If Alice of Wonderland fame had fallen down the rabbit hole into this place, she never would have…read moregotten out. The store is a maze of aisles with seemingly no order at all. Paths between merchandise veer off unexpectedly, making it a bit of a 'choose your own adventure' type experience. You never know what you'll find but if you go the wrong way you'll struggle to find your way back. When I entered the store I expected something like Bunnings (probably the only hardware store I've ever been to) with its lofty ceilings and manicured aisles. I was surprised at the low-ceilinged but deceptively large shop that greeted me. Apart from the ceiling height difference, this place sold everything any other hardware store does. Each section also had its own information desk, with a staff member waiting patiently for customers with queries. I kept arriving at 'clearings' to find an eager shop assistant gazing anxiously at me as I tried to back away while maintaining eye contact. The odd mix of charming, maze-like layout, head ducking and exceptional customer service combine to make this a place I would highly recommend.

Before entering Paddington Hardware, maybe give everyone in your group an air horn or just tether…read moreyour group together, because you will get lost in this giant warehouse of aisles. On the other hand, I don't mind getting lost in here. It made me remember that hardware stores don't have to be boring. After visiting Mitre 10 and its peers back in the day as a little girl with my father, this is a positive mansion of hardware needs. At first indifferent, I wandered absent-mindedly amongst rows of containers of different types of screws, and I was reminded of my father's workshop. When I was little, Dad's workshop (attached to the house) was out-of-bounds for kids. Of course this meant I snuck in there as often as possible. I used to ooh and ahh over the smell of cut wood, the jars of different sized nails and screws, curly wood shavings on the floor. It felt like being in Santa's workshop. And it also felt like this here. Now, Paddington Hardware isn't Santa's workshop - that I'm aware of. For all I know he could be stuffed in the back, pumping out dinner tables amongst a group of singing elves. The store's that big. I'm somehow sounding sentimental about a hardware store. In spite of its size, though, the staff are so friendly that it contributes to the happy-wonder vibe of the place. From a stock perspective, the scope of hardware is so extensive that I think most handymen would find what they wanted here. As an aside, I came to Paddington Hardware to buy a shower curtain because I was moving out of my rental property and they wanted it replaced. Shower curtains are sneakily expensive. However, Paddington Hardware was the only place in Paddington I could find a shower curtain. It was a damn nice curtain, so I hope the new tenants enjoyed it. A word about parking here: there is on-site parking, but since Paddington Hardware is sandwiched between boutiques and restaurants, it was once packed with cars from non-patrons. However, there is a strict Hardware Parking Only sign on site, and increased security on this front means that legitimate Hardware store customers should be able to find a spot.

It's so easy to go to Bunnings, drawn in by the cheap prices you don't realise until you get there…read morejust how hard it is to find anything or get some advice! It's not until you visit a proper hardware that you remember about things like good service and free advice. Newmarket True Value Hardware is about as old school as you can get. The guys behind the counter are hilarious, crack jokes at the drop of a hat, and are just as happy to spend 10 minutes in discussion about the right pack of nails as they are about expensive power tools. They have a wide range of tools and supplies and support community initiatives. Don't fight the crowds at Bunnings looking for an elusive red shirt to help you, go to Newmarket True Value and enjoy the full service experience.

Besides Bunnings, this is the closest other hardware store to me. This is so different to Bunnings…read morebut I think in a good way. First of all it's smaller, but with a boutique feel and a family run essence. You can definitely feel it in their customer service. As it's a smaller space, the staff will take notice of customers walking in and pretty much assist straight away. I find the staff quite friendly and also very helpful for someone like me who isn't well educated in tools and electricals. They have less stock, but all the popular hardware tools one needs. If anything I find it much more convenient coming here when all I need is under one roof and I don't have to search with difficulty, like I would in a huge Bunnings store. This is a good little hardware store in Corinda and worth a visit if you don't feel like walking up and down the long aisles in Bunnings.

From the owner: Hardware Retail Traderead more