I needed a new vacuum bag and was considering a closer store, but went instead to this store as its partner Ace Hardware was online, so I was able to verify they had it by checking online then calling the store and giving them the ITEM number which I obtained thru the website. Using this method, I was advised within seconds by phone that there were four bags in stock! As there is usually NO parking nearby, I walked the route from North Beach to Polk and Green Street: three steep hills, 3 inclines, one steep hill down, and two almost-level streets - and got the exercise I haven't been getting! I left at 2:58pm and arrived home again at 3:30 exactly!! Within the store I walked the aisles and was at the back wall when I was approached by a store employee, who guided me to the bags I needed where it was found within 42.9secs. Store well-stocked and not messy. Well arranged and tidy!! They even had a small garden section in the back!! read more

A employee who is old man and a young girl there are really rude give bad service If they don't know who to work with cliente don't work there I really don't wanna go there again read more

I love the store and what it has to offer. After living in the neighborhood for years I've bought so many things from the store. What is disappointing is the attitude of some of the employees. I've had employees not help me down aisles even though I can't get through with my baby's stroller after they blocked the aisles with products. Tonight I kept Tim a couple of minutes late as I was not able to get there to purchase paint for a project I'm finishing. Although it was five minutes of his time which I can understand is annoying I profusely thanked him and he completely ignored me and was frustrated by holding the door for the stroller. When you find a place you like you don't want to leave but I don't think I'm able to put up with their attitude enough to continue to shop from them. read more

I really really wish I had a good experience here, as I just moved around the corner and was excited to have a local hardware store close by. I was being helped by a friendly woman originally, then a man (I believe his name was Tim or Steve?) came in to assist. He was so incredibly rude and honestly mean, I just had to leave as I didn't want to support the business further. I had a mirror to hang and showed a photo and video and he said "I have no idea what the hell that is, that's not going to work" I went to Pac Heights Hardware, and they were SO friendly and were very easily able to assist me in getting the tools I needed to hang my mirror, no questions or making me feel like an idiot. Hopefully this guy was just having a bad day, but will say he was incredibly mean to customers and I'll be driving to Pac Heights going forward. read more

I totally get that Covid is going on and I am a huge pro-mask supporter, however, it's just impossible here whether you are wearing a mask or not. I was unable to get any real help, outside, with a mask as they were too afraid, with 6 feet. I do get it, but this past the point of diminishing returns for me very quickly. I respect their choice and simply found going to the other neighborhood hardware stores to be more helpful. Perhaps they can just do curbside if this is too difficult. read more

I've been here several times (always great) but today I went in needing a bunch of hardware for a desk I was building. The desk was delivered and unfortunately didn't include the supplies to assemble, so all I had was photos of the instructions for reference. An incredibly kind blonde woman (didn't get her name) helped me for almost 20mins matching each screw that I needed! This was no easy task as she was solely going off photos, but she took her time and didn't seem annoyed by my request at all. We weren't fully confident that all of the screws were correct but she did her best, and I'm happy to report I have just assembled the desk and all of the hardware fit perfectly! Amazing customer service with top notch staff who know what they're doing. Super thankful for all of her help! My go-to hardware store in the city. read more

Great selection of pots and plants, cuter and more affordable than the other plant shops in the neighborhood!

Love, love, love this place for so many reasons (tools, hardware, plants...) but as of late I've been buying a lot of paint. I am re-painting every room in my apartment using their assortment of Benjamin Moore options. So many to chose from and they allow you to take as many swatch cards as you need. Once a decision is made they mix your paint right there. German is the guy to go to. Expert paint mixer and overall great customer service ambassador. He stands out but the whole team is great. I love my neighborhood hardware store. read more

Cole hardware is the perfect neighborhood hardware store. This location on Polk is small but meets 90% of my maintenance and basic hardware needs. Rick K- I also live in Pasadena, CA (Los Angeles area) and all of our hardware stores closed recently as they were Orchard supply leaving us with only Home Depot that is many miles away and not a single local hardware store. It's a bit further south than the Bay Area but this could be a prime opportunity for a Cole hardware store in Pasadena? Just a thought... read more

They have everything here! Everyone is very kind, helpful and seems to be familiar with the "regulars." They offer fun monthly events (like free wine, shrimp platters, cupcakes, etc.). I've been here a few times over the past few years of living in the neighborhood - but will make it a point to come here whenever I need household goods going forward. My husband and his father picked up a bar here to fix our curtains. We've picked up cleaning supplies in the past. Today, I walked the aisles and noticed they offer everything from paint, to shower curtains, to water bottles, to school supplies. read more

Every. Single. Time. I have come here to get keys made they have screwed it up!!! EVERY TIME! Do you know how difficult it is to get parking here in the first place? Today i had to go back to have one set remade, and the idiot guy kept a set that worked! I just noticed now and called and the person I spoke to was completely obtuse. Now I have to go somewhere else because I'm not wasting my time with these people again. read more

Local shops like these and the people that work there are the reason I always try to come here before going any where else. I stopped in this week during their "Happy Hour", which included free wine, chocolate, cupcakes, and 50% off any item under $30. Beings that there was a great deal going on, I found it essential to grab a new swell bottle! The staff here is always top of the line. They're friendly, but not overly friendly where you feel like you're overwhelmed. It's one of those places you can walk in to and the staff will talk to you and make you feel like you're a long lost friend. They always look out for your best interest and put themselves in your shoes - working with you to get the best bang for your buck, while making sure what you buy will be the right thing. I spoke with Rick and a gal named AnaDalia; both were top notch and a lot of fun to interact with. It's like showing up to your families hardware store and everyone is having a good time! Seems like a great place to work and most likely because of the awesome people working there. Thanks for all the help! read more

Online shopping is making hardware stores increasingly irrelevant but I hope the exceptional ones like Coles will always remain relevant and necessary. This location is in one of my favorite neighborhoods first off. So many unique stores, cafes and restaurants. Coles is fun to just walk through and browse and be entertained for hours. Ok not that long but still much amusement to be had there. I was on the hunt for key sleeves which are surprisingly hard to find. Nope you can't find them in Walgreens or CVS. Naturally I left with $20 worth of items I didn't know I needed or even knew existed but my life is better and improved for it. Staff all seemed very pleasant and enthusiastic about working there. And why wouldn't they be? Coles is awesome and they get paid to be there and hopefully get an employee discount. Dream job! read more

I don't know much about home repair or construction, but Patrick helped me out earlier this week with finding the right tools for some gardening and plumbing projects I've been working on. Also, gave me good tips and offered advice on how to tackle these projects to get them right. Appreciate the extra time taken to help me out!! read more

Despite "Checking-in" once recently, Brownie's Hardware on Sacramento/Polk and Cole's Hardware are my favorite hardware stores in Russian Hill. But Cole's is located in the quiet part of Polk Street. A cleaner hardware store of the two is bigger with a wide selection of everything you need for your crib. The house ware selection is nice and some quality too. You need a carafe for your Mr. Coffee, a knob for your oven, Oxo: Good Grip products, or a simple broom or mop, they have them all at competitive prices. I was just here to buy a caulking gun and plaster for my tiles in my bathroom (Too much dancing in my shower room). The skilled staff knows what I need and recommend the item(s) for any work or project. Even if you are not in the same league as Tim Allen or Richard Karn! If you "Check-in", get $5.00 off any $25.00 purchase! You need that helpful deal because house ware needs are pricey. read more

Generally this is my neighborhood, "go to" store but the guy in the paint department this morning was gruff and bossy. I've shopped there for nearly 20 years and have rarely been so roughly treated. I was lectured about needing to buy a much larger can of paint than I wanted or needed to match a sample of paint recently purchased there. "My manger, who signs my paycheck, tells me what to do." I tell you this, I'm the customer & I'll tell you this Mr. Manager, I am done with your store. Got it? read more

Cole Hardware has to be the cutest hardware store in town. It's the only hardware store where I wind up making an impulse buy on an apron with matching oven mitts just because they're stylish. Plus they always have multi-colored balloons on the trees outside and free bags of popcorn so I feel like I'm at the circus when I replace my Brita water filter and vacuum bags. read more

I love neighborhood hardware stores, and Cole Hardware is yet another institution that doesn't disappoint. It's places like this that take you back to a time when life was simple. When you updated your status by way of picking up your rotary telephone, not with Twitter or Facebook. Computers were things that aliens used, and unprotected sex was the only way to ride, since wiener transmitted diseases had yet to really materialize into a widespread sexual pandemic. When your grandpappy had a busted pipe, he came to Cole Hardware and was addressed by name as he swooped up supplies and paid with buffalo nickels. By the looks of things, nothing much has changed in Y2K(10)... except, of course, the measures of currency. Unlike a Home Depot or Lowes, you'll find items that make a house a home. The nuts and bolts to secure a solid foundation, as well as accoutrements like glassware and towels, even stretching to sporting goods like basketballs and frisbees. Just the bare essentials to bring a better quality of life into your home (or more accurately, your extremely overpriced studio apartment.) The staff is always super friendly, and even the most elementary of questions/concerns is answered with a smile. It's not the most inexpensive of household stores, but for an experience that mirrors customer service of yesteryear, you can't go wrong. read more

You guys rock. Hard like dancing bananas. for the last four months, my friend Heather has been strapped in overalls, overhauling her little victorian apartment. 2 bedrooms, one living room and one enormous kitchen with a clawfoot tub. I drop in now and then to help the poor darling out when she doesn't return my phone calls. This weekend, she had painted it Missle Pop Orange. Wait, just a week ago she was goin for sage green? Cole Hardware has been there for her every step of the way. Yesterday her friend and I kidnapped her to get out of the house and convinced her to stick to the KISS theory (Keep it simple stupid). As they mixed the New Linen mixture ( I hate paint color names) I brushed up accidentally against the paint mixer in my new white sweater, with BLACK paint! :) The general manager called me this AM and offered to reinburse me for cleaning it or for the cost of the sweater. But I told her no matter, because her paint guy Russ was on top of it and told me exactly what to do to fix said sweater. So last night I followed his instructions and it came out in the wash with Zout and Cold Water. We also go the new linen color up onto the ceiling and it matched perfectly with the walls. Yay! No more sticky missle pop ceiling! Let's see what round 10 for painting in Russian Hill has in store for me tonight! read more

Cole Hardware is kind of evil. It has these unexpected cool aisles with temptation at every turn. Need a teapot? Need a plant? Need a blender? Need a chrome toothbrush holder? No. But, yes, I suppose I do. read more

Hey there...I need a stack of washers to help fill the gap on this door knob here. What? You can cut it down for me for $3? Sweet! How about a bunch of rubber bands to fix this thingamabob? Oh wait, you have a 25 cent rubber gasket that'll fit perfect? Dude!! Keys? Cutting board? Compost bin? Dish soap? Aisles 1, 3, 4 and 6. The crew at Cole Hardware have helped me out more times than I care to admit, always with a smile on their faces and a treat for my dog. Plus I usually walk out spending way less than I planned. Sounds like a win win to me! read more

Tl;dr version: Has all the hardware you need to build or maintain a house with amazingly friendly customer service --- "Do any of yoos...know why I called this meeting?" you ask to the upper echelon of the powerful San Francisco based crime syndicate you run. They all slowly shake their heads from side to side, eyes obediently pegged to you. "F@#$%^ng mutts," you think to yourself. Gently place the gold-plated, jewel encrusted Desert Eagle .45 you had won from Dollar Bill in an all-night game of poker in the Outer Sunset five years ago on the table. http://bit.ly/16Xd23U Give it a spin. "Gentlemen," you say, while the pistol is spinning and you are pausing to take a drag of your 1959 Ramon Allones Tubos cigar, another item of cherish that you took from Dollar Bill on that fateful night. "It looks like we have a rat." "It wasn't me Capo, I swear it wasn't!" Espresso Joey bursts out screaming, jumping out of his seat, fanatical. "I didn't tell those pigs nothing, nothing I swear to you!" You were talking about the mouse you saw earlier in the kitchen but you decide to see where this goes. "He who smelt it dealt it," you muse to yourself, quoting your favorite Greek philosopher, Aristotle. "That's interesting my boy," you say. "So you have been talking to the cops then?" "Ok Don Cheeto, I talked to them once...maybe twice! They came after me, I swear! I aignt say nothing though. I told them to go jump in a pile of slop, those f@#$%ng pigs!" "Ok Joey, I believe you, calm down," you tell him. "Let's shake on it, make everything all right." When he extends his right hand in an act of forgiveness clench it and put your cigar out in the middle of his palm. Hold it there regardless of how loud he is screaming, until the fire is completely suffocated; flesh scorched. Beckon Crocodile Craig to come near. "Crocodile Craig," you pronounce in an upbeat tone. "Now Crocodile Craig, what happens to snitches?" "They get stiches, boss," he says sheepishly, lowering his head sadly. You would think that at 6'3'' and roughly 250lbs of solid muscle, Crocodile Craig would be able to be a bit more intimidating. You know he's not the brightest of the bunch, but still, it annoys you. "Go pet a f@#$%ng rabbit why don't you Lenny!" you angrily quip to yourself. Since you've only been the head of a mafia family for the past two weeks, you're still trying to get accustomed to all of the inside gangster lingo. You silently curse yourself for never having seen a single Godfather movie. "Crocodile Craig, put Joey in sea-man boots and make him sing with the fishes!" you announce. You're pretty sure those are things that happen in these situations. Crocodile Craig shrugs his shoulders and proceeds to hit Joey on the top of the head with a hammer, killing him. It's at this point that you realize that the fantasy role playing board game you were playing with your roommates, "Mafia & Mayhem" (a rules-heavy board game system blatantly ripped off of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons), has spiraled wildly out of control. As the Capo (aka dungeon master), you take full responsibility for your roommates death. Since you've never really cared much for Joey, put his body next to the trash cans in the kitchen and dump it later. You've got bigger problems then that right now. There's an actual rat (mouse) in your house! Go to Cole Hardware! "Fact is stranger than fiction," you mutter to yourself, quoting Bob Dylan and reflecting on how the duality of a real and made up rat led to your roommates untimely death, as you search vigorously through the wide variety of pest, varmint, and gremlin repellents they offer. You marvel at the infinite selection of any tool or piece of material you could ever need to either create or build a house. The customer service is unmatched, you note. Crocodile Craig reaches for a box of sticky traps. "Too easy," you whisper as you swat his hand away. "I need to set an example," you continue. That's when you see the selection of steam irons they carry... read more

I am such a hater. Maybe I'm just cheap. :x All the employees at Cole Hardware are super nice and helpful. Too bad prices are so dang high. I bought a 2-step ladder for $35. The next day, I went to Walmart and saw the exact same thing for $17. How's that price difference for ya? Yeah, I'm just cheap. read more

After harrowing, HARROWING, experiences in the middle of the night at Home Depot when I lived in L.A. in a "garage loft" with bad plumbing, words cannot begin to express how dear a non-chain and essential hardware store such as Cole Hardware is to me. Beyond the regular albeit occasional hardware needs that I've gotten from Cole, I've also gotten components of my Halloween costume as well as our ginormous 9.5 foot non-denominational winter holiday tree (for a mere $39, mind you!). The staff is always friendly, cool, and helpful. A neighborhood staple. read more

When I bought my Hitchcock shower curtain (see original review below) I was really hoping it would never actually come in handy. This past week though, it did! My landlord walked in on me while I was in the shower*. Because I saw him first, I was startled and shrieked. It wasn't embarrassing though because the Hitchcock curtain protected my modesty. I can only imagine the absolute terror I would have felt if I had not see him first, and he pulled back the curtain a la Psycho. *He was there to fix a leak from the bathroom above mine. read more

Crammed to the ceiling, they have most things you'll need. Plenty of employees around to help you if you can't find it, or, in my case, can't reach it. Prices are very fair and it's a great neighborhood store I'm happy to frequent. And the always-changing, cute and quirky window displays? Five stars for sure. Oh, and open til 8 pm? Definitely a bonus. read more

This is the story of the time my brother and I decided to buy his roommate a Christmas tree. I met up with my brother for brunch one Sunday morning (noon). After our meal, I asked him what his plans for the day were. He said "I want to get my roommate a Christmas tree. A real one." I said I knew Whole Foods had them, and since we were 5 blocks away, it'd be no problem. We went to Whole Foods- Sold out. Now what? "Wait.. I think I remember a Christmas tree lot somewhere on Van Ness.. But google it on your iphone," said my brother. "How far down Van Ness? There is a lot in Fort Mason- 1.5 miles away...." I said. "Well... I'll walk if you will," he said. So we walked. Sometime thereafter, we came across a tree lot that was, yes, on Van Ness. We picked out a tree (which looked a little dead) and went to pay. "Sorry- cash only." Cash only for an 85 dollar tree... umm.. yeah. Or they take checks. "Sorry, no checks from non-SF residents. (I'm from the TL, lady!) "There is an ATM up the street." So my brother and I, instead of taking the $4 in ATM fees, went to the closest Walgreens to get cash back. (Max of $40. So we did 3 transactions.) As we were walking down Polk, complaining about everything, we saw Christmas trees. Hallucination? NO. MAGIC. We got Nick, who works there, outside and asked him the price for a 7 footer. $49.95. ARE YOU KIDDING? "No." And Nick, let me just ask you.. um, do you guys take credit card? "Yeah." It was a Christmas miracle! Thank you, God. THE BEST PART? 25 cent popcorn inside the store. Carrying the tree back home 20 blocks was all kinds of awful, but this hardware store was all kinds of amazing. Bless you, Cole Hardware for all that you are. read more

I can't say enough good things about the staff at Cole Hardware -- they're incredibly helpful, courteous and sincere, and it's a pleasure to shop there. Prices are reasonable based on their location, and the difference between the prices at the chain home stores and Cole are insignificant enough to make it cheaper to shop there than to drive to Colma and save a few pennies. In addition to being knowledgeable about their own stock and products, they are a trove of ideas and solutions for small and big challenges. Beyond repairs and maintenance, they should be a top resource for Hill Dwellers for all manner of shopping needs. read more

Rude staff would not let me into the store 7 minutes before closing time. They were all standing in front and I realize they were ready to go, but the store was supposed to be open and I just neded one thing that would take a few mins. Gives all of Cole Hardware a bad name and I have prevously spent thousands of dollars at Coles. No more. read more

So, the weather today was buck (I don't really know what that means, but Lil C says that all the time on "So You Think You Can Dance") and we were remiss at having a grill at the home slice. We thought we'd have to drive down to Home Depot or Lowe's in Suburbia, but no, Cole Hardware had the awesome $32 mini Weber BBQer, and the people there were fast, knowledgeable and nice. (There was also this little old man who came in and was muttering to himself in Chinese who reminded me so much of my family members; I was that much more at home.) End result: the fiyance and I were able to grill lamb chops and zucchini on the sidewalk in front of our building with real charcoal (and no one called the po po--w00t!). There's no place like home, there's no place like home. Plus, we were able to cook and eat at home, leaving me well-rested enough tomorrow to get out to Pride early and dance my ass off in celebration, respect, and gratitude. Thank you Cole Hardware. read more

Dear Cole Hardware store, You always have what I need. And I need a lot of different things. How do you do it? For example: - The perfect paint color, mixed right there as I wait. - Helpful staff with great advice, to tell me which utility knife I need to buy in order to cut through acrylic. ("You don't need the expensive one-- save yourself some money and get this one.") - A huge variety of services, like key cutting in seconds and glass cutting or contractor recs. - A coffee grinder. What's that, Cole Hardware? You have four models from which to choose? - Plus dresser and cabinet pulls, fun trinkets, garden tools, power tools, office supplies, bathroom supplies, plants, a massive selection of Sigg water bottles, a frequent buyer program, "friends and family" 20% off evenings, a cute neighborhood newsletter, and about a million other fun things to see. Sometimes I go in just to wander your aisles, and stare at your products. How do you fit it all in to one tiny, cute store? You will forever be my hardware store, for as long as I live near you. Love, Lauren read more

I was so impressed!!! I was helped by three different staff members who knew exactly what I needed. I was looking for clear caulk and asked one of the sales person - unfortunately I picked up the white one - at checkout the same sales person noticed I had picked the white one and checked if that is really what I wanted - how nice of them :) She called out to another sales person to help me find the right thing - he told me I needed a caulk gun but asked me what I needed it for - anyway in the end I ended up with a cheaper, easier to use and correct product. In addition, I have always been curious about the space bags and I asked if those things work - she honestly told me that they do for a about six to eight months and sometimes they tend to leak. I bought it anyway since I store comforters etc for less than that time. Oh yeah and they made three copies of the keys in under 2 minutes ;) read more

This place has made my apartment so much nicer. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and they remember me. I love that, then again I live there so I can see why. It's the cleanest hardware store in town and they always have what I'm looking for. The only negatives I would mention is they could have a better plant selection and the prices aren't that cheap on certain items. In the end though the positive out weigh the bad. I have been to the other Cole locations but I'm partial to this one. Plus it's only 2 blocks away from me. read more

I go into this store because of everything they carry however, the staff are hardly ever smiling, more then unfriendly, and the opposite of everything a customer service person should be. As I said, I like the store, but don't enjoy interacting or asking questions to any of their staff. They put me in a bad mood. read more

We happened to drive past this hardware store and saw that they had plants outside. At the time we were looking for nice pots for the plants in our apartment so we stopped in. Not only did we leave with some great pots, but we also found several other items we needed as well. We couldn't find prices on the pots, but a woman who worked there was super friendly and helped us out. We also noticed on the way out that they make keys, which is something we need, so I'm sure we will be back in the next few days. read more

Who knew I could get toilet paper AND a hair dryer from a hardware store. I love this place. The staff is super friendly, the selections awesome and the St. Patrick's discount fabulous! Seriously, I was amazed at all of the great things they had in stock. read more

I had no idea how to go about completing the little projects around the house that I had in mind but not only did Cole have everything that I needed, but they also gave me some great tips about how to do it better and cheaper! As soon as I walked in, a really friendly, knowledgeable guy asked if I needed help with anything. I told him what I was trying to do and within 30 seconds he was giving me a few different options as to how to approach the task based on my budget, level of know-how (low, in case you were wondering), etc. The prices were on par with what I was used to paying back home at Lowe's and other big chains and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I don't always have to buy home improvement materials, but when I do, I buy them at Cole... read more

I've been here many times since my last review, and the experience is always positive. Some highlights; - They helped me pick out and prepare paint. The man was able to answer all of my paint related questions and clearly knows his stuff. - They had the ladybugs I needed for my plants. - They have a wide variety of mason jars. read more

I'm from the South, where you kind of just drive to Lowe's for your hardware needs, because it's usually the closest option. Cole Hardware is the kind of sweet little store that SHOULD exist in any small Southern town. It has an awesome corner store feel, stocks all of your basic hardware needs including electric and plumbing, and someone is always happy to help. They have really great homecare lines like Caldrea, too. I've started going here vs. Walgreens for stuff like Rit fabric dye - if it goes in your home, they probably have it. Stuff isn't generally super cheap, but tools and hardware stuff is on par with what you'd find at a big box store, and customer service is a jillion times better. Parking can be kind of a bummer, since it's on upper Polk, but you can generally find something, especially after work. read more

This is a great neighborhood hardware store. They're one of the few places I've found that sells BioBags on sale sometimes, which is great. Also, I've had really good luck with the housepaint section and the color mixing. They have little membership card keychains too, so I will never lose mine! Sign up for their membership club for coupons. read more