Home Depot is not just for men…read more I may not know how to hammer a nail or change an outlet cover BUT I know when an update is needed in my house, what needs to be fixed or replaced and when to purchase a new product. At Home Depot, I have purchased ceiling fans, shelving units for the basement, mop set, flip wall switches, hardware/hooks, durable (yet decorative) floor mats. In addition, I'm visiting HD more often during the summer for flowers, plants & more garden items. I may not be a contractor or carpenter who walks down the HD aisles with a particular mission & knowledge of their skill. But I can still walk into Home Depot with my own purpose & goal.

Frustratingly, they cannot accelerate the delivery of out-of-stock items. We needed common 4.25"…read morecrown molding, but it was out of stock. They could identify stores many miles away that had hundreds of feet available, but could not arrange transfers among stores. A well-run business should be able to restock items that customers need.

I eschew big box stores preferring to shop small and local. The workers at Ace are friendly and…read morehelpful. I almost always find what I am looking for and their selection of plants in the spring is fantastic. I like shopping online and being able to come in and pick up my order when ready. While admittedly more expensive than big home improvement stores, I find it worthwhile to do business with people who feel like neighbors to me.

I wanted to take a moment to recognize an exceptional employee who helped me on Thursday, June 25…read more Unfortunately, I can't remember his name exactly. I believe it may have been Sahara, or something similar, and I sincerely apologize if I'm remembering it incorrectly. He was a tall young man working in the Green Leaf trimmer aisle with another coworker. Even though he was clearly in the middle of another project, he immediately stopped what he was doing to help me without making me feel like I was interrupting him. From the moment he greeted me, he treated me with kindness, patience, and genuine respect. I had come in looking for the correct light bulb, and instead of simply pointing me toward a shelf, he took the time to make sure I left with the exact bulb I needed. He answered my questions, double-checked everything, and made sure I was completely confident before I left the store. That level of customer service honestly turned my day around because you just don't see that very often anymore. I am a regular customer at this Ace Hardware. I've probably been in and out of the store around 20 times over the past week alone, so I've had the opportunity to interact with several employees. The day before, I asked another young man for assistance. He was working near the checkout area around the orange blowers. Unfortunately, my experience with him couldn't have been more different. The moment I approached him, I genuinely felt like I was an inconvenience. He barely seemed interested in helping me and acted as though answering my question was taking him away from something more important. Instead of taking a minute to make sure I had the correct light bulb, he quickly brushed me off, assured me it would fit, and sent me on my way. It honestly felt like he cared more about getting rid of me than actually helping a customer. NI trusted his advice because I assumed he knew what he was talking about. When I got home and installed the bulb, it immediately blew a fuse because it was the wrong one. That meant I had wasted my time, my gas, and had to make another trip back to the store for something that could have been prevented if he had simply taken an extra minute to help. As someone who's gotten older, moments like that can be discouraging. Sometimes it feels like people look right through you or treat you as if your questions aren't worth their time. That interaction honestly left me feeling unimportant. The very next day, the tall young man I mentioned earlier helped me with the exact same issue. Instead of rushing me, he carefully verified the correct bulb, answered every question I had, and made absolutely sure I left with exactly what I needed. In just a few minutes, he restored my confidence in your store. The difference between those two employees was night and day. One made me feel like I was simply in the way, while the other made me feel like a valued customer. The way the young man who helped me on Thursday greeted customers, willingly stepped away from his work, and took the time to make sure everything was correct honestly made me assume he must be a supervisor or manager. If he isn't, he certainly has the professionalism, work ethic, and leadership qualities to become one. There is one other thing I wanted to mention because it genuinely bothered me. While he was helping another customer in what I believe was the spray paint aisle, I witnessed a short woman speaking to him in a harsh and disrespectful tone in front of several customers. I couldn't hear every word, but it sounded like it involved a scheduling or timing issue. Whether he had arrived a little early or a little late, I don't know, and it really isn't my business. What I do know is that conversations like that should be handled privately, not in front of customers. It reflected poorly on the store, especially because from everything I observed, he appeared to be one of the hardest-working employees there. It genuinely made me feel bad for him.Employees like him are becoming harder and harder to find, and I sincerely hope Ace Hardware recognizes the value he brings to your store. I plan on returning soon, and I will make sure the highest level of management knows what an outstanding employee they have.

We recently bought tons of tiles for our home renovation. When we walked in we were super…read moreoverwhelmed with all of the different options but we're so excited to adventure around. From tiles, to laminate to hard wood floor, marble slabs and so much more. Heck I wouldn't even be surprised if they had lions and bears too. Once we found the tiles we wanted, a staff member helped us calculate the boxes we needed, loaded up a cart for us and helped us bring it out to our car. Their return policy is totally fair too, they can take returns if they're in full cases but not opened ones. All in all. I cannot recommend floor and decor enough for your tile and countertop needs.

I had a great experience yesterday working with Markell. I would never describe myself as a handy…read moreperson, so remodeling any part of my home can become overwhelming. Luckily I got some advice to make an appointment with Floor & Decor, and I'm so glad that I did. Markell listened to my thoughts and what I was looking for. He patiently explained the differences between products and gave me much needed insight. My contractor joined me during my appointment and helped too, Markell got that I was relying on my contractor to make some decisions for me, like do I want sanded or un-sanded grout. How would I know that? Markell never made me feel excluded. He never made me feel like he was man-splaining, which has happened to me plenty of times in home improvement stores. He even helped me load up my car. I really appreciated his kindness, patience and professionalism. I will definitely return to Floor & Decor, and I'd absolutely want to work with Markell again. I recommend both.

I went to the Sherwin Williams store in Gurnee today and was helped by the most amazing young man…read more I wish I asked for his name but I believe he was a manager. He was polite, professional and knowledgeable and was just a great representation of the store. I will, without hesitation, go back to this store for my painting needs.

I cannot say enough great things about the guys at Sherwin-Williams in Gurnee/Waukegan. Scott is…read moreamazing. He matched the color of our dried out paint perfectly! It is nice to go to a place where the workers know about their products!

We worked with Chris in the past and he was wonderful to work with again. Excellent customer…read moreservice, product knowledge and value.

they were very efficient and on time. Staff at the store were very helpful . the delivery guys were…read morefriendly and courteous and and efficient

Really good paint store. Friendly and well trained employees. I am there shopping few times a week.read more

Terrible customer service!! Had to drive to Gurnee to get my…read morepaint. The Round Lake Beach location wouldn't give me the discount I called the Gurnee location and they gave me 30% off.

I really like to shop here at Olson's Ace Hardware, I am always impressed by how professionally…read moretheir employees treated their customers from entering and checking out at their store. All of them are so friendly and helpful, they are always willing to assist or guide their customers. They have the best and great customer service for me. Their store is so huge, clean, and nice. They also have big parking lots and you can freely walk around and enjoy the ambiance of their location. Their location is so easy to go to, easy to find, you can go anytime like early morning, late, or even evening shopping. But I will recommend to go there early for you to avoid long lines and that time the place is not so crowded. When it comes to their products, you will be satisfied and will definitely shop there again. They have so lots of variety and selection, all of their items has a reasonable prices, and you can buy everything you need in such a fair prices. You will save a lot of money here compared to other Hardware around the City. They also have good deals and promos. Highly recommend this Olson's Ace Hardware, and will definitely go back here again when I need to buy some of their items again. Thank you guys! Keep up the good work and see you again guys when I am nearby. Thank you!

Be careful! It seems…read morethat this Ace (in particular) and other Ace stores in general like to indulge in price swapping and misleading prices. The price of many 'non-Ace brand' items are displayed lower than the actual price on the sales floor, only to be rung up 'higher' at the regular (higher) price at the register. If you purchased an item at the artificially lowered price you saw on the display, you would most certainly be surprised to find it rings out at a much higher price at the register. Most of the time, the higher price IS the actual price on the website, but not always. In any case, that's actually not the point. The point is that an artificially lowered price lures you into making a purchase you might not have normally made. The usual excuse from the store manager is that there was a 'pricing error', but it happens ALL THE TIME at this store (Waukegan, Genesee & Grand). For big-ticket items, you may want to snap a photo of the price with your phone for later reference at the register, and save your receipt. Better yet, skip all the hassle and just shop at another, more reputable store, or Amazon. Oh, and if you are a minority individual, they will follow you (clumsily and quite obviously) no matter how long you may have shopped at the store. Let the buyer beware.

It does not get any better than this. I have had an account here for 16 years. They are always…read morefriendly. And you can always find that one part you are looking for that you can't find anywhere else. Prices are very competitive. Keep up the great work!