Superb customer service. It's like a neighborhood corner hardware store, but in the heart of downtown SF. They always have what I need and remember me by face. read more

Taylor!! Who currently has blonde hair and usually has multi colored hair. This is an emotionally intelligent sales clerk. Because I'm coming out of the fog I now remember her being very sweet when my husband died and I started re-decorating four years ago she's been consistently sweet compassionate etc. etc. all the positive attributes you could give a clerk. Cole Hardware needs more of her. She was her usual helpful self tonight at the Ladies Happy Hour where I bought some spray adhesive for my never ending condo redecoration some paint apparatus etc.. I apologize for not mentioning her before because she is a real gem. PS Afterwards I went a few yards shopping to the fabulous subterranean Trader Joe's on 4th with my pink Cole Hardware bucket and everyone was jealous of the bucket. Hey Rick, you owe me for being a positive PR person for you:) read more

So many goodies, densely packed into this store. You can find pretty much a little bit of everything: friendly staff, small project materials, paint/chips, housewares, toys, tools, tapes & adhesives, gardening supplies, etc. Only thing you won't find are large-scale project supplies (like lumber). Close to BART (and my office) so anything I can carry out of there is easy to get home. Open later than most hardware stores so I don't have to worry about leaving work early to get in before they close. I also appreciate the whimsical window displays-- they're clever and use items found in the store. I only wish they had another location further south in the city so I could visit on the weekends-- sometimes I don't have time or energy to stop by on my way out of work, and it's hard to get me to come back downtown (especially with a car) if I don't have to. That's what made the Bernal location perfect, but since it burned down I'm afraid I've been exploring other hardware stores around Daly City, Dogpatch, Excelsior, etc... read more

50 year old Union Square museum of a hardware store.   Somehow i past by this place hundreds of times on 4th and mission until finally having the need for keys. Felt like going back in time.   Multi floor hardware store with lots of friendly staff and every hardware supply imagined.   Uplifting trance music playing to keep the vibe good, then mixed in some Dave Brubeck Jazz, classy.  Clean, organized but full of options.   Five stars and beyond. read more

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

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This place is bigger than I thought and have good prices for being in a central location. If you want to save time shopping you really have to ask the staff what you looking for otherwise you might be there a while since they have a huge inventory. The area around the store can be sketchy so use caution. Overall decent experience. read more

I never would have expected to write a Yelp review for a hardware store, but after going here I had to. This store has it all. Literally everything you need that is remotely related to home improvement, or repairs, or just maintenance, they have. The store is huge and to help you find what you need, they have colored strip lights which lead you to the department you're looking for (haha) However, aside from their inventory, the absolute best thing about this store is the outstanding customer service. Every employee is so helpful and they know what they're taking about. Any hardware related problem you have will be very well answered. The employees are also incredibly kind and fun to talk to. Even the cashier was great throwing in little limericks like "congratulations! You have been approved!" when my credit card was approved. The people here are so pleasant and the inventory is great. Before going to Target, if you aren't looking for clothes or food, stop in Cole's hardware for better service and even a better price. read more

Staff is a hit or miss over here. Sometimes the store gets so busy that it almost seems like everyone is avoiding you. The paint department people are nice at least. They take the time to get you your sample tubs & the key department guy is nice as well. The cashiers in the front are the hit or miss part. Sometimes they are attentive and sometimes they look like they're ready for a drink. read more

I was only in the shop for about 5 minutes for a padlock and to copy a set of keys and Renato was a delight. He was super friendly, got me a $1.16 discount (every $ counts here in the Bay!) and just seemed like a cool dude all around. Thanks a ton! I'll be back! read more

Oscar made me 3 copies of an oddly shaped mail key in no time at all! $8 total. 5 minutes in and out the door, so easy. Come to think of it, I've been to this place a bunch of times to pick up random hardware goodies throughout the years and they never disappoint. read more

Nice, little hardware store in downtown San Francisco near the Montgomery station. We went here to look for some tools but didn't find what we were looking for. Although, they had some really cool stuff here. I wish the employees were more helpful because they just looked at us and didn't initiate a conversation as if we knew where everything was. read more

Still love fabulous Cole. Finally made it to their Wed. night "happy hour," which occurs periodically (4p-8p). 20% off all purchases! Totally awesome, & a chance to stock up on household items (again, very helpful staff answering questions & helping locate items). I forgot to mention last review~ they have a sweet "birthday discount" deal: If you happen to be in town on your birthday, go to Cole for purchases, & they give you a discount of percent-which-is-half-your-age (ie~ if you're 36, you get 18% off; if you're 100, you get 50% off). And... they usually have artistic witty creatively themed window displays, using hardware/household items in artsy entrancing ways. read more

The only true hardware store I know of in this entire area of the city. This is a hardware store for people who don't like traditional hardware stores, as well as hardware store addicts. A kid could go in here and just play with the bright shiny objects all day. Even if the kid is 28. You have to go in here just to check out how many random items they have packed into this small space - its amazing and definitely took some slightly twisted but intelligent minds to pull off. Nice. If you live in an apartment or condo anywhere in the downtown area, this should be on your radar. They have everything you need to make minor repairs for all the minute things that come in owning or renting a unit. I appreciate the random but cool hand-picked items and displays they put together in this store. For example, at the moment they've got this great display of all the silver items they have in the store, everything from unique teapots you wouldn't expect to be available in a hardware store to silver magazine holders. There is something in this store that you need. Tip: This place makes keys, and they have a better selection of keys than some locksmith shops I've been to. I just visited Cole-Fox today, and they are making chip keys also. read more

As Mae West used to say: a hard(ware) man is good to find. my gay husbin brought his power tools over to my office to screw in my antique wall rack. yes that might be interpreted otherwise, but no, we j'adore together, but we j'whore separately. However, we do help each other on our various projects of industry. So when I needed my coat rack installed, I called my favorite cute bff driller to molly-screw it to the wall. I figured we'd go out for cafe and pomme fritte and then drill my rack (that sounds better and better). What we didn't count on was that although antique wooden decor can be beautiful, antique eye hooks apparently equal non-function :( so off to the nearest hook n screw mall aka your mother no no we went to Cole-Fox Hardware and first asked about the needed eye hooks and then after viewing the answer man, a very handsome young man decided we had more questions. I decided I needed sandpaper to rub the shine off the young m i mean the screws. He recommended the finest grade sandpaper. o my we hung my coat rack high. seriously though, the people here are quite helpful, the store offers a free membership card that will get you a regular discount on purchases, and they have almost anything hardwareish you can think of in stock and ready to warehard. And yes, beyond my entendre laden (laiden?) version, the young man who helped us really did know exactly where items are in the store, precisely what to use to burnish an overly chromed metal screw so it wouldn't stand out on antique wood like Britney Spears at a Mensa meeting. not that she wouldn't be a popular shiny screw. i love the britbrit. but enough blonde excursus. on with the helpful hardware verses. Tomorrow I will have more questions about hardware. or screws. or maybe ropes. I'm getting more clueless by the minute, practically hardware-impaired. as the wise West also said: A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up. read more

Everything you would expect in a hardware store. Many years ago I had a very nice pocket screwdriver, which I have begun to miss lately. On the way to work one morning, I took a little side trip through the Cole-Fox door, hoping to find such a screwdriver in stock. The clerk immediately led me to a cabinet with dozens of screwdrivers, and pointed me toward the bargain Chinese steel toothpicks, about 6 for $3.00. Who is buying this junk, and why is it locked up? After I managed to break away from the clerk's patter, I saw the screwdriver I was looking for, about one foot away from the cheapo sales specials. I bought a nice tweaker for $3.79, and I know it will last me a lifetime. They lock up absolutely everything here, but they have a full inventory. read more

The cutest window displays EVER! So, during the Great Bay Area Heat Wave of 2006, (and when I say heat wave, i mean 85 degrees HAHA) yes, during last year's "heat wave" it seemed like the ENTIRE Bay Area was sold out of fans. Turns out that I wasn't the only without air conditioning. I called every single home depot and lowe's hardware on my way home... They were nowhere to be found. I should have checked Cole Hardware (which is right next to the office) cause they were there... AND i had a selection! AND they were very reasonably priced! Believe me when I say... They have what you need. Nothing you don't. Ok, maybe you should call first. But they should have whatever you're looking for! Check out their window displays when you visit, it looks like they spend a lot of time on them :) read more

I had stopped at Lowe's somewhere south of the city trying to find a place that cold duplicate a set of keys for me. Drove my car all the way there (inconvenient), took my keys in - got them duplicated. Get all the way to the Mission District only to find out that they keys were a total flop (no good whatsoever). I was a bit worried about trying to find a place to duplicate keys - in a rush - on a Sunday - in the city. But Cole-Fox Hardware had my back. They were quick, helpful, and they keys WORKED. Would definitely return here for hardware needs. read more

Are you a dumbfuck renter like me who who did something stupid to your apartment that slightly damaged it? Specifically doing something you were explicitly told not to do when signing your lease? If so, this review will settle down that nausea and cure your sweaty armpits as you figure out how in the hell you are going to save your security deposit. It all started 3 years ago when I bought some hooks from Target that stick to the wall with adhesive. Landlords hate that shit, but then again, they hate everything. So I figured if it's made for a wall, it can't be bad for it, right? Wrong. So wrong. Took off the wall hook one day while redecorating, and a 2X2 inch chunk of wall decided to go with it. No worries though, I've watched about 10,000 hours of HGTV so clearly I am an expert in self home repair. So I enlist my boyfriend to patch up the wall with spackle. Which actually worked pretty well, aside from the fact that the spackle white did not match my wall white. Thanks a lot Property Brothers, so now I have to re-paint an entire wall? Or even my whole fucking room? I can't even paint my toenails. Not only that, but I have to match ONE shade of white amongst what is literally billions. I mean, I checked out paint swatches and almost screamed when I saw how many swatches there were -- how is that even possible? Who thought this was ever a good idea? Probably the same asshole who designed the first high heels. Anyways, an extremely kind associate smelled my fear and asked me more questions about why I was looking for paint. I sheepishly explained I made a hole in the wall and fixed it with spackle, but that only made another problem for me. They told me they had paint matching software that was incredibly accurate. Jesus Christ, am I in the year 2050 or are Cole-Fox associates wizards? They are fucking wizards. I don't think I ever imagined being able to spot paint a room in my lifetime without having the original paint bucket. The best part is, I only spent $40. You always hear about how expensive local shops are but this place has great deals. I even went over-kill with the things I bought (which they actually encouraged me against) and would have been fine spending half the amount of money. Either way, $40 is chump change compared to a $1000 + security deposit. Everyone was also super sweet, helpful, and honest. Never felt like someone was hiding a snicker because I didn't know what the hell they meant when they asked what my wall's sheen was. And I was never pressured to buy something stupid/useless even though I clearly wouldn't have known any better. They are the nicest wizards ever. read more

I needed a screw. No joke..that's all I needed. A screw one size bigger than it's stripped mate... I walked into Cole-Fox on my way home from work...got what I needed..and learned that this place will pretty much take care of all my hardware needs....it's well staffed..and the folks and knowledgeable and friendly. I'll be back for other delights... read more

This is now the SECOND time I've received crappy service. I'm not one to lightly jump from 5 stars to 2, but this totally calls for it. I'll save the details, to save my anonymity, but the "crew" seem to be getting more & more rude. Today I asked one for help. I said," Excuse me, please" FOUR F'ING TIMES, until I basically yelled it, & then was told to wait so that he could put an item on the shelf. Then he was just plain rude. Just. Plain. Rude. Manfred, you should be ashamed of the way you treat your customers. Hell! I'm ashamed FOR you! read more

My favorite hardware store in downtown SF. One branch of the 4 Cole Hardware neighborhood shops. It's stocked with every product u can imagine. I usually know what I want so I rarely need any help. But I always found their customer service staff to be friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The downstairs section is understaffed, so people that need help usually need to wait. You can view or download their monthly specials PDF at this link: http://colehardware.com/specials/ If u join their frequent shopper's program u can get 5% back (calculated annually, earned when u spend at least $35 per year). read more

I give them credit for location, and for having a lot of staff on-hand. Checkout has always been a breeze . . . I want to like this place, but they consistently fall short. Typical experience today where they tend not to have what I'm looking for. They stock mice and USB gender changers . . . voltage sensing wire strippers, but I need a 66-punch tool and a wire strippers. The wire strippers, (don't seem like high-theft items,) are in a locked cabinet with the crimpers and the 110-punch tool. They have 66-punch blades but no 66-punch, and like Home Depot, of course they have no jumper wire. I ask a guy who barely speaks English about a 66-punch . . . he looks around upstairs, nada . . . he carries my $16 wire strippers upstairs to the cash register for me, since the sign says . . . anything in the cabinet must be carried upstairs . . . I guess the yuppy hipster crackheads like to steal wire strippers . . . . . . out on the street, I squint at the wire strippers and note that they don't strip wires small enough for my needs. Oh well. Another underwhelming experience at the local hardware store. read more

I need to buy a little thing of pepper spray. My ass was confronted by a cracked out (serious, white mouth and shit) crazy the previous week when I was on 3rd Street and Howard leaving my photography class late at night. Luckily, 2 other guys at the bus stop surrounded me to make sure crack man didn't try to rape me or whatever. Anywho, after feeling like I needed to have something that I could use in case, god forbid, I had another encounter with cracked out crazy man, I thought I needed to at least get a can of pepper spray just in case. I had 2 more photography classes and I wasn't going to risk not having anything on me. I got downtown early on my way into work and since I had some time to kill, I figured I'd pop in here and see if they had pepper spray. I walked in and started looking through the packed aisle. I saw an employee and asked her if they carried it. She said yes and walked me to the front which is where they have it. They had I think 2 options, so I took the one that had the key chain option. She rang me up and I was on my way in less than 5 minutes! Helpful and friendly service. Plus they open at 8am in case you need to get something early in the morning like me on the way to work. It's a bit of a random spot to have a hardware store, then again it's right next to hotels and other businesses which probably have a lot of tourists and locals coming in for random stuff. The thing I love about these local hardware stores is they care just about everything and anything you might need. If you're staying in a hotel, maybe you need some random screws or ironing board. Who knows? But if Walgreens around the corner or Rite Aid down the street doesn't have it, you'll probably find it here! read more

Updating to say I just got a call and then an email from the super friendly team here. My part had arrived late, they apologized for the inconvenience and since I'm far now reimbursed me no problem. Pretty excellent customer service all around! read more

I just had a mail key copied here for $2. It was quite a problematic key and several other shops had tried and failed. But the Asian guy here was quite experienced and was able to manually file the duplicate to the right thickness. Not a simple task, it seemed. So glad I didn't have to go hunting for some crazy specialty key store outside the city! read more

Glad I found this place! I have only bought mason jars and window screens here but they store is organized and they have great sales. The sales associates are always nice and helpful! They have different sized mason jars and nice glass bottles that are twice the price at The Container Store. read more

Well I originally came here for painter's tape today at lunch, but what I left with was the stuff weird twisted nightmares where you think you are on acid are made of...and I mean that in the best way possible! So we walk up and there is a crazy looking guy in a wheel chair. He is talking to his even nuttier looking lady friend (also in a wheel chair) and what is sitting on his lap? Why, it's a cute fluffy little white dog...or so I thought. As soon as the dog turned around, it only had one eye that was light blueish white and its tongue, oh man, that tongue. It was the longest tongue I have ever seen and it was hanging out of the side of its mouth. That damn thing was almost down to the ground! We're not talkin Mister Winkle tongue here either, that is at least kind of adorable, this thing, wow, soooo incredibly wrong! It was AWESOME! I then went into the store and bought my painter's tape which seemed kinda pricey to be honest. I mean two rolls were $20.59, seems a bit steap. Oh well, we then walked back out and down to The Container Store to putz around and as we were walking back to the office, what do we see, THE TONGUE sitting on the lap of the motorized wheel chair headed straight for us. Oh man, I am still laughing. I fucking love this city! LOVE IT! Hahahaa. read more

Questions. Do CFLs work with dimmers? (yes some do) How do I use suction cups in a marble shower? (contact paper) Can you recycle my old light bulbs? (absolutely) Would you recommend LEDs? (James enthusiastically says yes) Answers. Lots of informative, helpful and friendly answers. read more

When you walk into a hardware store in a rush to get some keys cut and come out feeling better about the world, noticing birds chirping, the wind in your hair, and the blue of the sky. That is the Cole-Fox Hardware experience. It really was pleasant. The employees were so warm and friendly; I felt like I was living in a small quaint town where everyone at the local store knows who you are, and is probably going to ask about your mom. There is an adorable trail of keys painted on the floor leading you to the key cutting area in the back. I honestly wish I had more time, because they had a huge selection, ...plus I really I just wanted soak up the refreshing, neighborly vibes. read more

This is by far the best hardware store in the San Francisco Downtown Area hands down. The staff are so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable of their merchandise. I just love going downstairs because it is like being on a treasure hunt looking for cool and unique stuff! read more

I have this antique lamp that my mother gave me years ago. It has a unique type of bulb, or so I have thought for quite some time. It's this huge base, not anything like the normal bulbs you find for new-style lamps. I've been to the Home Depot, Lowe's, and even a local hardware store in Fremont...to no avail have been able to find it. And the people at Home Depot told me "oh, they don't make those any more"...So...my friend MEG at work told me to go to Cole's...she guaranteed me they would have what I needed. Sooo...I stepped into Cole's on 4th on my way to work (they are open very early!) on a Friday. Wandered through to find the bulbs were downstairs, as a friendly clerk actually walked me directly to the bulb section. I told him what I was looking for...and voila! he said, "oh, do you mean this kind?" You can imagine my surprise and happiness, and utter disdain for that OTHER clerk at the BIG BOX store, when he pulled out a 3-way large base bulb for my lamp. I LOVE YOU, NICE CLERK AT COLE'S! And to finish my transaction, Amy, the cashier, was super friendly. She asked me if I had the rewards card and said that I can use my phone number instead of carrying "another card"...that makes me happy...I can remember my phone number! And I saved some $$ using it! Now I can set up the corner of the spare bedroom as my reading sanctuary, thanks to my new friends at Cole's. read more

Some people get excited when they walk into an ice cream shop... My girlfriend gets excited when she walks into Bebe or Forever 21... I get excited when I walk into Cole Hardware! Surrounded by skyscraping hotels, the retail-bazaar known as the Westfield Shopping Center & the Metreon, sits this unassuming neighborhood small business. Cole Fox is my neighborhood hardware store. But not only is it just a hardware store, but a symbol of survival & success of the small business in an increasingly competitive corporate-dominated retail industry. It's more than a hardware store. Cole helps you open doors to others: i.e. You can get keys copied. Cole promotes going GREEN: Not only through the Green products they sell for home improvement, cleaning & lighting, but you can also buy a Muni pass. And you can recycle cans of left-over paint, batteries & lightbulbs. Cole can *help* keep you from getting parking tickets: i.e. You can buy SFMTA Parking Meter Debit cards. I know you won't find Bebe style fashion at Forever 21 prices at Cole, but you can buy yourself some Ice Cream here! read more

Right around the corner from Market and 4th lies a hardware store that really takes service _seriously_. When you walk in, they ask you what you're looking for, and then not only send you towards what you want, but radio the situation to a crew member who can help you when you get there. I almost feel the need to tip these guys. Now, their selection is not massive, due to their city-sized storefront, but they definitely do the best they possibly can with what they've got. Love this place. P.S. One time, I was riding my bike down Market, ran off a sidewalk accidentally, landed and loosened the headset completely, which obviously ended my ride. I rode the crippled bike into Cole Hardware and begged to let me bring my bike in and borrow a headset wrench to tighten it back up so I could ride home. I was expecting to be booted out, but they helped me and didn't even make me buy the wrench. Great people. :) read more

So sweet and helpful! I came because IKEA furniture was being the bane of my existence. I needed to pick up cut wooden dowels and screws, but clearly had no idea what I was doing. The staff all went above and beyond to help me get what I needed, and were all incredibly knowledgable on how to assemble and disassemble furniture Shoutout to the lovely man with glasses and no vest behind the customer service desk for being incredibly patient with my impossibly stupid questions. read more

Hardware stores are not to be found in Hayes Valley, apparently no one here 'does it yourself' (well, in home improvement, anyhow) and I really needed some drywall screws and spackle, among other things. I found this place to be close to other errands (namely, getting stuff fixed at the tailor) so I stopped in. Arranged like your typical neighborhood ACE hardware (i.e., somewhat difficult to navigate, chalk full of stuff, and pretty cramped), I was well taken care of by the staff there. Assisting me in choosing exactly what I needed to do the myriad of projects I had in mind (as well as advising against a few ideas), they were very helpful and knowledgeable. The prices aren't too bad, pretty normal for hardware stores. Probably a touch more than Home Depot. but considering there are no Home Depots in the city, worth it for the small stuff that you buy at local hardware stores anyhow. Plus, this place stocks lots of other less hardware-y things like kitchen stuff and some furnishings. For cost, convenience, and most of all, their incredibly kind and helpful staff, a 5 out of 5 for Cole. read more

I had this strange key I needed duplicated. Home Depot couldn't help, OSH just looked at it and said, "huh?" I somehow made my way to Cole's and had no clue if they could dupe my key. The key master took one look and said "how many do you need?" "Five," I wincingly replied. And he duped them in like 45 seconds. I was dumbstruck. So if you need some serious key duplication, go to Cole's. The Key Master works there (and there are none of those pesky ghosts or Gozerians). read more

Remember when the employees of a hardware store knew more about their inventory than the customers? Remember when employees of a hardware store knew how to use what they sell? If you don't, visit Cole's Hardware. You might pay a dollar more, but you won't have to go back three times to get what you really need. read more

Convenient, friendly and knowledgeable service and they carry Benjamin Moore paint, including Aura (which is the only way to go! No fumes, and best coverage of any paint I've ever used). And they have a great inventory, managed to get everything on my shopping list which is generally not true when I go to a smaller hardware store. I'll be back for sure. read more

I am very much like Paul Rudd's character in "I Love You Man." Unfortunately in the movie of my life there is no Jason Segel, so every time I need to go to a "masculine" setting I'm very intimidated. Cole-Fox is the only hardware store that makes me feel comfortable. The best way to find things here is ask the very friendly staff, who always graciously point out the sandpaper or lightbulb I need is right in front of my eyes, even as they discuss the pros and cons of eight different screwdriver brands with some Jason Statham-lookalike. During my last visit for a cabinet lock for a co-worker, a female staff member patiently asked me to describe the kind and dimension of the cabinet (which I did not know, having never seen the cabinet myself). She even took out her measuring tape and compared several different locks for me to make an informed decision. She also put a sticker with her name and phone number on the lock I finally chose, in case I had questions or needed a refund. All this for a $11.99 lock! The lock was not what my co-worker had in mind, but I ended up using it myself because I felt very bad about returning it. Bonus: This store has one of the most inspired and spectacular window displays I've ever seen this side of Macy's at Christmas. Common household tools are regularly incorporated into displays in marvelously ingenious ways. Whoever created these is a true artist, and a prolific one at that. I've yet to see one display that disappoints. read more

Gavin was absolutely AMAZING! I had ordered speakers online but they hadn't been outfitted to connect to a subwoofer therefore couldn't connect to my computer. I was ready to have them returned that day but someone suggested I go to the hardware store. Everyone was extremely helpful and nice. I could definitely tell that Gavin knew what he was doing. Long story short I have amazing functioning speakers all thanks to this place. If you need anything rewired or refitted for a different purpose this is the place! read more

How could a store so close to Nordstroms have such rude and clueless service? I tried to return a defective product, and the rude saleswoman (not the overweight one) called over her clueless, yet truculent, manager to get her even more confused. They were telling me things that would not even make sense to someone with a double-digit I.Q. I called the main store, and they said to return the product to a different Cole hardware. And, Cole Hardare claims to be "Green", but just try to get them to stop mailing you their newspaper with all of their ads and columns about things you need to buy. Doesn't sound "green" to me. Brownie's Hardware on Polk Street is much nicer, and the staff is 100% more knowledgeable. There is even a trans-gendered employee at Brownie's. I wish there were a place nearby to buy used hardware. That would be greenest of all. read more