I was in Covington and I needed somewhere that would duplicate keys quickly before I headed back to work downtown. I did not want to drive out of the way to get them, so a quick Google search gave me Acme. Acme is located on the Southern part of Madison in Mainstrasse. They look like they've stood the test of time because the area around them is torn down (hopefully to be rebuilt soon), but they are open and ready for whatever you need. I was only getting a simple key copy so I used the free 10 minutes you get at a meter in the front, but apparently there is complimentary parking in the back. I walked in and a younger gentleman assisted me almost immediately. I told him what I needed and even though they seem to have thousands of different shaped keys, he was able to pinpoint the type I needed and make it quickly. I was in and out within five minutes and I only spent $2.50. I'm sure there are more complicated things they do, but I have faith that they'd be able to assist with your lock and key needs. It may take a little longer than my simple need, but I believe it's important to support local businesses like this one that have been doing a solid job at their craft for decades. If I have any other lock/key related jobs or issues, I'll take the extra time to come over here and have it done by Acme. read more

It's wild to me that I am here writing a review about a bad experience from 10 months ago that I thought was handled, but has actually come back to haunt me. In June of 2023 I called a contacted Acme through Yelp because I had filled out a "project" request. The request was to unlock a residential doorknob of a basement for a property that I managed. I spoke with Acme on the phone to set up a time for them to come out, at which time they gave me a quote for changing the lock. When the person arrived to change it (Mike), he was unable to get the lock opened and said it would have to be completely removed and replaced with a new lock (after, we were able to contact another locksmith who came out and successfully unlocked the doorknob). This was going to take the visit up to over $300 if they provided a lock. I consulted with the person I managed the property for and they wanted me to buy a lock instead of the using one Acme offered due to the price and inability to complete the job. When I informed Mike of this, he became very short and irritated, asking how long it was going to take, and was very inflexible. I once again consulted with the property manager, and due to the unprofessionalism of Mike, and how much the cost had gone up from the initial quote, he decided not to continue the service with Acme. The property owner contacted Acme, who were apologetic, stated we would not have to pay for the service, said they were "grateful" that I did not write a review of my experience. Now here we are, 10 months later and this week I receive a call from Acme. They said they were "clearing some files," found my invoice and were going to send it to me. This invoice was a $175 charge for a visit and labor fee. They also charge an additional 3% processing fee for payments after 10 days of the invoice. I was never informed of a trip fee that would be charged prior to the visit, or that it was expected to be cash on delivery of service. This is something I assumed would have been established when they gave me the quote. I can adamantly say I do not recommend Acme for locksmith services. The inflexibility of the person who came out to complete the work, the lack of transparency with the charges prior to the visit, and the fact that 10 months later they are now trying to charge me $175 speaks to the lack of integrity within the company. read more

Acme Lock - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Went to get lock fixed only to find that this ache at 815 Madison looks like it's permanently closed. read more

Acme Lock - Business closed - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I had appointment scheduled for 8:30. told I was first of day. by 9:30 no show no call. I had to call to find out where they were. I figured weather related but they could have called. I then find out they put another appointment in ahead of me. So unprofessional to not communicate with client. I guess my time not important to them yet they will charge me trip fee plus hour rate and then I must pay even if not fixed and if they need to come back will charge me another trip fee and hourly rate to finish job. No confidence in this type of business practice. read more

I live down the street from Acme, so it's an obvious choice for me to stop in for lightbulbs, batteries, etc. The first time I stopped in, I needed lightbulbs. It was a fast visit, but the man helping me out made it so that I knew I would come back. He was quick to make conversation with me, and see if there was anything else I needed, as we had discussed how I had just moved into a new apartment. The second visit I made was because I was drawn in by the plants they had outside. I also needed batteries, so I knew I could grab them, even if I left with no plant. The woman at the front counter immediately came over to help me once I started to ask her questions. She explained everything about the plants I was interested in, what would be okay with having a cat in the house and any other question I had. I like plants, but I don't have a green thumb, so I always want to make sure it's something I can keep alive. She was so helpful, and I'm so happy with the purchase I made. The store is much bigger than you think it is from the outside. They have a massive selection of items. read more

Acme Lock - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Have been using these guys for years any time I need keys duplicated. They just did a copy of a really odd/old key that I wasn't sure they'd be able to do, but it was no trouble for them. They are efficient, polite, and incredibly convenient for anyone who lives in the area. You can park right outside the place, and if you go on a weekday just make sure to hit the meter button for a free 15 min. Always get great service at a great price here and they've never given me a reason to go anywhere else. read more

I went in to get a pair of keys made , I did not have a good experience. The man threw the keys on the counter to me and asked me very uncomfortable questions " am I a boy or a girl" smiling making me feel uncomfortable when it's obvious i'm a young black girl . Deer park location read more

The person from Acme was top notch. worked quickly and was detail oriented on a very cold morning and arrived as promised 1st appointment of the day at 8 am. Charged what was advertised and I hope i never need these services again but if I do i will use Acme. read more

I needed a vehicle key cloned. Good for us, there is radio security preventing a thief from stealing the car without an original key. If you have the original, this location (and their OTR location) can do. This location has a free parking lot. Service was excellent and fast, but left enough time to visit neighboring business Landwehr. I did not need their other services like safes and commercial locksmithing, or their mobile service. But I would call them if I did. read more

So convenient to have such a great hardware store in downtown Cincinnati. It feels like you're visiting a big city with hardware stores in the middle of urban spaces. I had not known that Cincinnati had such an offering. With so many living downtown and in Over the Rhine it's such a great service to be able to easily have access to such a huge inventory of hardware store offerings. The parking is free and it's easy to navigate! read more

Acme lock & hardware saved the day! A co-worker lost keys to an office filing cabinet which has some pretty important files in it, we found a spare, but it was in pretty bad condition & funky size. I brought the key to Acme Lock and they made us a few spares in minutes which worked in the cabinet yea! Thanks for saving the day Acme lock & hardware - when you're downtown, stop in they're happy to help! read more

Very convenient location from work. The staff has always been very helpful and to the point without making me feel dumb when I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. The locksmith and hardware store are connected but have separate doors. The first time I went, the shop itself was MUCH bigger than I was anticipating. Very well-kept. read more

They are the worst! Changed hours didn't tell their staff! No one will answer me or help when I ask

Great location! Conveniently located and clean. They even have a U-Haul rental when my purchases are larger than my vehicle can hold. Will be back. read more

For as long as I've lived downtown I've always driven to a hardwood store when I need something because I did not realize this was here. However, last week I drove to a different hardware store that was packed and unhelpful and ended up leaving. After finding Acme on Yelp I figured I would try to stop here on the way home. Now I will never go anywhere else! As soon as I walked in everyone was willing to help and they had everything I needed (and things I didn't know I needed). I was in and out in about 5 minutes with less frustration than I've ever experienced in a hardware store. read more

I had an old key that I needed copied. None of the big chain stores could do it because of the age of the key. Acme found the right key and made a copy for me and was done in under 10 minutes. Good old time service! read more

The lock technician did a great job. I had an electronic front door lock replaced, a mailbox key replaced, and a bedroom door lock re-keyed. The service was quick and professional. read more

I got several quotes to re-key six locks on my house. Acme had the best prices but because I was preoccupied with moving I put off making the appointment. I realized Wednesday that I really needed to have it done before I left town Thursday. I called Acme at 11am and they were able to fit me in that day. The locksmith was prompt, courteous, and didn't mind my dog vying for his attention the whole time he was there. I believe his name was TIm, and I would definitely recommend him and Acme! The only thing I would note is that they don't make appointments past 4:30pm. I had to leave work a little early to get this done. I was happy they were able to fit me in at all on such short notice, but it would be great if they sent people out until 6 or so to make it a little easier on their customers who work 9-5. read more

Acme Lock is a savior for me! I am always needing something being in the event biz and they always have everything I need. What's so funny about this place is even though it's smack dab in the middle of downtown, it feels like the down home country hardware store in Beetle juice where you just go in and get what you need on good faith. Whenever I come in they greet me at the door and ask what they can help me with and then personally walk me to whatever I need. That kind of service is pretty much non-existent anymore. Always a breath of fresh air here. Def check them out! read more

Quick & easy. I got a key copied in less than 2 minutes. The staff was helpful. Would go back again.

After a bad experience with another locksmith, my business was put in touch with Acme Lock. We needed two electronic locks installed. The previous locksmith had MONTHS to get this done and made it seem like the job was impossible. Acme was responsive and it took about 4 hours for them to completely install the exact product we needed and to train me on the use of the locks. I have since called them back for a second project. We ran into a question during that install... and in under an hour, the owner of the company was at my site getting everything taken care of. Acme Lock & Hardware works fast, communicates, and if a bump in the road comes up, they respond quickly and professionally. This is a full-service operation that can copy your house key or work on a safe. They're up to date on all of technology coming forth in their industry, and if they're not the experts on a particular subject, they've been in business long enough to direct you where you need to go. read more

Just wanted to brag on the quick service from Acme this morning. My wife locked herself out of the car this morning and I needed a locksmith quickly. Acme was open before everyone else and Anthony was super helpful. Despite being about 30 minutes from ACME, he was able to find a worker close to us and within 20 minutes the car was unlocked and my wife was on her way. You never know what to expect when you have to pick a company you have never used before, but these guys will be my go to if this ever happens again. Great job! read more

Love these guys! They are solid locksmiths! I've gone to them several times and I was never disappointed. It would usually take them less than 20 minutes to make a duplicate/copy key. These guys are helpful and kind. Their service is superb! I wouldn't use anyone else for all my locksmith needs! Two thumbs up, Acme! read more

I am SO grateful that Acme is downtown. They aren't huge, and they don't have a lot of big stuff, and this is not going to replace Lowe's in your life for things like lumber, grills, kitchen cabinets, etc. BUT--if you need something to fix your sink, or a hinge, or locks recored or keys copied--this is your place! They are super-helpful, and really a treasure. And if you live down here, as I do--you don't have to get in your car! read more

I broke the key off in the ignition of my Corolla, I was able to start and drive it by inserting the other part of the key so they wouldn't have to come to me, so that meant it would cost a lot less. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars, which isn't really they're fault and on they're end is probably a good thing, is that they do a ton of business for AAA on call and only have like 2 guys that can remove broken keys from ignitions. But today, after a week of trying to catch a guy there that can do it, it only cost $45 and he done it perfectly and quickly. They're really good at what they do and are really nice people. Thanks again.....Steve. read more

Great customer service, he quoted me a price and came in right around that price he told me a date when it would be ready and he had that they can't ask for anything better than that with a customer service I'm changing all my lock service to acme. I'm in the apartment business we have a lot of turnovers and locks I love fast service read more

So helpful and so kind. Came in to find a type of screw I was missing. Mart gave me incredible help! Can't go wrong with this place read more

Acme Lock - Screw - Keys & Locksmiths Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

If I could rate acme lock at a 0 ,I would .I called this morning and was going to have a tech to make a key with a fob and little did he not know that I was going to watch the whole time he did it so if there was any damage that he would be responsible for fixing it but anyway as soon as the tech came to my residence he told me that he was going to pretty much fix the issue then he was going to call me back out so I could pay,so I walked back to my apt and called acme lock back and they had told me and being rude as hell with me on the phone that a service fee just forcoming out was $99 dollars well thank God I didn't pay it because that was never told to me on the phone that I was going to have a service call fee and just so everyone knows they don't care, they will charge you for whatever they can just to see if you will pay it ,so with that being said I wouldn't and won't ever use them again nor will I ever recommend anyone to them and let me remind you folks that this was my first and last time using them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

I had an awesome experience with Acme Lock! I threw away my car key and do not have a spare. I was met by Kiela (not sure of the spelling). She worked fast and now I have two keys. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will definitely recommend their services to anyone who is in need! read more

These guys came and replaced my ignition cylinder on my 08 Chevy cobalt. They were fast, polite, and the pricing was great. I actually had a job interview the day of the incident and they got it done quickly. They sent somebody out immediately and were done and I made it to my interview in time and got the job. Would absolutely use them again! read more

Just moved into a new place and they were able to come out and change the locks! Will use again if needed.

Not your chain type Hardware store. Truly a neighborhood feel. Very responsive to questions. I was in there when they were getting ready to close. I had questions about painters' tape. They answered all my questions and then gave me a roll of tape. Truly a gem in Cincinnati. read more

Acme quoted me a price of $100 to duplicate my Honda car key on the phone. Price quoted included three button key and programming. The price became $155 after I drove across town to get the job done. Acme claimed the quoted price did not include the remote. They offered to replay a recording of our phone call, then reneged the offer when I agreed I'd like to hear it. Incompetent or dishonest? Hard to say. read more

After being defeated by a house key copied from Home Depot not once -- and no, not twice, or even thrice for that matter-- but FOUR times, we needed an alternative way to get that damn key copied! Acme, therefore, saved the day. Home Depot made us doubt the ability of all key makers, because after four tries (actually, FIVE because they made us an extra copy just in case the fourth one wouldn't work), you would think something was wrong with the KEY itself. Nay, 'twas Home Depot that didn't have the right machinery to defeat the original key, because between entering and exiting Acme, I handed my key to the guy in the back counter, waited 30 seconds, gave him $2.10, and he gave me my keys without even looking to check if they matched up. He was THAT confident. I was too eager to go home to see if the key worked to check out the rest of the store, but looks like they have just about everything a hardware store should have. Oh, and, $5 card minimum. Don't screw yourself over going to the nearest ATM (on Court st, btw) by paying more than cost of getting the key copied for the stupid fee. Uh, not that I've been through that before or anything... read more

called for price on a door closer,was told the closer was under warrenty,and we would only have to pay for the labor.i was told the labor rate was 85 or 89 dollars an hour.i agreed to the charges. after the work was done the service person gave a bill with a service charge of 79.50,or so they lumped into the bill as trip and labor.never was i told of a trip charge.caiied them three times and was told they would have the owner call me.he never has. UPDATE: 12/19/17 OWNER CALLED REGARDING THIS REVIEW AND OFFERED 40 DOLLARS WHEN HIS UNACCEPTABLE OFFER WAS DECLINED THREATENED TO DISPARAGE THE COMPANY I WORK FOR IN RETALIATION. CINCINNATI,OHIO read more

These guys are awful. Got 3 different quotes ranging from $27-$50 for the same service. Left a lock with them to be impressioned on Saturday morning, was told it would be done either Saturday or I could pick it up mon. At 12. Called Monday at 2, and they had no clue what was going on. Was told it would be finished Monday evening, then got a call later saying they weren't sure when it would be done, and it would take several more days. If you're looking for a good locksmith, check out Cecil key and lock. Much cheaper and better service read more

We had a very, very disheartening experience with Acme Lock and Door - Covington today. They agreed to program and cut a key for our car. Apparently, the only locksmith technician who handles such jobs was called away for a remote job while working on our car. Three hours later, after she returned, we were told she can't do it because she doesn't have the required program. And then we are charged $35 for a product they thought they needed. Also, we're told we need to go to the dealership now and pay their exorbitant prices. This is my second experience with this merchant and the first was only mildly better. Needless to say, they won't get a third chance at my business. read more

They came out and replaced my key. I had issues shortly after. The guy on the phone was extremely rude which is why I'm docking a point. I didn't get his name. When I went to the store the gentleman who helped me was kind. Hopefully my issues are resolved soon. read more

lost my car key and called AAA and they sent Acme to help me out. They made a key and remote for my honda and had me on my way. AAA paid most of it but Acme got the job done in about an hour. read more

Never come here for a lock service. My mother lost her car key and we called and they said they would send someone out immediately. We called back three hours later and the man had a bad attitude. He said we never called and he was the only person on the phones so he would know. Then proceeded to belittle my mother on the phone. I will never recommend Acme Lock to anyone ever again. Disappointed and rude. read more