I don't recall her name, but here was a lady (who told me she worked in theater rigging for 30 years) who helped my girlfriend and I understand the ins and outs of affixing things to plaster vs drywall. Didn't know that kind of customer service existed anymore. That's the whole point of brick and mortar! Right? read more

Great local place to buy your home improvement items. Convenient and great service.

Last weekend I went to the "new" Laurel Ace Hardware and am happy to report excellent service! Bravo to the new owners! I have a lovely and unique lamp made from a musical instrument that I thought needed a new socket. Patricia, who is a new staff member, helped me. The problem was not the socket. Or a new plug. She finally re-wired the whole lamp. We now have Fabulous and working lamp! Patricia mentioned that she did a lot of re-wiring and worked in a place that offered the service. I suggested it would be a wonderful service for Laurel Ace to offer. If you agree, it seems like a great time to ask! This review is obviously for Patricia, but all staff seemed happy and helpful to other customers. I hope they return to good customer service and continue to be an asset to the Laurel! We wish them well! read more

The workers here are very nice and knowledgeable. I usually come here for keys or paint. They have a parking lot so it is easy to park. There is also a grocery store across the street and bank so I can get all of my errands done quickly. read more

They have a lot of stuff in a small space. Tim the Wizard is the man to find if you need help locating anything. Barbara and the other ladies at checkout are really nice and they get all happy if you save a tree and don't take a bag. :) read more

First time going again since new management/ownership took over. First of all they are open until 6pm on Sunday. Very rare for a hardware store. Decent selection, lots of helpful people working with customers to help find/select parts. A really great convenience to have in our Laurel neighborhood! Did I mention open until 6pm on Sunday? read more

OUTRAGEOUS RIPOFF. Bought an $18 piece of bathroom hardware last month. Washer missing from package and 2nd washer faulty. All they had to do was replace it. And I would be singing their praises. Instead I had to buy new washers and they were accusing me of the problem. I never want to go into that store again. I will go elsewhere where customer service means something. Another $150 plumber charge down the drain read more

Black mother and teen racially profiled at Laurel Ace Hardware in Oakland. There is a point at which "helpfulness" becomes a micro-agression. That point is when you make people so uncomfortable under the guise of "helpfulness", that they want to leave your store. Hiding underneath that "helpfulness" is something truly ugly. My sister and her son had this experience yesterday in the Laurel Ace Hardware store in Oakland. She and her sixteen-year old son were shopping in your store yesterday, wearing the dark brown skin they were born with. The first time they were asked "Can I help you?", she said 'no, thank you, and explained what she was looking for. The second time, she might have thought "wow, they have really good customer service here!" A few minutes later, she heard her son, who had wandered away while she stood contemplating paint colors for her classroom (she's a public school teacher spending her own money to make sure her classroom is a welcoming place this fall). She heard his voice say "my mom might need help". And he guided someone over in her direction. She explained again that she was just looking, this time at dust mops for her classroom. Within minutes, her son was back. This is how she described their conversation. "Can we just leave?" Why? "They're following me around." "What?""I have been asked five times if I need any help finding something. It's annoying." "Are you su..?" Guy comes towards them from around the corner, "Do you need some help finding something?" She said "We have been asked that several times. Is there some reason why you are continuing to ask us?" Store employee: "That's just what we do. We check to see if you need help." At this point, after between the two of them being asked seven times within fifteen minutes if they needed help, the message started to come across loud and clear. The message was, "We don't trust you and we are uncomfortable with you being here". This is a high school teacher and her choir boy, theater kid son. But who they are doesn't matter as much as the assumptions made about them: That they were up to no good. That they were a threat. That they had negative intentions. That they were going to steal something. That their presence required constant surveillance. Why? It is unlikely that every white person in the store was being followed around and questioned at the same rate. There were not enough employees in the store for that, so most likely the reason was that they were black. Nothing else about them is particularly noteworthy. I'd like to ask the store owners and employees: Do you know how this feels? To have people walking around following you, because of the way you look? Have you ever had multiple employees watch you so carefully that you wanted to leave a store? Do you know what happens to people when they go home after having this happen to them? Probably not, except for the fourth woman to ask if they needed help, a black woman. We live in a world where black and brown boys, and girls, are shot every single day, for doing nothing. Because someone was suspicious, because someone thought they shouldn't be there. This mom was so upset after this happened, she couldn't even speak. She couldn't tell me what was wrong. We couldn't go out and celebrate her birthday. It's bad enough to happen to a grown woman, but what if her son was alone, shopping in the store, or even just looking like (some) people are allowed to do. Would the police have been called? What if he had gotten frustrated because of being unfairly profiled and subsequently mistreated and said the wrong thing? Would he have wound up on the curb in handcuffs? Or arrested? Or dead? You may think that you are just "being helpful", but what you are really doing is called racial profiling. It is the kind of behavior that we constantly have to worry about watching escalate and turn tragic. It is the kind of behavior we don't expect here, in California, in the Bay Area, in Oakland. As a white mother of a brown teen boy, I worry about this every day. Do you? Are you aware that you are using your white privilege to intimidate people? Are you aware that this is wrong? I'm going to do an experiment. I am going to walk into your store to see if I am inundated with the same level of "helpfulness". In the meantime, please know that we will share this story and make sure that our friends, colleagues and the community are aware that this is the kind of treatment that they can expect from this store. And also know that we, the community, are watching you to make sure you are doing the right thing - welcoming everyone equally into your store, and maybe taking some time to educate yourselves on your white privilege, for the safety and well being of all of us. read more

Horrible experience with management. Called to complain to David, who apparently owns the store, and he couldn't have been less interested in resolving the matter. read more

I see some of the other one-star reviews are trying to make the horrible customer service about race, I can tell you it is not. I am white and would never be mistaken for anything other than white and the service I had was awful and I wrote my review a few months back. Black, White, Brown, etc, Don't shop here, they don't value their customers. Vote with your dollars, shop elsewhere. read more

Patricia at Ace Hardware went above and beyond in helping me complete the missing pieces for my son's bunk bed. The sizes weren't available so she helped me cut solid steel bolts to make it work read more

Purchased a new showerhead/hose a week ago and only now got around to trying to change the old one to new, only to realize the new attachment was way too small. Couldn't find my receipt so decided to bring old part and new purchased one back to Ace with the hope that they might allow me to exchange since i could at least bring up the charge $26.31 on my debit account. The "Manager" said absolutely not...Frustrated, i said "so I'm just stuck with a part i can't use and out of this money? The "Manager" said nothing . As i was about to leave, i then turned back and said, so there is nothing i can do to make this work? It was only then that he offerred another $8.00 part i could purchase to make it operable. Really??? "Ace is the place", you weren't even going to bother yourself to offer this solution!! I've only been going to this store since 1998, and even tho i've never thought you offered much in the way of customer service value, i would of thought you'd at least offer a solution, knowing a customer would be stuck with an item they can't even use...i am being generous with the 2 stars. read more

Key didnt work and i had to go back for the adjustment. Its been 10 mimutes and I'm still waiting at the key counter....Katy came out to redo my key, apologized for the inconvenience, and gave me a card for a free key next time. That makes me feel better. read more

This used to be the "go to" place since I live nearby. I've heard about deterioration in service and experienced it first hand. Apparently the owner has a new manager -- his wife (so I've been told), and she is very bad with people. My minutia experience was that I bought a pack of lightbulbs in 60 watt but they only produced what? some 40 something watts. This was around Christmas time last year. So about 33 days later I decided to exchange them for a higher wattage. Didn't use the bulbs. The apologetic cashier informed me that there are no exchanges after 30 days. I asked to speak to the manager. She gently warned me "it won't do any good." She was right. The new-ish manager comes out and attempts to shame me in front of customers. She scolded me that I'm trying to get away with breaking the store policy that explicitly states "30 days return/ exchange." Okay so it is their policy, and in the name of good customer service it can be stretched. Usually after xmas/New year's there is often an extended return policy in many stores. But not here.This is an independent store and that can be flexible. No corporate warlord dictating from above. So it is now my policy to shop elsewhere. It's a short drive to Grand lake Ace and there you can count on friendly, supportive staff and management. Update January 2018. The store is Under New Management. Night and day difference. It is a real Gem and service to the community to have a beautiful hardware store with attentive staff right in the neighborhood. No need to hop on the freeway. Out with the old in with the new. This is a great renew of a local staple in the community. Support this local business and you'll be supporting your own community. Laurel is a great neighborhood and this friendly, accessible hardware store stands out. There's even a parking lot. Bravo to the new owners! read more

Very disappointed. After bringing them lots of money during my home restoration they refused to cut a key for me because it was not one of their keys. My key looks exactly like theirs and the only difference was that mine had "Ford" on it while theirs is generic. I was willing to pay full price for their key but no can do. Will go to the Ace on Grand Ave from now on. read more

This is one of the most unpleasant business establishments I've ever visited. My latest visit was early June 2015. We had a key made, it didn't work, we took it back without bothering to find the receipt. They have a receipt policy, so we paid for a new key. No problem. It was $1.29, maybe $1.49, under $2.00. We wanted to speak to the manager to suggest a new credit card system/POS system that would enable clerks to locate transactions based on a credit card number or last name. Most owners/managers say "thank you" and smile; this manager (Jenny) told us that she wasn't interested and that if we wanted to give her $40,000 she might consider it. She was defensive, argumentative, would not let us finish a sentence. As a result, we went home to find merchandise we'd purchased recently (we had our receipts). We also dug out the receipt for the first key and returned that -- along with the replacement she'd just made. She did apologize when we returned, after I told her that I was an attorney and after I threatened to write a poor review. She told me that she'd had several problems in the past with customers and folks in the neighborhood and that the few people involved in those events have colored her perception of the neighborhood and the people who shop at her store. She also claimed that she was tired and did not behave at her best. I felt sorry for her and conflicted -- I want to support local business. But I've decided to write this review for a few reasons. First, this store did not demonstrate a desire to support me or others like me because of a few prior bad events and a few bad people. So why should I support this particular local business? Second, I've been tired and impatient with people, very much so. I simply don't get how being tired and impatient translates to rude behavior when someone is complying with the store's policy by paying, but also making a suggestion. Third, I do believe that this problem goes beyond regular stress. I believe, based on the way she treated us and our conversation afterwards, that management has preconceived notions about people of color/class in the neighborhood. I believe those preconceived notions drive customer treatment. I don't know what Jenny really believes or thinks as I cannot read minds; all I know is what I saw and heard. Finally, even if racism and classism did not contribute to her behavior (as some inevitably will argue), the fact remains that management bristles at the suggestions that customers sometimes make. The customer is not always right in this store, the customer does not come first, and the customer does not deserve courtesy. The shame is that prior to this incident we did significant business there in connection with a major 18-month home remodel. We have additional work to do in the future, but they lost business over a $1.29 key that they did not cut properly (which we paid for twice before we returned everything) and an exceedingly nasty attitude. All of which is fine -- they get to run their business however they want to run it. We won't be visiting again. The Ace on Grand Avenue is awesome. Go there instead. read more

As a resident and homeowner in Millsmont, I have to say that I am already seeing positive changes in our local hardware store. I have been driving to Osh and Home Depot in lew of frequenting Laurel Ace Hardware, which is much more convenient, because I was treated so badly by the former owners. Glad also to hear that you are adding organic plants (no neonics) and revamping the return policy. Keep up the great work and communication with your neighbors! read more

Lame return policy. I had $3 worth of perfectly good items and my receipt in hand, but the receipt was 36 days old - beyond their 30 day return policy. $3 worth of items and I was there ready to buy something new. This is the kind of neighborhood service that keeps the big box stores and Amazon in business, and neighborhood shops like this close up. read more

Went in here yesterday to get some wallpaper paste. On the shelf it said $12.99. They rang me up at $18.99. I said there must be a mistake because shelf said $12.99. Woman behind the counter shrugged and said, "i dunno." No offer of assistance or double checking. I paid, went back to the shelf, verified it said $12.99, and went back up to the cashier. She said, "I'm on break" and didn't want to deal with the issue further, referring it to the cashier relieving her. He called the manager. The manager told me that they were "moving a bunch of stuff around" and the shelf price was wrong. I asked him to honor the shelf price because it was clearly their mistake. He refused multiple times. I explained that I felt I was being "scammed" because they were telling me it was $18.99 at the counter, but how could I know that was the actual price? He wouldn't budge. He obviously cared NOTHING about customer service and good will. Not impressed. read more

My local hardware store. Has most things I need for DIY like screws, bolts, paint, paintbrushes, spackle, and etc. Always pleasantly surprised to find what I need is here. Staff is very helpful though, a few times I asked a question about an item for a project they were just as lost as I was. read more

Today I went to return a saw blade and the staff was very mean. A man named Al said, "All you guys are the same, try to return everything" because I am Latino. They did not let me return it. Al also said "Why do all Mexicans do this?" I have never seen so much disrespect from a staff. If you go in there, do not get help from Al. I was very disappointed and hurt. read more

This is a great little Ace Hardware store. The staff are mostly in their 40-50's and are very knowledgeable and and super helpful. I used to go to Grand Lake Ace, but I recently found out that they are not located in Oakland, but are in Piedmont (they certainly don't need my sales tax $$...Oakland does...). I decided to try out this location and it tuned out to be a great experience. I will go there from now on for anything I would have gone to Grand Lake Ace for. These stores are franchises and the owner of the Laurel Ace is an Oakland resident, so even better! Can't beat it...locally owed, great service, decent prices and right near the original Farmer Joe's... 4 stars instead of 5 because it is a pretty small store and has a lot of stuff in it! So, you'll need to ask for help to find some items... read more

They are overpriced and they don't take returns after 30 days, even with a receipt. I asked what I was supposed to do with a connector that was the wrong size. The worker said you could leave it here or give it away. Both absurd recommendations! They were out of the bulbs I needed and the same worker told me she had not gotten to the shipment, but there may be some in there. What good does that do me? HELLO!!!!?????!!!!!! read more

I have been to a lot of hardware stores. As a kid in VT, we had the ultimate general store, a rambling collection of rooms with everything under the sun. Our Ace here in the Laurel may not be a racked old set of dimly lit grain barns, but it has the feel of the true-blue old style hardware store. ...And it has NEVER let me down! An amazing collection, and even more in backstock upstairs. Open early and late, friendly, one of the best. read more

I just discovered this place and I think it's great. Friendly helpful young staff, good selection, and a store cat. What more could you want in a local hardware store? read more

It's amazing how much real hardware stuff they have in this place. And you can buy just one or two items like nuts and bolts without buying a whole package of 20 like at the big box places. Although the store is located on MacArthur in a retail neighborhood, you don't have to pay the City of Oakland's exhorbitant meter parking rates because Laurel Ace has FREE PARKING in their lot...what a deal! read more

all the stuff you cant find at home depot the odd fittings , the stainless steel screws and bolts nuts wahsers keyways nylon inserts bushings aluminim feed throughs set screws of the list ist truly endless is here and the people know what they are doing and store has been there like 50 years, the prices are good to too low as home depot on some items, this is the best hardware store I Have ever been to ANYWHERE for it be in oalkand around the corner is just GREAT. ACES EVEN lol read more

I had a couple of flashlights that didn't work even after I put batteries in them. It would have been easy to sell me new ones, but the salesperson problem solved & found one needed a new bulb and the other needed adjstment on the switch. I recently rediscovered how helpful & professional small businesses are in the Laurell District; and I plan to support Ace & others in the Laurel area whenever possible. read more

Very helpful staff (in person and on the phone) and they have most of what we need for our projects. Because they're in the neighborhood, it's so convenient when we have to go back there 2-3 times in a day because we forgot something. read more

Almost everything you need and often things you thought you couldn't find at such a small store. Lots of knowledgable staff, friendly, and good parking. read more

This is a great little hardware store in the neighborhood. They provide excellent customer service and advice when I needed it. They are always very friendly and knowledgeable about simple home repairs and projects. It is a pleasure going in there and finding their smiling help staff ready to make my day easier. And great to have free parking too! Highly recommended local hardware store. read more

I've been into this location a few times now, since moving to the area. Not only did I find everything I needed, but the customer service is great! Jim, one of the clerks, even helped me carry my items - nearly five blocks - home! On another occasion, I had too much to carry home again, and Jim offered to let me use a dolly that belonged to the store, and return it i the evening! Great customer service, great community support :) read more

As of today, I'm a FORMER customer of this store. Apparently the management is annoyed by the economic realities of poor and working Oaklanders and today, you went OUT OF YOUR WAY to harass two black women "panhandling" ON THE SIDEWALK! When confronted, you had the gall to say they could stand there but not panhandle! You have no legal or moral right to prevent them from speaking to anyone! I witnessed two Ace staffers (one an employee who was clearly not the least bit concerned that these women were doing anything wrong) intervene and demand that they stop. When I myself confronted the second Ace person, she insisted that this was "our property" and they could do anything they wanted. Sidewalks are OURS, not yours, and you showed yourselves to be just like any other business. Honestly, in these days, when the call to defend the rights of African Americans could not be more pressing, what I saw today was despicable. read more

The four stars are for my typical outing to Laurel Ace. The missing star is for one very bad experience. Last year, on a very rainy day and while in the company of my very impatient and wiggly 2-year old, I went to Laurel Ace to have key copies made. The a-hole who was assigned to do the job made copies of a bunch of my keys then told me he couldn't make copies of the keys for my club (the anti-theft device that locks onto your steering wheel). He told me some b.s. story about my needing to prove I am the owner of the club as I might be making copies of the key in order to steal cars. I pointed out to him that he had just made copies of my house key, my garage key and my car key without asking for any proof of ownership, and that his story didn't make any sense. As he geared up for an argument in which he could wield what imaginary power he believed he held, my kid had had enough and began fussing in earnest. I asked for a manager, and the jerk told me HE was a manager. At that point, I called to the cashier to bring out another manager. The manager who came to my rescue indicated that a-hole was NOT a manager and directed a-hole to make copies of my club key. Problem solved, but the incident still irks me. I have lived in the neighborhood for 12 years and probably spend over $1,000 there every year--this guy was actively trying to stop a sale... to the point of lying to a customer to turn away business! Laurel Ace: if you lose my business, you will also lose that of many of my neighbors, and we are a very reliable source of income for you. Moral of the story: carefully hire and train your sales staff to provide high-quality customer service and to leave their personal baggage at home. read more

Usually my experience is fair to good at this store, but yesterday it was abysmal. I bought a light switch there which turned out to be defective. I know how to replace switches and test electrical equipment and have more than 40 years experience doing so. The clerk I asked for help immediately stated they could not accept the item back because the package was torn and they couldn't put it back on the shelf to sell again. He looked at my receipt, but didn't remark on it. I repeated to him that it didn't work and that's why I wanted return or exchange, and they should not put it back on the shelf to sell because it was bad. I told him I had to open the package to get the switch out to install it. He said I should have opened the other side of the package (that would be the same thing) He got confused, said it would need to be tested and called for help. The lady who came out to help repeated, without hearing any statement, they couldn't take the item back since the package was torn. I asked her to test it and she took off toward the back of the store, followed by the clerk, abandoning the counter. I followed him to a back room to find her sticking the wires of the switch into the ac wall socket. I told her the switch showed no continuity when I tested it at home. She stuck to her guns of refusing a return. I asked her how I could get the matter resolved and she told me to come back and talk to the store owner on Tuesday ( this happened Sunday). She stated then that she wasn't talking to me anymore about it. This is the absolute worst customer service I have ever received at any hardware store. There is no statement posted anywhere in that store about returning opened packages. This is Monday and I'm still upset about being CHEATED out of $8, as any reasonable person would be. Whoever the owner is, they should do some remedial training of their person in charge on weekends. I I owned the store, I would change their assignment to something like sweeping or stocking, but NOT as clerk or supervising anyone. read more