I've stopped by here a few times, and I've always had a great experience. The staff is super friendly and helpful! They also not only point me in the right direction for tools but give out pointers with my ongoing home projects read more

I have been shopping at this Cole Hardware location in the city for a few years. Every time I have gone in looking for this or that, the store team has been knowledgeable and provide excellent advice and customer service. I went in yesterday and as usual, Rex in particular along with other team members provided amazing service, advice and made the store experience so pleasant. read more

Amazing staff and special shout out to Connie who helped me process my return. I stopped by here during a break at work without realizing that my return was going to take a little longer than usual--totally my fault--but I was worried that I would be late getting back to a meeting. Connie not only handled my return, she also told me it was okay to go back and that she would continue to call the corporate office to ensure my return was processed. She even gave me a call after she processed my return to confirm that it went through! Talk about customer service! Wow! A++ read more

A great hardware store that has a lot of selection and folks that are willing to help you out with your questions. I asked for recommendations on a work glove and the person helping me gave me suggestions and even a time range on how long they last. I've come to this location to get odd drill bits, screws and washers, work gloves, replacement garage door openers, etc. I come back even if it's out of the way for me. read more

Lower ur damn prices, I was in need of contact cleaner, broom, mop and lite bulbs and a pair of screwdrivers. I compared the price, and Cole still try to rip me off. By the way the it is the crappy lite bulbs, Philip lite bulbs are decents. Only positives is the Fixtures. The Men who runs the place are idiots, I am sorry u are idiots. read more

I'm in here fairly often and it's always a good experience. I routinely get my questions answered easily by the staff and find exactly what I need. Yesterday I stopped in looking for a hose bib cap and I was directed to it by maybe the most helpful employee I've ever run across at this store, which is saying something, a man by the name of Rex. After helping me with that, he proceeds to advise me on a handful of other issues my building often runs into, turning this routine stop at the hardware store into one of the most instructive interactions I've had in a long time. It was awesome. So yeah, stop in and say hi to Rex. He knows what he's talking about, as does everyone who works at the 4th Street Cole Hardware. read more

I was in the Metreon area of San Francisco and went to Cole-Fox Hardware. The mural on the wall is what I first saw. It has a good variety of hardware and other items. Staff was helpful. read more

Cole Hardware - Fox Hardware, Close to Metreon Area, San Francisco, CA - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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With the ability to order everything off the internet, who would have thought there was a need to go to the hardware store again! This place has a decent selection, and staff is pretty friendly and helpful. Prices can be slightly high at times, but you can't beat the convenience. Recently, with all the wildfires going on, trying to order a face mask online was a pretty tricky and slow idea. I was able to stop by here and pick on up for about $1 right as they were closing read more

Always great customer service. Just ask for help and the helpful people will figure out what you need. Hardware stores are usually a fun place to look around, but with the staff at Cole, it's even better. read more

Helpful place! Rex the older gentleman found parts for me and bent them into the shape I needed.

I walked into the downtown Cole Hardware store to return a fan today. Denise was at the front desk working hard to get the store open for the day. She stopped everything she was doing to help me out! She is a very nice lady and it's really refreshing to see such amazing customer service these days! Thank you! read more

There's multiple reasons why I love coming to this location. Location-wise, it's in such a key area downtown. It's easily accessible by multiple MUNI lines. It also gains a lot of foot traffic because it's right by Trader Joe's, Target, and all of the other shopping areas. It's vey convenient to get to, and especially during these times, I need an easily accessible hardware store for whenever something goes wrong with my place. On the outside, it doesn't look like it would carry much, but once you step inside, it has such a HUGE selection. The aisles are really long, and there's also a massive downstairs section. I wish there were more people stationed downstairs, but I can see why the upper floor would be more heavily staffed. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable. Whenever I've come in and asked for a question, they've immediately been able to point me to the section I'd need to look in. They also offer deep insight on how something works and how to troubleshoot something. I'm blown away. In particular, I'd love to give a huge shout out to Art and Tony. There's one more gentleman who's also helped me before, but I'm not quite 100% on his name because it was a few months ago. I want to say his name was Steve. All three were really patient with me, friendly, and made sure I left feeling empowered and confident with my purchase. Their customer service is exceptional, and is why I love coming here! read more

I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Locksmith, Marc Estoque. It started with my initial call being answered by Marc and not by a message saying, "please leave a message". We were able to schedule a time for him to come out the next day (less than 24 hours since the initial call). He arrived, assessed what needed to be done, and got the job done in less than 30 minutes. Marc is a true professional and I would definately recommend him to friends. Thank you Cole Hardware for referring me to Marc! read more

I enjoyed shopping at Cole Hardware for many years. This store is located at 70 Fourth Street in San Francisco, California. Items I bought here in the past included a fan, a power strip, a ladder, and shower curtains. They always had a large variety of high quality merchandise at reasonable prices. My most recent visit was so successful that I felt this review was one way to express my thanks. Despite their having so many different items on hand, I wanted to buy an unusually bright light bulb. They did not have any 5800 Lumens light bulbs on hand but they were happy to place a special order of it for me. They made this special order easy and they handled it expertly. Their choice of bulb was excellent. The whole process was completed entirely to my satisfaction. Sometimes when I buy an item I had a hard time getting it out of its packaging. This was not a problem here because they wisely offered to test the bulb, while I watched, before I left their store with it. To do that, they removed it from its packaging. I am truly happy with this light bulb and with my latest experience with these smart, friendly, and courteous people. i highly recommend them. read more

After two years of being faithful customers, we were treated like criminals when walking in. The greeter at the door asked us if we had any questions or if we were looking for something in particular. I responded that we didn't need any help since we knew where everything was. He informed us there was a downstairs, which we already knew and spoke into his communication device that there's two people to keep an eye on. About ten feet away, a man in a black shirt labeled "Crew" stood with another man dressed in their usual red outfit, blocking the stairwell. The man in the "Crew" said, "Copy that. I've got an eye on them." We chose to ignore that since the area is seedy, and they probably have a lot of theft and were being thorough. We asked him where the doorknobs were. He took us to them, blocked the area where they were, grabbed a doorknob without showing us, and escorted us to the front to pay, handing the doorknob we hadn't even had a chance to look at or get a price on to the woman behind the counter. At that point, we decided to look up the item on Amazon and order it there since we had no idea what we would be presumably buying at the checkout counter or how much it would cost. We've tried to support this store over the last few years even though shopping online is easier, but we will not be returning after our last experience as it seems to have taken on an unwelcoming, militaristic environment. read more

KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF - MEETS ALL BASIC HARDWARE NEEDS This place is one of the only hardware, if not the ONLY hardware store downtown. The staff is ALWAYS friendly and great. If you have questions about hardware they know their stuff. They have been there for many years and you can tell! They have everything from drill bits, to nuts and bolts all the way to key duplication. I know this because I have come here for all that and more. FYI they are on the pricey side, probably due to location. Plus you go there when you're in a bind. Hope they continue there for many years to come! read more

Always liked this place, and now I live a few blocks away. It's definitely going to be my go to hardware store. The staff are all friendly and quick to help! read more

This location is one of the friendliest locations. They are ready to answer all of your questions and don't make feel uncomfortable to ask them anything. The location on 9th street should learn from this location on 4th street and make customers feel welcomed. read more

I work at a local store and needed some screws for certain parts and Rex was a huge help. I had an idea of what I was there for but the specific item and size, I just couldn't find. Rex was beyond helpful and great conversation while we helped me out. 10/10 read more

This store is filled to the brim with every tool, tape, tinkering thing you'd ever need! And while it can be overwhelming at first glance, the staff is very happy to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Within seconds of stepping inside someone kindly and energetically asked if we needed anything or had any questions. What could've been a stressful experience turned into a surprisingly delightful trip. And I definitely didn't think I'd be saying that about a hardware store! read more

Capitalism at it's finest here. The fires in California have been producing hella pollutants and the air quality is pretty terrible; protective masks have been sold out in a lot of places. Given laws of supply and demand, this store decides to charge up to $40 for a single mask which Amazon will ship free to you for $2 a piece. Profitable? Yes. Ethical? Nah read more

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff! From the guy at the door to the guy who assisted me (Spencer), really great experience. Spencer knows his stuff, asked questions and gave me exactly what I needed. I'd shop here fort before the bigger box stores. read more

I see you baby, pushin that cart, pushin that cart, pushin that cart, I see you baby, pushin that cart, pushin that cart, pushin that cart. The gleam of my silver laundry cart catches the sun, as I push it down the gravel slope. It catches the glint in passer-bys' eyes' and I can see them marveling in their heads, at how beautiful it is. Cause yeah... I am the bomb with my laundry cart. No more lugging torn bags of laundry from the laundromat, as a slightly opened bottle of detergent trickles down my leg. No more heaving as I trudge home with my groceries. No more multiple trips when it comes to buying my flowers. Cause I have the super deluxe cobalt extrordinaire cart of all carts. And I got it at Cole's I searched high and low for this baby and Cole's had her. She wasn't cheap. In fact a little pricey. But her sheen and her sturdiness made up for it. **************** The staff at Cole's are some of the sweetest staff around. From the moment I walked into the store they were there to help. They even offered me advice on which cart to get, and for an additional 7 dollars, even assembled it perfectly for me. Cole's has everything. Though the prices can get a little up there, the staff make up for it with their welcoming, genuine, and helpful nature. If you're ever in the financial district and need cheese knives, laundry carts, spray-paint, and anything else you can dream up - definitely hit up Cole's. I wish more businesses were as eager to help you out like Cole-Fox Hardware. read more

Coming to this Cole-Fox Hardware Store is quite a treat. It's located in the middle of all the Tourist, Convention Traffic, Yerba Buena Gardens, etc. busy stuff and for me is a welcome respite as I wander the aisles looking for home improvement ideas. This place also makes me wonder what this neighbourhood used to look life before this version of modern commerce took over. This store is dense and with a nice number of "hidden" alcoves and unique sight-lines that reward the curious. I have had keys made here, picked up nails and screws, found a cool leather tool bag, and have forgotten how many times I've been in and what else I might have purchased. The folks here know their stuff and in the best friendly, non-judgmental, and small town way that I don't experience that often. It's fun and educational to get lost in here and in some ways is a better and handy tourist destination that what's outside. read more

The customer service here is not good... I arrived into the shop, and went to the Key man, and attempted to make eye contact to see what the process was to request a key to be made. He looked at me murmured, then did not acknowledge me for 6 minutes. All he could have said was, "hi, I'll be with you in about 5 minutes, thank you for your patience". NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN. read more

Walked into the store today to get some keys cut and was hoping to see Alice and that smile of hers. When I got to the back and asked for her I was told by Joseph that yesterday 7/15/15 was her last day and that she retired. Although I was sadden by the news, I am very happy that after 32 years of service to all of us she is off doing something else that she enjoys other than being the rock of this incredible little store that has it all. Now it's in the hands of Bill, Frank and the rest of the awesome staff members that work here. Cheers Alice! read more

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Awesome window displays, friendly staff, and they have everything i need when it's after work and i'm supposed to pick up that metal thing to cover the screw thing. We got our paint mixed here for our house and they did a great job. It's definitely hard to find stuff, but they do HAVE it. read more

Coolest hardware store ever. A small store makes amazing use of its space and has just about everything. Timbuk2 bags? Check. Klean Kanteens? Check. Amber shellac? Check. BBQ grills? Check... They also have the most creative displays. read more

For well over a decade, working downtown and in SOMA, this was my "go-to" hardware store at lunch time if I needed something and couldn't wait til the weekend to go to another hardware store. I adore the narrow, crowded aisles - the crazy basement and just all the stuff they have packed in here is great - it's amazingly well stocked for being so small. They also cut keys and you can get fun colored keys with Mexican flags on them to confuse people. Prices are damned reasonable - even considering their location right downtown off Market Street. PS: I forgot to include how HELPFUL the guys downstairs are whenever I have questions about materials or solutions - they are great at brainstorming and helping pick things out. Way better than going to Home Depot! read more

I'm really a big fan of Cole-Fox Hardware. I don't shop at hardware stores often and when I do I find the large Home Depot types to be more intimidating than helpful. Too many options, too many people, and frankly, it's really hit and miss with helpful employees there. Cole-Fox, on the other hand, has always been helpful and friendly and I enjoy my time in the store. While the store itself looks small, it's two floors and jam packed with pretty much anything you'd be looking for in regards to hardware. Since they're not a large warehouse type store, there may be times where they don't have what you're looking for, but for almost everything else that can fit in a breadbox or smaller, it's there. Also you better not mind squeezing your body around strangers. The drawback of it being crowded with lots of stuff? Narrow aisles. I'm usually wearing a backpack when I go in since I bike commute and I find the aisles (especially downstairs) very difficult to navigate through because of this. It's a great place to cop a feel if you're so inclined. Or get groped if you swing the other way. If you're the type that doesn't like touching random strangers, navigate through various aisles to avoid them. But do go here to shop regardless! read more

Tiny former/part ACE Hardware store next to Montgomery Bart in the heart of downtown SF. For the limited space, they have a ton of everything you need for your house at good prices. The service is excellent. I needed mounting tape to put up a dart board and the manager was extremely helpful. She gave me tons of advice on what to do with wiping down the wall with alcohol swabs, using x amount of tape per inch, etc. Really awesome service. read more

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

This has been my local hardware store for almost 10 years, and all of my little projects have required a visit here, from buying paint, installing custom shelving from scratch, or some little things to secure a hook to dry wall or kill some moths or replace a weird light bulb. Always, there was someone knowledgeable that gave me advice on what to buy and how to use it. They're so helpful that I'm sometimes amazed how much knowledge there is under one roof. I once was getting advice on red climbing rope versus red flat nylon straps with a store employee, and he was completely unfazed when, as he was describing comparative rope features for rigging/climbing, I told him that I was actually building some bed restraints for a kinky gal I was dating. Without batting an eyelash, he smoothly switches gears and analyzes the options based on this new information ("The straps will cut into skin, the rope will be softer..."). Ha. I love this place. They also have power tool rentals, can duplicate keys for you, custom cut raw materials to your specifications, and have regular household items, like buckets, bug spray, cleaning supplies, etc. read more

Amazing how they fit such a variety of things in one store! Everyone is super helpful and pleasant. I feel safe shopping here during the pandemic. Easy to walk away with everything you need (and even things you didn't even know you needed lol). read more

Wholly recommend this place if you need keys made. After the nightmare that was KeyMe giving me 3 keys that didn't even work on my locks, I found this place which seemed professional, was close to work, and had good reviews. The reviews were no lie. Was easy, quick, and painless and took like about a minute! read more

Nice local (kinda) hardware store. Great inventory inside or regular hardware items as well as home accessories, backpacks, utilitarian items, etc. Prices are on the higher side, but it's SF and not big box retailer. read more

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

This amazing hardware store with anything and everything right downtown San Francisco. In this day and age of Home Depots and Lowes, this old time hardware store is a throwback to a kinder, gentler era when real clerks helped you with any question you might have. The display window is wonderful, too. read more

Cole Hardware - North side of building - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place is my go-to for tools, tape and having additional keys made. I know I personally like the small town feel that Cole-Fox offers while being smack in the downtown hubbub of San Francisco. I recently came to get a house key copy made and from stepping foot into the store to the moment I got my receipt was an adventure of less than ten minutes total. I also like the fact that the employees are always going above and beyond to ensure you get the right items the first time, being so knowledgeable and detailed than most people usually are. I would tell anyone that lives downtown to use them for your hardware and key copying needs as they're the best in the city. They also have other locations in the city, but haven't been to them and can't speak to their store or employees! read more

I walked in looking to make a few copies of a key and get picture hanging nails/hooks. The store is jam-packed floor to ceiling with merchandise. The lady at the counter (who had been chatting with another employee) saw me and asked what I was looking for. I asked her where to make copies of a key, and she gave me an intense stare and told me that they didn't make keys. I was confused because I had read some reviews of other customers who had made keys. So I asked about the picture nails/hooks, and she had difficulty understanding what I wanted. She continued the glaring stare and said they didn't carry that either. The whole interaction felt very abrupt and unwelcoming... Like "please leave we don't have what you want." I really wanted to get those errands run though, so I just said "oh I'll go look around the store then..." She said "ok," while continuing to look at me with huge wide eyes. It felt like I had done something wrong. I continued down and found a very nice employee at the back of the store who helped me get my keys made. I went downstairs to look for my picture hanging hooks and another great employee stayed by my side in helping me figure out which ones were best for my needs. I went back upstairs and there was a line now at the check out counter. The same lady who had greeted me was there, and I kind of dreaded going back up to her. She was much nicer this time and nothing happened. I feel this is a great local store to fulfill hardware needs, but that first impression was very jarring. The other employees went above and beyond in helping me...so I will probably come back if I need to, but it would not be my go-to place. read more

On 5/9/2020 I wrote a poor review about 4th Street Cole Hardware. After hearing from the manager, I thought I would give them another chance but apparently the staff at that location has gotten marginally better. Today a little after 3pm, I went in to get one item. I was nearly at the bottom of the stairs when an employee who was at the bottom refused to move away so I could get to the bottom floor while practicing social distancing. (In his conversation with someone else, I heard him say he was clocking in.) Instead stepping back 3 steps so I could get to the bottom floor, he rudely insisted that I go back up the flight of stairs to get out of his way. When I refused, he pushed by me and nearly knocked me over. Not honor social distancing is one thing but his rude behavior just tops it. I will no longer go to that store. Previous review from 5/9/20: This Cole Hardware is the least helpful of all the Cole Hardware stores in SF. I have had so much good, helpful services from other stores but it always seems like the workers there are determined to not be helpful, hidden, or to be disgruntled. It may be a central location but not the place to go if you like good or event mediocre customer service. read more

Superb customer service. It's like a neighborhood corner hardware store, but in the heart of downtown SF. They always have what I need and remember me by face. read more