah that the older African American gentleman (apologies for forgetting his name) is there and not the people who "helped" me today. I would have come home with the wrong parts and something that cost 6x what I needed if I had listened to the half-assed advice I got. That other guy knows what he's doing and is very patient. Most of my encounters haven't been this bad, but even if they were, whaddaya gonna do for hardware in downtown Berkeley...
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Review from Anna S.
El Cerrito, CA
3/14/2012
Holy Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink, Batman! I love this place. I came with a list of somewhat obscure items (a lock-and-hasp set of a specific size, cedar drawer liners, a particular kind of lockable mailbox) and some more common ones, and they had every single one of them, and then some. I'm not bothered by their vigilance WRT theft, or the chit-chattiness amongst the employees; it's a Mom-n-Pop shop, so I expect that. And many of the prices are even cheaper here than at Home Depot. Also: when I was checking my bag, there was a crazy customer who rudely (and falsely) accused me of cutting ahead of her in line. I pretty much ignored her and went about my business, though it did sort of sour my shopping experience. But when I returned to pick up my bag, the clerk who was stationed there actually made a point of apologizing on behalf of that crazy customer, even though it was totally not the clerk's fault. That made my day, and earned Berkeley Ace Hardware its 5th star.
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Review from Adam V.
Oakland, CA
6/8/2011
This review only really covers the hobby section - I've never more than glanced through the upstairs, since I go to the Ace on MLK instead normally.
The place is an unexpected little treasure. It's easy to just wander around the surprising little hobby store downstairs. While not the most comprehensive, it has a lot of different things. A lot of the products look vintage, too, which I appreciate, but I guess it could be my imagination. The staff are generally friendly and helpful, and often just discount things, which is a real sweet thing to do.
And most importantly, they have a *fabulous* selection of hot wheels cars, meaning my kindergarten age son L O V E S this place.
And who am I to argue with him? Five stars. -
Review from flubadub A.
Berkeley, CA
8/31/2011
Awful! As a resident of Berkeley for 35 years, I try to purchase at local shops but this place is just terrible to deal with and I will never shop there again. The employees are rude, unhelpful and uninformed about ordinary hardware items. Try getting help upstairs where the lightbulbs are kept and you feel as welcome as a child molester in kindergarten.
But the thing that most pissed me off most came about because I carry a knapsack with liquid medicine (TPN) inside and several feet of tubing very obviously running from the bag into my arm - so I'm not the typical student-knapsack-carrier-who-may-be-a-shoplifter, plus, I'm in my 60s for chrissakes. Anyway, the last two times I entered the store, the rent-a-cop and a couple of employees awoke from their reverie to yell across the store that I needed to leave my bag upfront. The first time this happened I stood in place while an anxious employee gingerly approached, and, when he saw the knapsack's tubing, apologized and went about ignoring me. A couple of days later, the same scene played out, only this time they made an even greater production out of embarrassing me.
From now on it's going to be Pastime Hardware where at least you get a straight answer, you're not looked at suspiciously and you feel welcome. -
Review from Barney M.
Berkeley, CA
2/8/2011
I wanted to give them 1 star for the often terrible customer service and organization of some of the products, but the prices aren't bad, the location is great and there's good parking. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, huh?
I'm a local tradesman and am in this store often, purchasing a variety of supplies and tools. A few of the staff are very helpful, polite and knowledgeable, most are pleasant enough, but probably shouldn't be working in a hardware store where they should have some familiarity with the products sold, and a few are unprofessional and simply shouldn't be working with the public.
One employee, in particular, deserves special mention. Barbara, a manager, apparently, is perhaps the rudest person I've dealt with in a retail setting. Over and over again I've seen her be rude to customers coming in the door, while "helping" them, and at the register for a purchase or return. I've never seen or heard her even make the slightest attempt and being polite, friendly, professional, or even crack a smile. She is consistently rude and I've never heard her say "please," "thank you," or "I'm sorry."
My most recent experience making a return finally prompted me to write this review and I will also be contacting the general manager to give her my input. I was returning a $10 paint brush and a $4 piece of hardware. I'd bought the wrong brush and had never taken it out of the packaging. The cashier called Barbara over for an approval, which prompted 5 minutes of Barbara implying the brush had been used and wandering around the store (at a snails pace - she NEVER moves faster) looking for a 2nd opinion. She never addressed me directly or said any of the aforementioned words used in customer service and polite society, in general.
I would love to say I'll never shop there again, but the convenience, selection and prices make that unrealistic. However, whenever I can get to Ashby Lumber, Discount Builder Supply or Orchard Supply Hardware, I do. I hate that the general manager hires so many completely unqualified employees, and promotes the worst one to a management position. -
Review from Kimberly A.
Berkeley, CA
7/27/2011
This store carries pretty much every standard hardware-related item we've ever gone looking for, but the service makes me laugh mockingly at the old "Ace Is the Place with the Helpful Hardware Man" jingle, because most of the staff here are *horrible*. They stand around talking to each other loudly on the sales floor, and when approached by customers they can often be quite rude, with a sort of "Why are you bothering me?" kind of attitude. Once I've got their attention, they usually prove to be reasonably knowledgeable, but I'm not very fond of the lazy, resentful employee attitude that seems to prevail in this store. It's like it's grown into some kind of little store employee subculture of customer hatred. Maybe they've watched "Clerks" too many times?
Now, it isn't *all* bad, because it's true that over the years I've talked to a few *good* salespeople here, too. For example, there's almost always someone helpful standing at the door collecting backpacks, and so I often ask that guy my questions. I've also found a couple other salespeople here who were actually pretty great. But they must be bucking the general store culture, like helpful salmon swimming up the hardware-selling stream. -
Review from Zoey R.
Berkeley, CA
8/2/2010
My dad likes sports -- watching, playing, following, memorizing players' statistics. Sports trivia? Yeah, that too. He's not the most creative nor handy person around. But sometimes, usually late at night when watching 'do it yourself' TV, a spark of creativity will hit.
"Let's refinish the kitchen cabinets!" he decided one night. After a quick trip to the helpful hardware folks at Ace, we had everything that we needed: sand paper, finish, knobs for the doors, and a list of instructions to follow. Sure we only got through one cabinet door, but it looks damn good.
Another night the TV got accidentally changed to QVC where a fast talking bearded fellow was selling miniature die-cut airplanes for a couple hundred dollars a pop. "We could sooo do that!" my dad declared. And with that, we were off to Ace where in the basement they have a large assortment of model cars and airplanes. We picked up a couple of WWII planes and a Ford Model A car. The gentleman working the hobby counter helped us with step-by-step instructions from which portions to paint first and which other ones to glue together. Are the planes ready to take flight? No, they're half painted and sitting in a box somewhere waiting for that next wave of creativity to hit.
Why? Because Antiques Roadshow was on and it was time to switch from planes to trains, and rescue my dad's 1950s model train set from the garage. After dusting off the cars and setting up the track, the train wouldn't run. Luckily Ace was there to give us hands-on instruction on how to clean the tracks with a gum eraser and get everything moving again. The elaborate train displays in their ground floor window even made us want to supplement our set with a few extra cars or even build a permanently mounted track that could wrap around the ceiling molding of my upstairs bedroom. Luckily cooler heads prevailed.
That's the only problem with Ace -- it fuels your creative itch and gives you the actual tools and know-how to fulfill your fleeting moments of creativity. They make you think that you can actually do these things yourself, minus the stick-to-it-ness needed to actually see them through. If Ace weren't so good at what they do, our house would probably be a bit more calm and with a few less half-finished projects around. -
Review from Gustav D.
Berkeley, CA
11/16/2011
Really unfriendly and rude staff. I wonder if they make it a requirement to be a jerk to work there.
Check your bag for your items... It happened more than twice that payed items were not in the bag. Talked to two managers and they promised to call me but never did.
I live, work, and do lots of business in Berkeley. I used shop there at least three times a week. Now I avoid it like a virus. I wished we would have another hardware store in downtown Berkeley. -
Review from brad w.
Oakland, CA
7/14/2010
I have never bothered to write a negative review, but I have never had such an awful experience with any employee in my life as I did today.
Today I was running errands on my bike and stopped by Ace Hardware, only to realize I had forgotten my bike lock. Since I was just running in quickly for one thing, I started to lean it against the store - outside, on the public sidewalk, not blocking the door - where I could keep an eye on it. As soon as I did this a very angry employee ran out and started screaming at me to move it to the bike racks. I explained I had forgotten my lock, I would be out in just a second - could I just leave it here really quick?
Instead of answering me she proceeded to PICK MY BIKE UP AND THROW IT INTO THE STREET! She then called me an "asshole" and told me to "get the fuck out of here".
I was so shocked I didn't know what to do but yell back and leave. I can understand this happening out in the suburbs but in the middle of downtown Berkeley?
I'm a photographer and I build a lot of sets - there is not a day that goes by where "go to hardware store" is not on my todo list. You don't want my business? Don't worry, I'm not coming back. -
Review from Jonathan D.
Berkeley, CA
12/28/2008
I am not a hardware store guy. I don't have a bunch of tools at home and I don't have any projects around the house. I once tried to do some plumbing at our last house and I completed the plumbing in good order (as it was required to get the upstairs toilet to flush without problems), but it took me 9 months to patch the wall and "finish" the job.
So, when I say they are helpful, I mean it and you can trust they will help you find the right stuff and when they lead you astray, they take the merchandise back without a hassle.
I needed:
slide glides (to move heavy furniture with ease)
Halogen bulbs
Toddler-proofing cabinet locks (yes, she is walking now)
Screws (to hang the window coverings - you know time to install them, we have been here for 2 years)
Dishwashing brush
Kitchen sink strainer basket
For each of these items, I had to find help to find the item and then to choose between the options and there was always someone to help (consider this as opposed to your unfriendly un-neighborhood Home Depot). Who knew that there were 12 different kitchen sink strainer baskets; 50 different halogen bulbs; and 25 different ways to "lock" a cabinet to keep a 1 year old from getting into your normal household toxic chemicals (stop worrying, she has had far less than the RDA of Formula 409).
There was a woman right inside the front door, who knew where everything was. I walked in with my list and asked her where the first three items on the list were and she pointed me in the right direction (aisle, location and proximate objects). When I had retrieved everything, I went back to her for additional items. Amazing. Oh yeah, and she offered me some hot spiced cider. Nice touch.
Finally,, great for kids because they have the train set which is running sometimes and matchbox cars for as little as 50 cents - I had no idea they sold for $5 these days(with the rhodium plated axle).
If you need Hardware - get it here. Great place, helpful staff, fair prices.Listed in: Berkeley
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Review from Jim D.
12/30/2009
I use Paganos Hardware (Alameda) and Dale Hardware (Fremont) as benchmarks for hardware stores. What sets these two apart is the knowledge of the sales clerks. Whether a schedule 40 or 80 PVC pipe, wood or sheet metal screws these guys know their stuff. Of course when I go to a hardware store I test their hardware knowledge.
I thought the employees were somewhat knowledgable but I was not looking for any tricky hardware or a special power tool. Typical prices with sale items, nothing that really stood out.
So onward to this Ace Hardware which has been around for quite some time. Lots of crowded shelves of hand tools, hardware, plumbling, all of the above. I was looking for portable heaters and they were having a big sale, the catch was when you buy one, you cannot return them.
What exists downstairs is a hobby store that is second to none. They have slot cars, model cars and planes, paints, plus die-cast cars. OK this is not a kids toy store. It is a grown adult hobby store. If they had their own hobby store it would be definetly be five stars.
Of course if you need a flashlight or batteries you can purchase them here too. -
Review from Alyssa S.
San Francisco, CA
8/31/2007
There is something to be said for good customer service, which is so hard to find these days. The people who work here are specialists, and they have never steered me wrong.
I am completely clueless when it comes to hardware and it's comforting that I can go somewhere where people will explain how to fix things and give me the confidence to go home with my new hardware and actually fix things that were broken.
So, even though their bag checking policy is completely irritating and useless (if someone really wanted to steal some .10 nails/screws/sinkers, they would just pocket them), take comfort in knowing the guy taking your bag looks like he has worked there for 40 years and would teach you how to fix anything in your apartment if you just asked. -
Review from Bill A.
CA
11/27/2007
The basement contains The Best Plastic Model Airplane Shop in the Bay Area, and is in the top 5 for Half-O scale trains, slot cars and 1/32 slot cars. Model cars, ships, tanks, etc pretty good too! Hardware store upstairs is comprehensive. Yes, you have to check your bag at the door. I've never lost anything from my bag or laptop case. The VERY nice staff will try their best for you, though you may have to be persistant if you've got something that's really from left field. And there's free parking around the back- very rare in Berkeley.
The hardware stock is huge, just about anything I've needed in 10 years of home repair can be bought here, including neat stuff like oak (!) dowels, metric and inch hardware and the flexable conduit needed for code wiring in Oakland.
There is a large 1/87 railroad layout in the south-east corner window at street level, a track suspended above the main floor and a pair of tracks suspended in the basement. Ask someone to start the trains for you.
For the airplane modeler, this is the Bay Area's gold standard. Everything from the mainstream kits; Airfix/Heller, Hasegawa, Italeri, Revell, Tamiya and Trumpeter, to A-model, Anigrand, High Planes, MPM, Pavla, Special Hobby, Supermodel, Sweet and Valom are on the shelf. Detailing sets from Ares, Squadron, etc, are in the cabinent, as well as bagged kits from Bilek, Pegasus, etc. The latest and greatest, particularly in model airplane kits, is
here. There is a big display of new kits on both sides of the stair-case
going down from the store's entrance. A small display case holds local
modeler's efforts. Also, the oldest, best and in some ways wierdest collection of built models hanging from the ceiling.
Then there are the 2nd hand relics (Airfix/Buzco/Frog/Heller/Hasegawa/Revell)
going back to the 1960s (or earlier). For example, you can buy a 1/72 Frog F4F Wildcat from before 1975, the Novo issue of same kit from 1975-1990, the Eastern Express re-issue (with a great decal sheet) from last year, the Minicraft/Academy kit which was clearly *inspired* by the Frog kit's design (but not directly copied...), Revell or Airfix's kit from the 1960s, or Hasegawa's recent, and superb, version. Or Sword's FM-2. Want a different scale? There's a story there too.
The armor/military model selection is wide but thinner than the airplane section. The car model section is somewhere between those two, its nearly all 1/24, but from US, European and Asian makers, and the ships/naval section is wide but very thin. Lots of different subjects, lots of different scales.
They stock Model Master Acryl and oil-based, Tamiya, Floquil, Badger's brand of acrylics, along with tools, fillers, glues, finishing supplies, etc. If I could change one thing I've have them stock Polly Scale paint but with RPM's MSRP for Polly Scale at $3.99 and Testor's MM Acryl at $2.99, its not hard to understand why they don't. The styrene and wood and metal stock section is the most extensive locally, as it should be for the university students, scale modelers, and model railroaders.
The train section is vast, with a great Half-O and N scale engines, cars, track, features, etc, selection, parts, scratch building materials, decals, etc. We've bought track, cars, the Hornby Thomas The Tank Engine set.
1/32 and 1/64 (aka Half O) slot cars are also well represented, and there are test tracks for both sizes at the Train department counter.
Prices are normal to, "Hey, this is a great deal!" The hobby department has a sale of some kind at least 4 months out of the year- 20 to 25% off all trains, or slot cars, or plastic kits. Otherwise prices are normal retail.
Hobby shop customer service varies from very good (some of the staff are modelers, slot car or train enthusiasts) to rudimentary (some of the staff are NOT modelers...). The complete hardware store upstairs, the extensive Hot Wheels display, some Gashpon, some aftermarket decals and a lot of reference books (Train, car, airplane, etc.) round out the offering. This is where my wife gets my
birthday and Christmas presents...
The last thing I bought here was a Smer 1/72 Spitfire Mk VI, made from
someone's MkV kit by adding a tree of wingtip extensions, metal covered alerons, a scoop for presurization and a newly tooled windscreen and canopy. Seven or eight bucks plus tax. Nice.
Only the main floor appears wheel-chair accessible, the hobby and plumbing stuff downstairs and electrical stuff only appear to have stair-way access. So I'm voting "Not Sure"Listed in: Hobby Shop crawl!, Born to Shop
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Review from Chris B.
7/11/2007
There's a hobby store downstairs, very cool. My second favorite hobby place in the Bay Area. Parking sucks around here though.
Sign up for that Ace Rewards Card or whatever its called. They will sent you once in a while a 5 bucks off coupon. And they will occasionally have unadvertised sales. -
Review from Mari C.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2007
After moving into my new apartment, I came to this place probably three times a week. It is a wonderful generalist store where you can get custom paint mixed, buy household items, hobby stuff, get keys copied, just about anything (as long as you're not a professional contractor looking for an obscure item).
The sales people are everywhere so it is easy to get help, however I've found that a few of the employees who work there don't really seem enthusiastic or attentive. Oh they'll get it done, but they aren't going out of their way to make friends.
For example:
I went to get two yards of wire and asked if the price was by foot or yard. The lady said yard, then proceeded to cut two FEET of wire. I stopped her and she assured me that 24 inches was, in fact, two yards. Honestly at this point I was aghast. Finally some other employee saw the conflict and took over. I don't know, maybe its just me, but I think basic measurement knowledge should be a prerequisite for the job. Oh yeah, and as it turned out, the price was actually per foot, not per yard.
Another reason for a not-perfect rating: I got Ace to make a set of keys for a new roommate, but when I gave him the keys, they didn't even fit in the lock! It was really a pain in the ass to go back the same day and get them redone. But hey, it was an honest mistake and they didn't charge me, so whatever.
They did give me a free cardboard box once for a project, so that was nice.
Nonetheless, I don't know of any other currently open hardware supply stores within walking distance of campus. Four stars for being convenient, having lots of stuff, and staffing lots of people to help, even if they appear to be bored out of their minds. -
Review from Madeline B.
San Jose, CA
5/10/2008
Although Berkeley Ace Hardware is part of a chain, it definitely feels like an independent store. The employees are friendly and helpful. The products are cheap.
Downstairs is a hobby and craft store with mostly model airplanes and things of that nature.
Great store for any basic home improvment item. -
Review from Harry W.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2007 20 Check-ins Here
I've been a good customer since I was about six years old in this place, and I can blame it all on the FANTASTIC model train department downstairs. They've got everything you need to get started in model trains, model planes and diecast model cars, and oh yeah.. there's a GREAT well-stocked hardware store upstairs with PLENTY OF HELP when ya need it.
This place is the complete polar opposite to Home Depot. Still plenty of stuff, but the friendly help is only an arms-length away!
In the Hobby department, tell them Harry sent ya there!Listed in: My Top Hobby Shops, My Neighborhood
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Review from Wendy N.
6/11/2011
Had an interesting experience here today. I bought some Ace brand drain cleaner to fix a slow drain in my shower. On the front label, it said Satisfaction Guaranteed, the "Ace Promise". I used half the bottle (as per directions) and the drain was still slow. The directions stated to repeat if necessary, which I did. No improvement.
I went back to the store, showed my receipt (purchased two hours prior) and asked for another bottle. The Ace Promise states" If the Ace product when used for its intended purpose fails to give you complete satisfaction, return the item to the Ace Hardware store where purchased for free replacement of the same or similar item". The assistant manager Barbara glared at me and said "Well, you used the whole bottle!" . I told her that of course I had, which is why I was returning it, as it failed to help the drain clear any faster. I reminded her of the Ace Promise, which she seemed completely unaware of, by her raised eyebrows. So I pointed it out to her on the bottle. She seemed really annoyed that I was actually asking for this "promise" to be honored. I asked why they put that on their products if they didn't want someone to actually take them up on it. She didn't seem to have anything to say about that. Then she said, "Well, that stuff probably isn't strong enough. Maybe you need another brand". I said, "Oh so you think the Ace brand isn't very good?". And she shrugged and said, "Well I use Liquid Fire myself". She did finally let me get another bottle of Ace drain cleaner but followed this up with, "If THIS doesn't work, you can't bring it back for another bottle. There is something more seriously wrong with your drain". No problem. I got it that the "Ace Promise" isn't really meant to be tested! -
Review from Matt Z.
Long Beach, CA
3/30/2009
Others have pointed out the lack of customer service and I have to agree, it's not very good, but what I think sucks the most are the prices.
Everything in the shop is much pricier than anywhere else, and they should stay open later.
But the worker who greeted me at the door was wearing a gold grill, so extra points for that. -
Review from Desiree L.
Berkeley, CA
9/8/2010
The staff here is awesome. Everyone was extremely helpful and patient! I didn't know what exactly I was looking for to fix my clogged sink, but they definitely helped me out.
They also have other neat things in the shop like hot wheels and puzzles! I think I might just come back to peruse this shop for a couple hours.
Keep in mind that they make you check your bag before you go downstairs. -
Review from Nathan V.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2008
I went in here the other day looking for a handful of 3/8 stainless washers. They had...*one*. Um, is this a hardware store?!?! Okay, maybe there has been a sudden run on stainless steel washers in Berkeley for some odd reason. Maybe they are instrumental to some new bong technology?
So, I asked one of the people working there if perhaps they had some more in another part of the store or in the back. A simple, "No, we just have what is on the floor." would have been sufficient. Instead I got a 10 second rant on how I should look behind the slide-out tray (I did!) and various other things muttered in what loosely resembled English.
This is the fourth time I've been to this store. This is the fourth time I've left without what I was looking for. This is the fourth time I've left Berkeley Ace Hardware wanting to assault someone.
If there were another hardware store near University I wouldn't have gone back the fourth time. Never again. -
Review from Elisabeth H.
Berkeley, CA
8/29/2007
It's not the most organized hardware store in the world (that would be Pasttimes Hardware in El Cerrito) but sometimes that's what i like about it. This is not the hardware store I go to when I need something specific - this is the one I go to when I want to chill out for 45 minutes and be reminded of things it once occurred to me I could use - a smooth edge can opener, a foot-long level, robins-egg blue cereal bowls - and probably buy them for the pure retail therapy of it all.
The shelves are tall and perfect for losing oneself. The staff is not always super knowledgeable about hardware or how to fix things (again - go to Pasttimes for that) but they are definitely eager and even if they are giving you bad advice, it's nice that they care.Listed in: You Can't See Me
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Review from Fred W.
Berkeley, CA
8/29/2010
Knowledgeable and helpful staff, the store is decently stocked with a pretty staggering range of products, mostly very reasonably priced. If you're looking for a very specific brand you might not find it.
Impressive models / toy train section downstairs.
Mostly, I'm just thrilled we've got a fully-loaded hardware store right in downtown, when so many others have closed (like the one on College Ave.). I'm grateful every time I go there, that I don't have to drive out to Home Depot... -
Review from Chuck K.
Berkeley, CA
8/29/2007
They're the only hardware store in downtown Berkeley and you can tell: the prices are slightly inflated and business hours are ridiculous (who closes at 6 pm on weekdays other than the bank and the post office, honestly?)
They've always had what I've needed, however, when I could manage to slip out of lab before they close. -
Review from Cassi J.
San Jose, CA
4/30/2010
Super convenient location! And they have everything, this is the first place I go when I need something random: airplane travel kit... check, clean supplies... check, Atlas Train Set??... check.
The staff is super friendly and always willing to help me find something, which is helpful because the layout of the store reminds me of my closet... tons of stuff everywhere. -
Review from Lee T.
Berkeley, CA
11/27/2009
I've been shopping at this store since before it was an "Ace." I usually find what I'm looking for, and generally the employees are helpful and knowledgeable--which leads me to wonder why there are so many people who have berated the employees (but also lots of reviewers saying, like me, great customer service).
The only conclusion I can come to is that most of those negative reviewers have bad attitudes coming in. Click on their faces and see their other reviews. So many of them are 1 or 5 stars only. My guess is that these people expect business to be run in a certain way (THEIR WAY), and anything else is not acceptable. I have never had anyone at Berkeley Ace yell at me, nor have I heard them yelling at anyone else. Which doesn't mean they never do. But if they yell at you, maybe check your attitude (perhaps with your bag at the door?) Or maybe think that maybe are having a really bad day and you just snapped their patience. Yes, if you are working with people, you have to learn to deal with ***holes, but you also are a person and may occasionally snap.
Enough about that.
Yes, the place is not wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, there is no way this store could make itself accessible and stay in business. Elevators would cost a fortune, and making wider isles would mean they can't carry as much. It sucks, but it's economics.
Toys and hobbies! Go downstairs! Go downstairs! I used to buy my model trains here, back when they had their huge Christmas model train set ups (including "trees" that the trains would run circles up as they rose from the floor to the upper tracks).
Prices: I find them reasonable. People compare to Amazon, but Amazon will always be cheaper (businesses located in low-rent states, no sales tax going back to support our local governments, no extra space needed to display items for customers to see), so get over that. Amazon I have to wait several days to a week for (or pay more bucks for speedier shipping), so if you want to be able to go to your local hardware store for a 50 cent washer, you better be buying some other things from them as well.
Yeah, check your bags at the door. Very annoying. I can especially understand the concerns of the guy with the laptop (and as a bicyclist, I don't have a trunk to leave things in). But I've never lost anything there, and I haven't seem them abandon their post, except for being a few steps away, so I can live with it. They may be saving money from theft: there's lots of small things that cost a lot, and I don't think they have an electronic buzzer system, and it would probably cost a lot if it did (and then there's those times when it goes off by accident and you get looks like "OK, what did you steal?")
OK, end of rant :-) -
Review from Diana C.
6/7/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Pretty okay selection of items. It has a typical hardware store feel. There are hobby items they sell on the lower floor like model airplanes and stuff. And there is also staff everywhere waiting to help you.
-
Review from Sara M.
Silver Spring, MD
10/12/2006
There is a parking lot in the back of the store - a rarity in Berkeley! How has nobody else mentioned this?
Also, Ace is across the street from Brazil Cafe, so you can pick up a yummy tri-tip sandwich on your way home.
Besides the parking and lunch options, this is also a great hardware store. Small, but they have everything you could need. Hardware, kitchenwares, garden, hobby. They custom cut plexiglass which is great since Amsterdam Art closed and I would never dream of trying to have that done at Home Depot.
One weird thing - I called to see if they had an item in stock in the hobby shop, and I was put on hold, then given another number to dial - they couldn't transfer me! I'm willing to overlook this quirk though. -
Review from Kenya W.
Oakland, CA
7/5/2010
Overview:
+Locally-owned store (not a chain, but part of a national cooperative)
+Good selection of merchandise (as a previous reviewer mentioned, Pastime does have a larger selection but do you really want to trek to El Cerrito?)
+Free parking (Autos in the back, bike rack in the front)
+Great model train/planes/automobiles section in the basement.
-This store does need longer hours (Helpful Hardware Man, can you stay open until at least 7 pm on weeknights & Saturday?)
-You have to check your backpack in at the front. It's a bit of a pain if you are biking to the store, but I have never had any problems.
~Coffee - I understand it's free, but the urn appears to be older than me
And now the main review...
What can I say about this hardware store? I've been a patron of Ace Hardware since I was in elementary school. Yes, the clerks are a throwback to an old school era but I find they are very helpful (much more so than the big-box hardware stores) and I have never had a problem getting help or finding an item
Also, some of the ACE-brand items in bulk (like garbage bags) are sold at a great price point - almost as low cost as COSTCO.
Also, ACE Hardware is not a chain in the traditional sense (yes, some of you fellow reviewers have gotten this wrong). ACE is a Retail-Based cooperative (and the largest retail cooperative in the U.S.) which means each store is individually owned and operated (with the exception of some multi-store companies like the amazing Cole Hardware in SF) while the stores share ACE-branded products and advertising. What does this mean for you the customer? An ACE sale at one store is honored at all stores, but if you buy a product at a certain ACE store in El Cerrito you will not be able to return it at Berkeley ACE.
So, when you shop at Berkeley ACE Hardware, you support a locally-owned, 125 year old shopping institution.
Oh, and did I say they have a killer model train and train memorabilia collection in the basement? I bought some of my first model trains and books on the east bay streetcar system years ago. Now, where did I leave them in my childhood home?
Overall, I give Berkeley ACE 4 out of 5 stars. if the operating hours were a little longer and if the store selection was a bit larger, then I could give that elusive 5th star. -
Review from Corinne R.
Menlo Park, CA
7/16/2008
Part one of the key adventure:
I need a duplicate copy of my car key to give to the boy, so I go to Ace hardware in Palo Alto. They don't have the right key blank, but offer to try making it on a similar blank to see if it will work - they state clearly that if it doesn't work I can return the key. Sadly, the key doesn't work.
Part two:
I go to Ace hardware in Berkeley to see if they can make a duplicate. I hand him the key, he pulls out a blank, makes the copy, puts it in a bag, and sends me on my way. I'm super late, so I don't even bother looking at the key - I just pay and run off. Later, I look at the key and realize that the guy used the same blank that was used last night - the one that doesn't work.
I'm angry because:
Berkeley Ace made the key on the incorrect blank without even warning me that he was doing this or asking if I still wanted him to try. I would have said not to bother since I already know it won't work. At least the guys in Palo Alto were nice enough to warn me. -
Review from Lauren G.
Berkeley, CA
4/22/2006
I like small, local hardware stores in general, but especially Berkeley Ace, because I will always find fantastic customer service there. The local hardware store industry definitely has customer service figured out, and the restaurant and retail industry could really learn a thing or two from them.
Let me explain just how great Berkeley Ace is, illustrated by a recent experience there.
I walked into the front door and was immediately greeted by a nice man asking how he could help me today. Now, this is in sharp contrast to big box hardware stores where you are likely to be left to wander through like 500 aisles of power tools to find a tape measure.
I asked the nice man where I could find some CFLs (fluorescent bulbs). He pointed me to the CFL aisle and I made my way over there to peruse the selection (there were a lot to choose from). Lucky for my indecisive self, another nice Ace worker approached me and offered tons of advice on which CFLs will fit in my lamps. How helpful!
So, in a matter of five minutes, I had found what I was looking for and had one of the best customer service experiences of my life (rivaled only by my other customer service experiences at Ace). -
Review from inga r.
1/22/2007
Its pretty compact like most bay area hardware stores and can get very busy on weekday lunch hours, but I REALLY needed that carbide drill bit to do some mass destruction tonight and Paganos closes at 6 pm on the Island.
The aisles are very small you have to claim a free one and find something to buy in that aisle. You know you need that 500 pack of foam earplugs! -
Review from Elana K.
Chicago, IL
2/12/2009
I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. Every time I walk out of the Berkeley Ace Hardware with a smile on my face and a little more faith in humanity, I think "Damn, I really need to write a raving review on Yelp!" and then my thoughts immediately drift off to some other less sublime, more quotidian activity. Well, here it finally is:
The customer service here is excellent. They somehow know how not to bombard you the minute you walk in with "Can I help you?????" but at the same time, some smiling, friendly employee always seems to magically appear the minute I start looking around trying to find a cookie baking sheet, or a carabiner, or an energy-efficient lightbulb, or an "A" flat head size 4 screw, or a dish drying rack, or a . . . well, you get the picture. Not only are the employees super-helpful, this store stocks EVERYthing. Forget Target, forget Walgreens, forget Home Depot, this store is a one-stop shop.
Did I mention that there's free coffee on the left as you walk in for anyone who stops in? And that there's a model train that runs around the perimeter of the store about 10 feet up?
It's the special touches like these, the friendliness of the employees, the cheap prices, and the amazing amount of merchandise that makes me feel like I've stepped back into some precious memory of going shopping from my childhood, when I walk into Berkeley Ace Hardware.
This is, hands-down, my favorite store in Berkeley. -
Review from Tom S.
Florence, AL
3/29/2008
Great employees, great selections, reasonable prices
I organized a whiffle ball tournament and I spent two hours running around the store making a strike zone and scoreboard out of pvc and other junk. The whole staff was just awesome and helpfully
Great store with great people working in it. -
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
4/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Summary based on many visits:
--selection good, though not quite as extensive as Pastime
--excellent service
--competitive prices
--has its own parking! -
Review from Sujit R.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2009
Friendly service is overrated. Helpful service - that I can use. So maybe it takes some effort to find someone, but once you find that person, you'll get what you need.
Also, their $1 aisle is pretty awesome. -
Review from Nicholas M.
Berkeley, CA
1/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the coolest hardware store ever. They have everything I could ever need for stuff that goes wrong around the house. The convenient location and neat atmosphere inside is a plus too!
