If the modern hardware store is defined by service.. then Cole Hardware defines the modern hardware store. Cole Hardware is like a neighborhood Bed, Bath & Beyond. When I need a mixing bowl.. I got o Cole Hardware. When I need Detergent..I go to Cole Hardware. When I need Christmas lights, I go to... you got it Cole Hardware.. They have hodge a podge of everything one needs. read more

This place seems to have everything! I was skeptical about a city hardware store -- seems like something that would only have a good selection in suburbia -- but I was a pleasantly surprised. My boyfriend and I went in for some obscure light bulbs and came out with everything we needed. And a bonus: the bags they use are the cute reusable type, not paper or plastic. We also found parking just around the corner, though it didn't look promising at first. I deduct one star for the lack of available employees: we had some questions, but the one staff member on the floor was always busy and another was a little scary and, as I discovered when I asked a question, quite standoffish. read more

When I moved to SF, I didn't have a single tool to my name. I was a complete idiot about fixing things since I had relied on my then-husband to take care of all the repairs. Suddenly I was faced with apartment maintenance and--darn it-- the closest thing I owned to a tool was my eyelash curler. Did I panic? No I did not. I marched on down to Cole Hardware and these guys set me straight. I am now the proud owner of a drill (and drill bits), hammer, screwdriver, electrical tape, pliers, and I could go on. Thank you to Cole Hardware for your friendly and knowledgable service staff. Most companies need to study you guys to figure out what good customer service is. I'm glad they are here. read more

I hate to write a bad review since the staff are all rather nice, and they do manage to pack a large amount of inventory into a small space, and they have a very neighborhood feel, but I've had two pretty bad experiences recently: 1. I purchased herbs there, and they were infested with aphids. I realize this is a risk whenever you buy plants and we should've checked more thoroughly, but they were small green ones, very hard to see -- until they multiplied and spread all over each plant on our kitchen windowsill. We had to throw away all the herbs we bought, wasting money. 2. I had some paint matched and, while I was warned it wouldn't be exact, it was WAY off -- a very cold (bluish) white rather than the warm sample I brought in. read more

I meet friends of mine for "Cole Hardware dates." We're such geeks. We wander around the aisles, fondling the hardware and gossiping. My partner and I are there at least once a week, for all kinds of things--brackets to make the bookshelves earthquake safe; a new light switch; a new drill; a new travel coffee mug. And for all of you who are dying to find an unpretentious nursery where the people really know their stuff, go no further. Go on a Sunday, make a day of it. Hit up Cole Hardware, then cruise the (excellent) garage sales in Cole Valley. If you're there during the week, grab lunch at Zazie, across the street. The burgers there are to DIE for. read more

A great first experience here while quickie shopping for friends on the day they were moving. Like with any hardware store, don't expect much in terms of orderly arrangement, but the folks were very helpful, even pointing to a competitor when a particular item wasn't available. Parking on the other hand - oh well, it is SF. I will leave it at that. read more

Just tried this referral service. I will report back and adjust rating if necessary when we have results. 4-stars for having this referral service. Update: The response was very fast but I wound up not using the vendor that was referred -- no reason in particular. I can't give 5-stars but not due to anything bad that was done by this referral service. I would highly suggest using it if you have no one to turn to for something. Just be sure to complain to the referral service if you have a bad experience with one of their referrals. read more

This is the place to go if you know exactly what you want and don't require a lot of assistance, as the customer service station is not always properly staffed. I came here today looking for help and recommendations, but got neither. read more

Well stocked (and fun) hardware store. I could have spent hours in there.

Cole Hardware is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. Stepping inside takes me back to going to hardware stores with my grandfather in the small town he lived in. Everyone knew eachother and he could walk up to the register to pick up a bag waiting for him with items the owner knew he would need from an earlier conversation. Times have changed and there's probably a few regulars here but it still holds that vibe. This is a hidden treasure, because it's the holiday season as soon as you enter there's a row filled with Christmas lights, ornaments, stockings, etc. What's so different about seeing twinkle lights and ornaments at a hardware store you may ask? They have retro styled lights and Eiffel tower ornaments. Their stockings also include Wizard of Oz themed sets. Away from the front the store offers general needs from pipes, nails to shovels. Just the right amount of items for a local round the corner shop. read more

When I'm really in a bind to get a part for my home improvement project and don't have the time to order on Amazon and don't feel like driving all the way to Home Depot in Daly City, this is where I usually go to get what I need. It's amazing how much stuff they're able to stuff into such a small space! What I feel really sets Cole Hardware from everywhere else are their monthly wine/chocolate happy hours and discounts if you're a rewards member (free to sign up!). I'll admit, I try to hold off purchases until they have their really good coupon deals (like $5 off a $10 purchase) and like a good customer I ALWAYS end up buying more stuff. Overall, friendly service with weekly "flash Friday" deals and regular happy hours make me a happy person to come and visit and explore their JAM PACKED aisles. Parking is usually pretty easy to find around the block. read more

Easily the best hardware store in the Haight / Cole Valley / Sunset / Richmond districts. An Easter sale combined with a Yelp check-in offer helped me get flowers for my backyard plus cabling and electrical supplies for my computer desk for about $30 total (without discounts it would have been over $50). Helpful staff, and store is layed out well so that they manage to cram tons of stuff in to not that much space. read more

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

Not only is this store one of my favorite places to shop but it has everything you can think of under one roof. But I'm writing this review because they helped me when no one else would. I needed a key urgently and every locksmith in town that was supposedly open after 5pm was a mobile locksmith and couldn't help me. I explained my problem to Thomas, the manager, and even though it was technically not something they do he cut a key for me despite the fact that it was an irregular key and I brought my own blank. Since there was no specific price for cutting a key without purchasing a blank he gave it to me for free! So not only did they help me when no one else would but they did it for free. I love this place! read more

Cole Hardware was a great local resource when we moved to SF from El Cerrito, and continues to be our hardware store of choice. They've had everything we needed at a reasonable price. However I'm not giving five stars because only about half of their employees seem to have the true hardware store spirit, that attitude that any household problem can be solved reliably and affordably with only items available in the store. We managed to stump one employee with our desire to hang blackout curtains in an apartment where we're not allowed to put holes in the wall; the best he could come up with was a rickety structure of several L-brackets (we eventually figured out on our own that we could stick the curtains to the top of the Venetian blinds with powerful magnets, purchased at Cole Hardware). Another employee insisted that there was no way to attach the Brita filter we had purchased (at Cole Hardware!) to our faucet because it was made of plastic and thus too bendy to be reliable (later, another, more experienced employee recognized immediately the problem I was having, and showed me to the right part). Granted, the Venetian blinds were a tough problem, but I've been spoiled by the competence and can-do attitude of the folks at Pastime Hardware in El Cerrito, which Cole Hardware still can't beat. read more

Yup, they still rock. This time I had them cutting wood shelves for me. For a whooping $3 worth of labor. On a Sunday. At 6:30pm. Wait-- They cut shelves for $3 on a Sunday at 6:30pm. That's just plain awesome. Thanks a lot Erik and Scott. read more

It's no secret that I have a fascination for hardware stores. It must be the idea that everything can be built if you get the right tools... Anyways, I go here because of convenience of transportation but I have to admit that it's a nice nifty store. First of all they have EVERYTHING.... I got my keys done, tomato wire cages, a master lock, arugula and calendula seeds, hose nozzle, bike wall mounts and yes, some tomato plants... Now, that's an eclectic shopping list and they didn't break a sweat...everything was well priced, easily located and I also got a 17% discount for St Patty's day. Thank you Cole Hardware. ^__^ read more

Fan-effing-tastic. Being from the urban sprawl that is Los Angeles, I never had the pleasure of having a local hardware store, much like in the storybooks and tv shows. Having moved to SF recently, I can safely say I now have a local hardware store. Except Cole pretty much has everything you might need. I've been there for all sorts of odds and ends from lightbulbs to diatomaceous earth. Super helpful employees who will go out of their way to get you what you're looking for and make recommendations. And a really great loyalty card program. This is what it means to be great, not a giant. read more

I wanted to have some locksmith work done on my front door (to repair the damage done by another locksmith who did an incomplete job) and a Facebook friend recommended Cole Hardware Home Repair. Since Cole Hardware is in my neighborhood I was already familiar with their store, but I wasn't award they offered a service like this. It worked out well: not only was the original work completed to my satisfaction, but a few other issues which bothered me for a long time were also fixed. The extra work drove the cost over the initial estimate, which I expected. Only two gripes: I purchased a new lock (these typically come with two keys) and asked for five keys total, and I paid for both the lock and the keys that came with it ... and the locksmith didn't clean up after himself. Neither of these are big problems, and I haven't bothered to pursue these issues with Cole Hardware because they are, basically, tiny minor issues. I would absolutely invite them back to help with other home projects. read more

A good local hardware store. They have everything you need, without going to a huge hardware store like Home Depot.

This place is better than Wal-Mart. Every single time I've gone to Cole Hardware, they have had what I was looking for. I ran them by the true test the other day. On my way home from work, I got a call that I needed to pick up some tennis balls. On the move, and having no idea where to go for tennis balls, I shot and scored at Cole Hardware. Tennis balls! Congratulations, Cole Hardware, you just earned your 5th star. read more

Fantastic hardware store. In the past few years, I have found that I actually really enjoy fixing things. Leaky faucet, broken towel holder, just little things around the house that need a little attention. My dad probably started this interest by 1) being very handy himself and 2) buying me a pretty tricked out toolbox (he put in all sorts of tools as well) when I moved into my first apartment with two other girls. I ended up moving right near Cole Hardware, and I found it such a treat to go into the store to pick up things to fix up the apartment. Also, Cole Hardware has a great selection of items for around the house: cute canisters for storing coffee or flour, teapots, le creuset items, my roommates and I even found a really cute cabinet sort of thingy for the bathroom on sale. My biggest tip for Cole Hardware: look up. I have found so many things on the high shelves that are for sale up there. A good little secret for you all. Anyway, Cole Hardware is well stocked, the staff are really helpful - I just think you will find whatever you want while you are there, probably plus a few things you didn't know you wanted! read more

Now this is a local business worth supporting. I walked in this afternoon hoping to find two additional pegs to replace the ones I lost from IKEA. I didn't feel like driving all the way to Home Depot in case they didn't have it (I didn't know if these were universal pegs or some special ones designed by IKEA). So I took my chance and decided to go to Cole's - hoping for the best. I walked in and was immediately greeted by a nice gentleman. He walked me to the aisle where he thought the pegs were, but when he couldn't find them, he directed me to someone else who could help me locate them better. "Mr. U" walked with me to another spot since all the shelving materials were recently moved, but it wasn't there. When I showed him the exact piece that I was looking for, he walked me to a different area and found the pieces for me. Talk about service! I was reallllllllllllllllllllllllly impressed. Mr. U knew what he was doing and he was really friendly and knowledgeable - my favorite combination as a customer. I will definitely be back! Thanks, Mr. U & Cole Hardware! read more

I lived on Stanyan in the mid 90's and have been going there for minor hardware needs. Since then, I've moved around around, and just recently i was in the Cole Valley, and needed a few things. The place has poor customer service and very high prices. Simple and plain. I've read many good reviews for this place, but maybe my fellow yelpers never been to the home depot in Colma, and I can totally understand the support of local businesses, however, in these tough times, penny pinching has become a way of living for many of my family and friends. So I'd rather bay less, get better support when needed, and also faster service. Just my $0.02 read more

A great neighborhood hardware store. I have been to this store a handful of times to purchase plants, tools, nails and other random supplies after moving to San Francisco a few months ago. They have a large variety and seemingly have everything I could ever need. The staff have always been nice and helpful, even funny, but my last visit really pushed me to review the Cole Valley location. Wow - what great customer service. I purchased some curtain rods from IKEA without realizing there were no screws included (even though there should have been based on the instructions). I did not want to return to the Emeryville IKEA for a few screws, so I went to Cole Hardware instead. The man that helped me was amazing. He made sure the screws I was purchasing would both work with my wall and the product I had purchased from IKEA, and he showed me the section of the store that I could come back to on my own should I ever need anything else that IKEA did not provide. Crazily enough, they have a lot of hardware that is compatible with IKEA products for this exact reason. All of this to say - the customer service was great. Something else that I think is cool, they sell Clipper cards, you can add cash value to an already existing Clipper card with the cashiers. They also sell Muni day passes and parking meter cards. Sometimes I run out of money on my Clipper card and it's nice to know that I can run in here right before the Muni comes, as the stop I use is only 1-block from Cole Hardware. This is also where I buy my stamps! read more

I just moved to San Francisco about 10 days ago and Cole Hardware store is a few blocks from me. I'm pretty sure that I have been at this store every single day needing something that I forgot and it has EVERYTHING from home goods to hardware. The staff are really nice and helpful and the store is incredibly robus in terms of the inventory that it offers. read more

Cole Hardware does EVERYTHING right. Community involvement, great customer service, good newsletter, easy access gardening supplies, etc... Every location shines and reflects well on their individual customer base. The will try and help you with anything or find out if it can be found if not there in house. Their membership program and professional referral program rocks as well! read more

This place probably isn't in need of another 5-star review, but when you serve your local community so well, that's what you get. I've been going here for 12 years, and they've always been super friendly. Last week we made a major purchase - a Miele vacuum cleaner. A lotta coin! But Tess took a lot of time to help us make a decision on which model was the right one for us, and even demonstrated it for us. We ended up going back three times before finally making the purchase, and she was super nice every time, explaining the differences of each model, the pros and cons, and made sure we ended up with the right one. Lesser salespeople would probably have been annoyed, but Cole really focuses on customer satisfaction, and often that means really understanding where the customer is coming from and going out of your way to make sure they are comfortable with their purchase. Rock on Cole Hardware! read more

Too expensive, but this place has just about everything a hardware store should carry. If time is valuable, and you need something quick, this place usually has it. One nice service they offer the community is taking your old leftover paint. That's much appreciated and it's good business while also being environmentally friendly...makes me more likely to spend my money here. read more

I love Cole Hardware and have been a loyal, even eager Mission Street customer living in that neighborhood for 15 years. This review is solely for the fact that I, and expect 10s of thousands of others in San Francisco came home to Cole's July newsletter in my mailbox. I say down expecting the front page to have some reference to the 5 alarm fire that gutted their Mission store, shuttered several other businesses and displaced 60 neighborhood residents. But there is not one word of it. I realize press has lead time but this is a major failure. I'd have thought an organization as generally trusted as Cole would have at least not distributed these newsletters at all this cycle or at best, reprinted with pages on this tragic fire. I'm disappointed, Cole. You're better than this. read more

My husband and I recently moved to the Panhandle from Russian Hill. We loved the staff at the Russian Hill location and while we miss the Russian Hill crew, the Cole Store staff are reminding us why we love Cole Hardware so much. Today, we were assisted by one of the general managers at the Cole Valley store, Any. She exemplifies what good customer service is by taking the time to answer our questions and assisting us with getting our purchase home (it was rather big!). Cole Hardware employees, like Any, make Cole Hardware the wonderful place it is! read more

Matthew and Sarah, who worked with us (by phone) at Cole Hardware were terrifically helpful as we organized a gift purchase from the east coast for a local delivery. Walked through all parts of the order, checked for inventory and organized a delivery. Their 5-star rating is well deserved. They helped us to get the best price and the best package too! Love supporting local business. You go - Cole Hardware! read more

Oh boy, the service continues to be surly and unfriendly. How can it be so hard to be welcoming and friendly to customers?!

I love this store. It's not in my neighborhood so I don't get to come here as often as I would like. The best part was finding a clerk here that I had known for years at another store, a record store on Market Street near Castro, that closed in the past year or so. I was surprised to see him there, but very happy to see him - he is conscientious and thorough, and just downright good. Good with people, honest, and open. Hard to find at times! Getting what I need here is fun - it's here, it's like a rabbit warren, but there is always someone here ready to help. Looks like an old-timey hardware store and boy does it have stock - up to the high ceilings/rafters! Lots of fun to shop here! Love this place guys! read more

This place was charging exorbitant prices for masks, hopefully they'll get dinged for price gauging

Better to shop local for good karma, than to go to (monster)Home Depot. Really getting harder to find people who know what their doing in a hardward store, but try this place if you are in the neighborhood. Don't go by car because parking is virtually non-existent. Good nursery/garden irrigation set up help/advise. read more

Got a groupon for a hardware store figuring that I might need a good hammer or a wrench some day. Went to the store and saw an impressive selection of plants but when I went inside. . . so not cool. Ever been to a place where there are plenty of staff but no one is helping you. I became invisible. Spooky, I know I had to disturb someone to get something on a top shelf. The guy called someone to help me but when he finally came he looked at me like he couldn't be bothered. He climbed up by stepping on a shelf and hanging onto the display hooks. yeah, like I was going to do that. Nice store, rotten service. I did get a nice set of screwdrivers, a hex wrench set and a eyeglasses repair kit. I had to make an exact twenty dollar purchase or the sale wouldn't go through. That was different. read more

So I brought a bunch of stuff to hang from NYC when I realized I didn't have my damn toolbox. My sister must've swiped it when I made her sweep the floors. The prices? Definitely up there. However, staff is cool as hell. They got everything you need to hang up that shelf, frame or that Jesus-looking crab cake I got in Baltimore. mmmmm fishlicious. Its hard to rate, 3.5? Cole Hardware gets a 4 because I get to buy 40s next door after. read more

Great plants. I consistently get plants here and enjoy coming in for them. The outside of the store is cute too. Someone is always changing the window displays. I saw some people posted problems with keys made...I've had keys made here a few times always with no problem. Some of the items are overpriced. For example, at xmas time the ornament prices were unreasonably pricey. I assume when they do this they are catering to the "Cole Valley" types who don't seem to care about paying a lot for novelties. I also think that residents in that area, like myself, come here out of convenience and pay for that convenience in return. There are a lot of hills in this area. read more

A great neighborhood hardware store. Lots of items and well stocked. The staff are very helpful and friendly. I don't fell like an idiot when asking questions and get great advice. Recently went to get work gloves and some cfl's and they have a great selection of everything. My only concern is the crowded condition of the store. Can a wheel chair fit through the isles? A short person reach for items high on a shelf? I'm OK with this since the staff are helpful. Then I wonder what would happen if I'm in the back part of the store and there is an earthquake. Would I be covered in paint? The store downtown is much nicer but I'm hardly there for hardware items. The coupon specials are always a plus. read more

5 things I love about Cole Hardware 1) Their focus on service, there is always something around to answer questions 2) Recycling drop off for paint, plastic bags, and batteries 3) Almost anything you want for your home repair needs are right here at a reasonable price 4) Their awesome contractor referral service. How else are you going to find a handyman to fix that door that is jam? Or a good reliable plumber? 5) Their focus on the community read more