I have shopped at this ACE for over 20 years. Before they were near the University and Oxford. Few of the employees have worked there ever since. They are very helpful looking for items you need. I love their miniature model train display especially so during the holiday season. I always found what I need here for repairing my old house. Items that surprisingly the big box stores don't carry. I saw a post here accused the owner being racist. I have hard time to believe that given myself is Asian. Their employees are mainly Filipino Americans and Black Americans. read more

Placed an online order for curbside pickup. Email and website clearly stated curbside is an option. Drove to the store and was told on the phone they havent been doing that for months. Very rude person hung up the phone on me and blamed "corporate". Never going to Ace Hardware again. read more

Went last Saturday afternoon for an exchange. Greeter at the door (woman, brown hair) was rude and condescending. Normally I would write that off as a one-off instance, but scrolling through the reviews below you will find similar reviews. The owners/managers have a problem they are apparently not dealing with. This ten-year customer will now shop elsewhere. read more

I understand the frustration of having to explain a corporate site all the time when you own your own store, but when calling to ask about delivery the manager was exceptionally condescending, rude, and in fact hung up on me. From the first moment I asked it the answers were insanely patronizing. God I get it's tiresome to explain it all the time, but just simple yes, or no to a few questions would have sufficed. Yes there is a small asterix that says not all stores, but I'm sure I'm not the first customer to have missed the details and during this difficult time do we really need to be so rude? Honestly just say I'm sorry I have a customer waiting now, I need to go, but to hang up on someone who wants to spend money in your store... read more

So normally I would not go out of my way to write a bad review but in this case I will make an exception. I usually shop Past Time Ace Hardware in El Cerrito - and I love it there. Berkeley store might as well be on another planet and Randi (sp?) is the rudest store clerk I've encountered in a long time. I purchased a air-conditioner 2 days ago. Just buying the darn thing was a challange as even though they had it in stock, there was no one available to bring it to the floor. I explained that I wanted to see what I was buying and eventually just followed the clerk into the store room. It turned out to be different model than what was supposed to be there so I asked if it was returnable. (I mean it was a $300 purchase!). After much back and forth I was told that it was and so I bought it. As you might imagine it was heavy, so I asked if there was someone available to assist getting it to my car. After much shrugging and blank stares it became obvious that no one was willing to assist so I carted it to my vehicle alone. Naturally it was not meant to be and 2 days later I brought it back - not even out of the box. I again requested assistance and was again met with blank stares. The woman behind counter pointed to nowhere and told me to "go ask someone else." I asked if she could call someone and she said everyone was busy. I gave up and I carried it back in .... Then came Randi huffing out of the backroom; clearly annoyed. She announced that she saw the return come in the door on the cameras. "SO it didn't fit in your window?" Me: "No it didn't." Randi was clearly exasperated but told the cashier to refund my card. A young man of color stood next to me - at least 3 employees had ignored his attempts to get service. As Randi walked away from me he asked her: "do you work here?" Her exasperated response made it painfully obvious that she did not want to assist him. We had something in common .... I'm not sure if it's a color thing as pointed out by another poster here, but will note that both I and the young man are brown. What I can say with absolutley certainity is that this place does not deserve your money. SHAMEFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE. DO NOT SHOP HERE. Go to El Cerrito Past Time Ace instead!!! Stay healthy!! read more

They are convenient and can typically help you out in a pinch but...that is where it ends. If you have bit of extra time and want to save a buck, they are noticeably 30-40% more spendy than any other Ace's in the Bay Area, could it be a symptom of the crazy rents in Bezerkeley or is it just those student have plenty of trust fund money to share and they are willing to help relieve them of it? Me...I am just trying to get by. They are very reluctant to take returns...buyer be ware...what happened to customer service? read more

I stepped in today to make copies for a key. Elgin, aka Key-Jedi, helped me out. I wanted a key that would stand out -- for someone who sometimes loses her keys -- so I was looking through the colorful key options. I couldn't decide, so I asked Key-Jedi for his opinion. He said, "you really want my opinion?" I said, "Yes!" So he looked me over and said... "I'm going to match it to your personality.... Let's see... This one..." he picked a key with music symbols, and said "you get the music key cause you're upbeat." This was fun enough, but then I said, "the key is actually for someone else. Help me choose" So he asked me about her personality and I said, "she's very pleasant, with a little bit of discomfort, so I want something that will make her feel comfortable." So he took in the info, scanned the key options, tuned in and said... "She... gets... ladybugs" and the selection was, of course, perfect. We had such a fun time, and I asked him if he's ever done that before and he said, "no. It's my first time" so we told the story to a few of his co-workers. They all loved it, and Toni suggested I write this on Yelp. So I did. I loved the energy of the people working in the store. There's real care there, and I find useful things there when I shop. Thank you Key-Jedi: you matched me with music and my friend with ladybugs, and so today I match you with a butterfly. (I see now that Yelp doesn't keep emojis in the review, so please use your imagination) read more

Berkeley ACE has moved. Here's an updated review after I visited on the fifth day since they opened in their new location. to visit their new location. 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). ***Begin rant*** 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. ***End rant*** Toys and hobbies! Still there, make your way to the corner of Addison & Milvia and you'll find a well-stocked supply (although, sadly much less than the original store's basement). 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. Several bike loops on Milvia to lock to, which is good since they are on Milvia. read more

Unfortunately the store is not taking covid seriously. Last time I was in the store one employee was wearing a mask with a valve, which only protects himself. Not customers. When I talked to him, he was a jerk about it. Then I voiced my concern to Brian (owner)... who did not take responsibility to fix the problem. Very disappointing. Other than not taking a deadly virus seriously, it's a good store. read more

Good selection packed into a small space. Helpful staff. No it's not as huge as Pastime in El Cerrito. But it's slightly more convenient for me and 90% of the time has what I need. Sometimes I use the Ace website to check inventory and that always works. I wish it was in the old location with parking but, hey, times change. Still a good spot. Too bad the City of Berkeley screwed up Milvia to make it less convenient to get there and park from the North side of town. read more

Don't plan to return anything you buy. Despite having a policy posted behind the registers that says they will cheerfully accept items back within 45 days (with the receipt), when I brought back an item I had bought one week earlier they told me they wouldn't take it back. I had only opened the item and realized that it was the wrong size. So without using it I brought it back. The person behind the register immediately called the manager and the manager immediately said they wouldn't accept the return. They brought an unopened item and said they couldn't resell it because it was opened. If the policy is that items cannot be retuned if they have been opened then that's what should be posted. I will take my business else where. read more

Shopped there for 10 years until I realized this store have a different return policy than what the corporate website says. Corporate says they accept returns of tools within so may days, but here if you use a tool (even battery operated or a hammer) you cannot return it. Which begs the question of how the customers are going to find the tool they are happy with given all the options. read more

As a Berkeley college student, who is carless, this hardware is the place to GO when you need paint or hardware supplies. It is located on University Ave and there's parking in the back/metered spaces surrounding the store. The times I came here were for paint. It is a little slow when there is a line for paint, but that's because there is one machine and it takes a while to mix the paints. The woman who mixes the paint is a BOSS, she is very helpful and knowledgeable of the different types of paints and colors. We wanted to get chalkboard gray paint for one of our walls and wanted the exact same gray color for our other walls. Usually you can't get the exact colors in a situation like that but she managed to get an exact shade, and we were very thrilled. The prices for the paint are very reasonable. The supplies however can get expensive as you keep buying lots of brushes and rollers. Note on the rollers, the cheap ones start to go bad and you'll have fluff on your walls, so be careful and maybe buy some nicer ones. I would definitely come back here again! read more

I really like shopping here. They have everything. I can always count on Ace Hardware. I've gotten everything from packing tape, to cooking ware, to plastic tubs, to curtain fixtures here. There employees are super friendly, and I have even gotten free boxes from them. Seems some people have had some bad experiences, so I guess I have been lucky so far. It is also conveniently located close to campus and not too expensive for emergency buys. They serve their purpose well. read more

This place has EVERYTHING. Handsoap! Towels! Paint! Dishes! Wanna plug a hole in your table leg? They can do that. Wanna install some doorjamb insulation so your house isn't flooded with Berkeley fog in the winter? They can help with that. Their staff is super helpful and it's well-staffed enough that I can usually find someone within moments of hitting the floor. I do have one gripe: their moving supplies are fuuuuuuuuucking expennnnnnnsive. Like $4/box, $8/roll of packing tape. I have a hunch they make bank on these because there are so many college students near by who don't have other options and that just makes me feel kind of gross. Otherwise this place is amazing. read more

This is not the place with the friendly hardware folks. The employees are rude, inconsiderate,and have horrible customer service, not to mention they don't know what they carry. I will never return here. Johnathan and Omar are definitely not friendly hardware folks. read more

If you need something for home improvement, or heck even a spare key made then this location is where you need to go. They have knowledgeable and helpful employees that know what they're talking about and you can rely on when you have no clue of what you need or how to do something. Centrally located and easily accessible is a bonus! read more

I called this store to ask for n95 face mask available to buy? This store answered," yes we do have n95 face masks available. I rushed to this store and want to buy n95 face mask but this store actually do not have n95 face mask. :/ read more

Thank you to Eligin for helping me replace the battery in my car key fob. He was patient and professional. Much appreciated!

I am like a lot of folks. I like to support local businesses and our household is loyal to many in our community. Ace Hardware was one of these. Unfortunately that seems to be a memory of the Ace of another time that seems to have been in a building that is now far, far away. I do not remember their manager "Brandy" from the old place but about a year ago I passed on my car auto starter ( that I bought at ACE ) to my son and then went back to Ace to buy another one for myself. When checking out the manager said "Don't think you can use that and then return it." I was irritated by the remark but ignored it. It was only later when the auto starter wouldn't hold a charge, that it made some sense. Was my "new" starter a previous return? It is still a useless piece of junk in the garage. But the issue that prompts this review is this. My wife bought an appliance and it worked for a total of two days, she brought it in, she was treated like dirt and the only option she was given was to exchange it for a more expensive item. She was in tears when she related the managers horrendous treatment of her. I will NEVER buy anything not even the tiniest thing from this store. The ACE hardware I loved in the storied past, is gone. That little toy train has left the platform. read more

Everyone here is great but two people one the old guy with glasses needs to retire he has no idea what he's talking about or what you ask him im amazed he works there like dude didn't know the difference between a carving knife and a chissel. And the black lady with red hair is one of the most rude people I've ever met period she has serious issue. I don't know if its just me but she's got an attitude like you wouldn't believe walks around like she owns the place then will laugh in your face undeniably worse service I've gotten and honestly I try to avoid these people. Get rid of them ill jump back to five stars read more

The service was bad. They don't accept returns. Be sure to think about it before you buy anything from here. Or, buy things somewhere else.

Once again, I ended up not going to Ace Hardware today because I couldn't find a place to park. I give up!! Berkeley needs a new legit hardware store: with parking! read more

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. read more

When I was in college in the 60s I used to visit Berkeley Hardware mainly to see the model train that used to run on a track near the ceiling. It pretty much ran around the store and I loved it. I remember the store as having hardwood floors, but haven't been in for so long I can't be sure whether that memory is accurate or not. Now when I go to a hardware store I go to Pastime in El Cerrito or Kensington Hardware on the Arlington, neither of which has a train, but I carry warm memories of Berkeley Hardware. The building that has housed Berkeley Hardware for decades will be torn down for housing. They are in the process of moving into new digs on the corner of Milvia and Addison and are open in the new location. Alan and I stopped in Sunday on our way to Berkeley Rep. I was interested in seeing the train and was directed to the corner of the store where the model trains were for sale. It wasn't until I asked someone on staff whether the train was running that I got the information that they were still in the midst of their move and the train wasn't set up yet. I should have been more specific in my question. Alan, in the meantime, was looking for another nightlight for travel, as the ones we bought in Pacific Grove were pretty bright. He found one we liked but decided to stop by to buy it after the play so he wouldn't have to keep track of it in the theatre. The store is larger than it looks from the outside, as many hardware stores are, w/ one room leading to another to another. There are public bathrooms and the store looks clean and well stocked. I missed the patina of age that long established stores have, but over time it will acquire that Their hours are a bit more limited than either Pastime or Kensington Hardware. They close at 6PM most days and 5PM on Sunday. Probably not atypical for a store that's more urban than suburban. read more

It's like this- 50% are complete assmonkeys 50% of employees are helpful and friendly. But on any given day, it's theoretically possible the 50% good people are not working. And since "Assmonkey" is a little vague, here's clarification. An Assmonkey is a Berkeley Ace Hardware employee that fits any 3 or more of the following: - Less than 3rd grade education - Openly hostile, argumentative, unpleasant - Unable to communicate in English - Loathe to exert any effort whatsoever - Braindead, wandering the aisles aimlessly and confused when spoken to. There's also a high probability that what you're looking for is out of stock. If you want two of something, I guarantee they will only have one. I know a lot of folks are sentimental about the trains and rockets and models-- and that's cool they have that. Extra Star. But that isn't enough to make up for godawful customer service. If you ever lose the brakes on your car, maybe steer towards Berkeley Ass Hardware. read more

I've read negative reports about berkeley ace and I don't get it. I've always had great and helpful service there. Some times are busier than others but that's understandable. Chuck (in the back) and Tracy (?) near trains went overboard to help me with cutting something last night. I love all ace hardwares and especially appreciate berkeley ace hardware. read more

My gf and I got into a car accident on Mon 7/27 where we collided with a motorcycle, causing our left side mirror to fall out. We originally went to Ace Hardware to look for duck tape to hold the mirror in place temporarily but instead we ultimately got the mirror fixed completely. First, one of the employees tried to help me figure out a better solution than duck tape to hold the mirror in place. Then, he got another employee named "Q" (nickname "Chuck") to come give me guidance instead. In the end, he helped me completely fix my left side mirror and for that we are truly grateful. Q/Chuck was the man! He seemed genuinely interested in helping us for the sake of helping us. He deserves a big big BIG raise! read more

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. read more

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! read more

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. read more

I always loathe coming here. The only reason I continue to is I don't want to drive to Home Depot out in Emerville. If I need a small part or something else standard, Ace will do, but I make sure I know exactly what I want/need, because no one there seems to be of use. Employees are hard to find, and even when you can track one down, it's not uncommon for the answer to your question to be, "It's on aisle ___, " with a vague point in the seemingly correct direction. The store is somewhat unclean, unstocked, and upon entry, there is an employee barking at you to check your bag. I guess I'll drive to Emeryville next time. The good: downtown Berkeley location. The bad: customer service, finding what you want. read more

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. read more

Placed my order online and went for curbside pickup. When I called and said I was at curbside for my pickup, she said oh, we haven't had curbside for 6 mos. I mentioned my order showed curbside, she had attitude and unapologetically said you'll have to come into the office. Reluctantly, I went to the office where a man with no mask on, asked for my last name and walked over to me while pulling up his t-shirt to cover his nose and mouth as if it was a mask. This is not a safe place to shop online and pick up merchandise. I don't plan to shop there again! read more

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. read more

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. read more

Great for hobbyist looking to source Tamiya paint, zap a gap, and many other hard to find model shop items. This is only place in the bay area I can find a lot of the paint and glues I need in my everyday. I do 3d printing high end model finishing, modeling/casting, make stop motion puppets, and resin toys. They stock the largest selection of Tamiya and testers spray paints, a huge selection of small enamel and acrylic paints for model kits, and table top minis (my husband sources a lot of things for warhammer.) They also will order anything you need if they don't have it, they have ordered me cases of Tamiya spray paint, and jarred acrylics, and are ordering zap a gap with brushes attached. I prefer them to online 1. It's competitively priced, 2. Special orders arrive faster than if I used amazon prime. 3. The staff is extremely knowledgeable. I can't recommend Berkeley ace enough!! Pros- large hobbyist selection. Extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff. Cons- their location always adds driving time due to college town traffic. Pro tip- they have their own parking lot in a hard to park area. Saves a ton of time. read more

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. read more

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. read more

Special shout out to Chuck (AKA Quentin)! He spent a good 45 minutes helping me troubleshoot a problem and came up with a beautiful fix. He saved me from having to drill new holes into my stucco and helped me replace a component of my broken motion detector rather than replacing the whole thing (sounds easier than it actually was!). I am so appreciative and was so impressed with his service, and will definitely return to this Ace Hardware based on today's experience alone. Thank you Chuck! read more