Stopped by this place today to pick up some red worms to compost with; turns out this location doesn't have them (try their location on Mission) but they DID have a ton of cool stuff packed into two well-organized floors. Other than the usual hardware store stuff, they have all these mock-vintage tin signs featuring advertisements from back in the day; unique, vintage-looking light bulbs; and home-canning supplies. I enjoyed looking around. However, the most exciting part of my visit was what was going on outside with my bike. I came out with my small purchase and there was this crazy dude who had taken the rear wheel off my bike and was sitting on the curb laughing and cussing and wearing my helmet. Now, I didn't think I was stupid--I lock my bike up tightly when I'm in less populated areas, when it's getting dark, etc. but I did not think that someone would try to steal my bike or parts of it in the middle of the day with thousands of people walking around. Which, I guess he didn't actually steal anything. He was just sitting there wearing my helmet, laughing with my pathetic dismantled bike next to him. I walked over and he handed me my helmet, wheel, and my quick-release skewer and I put my bike back together. He just sat there laughing the whole time. I felt kind bad for myself and for him, but I thought it was a good way to learn my lesson. So, I guess if you ride your bike downtown, lock up the whole thing! read more

I would give them 5 stars just for their newsletter. It makes us so happy! My SO gets so mad if I accidently put their monthly flyer in the recycling before he's had a chance to look at it. I could wander around this tiny place for a hour easily and their window displays are genius. read more

Shopping sucks. Most stores are an exhausting, bewildering combination of understaffed and over-expansive that just make me want to go home and do everything online. Cole Fox is probably the only store I get excited about going to, in an exultant Sound of Music-style song-and-dance way. There's a reason Weird Al wrote a song about hardware stores. They're wonderful. Sure, it's pricey; if you need a very specific higher-end item you're likely to save money online. When you're not sure what you need or you just want to have a fun time getting it, support local business and go to Cole Fox. read more

I love this place! I feel like I'm in here every other day. The people are kinda funky in personality but they're helpful. I buy almost EVERYTHING here, from house key copies to house paint to insect spray. They have almost anything you can think of for your home and I recently even got money back from them by using the Cole fox member card, pretty sweet huh? Totally recommend. read more

This hardware store is really conveniently located in SOMA, and they have everything - like a mini Home Depot with tons of employees. I always see people getting helped from the hardware store employees, though I've never had to get help personally. I'm an office manager and have to get keys duplicated often, and I always go to the back of the store to get keys made. They can do it cheaply and quickly, and I can usually be in and out in just a few minutes. The store has a really small local feel - great selection and service. read more

What a great little hardware store, and actually not that "little" when it comes to inventory. This is unfortunately a dying breed of store in American cities. The staff is very friendly and helpful, no pointing or isle-referencing here (oh right, there really aren't any isles). The big drawback is of course parking, and that may be the reason that these kind if stores really don't fit in a busy city. read more

Cole Hardware - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

This store has everything you can possibly need! The staff are all very happy and engaging. If I'm alone or with my husband, the staff is always eager to help me out and make me laugh. I had a problem with some light bulbs and they gave me no troubles at all with making it right :) great neighborhood store. read more

I used to love this place, until they sold me glue sticks that are the wrong size for the glue gun I also purchased. I even asked if there was a universal size. Warning: this review may be unduly influenced by the lack of sleep, since the yelper had to painstakingly melt the glue stick, one dime size at a time. read more

This place packs more useful stuff and more knowledgeable people per square inch than a black hole comprised of duct tape, swiss army knives and members of Mensa. I've been there for all sorts of bric-a-brak while getting settled in my new loft. They've always had what I needed and they're prices are entirely reasonable. Shocking for a shop right in the middle of downtown. Absolutely stoked to have them in the neighborhood. read more

This small store really packs a punch. Its amazing to me that they always seem to have what I want (in stock). They have super strength magnets that are perfect for hiding cache's. Come on cacher's, you know who you are. They also have rope lights, key cutting services, and all the other random things you might expect to find at a hardware store. Two floors. Friendly and helpful staff. Check your backpack at the door. Good luck with parking...I walk. read more

Simply put: popcorn machine, friendly employees who help you with any questions you may have, and has everything you need to fix your home if you just moved to the city. Cole-Fox Hardware gets the job done. read more

I was walking to Target and remembered I needed to get some picture frame hooks and decided to hop in here while I walked by. I'm so glad I did! This place has great stuff and the prices were very similar to Target. I ended up getting a cute retro clock that I had seen online at another retailer and also some cute housewares stuff. I found myself walking all the aisles downstairs just to see what cool stuff they had. The staff was super friendly too- don't be afraid to ask for help- they have a lot of stuff and it can be overwhelming. read more

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For most city-dwellers this is all you need. I just walked in, asked the first person I saw for Teflon tape, and he pointed me downstairs, turn left, 3rd aisle, 3rd shelf on left. Easy. I walk downstairs, and the lady at the bottom says "teflon tape? that way" (points). I walk down the aisle she pointed, and this 3rd dude pops up and says "what type of teflon tape, gas, hvac, water?" and to that i respond "damn, you guys are good." I get the $1.49 roll that I'm looking for, and go up and pay. I'm still amazed, that really if all businesses treated their customers with this type of fast service, then this world would be insanely awesome. Props to you guys. read more

My favorite hardware store in the city. My happiness rivals that of children in candy shops. Every employee I have ever interacted with here has been cheerful, useful, and efficient. The layout is orderly and it's easy to find things. And there are so many things to find! They have a wide selection of cute housewarming gifts / stocking stuffers / etc in addition to the standard essentials. They have a rewards program, regular sales, and great discounts on products that are already reasonably priced. (Sometimes cheaper than Target, and certainly cheaper than Castro Ace.) The front window always has the most fantastic displays. Merch stacked to the ceiling, it's delightful in here. It even smells okay. I would go out of my way to come here, but I don't even have to, given it is centrally located to major public transit lines. Truly wonderful from the outside in. read more

This is a great hardware store for getting supplies for small projects. They have a decent selection of stuff that you can use to fix stuff around the business or in your house. The selection and prices are probably not as good as HD, but then you don't have to drive to Colma and spend your whole afternoon to just get a couple screws, lightbulbs, or toilet repair kit. read more

What is a girl to do when multiple lightbulbs burn out in the house and they don't look like your regular lightbulbs? Easy. Take the old ones to Cole-Fox Hardware, give it to the awesome staff, and within two minutes they will find the replacements and send you on your way. I've yet to fail in finding anything I needed at this store. It's a little confusing to navigate, since they cram so much stuff into a small store, but their employees are phenomenal at finding you exactly what you need. read more

Generally I love Cole-Fox Hardware and I will go to them every chance I can get. It's so nice to have a local hardware store, and their window displays are always inspired. Unfortunately, they wouldn't copy my Lexus key to an authentic key blank that I brought along (assuming that they probably wouldn't have that key's style). Sounded like he was worried his cut wouldn't work, he said he couldn't guarantee his work and that he only uses his own key blanks. I assured him I'd be happy if he just gave it a try, but he wouldn't do it. So, I still love Cole-Fox, but just a little bit less. I want to make sure other people know that they won't copy some keys, so they don't waste the same time I did today. UPDATED Jan 5 2010: Okay, I went back there today to get a regular house key copied and they were super fast and cheap. Gotta love that. read more

Great customer service! Attentive and friendly. Went in with a dead garage door opener. The gentleman opened it up and put batteries in for me. Out of towner new to San Francisco and they showed great hospitality and service. read more

So earlier this week I was building a mount to put my chair on a treadmill. I went to a few hardware stores in SF, but everyone kind of balked at my requests (which really weren't that outlandish - cutting some wood for me isn't that hard). I went to Cole-Fox, and Andrew helped me. He was amazing - so unbelievably helpful. He spent maybe 40 minutes helping me pick out all the things I needed, and cut my wood and iron bars down to size for me. Very glad this store exists. Thank you guys, and thanks Andrew! read more

Legit old school hardware store with relevant stock and knowledgeable associates. Couldn't ask for more.

Lol... never underestimate the power of an urban hardware store. This place is a maze, a true testament to maximizing the less space more use challenge. Puts regular F.A.R boring suburban ratios to shame. If you can't find something of course there's the internet deliver to store option. Only problem would be parking. That's life read more

Absolutely incredible customer service every time. A team member is always ready to help, whether it be finding items in the store or deciding which product to select. Yesterday, I came in needing an Alan wrench to fix my bike. I didn't know which size I would need, so the team member went out to look at my bike and test different wrenches to ensure I got the right one. I really appreciated the time he took to help me out - I will definitely continue shopping here. read more

This place has been really good to me for a few reasons. 1. The workers are super friendly and knowledgeable and give you honest answers (or they find someone who knows the answer instead of b.s.-ing something). 2. Since I'm an artist, my aesthetic priorities sometimes out weigh picking hardware that's sensible or functional. The people here help me strategize multiple options--even if they give me a little bit of a hard time about my obscure demands. Recently they saved the day when I had to make some last-minute changes for a gallery installation. 3. The location is great for me since I commute b/w Oakland and SF without a car. Location might be a downer for some if you have to fight for a meter. --only complaint might be that it's always tightly packed w/ stuff and people. The congestion at Cole Fox kind of gets me pumped to do whatever project I'm planning. It's not the leisurely stroll one can have in Home Depot. read more

They are the best! We needed a POWERFUL floor fan real snappy, as the one we used before was no more available. People would be coming in in a couple of hours. Amidst preparations we had about 30 min to find the fan and buy it. Many stores were already closed, and the guy at the Cole street store was too busy to tell me over the phone if they had the product. The friendly lady at Cole-Fox answered the phone at second ring, checked the inventory while I waited on the phone, and promptly helped my husband when he walked in to buy the product. In addition to shopping for nails for some leisurely hammering, I've had keys made here, selected a Swiss army knife from an extensive inventory, shopped for a tool bag, and generally marveled at the bounty of "Oh, I could do that, too!" AND their window displays are the best. read more

My favorite hardware store! Everyone here knows their stuff, and they carry a bunch of cool little odds and ends items that you never knew existed. My pet peeve, however, is how customers cannot seem to figure out where the line starts. Here a tip: look for signage on the floor that's says "Line Starts Here". Then, follow the arrow. The black mark where the arrow ends, is where the line begins. There's a reason why we are taught to read at a young age...use it! I wish they had more Cole Fox around the Bay Area, especially in the east bay. Very well run. Keep up the good work. read more

Had to stop in for some hardware to hang a TV for a friend. I bought that along with a nut driver and a masonry drill bit. The staff was super helpful and they knew there stuff! The cashier was sweet and friendly. Overall I had a great experience! I was in a rush and I didn't get a chance to really shop the place and see everything that they have but from what I saw they carry a big assortment of everything from home repair to home goods. Fairly priced. Local gem. Good stuff! read more

Great customer service, friendly people. Made a copy of my keys; in and out in less than 10 minutes. Follow the key sign al the way to the back of the store. read more

My favorite hardware store of all time! They got me through mounting wall sconces and bookshelves into concrete walls ! Everyone is always super friendly and doesn't try to upsell anything. They also have happy hour some Wednesday's where you get $10 off $25.....! How do they make money?? Come here if you aren't a contractor and don't need a box of 75 concrete screws! You can buy them in singles and they've never steered me wrong. I feel like the ultimate diy-er here!! Stay on 4th forever!! read more

I'm just going to have to pile on the five-star ratings. I always leave here feeling like the thing that I thought was the "big problem" and was afraid of tacking at home was nothing more than some expert advice away, thanks so much to the crew here at Cole-Fox. They are just the best people around and always remind me that in this AMZN (jet.com) world we live in, this experience will never be matched. No diss on getting info and hardware online, but man, these people make it so real, so human, and most importantly, make it all appear so easy to do. They have become my de facto first stop for any at-home job. Thank you Cole-Fox, for being awesome. read more

So glad I didn't buy this on Amazon. Support your local businesses! Mark was super helpful and steered me towards a better solution than what I would have pursued without his help. Thanks, guys! read more

Amazing service. Even during Covid, the staff are all very professional and helpful. The store layout is safe for distancing. I want to say major THANK YOU to Chris. He assisted me and my partner with questions about building a shelf just minutes ago. He respectfully offered his recommendations and was extremely patient! We left feeling very confident that we can do this project. read more

Been coming to this location for 10 years. Love their level of knowledge and professionalism. As an example Spencer was very helpful in cutting a pair of heavy duty wire cables I'd purchased earlier and gave me tips on how to deal with shredded cable ends. Thank you Spencer! read more

Sometimes, journeying out and into the Cole-Fox Hardware store downtown is like a secret journey into Disneyland. There's always something new & exciting to discover. And if you mosey-around, you'll find their freshly-popped popcorn...such a deal! Of course, it's good to have a shopping list with you. At least it is for me. There's just way too much stuff for a guy to get lost in. And it all just harkens for one to realize Spring Cleaning is a wee bit more than just a rag, a bucket and a mop -- there's a nest of hidden projects for the stalwart, honest individual. And if need be, the courteous staff will suggest a few easy ones for you to enjoy. Fox Hardware 2works for me...! read more