Things I've bought at Cole Harware: trash cans, keys, strike plates, nails, bolts, washers, screws, screwdrivers, drill bits, squares, hex wrenches, clamps, a hammer, wrenches, pliers, a level, mops, brooms, garbage bags, compost bags, dog poop bags, vacuum cleaner bags, light bulbs, lamps, fans, space heaters, lumber, extruded aluminum, extruded brass, hinges, latches, Sigg bottles, thermoses, batteries, garage door openers, flashlights, propane, a plumber's torch (which I use to make creme broulee, btw), little plastic boxes, dish soap, soap dispenser, 3M pads, sponges, buckets, a swiffer, shower heads, faucets, braided stainless steel hoses, plungers toilet parts, toilet brushes, toilet paper, paper towel, paper bags, pipe, teflon tape, garden hoses, orchids, potting mix, pots, basil, gravel, lady bugs, pesticides, interior paint, exterior paint, spray paint, paint stripper, tape, sandpaper, wood stain, tung oil, twine, rope, chain, solder, speaker wire, electrical cord, extension cords, lamp parts, light switches, switch plates, outlets, bathroom cleaner, Windex, playing cards, Christmas tree lights. That's just the stuff I can remember. I think at this point my whole house is entirely held together by stuff I bought at Cole Hardware. Without Cole Hardware I'd be sitting here in a big pile of rubble. They have it all, great customer service, and walking distance . . . nothing less than 5 stars would be fitting. read more

Called them about buying a grill. They said that they would call me back. No call back. Called again...they hang up on me while checking the price. No apology or anything when I call back yet again. I ask if the delivery people will be able to put the grill into my backyard. Answer: If it involves stairs, then no. Give me a break! I'm trying to buy a $500 grill from you! read more

I love this place - convenient hours, great products, and every employee who's helped me was friendly and knowledgeable. The staff have given me helpful advice and sometimes even shared strategies or ideas they used which I'd never have thought of on my own. Also - The gardening section is cozy and beautiful! read more

Surprisingly hip for a hardware store. I hate Home Depot but I actually like Cole Hardware. It has interesting things for people who typically don't usually like hardware stores (like me). We bought our wall clock here (they have a good selection of these) and they have quite a bit of cookware, candles, seasonal decorations, etc. You can get cast iron skillets here, measuring cups, small kitchen appliances and cool retro (and inexpensive) coffee mugs. A couple of years ago when Nigella Lawson came out with her line of cookware, they carried the mixing bowls and some other items. I like the nursery section in the back. I bought my Christmas tree here too and had spare keys made multiple times. They have creative window displays as well. read more

It's not as kitschy as Cliff's Variety, but they pretty much carry everything to satisfy your practical hardware, houseware, and plumbing needs. A major draw for locals looking to beautify their front steps or back decks is the garden section in the rear, in addition to the racks of potted flowers on the sidewalk outside the store. read more

While pursuing the light bulb section today, I accidentally dropped my old light bulb that I brought in for reference at Cole Hardware. How embarrassing! I can't even go into a hardware store without making a scene. One of their stellar employees named Ray, didn't bat an eye or even roll his eyes when he witnessed my clumsiness at the store located on Cole. He just smiled as said, "I'll take care of that." I thanked him profusely. What a gem! Cole will continue to get my business since they employ great employees like Ray. read more

Convenient. But, sometimes very expensive. I needed to purchase a Duracell 28L 6 volt Lithium battery and a couple of toilet shut off valves. Cole Hardware and Walgreens both wanted $11.95 plus tax for the battery. Batteries Plus only wanted $6.49. But, they were 3 miles further each way. U-Save Plumbing only wanted $10.49 each for Korky 'QuietFill' toilet shutoff valves. Cole Hardware wanted to charge $7.00 to $20.00 more for each equivalent valve. Result: I bought the toilet valves at U-Save Plumbing and I paid the gouge and bought the battery at Cole Hardware. After I complained, the Cole Hardware manager on duty gave me a 10% discount on the battery - $1.20. Gee. That was generous.... When convince and speed are more important than price, I shop at Cole Hardware. read more

They have everything but poster lattices. But that's okay. I have 25 yard sticks now. Who you calling a size queen?

I got a quick response and the vendor they referred called me to follow up when I hadn't called. He was very flexible and came on a Saturday to do the job. I was having some bedroom furniture refinished/touched up. He came right on time, took 1 hr. like he said he would and only charged $60 when other furniture places were quoting $300-400 and not resonding to emails. Excellent service!! Will use again. read more

There's a reason this store is so well regarded and rated so highly. Actually there are many reasons: - They have an amazing inventory. I've never not found what I want. - The service is Nordstrom-esque -- like it was in your grandparents' day "when bread cost a nickel and we had to walk three miles in the snow to school." - They're almost always open (8-8), so unless you're one of those people who likes to do projects at midnight, their lights are on for you. - They're right here in city central -- three convenient locations. - Cole is affiliated with Ace Hardware, so you can order stuff on Ace Hardware's vast site and have it sent to one of the Cole locations for free. They notify you when it's in (usually a week), and you go pick it up. I'm about to go pick up my cute little outdoor bistro table! - They have a nice garden center in the back with healthy plants, hard-to-find clay pot sizes, and just about anything you need for your garden. - They have a lot of handy-dandy kitchen items, from pots and pans to all kinds of implements, cooking tools -- you name it, it's there. - They have sales!!! For certain holidays (and Dave, the owner's, birthday), everything in the store is 20% off! - They are green certified. - They give back to the community in many ways. Do I sound like I work there, know someone who works there, or have some vested interest in promoting Cole's? Well, I don't! I just really appreciate stores that are so customer-focused. Save yourself a trip to the suburban big-chain box stores and support a gem of a local business. Do yourself a favor, and shop Cole Hardware. Secret note to Cole's: Please consider opening a store in Noe Valley. Our long-time hardware store is gone. We need you! read more

Cole Hardware, especially Randy was very supportive in my search for beer bong parts. The moment I mentioned a funnel and tubing he knew exactly what I wanted. Very helpful staff. read more

This is one of those places where I come in, intending to buy washers and bolts, and linger over potential purchases for hours. Where else could you buy a jalapeno plant, mitre box, and stovetop espresso all at once? Just the other day my friend bought a 12" portable charcoal grill for 40 bucks. took it to the beach but were unsuccesful in trying to light the damn thing. I blame that one on lack of grilling experience but I digress.Seriously love this hardware shop, it's well maintained, and staff are both helpful and friendly. read more

this store has everything. i have no idea how they are able to do that. their inventory must just say: 10 of everything in the world. have bought everything from sand paper to a kettle here. even more impressive, their employees know exactly where everything is located, know everything there is to know about what you're looking for, and won't laugh at your piddly, home repair ignorance. their list of earthquake preparedness necessities is a thing of beauty. i think it contains something like 300+ items. i keep it on my fridge so that in the event of an emergency, i can consult the list and see all the things that would have come in handy. have tried multiple times to grow a fresh herb garden, but alas, my black thumb of death haunts me. read more

I always end up in Cole Hardware even if I don't need anything. You can get anything from wood, tools, plants, cleaning supplies and bbq's here. They even have cool little gifts and toys. Everyone is super helpful and will go out of there way to get you what you need. Hands down the best hardware store in the SF! read more

Love this place. Everyone is so helpful and really knows their stuff. They have everything from high quality house paint to cool soap dispensers for the bathroom to a key copying service. You can even take them your used batteries for proper disposal. I would rather support them than schlepping out of the City for a bargain at Lowe's or the Home Depot. read more

Been going to this place for 20 years, and probably spent thousands over that time on stuff that you can get cheaper elsewhere - but I like to support a local business. Or at least I thought I did. Well, I rented out a rug cleaner and kept it for 10 days fully aware that I would be paying for it. Well, all of sudden, while I'm on a conference call with a client, two heavies (well a cowering young kid, and then this handlebar moustached, rude and obviously unhappy old man) come to my door and keep pressing my door bell. Until I had to drop the call. The old guy, seething with anger, starts bellowing at me that I had committed this crime of keeping the bloody rug cleaner too long. I said "I know, I haven't finished with it, and I am aware that I am paying for it". This is America; you pay for what you get. Angry old dude, goes: "you've been keeping us from renting it". I say: "But I'm paying for it" (the price had now also doubled to $500 for my misdeed, and he demanded a credit card right there and then because, of course, I might abscond the neighbourhood). No reaction to the point I made that I was renting it. I then tell him, I'd been a customer for 20 years. No effect. Still just a shaking old man with handlebar moustache feeling that it was his whole purpose in life to chastise me for paying for my rental of a rug cleaner (Btw, I describe him so you can avoid his anger management issues). This reminds me of the logic I would come across when I lived in the Soviet Union in the early 80s. You know when you'd walk into a restaurant with empty tables and the waiter tells you: "Sorry, we're full". I used to like Cole Hardware, although I knew something uneasy lurked beneath the surface. Now, I know what it is. Some of the staff have been watching too much Sopranos. Won't be showing my loyalty there any more when they treat you so strangely. I guess I'd better learn how to shampoo my rugs more promptly in future, or else some angry dude will come round with bent logic again. Still I never did get to finish my rug cleaning project. It wasn't worth explaining that I had to clean them more than once because of a plumbing accident. Oh no. Correction 08/15/2010: Total cost $625 read more

Okay seriously? They charged me money ($100?) to send someone out who basically said that my house would fall down and that we'd have to remove a wall which is smack up against the neighbors and that I was looking at, oh, I don't remember how much because it was so high as to be absurd, $50,000? $100,000. Fast forward 5 years. My house has not fallen down and we resloved the problem for so much less that, once again, I can't remember, $3,000? read more

I live in the Richmond District near Clement and 12th Ave., there are hardware stores much closer to me than Cole (in fact, one of them is about 50 yards away), but Cole is a great place to shop, with uniformly excellent, cheerful, respectful service, and those other places aren't. So, I'm giving my $2,500 in hardware business over the next 12 months to Cole. Update: I want to reaffirm my happiness with shopping at Cole (and my dislike of the place on Clement). Their place on Mission is great too. read more

If you are to call a Cole Hardware for help, don't call the one on Cole Street - call the Mission street Cole Hardware - they are friendlier and actually help you out. This RUDE customer service rep basically told me to shop at another competitors store because he couldn't order an item, which ironically the Mission street store did for me. read more

My car (Honda Accord) has one of those key fob things to open the doors and trunk. It was a little slow & lagging when I was near Cole Hardware so I asked if they could replace it for me. Not only did they have the battery replacement but they did the work for me and only charged me a buck for "service." SERIOUSLY? They're awesome. $1 is a steal and I love that they just handle it for you. read more

Great Store and Great Reviews. These guys made reviews, then Larry sent a card for a review and called to MAKE SURE everything went OK. Great service!! read more

UPDATE: May 2010 The locksmith service suckered me again! Another simple house key that doesn't work. They got me, i went in knowing that Cole Hardware on Cole St cannot copy keys. Maybe they need more training? WARNING: DO NOT use the locksmith service at Cole Hardware!!! read more

I was walking home and stopped at this store to get some supplies. I have heard really good reviews from people about this store. The selection turned out to be really good. But the service is TERRIBLE. I walked in and had to wait for a while until one of the clerks that was not helping anyone would attend to me- even after he saw me. When I was ready to check out the cashier was really rude and acted like she was doing me a favor. Sounds like other people have good experiences here, but today will be my first and last. I will take my business somewhere else. Update. Cole Hardware store contacted me through email, and said that they take reviews seriously. Well done! This was a classy move, and I sincerely appreciate it. I am raising the score of my review accordingly. read more

I should preface this by saying that I LOVE the actual store. I've written a review on the Mission Street store in Bernal and highly highly recommend them. I've used the repair referral twice (a locksmith and a handyman). The locksmith talked really fast and the bill was a lot more than he had initially quoted me (like $400 more). When I contacted the referral service about this they were apologetic and offered me a $100 store credit which made me feel better about things. The locksmith called me and was SUPER defensive about things. B/c of the responsiveness of the referral service and their gesture I thought I'd try it again.... Second time I needed a handyman who was a train wreck. We agreed upon hourly (big mistake on my part) and he padded his hours and charged me for materials that he sent me out to the store to purchase. He did a shoddy job and after 3 or 4 days I had had enough. He literally doubled his hours in his invoice and when I pointed out that he didn't work on one of the days he tried to bill for 6 hours he agreed to only be charged for the hours that I had jotted down. Beyond that he had my wife helping him (he had her holding equipment for him and even tried to get her to use a saw for him while he did something else). Without hesitation I recommend going into a Cole Hardware store and buying things. The staff is great. I just question the quality of the people (or at least some of based on who I was routed towards) that the referral service utilizes. read more

I've been coming here for the past few months while in need of home improvement supplies. My first experience here was awesome. The guy who works in the nursery was very friendly and helpful but since that time I've had bad encounters. I keep giving this place another shot because it's close, they have a good selection and Id like to support someplace local if I have the choice. That being said, here is an example of two interactions in the past two days: 1) A sales woman perusing the aisles ran right into me (she saw me too, so that was weird) and stepped/stubbed my toe on her boots. Yes these things happen! But she then proceeded to laugh and tell me that it's my fault for wearing sandals, which is just rude :( 2) went to return a light fixture-no one was else in line but waited for 10 minutes while check out lady talked to a customer she was trying to check out (but was having problems not paying attention, so the transactions kept declining). Didn't stop talking the whole time while I waited for someone to notice the line building up. Ironically she was taking about how she was upset with her jobs etc. Granted I like that the sales associate knew what seemed to be a regular, but she didn't acknowledge that I (and at that point 2 more ppl behind me). It was just bad, very bad customer service. read more

Who doesn't love Cole? It's like taking a trip back in time! I love the ample selection of everything and anything you can think of, just like a good old fashioned hardware store should be. Their prices are competitive and their selection is superb. And the service is always great. Yeah, they are pretty awesome... read more

This place has everything we needed for out new apt ( cleaning products, toilet seat, and other hardware). The person who helped us was very helpful. read more

Knowledgable staff. Well-stocked with wide variety of basic and cute eclectic trinkets. Nice displays, reward program. Today Tyrone helped me immensely as I tried to hunt down the right light bulbs (believe me, there are lots of bulbs out there. Esther helped with our prickly plumbing needs. She was able to detach a stubborn ball stuck in the kitchen faucet. Amber checked out our extensive purchases. She was a delight. Thanks everyone. 2014 is off to a great start to all of you. Thanks!!!! read more

Went in to get some new fluorescent lights for the kitchen. My grandma came with me and doesn't speak much English. Amber was very sweet an spoke spanish very well. She is awesome! Will definetly be back for all my hardware needs. Thanks read more

I hardly ever go to hardware stores but when I do, I go here because the staff is awesome - super knowledgeable and helpful. Once I went in to get a tool for a friend and completely forgot the name of it, and its application. I remembered a few vague details, and the hardware phd's that work there were able to read my friend's mind via my hazy description so I could still leave the store a hero. Also they have great solutions to SF problems (limited space, pigeon balcony attacks, old malfunctioning appliances, etc.). I always come here when I have a problem, and they give me a solid solution. read more

There are several very helpful associates in the Cole St store like Amber who greets me always with her great smile, but yesterday I went there with gloom and doom about the situation I found myself in in regards to my livingroom carpet. I have been trying very hard to find ways of cleaning and repairing it so I wouldn't need to buy a new carpet. I knew, however, that the complications that had accumulated were forcing me to do something drastic. Fortunately, I was directed to Mark, a fairly new employee at Cole but a very, very knowledgeable carpet expert! He has 10 years of managing the carpet dept at Home Depot! Well, I arrived in a sort of catatonic state and by some undeserved stroke of luck I met the very man who could understand all the complicated background of my situation--I found myself miraculously articulate which happens to me when I realize that someone is able to 'get' my situation. Wow! What a relief and when I finished he began to unravel it all--and to help me see what I could do. I am not a particularly enthusiastic home improvement person. I am trying to save money by doing things myself. But I get a wonderful and empowered feeling when I am able to find solutions to problems that seem intractable. Mark gave me a simple plan to follow, based on his very extensive understanding of carpeting problems. Today I'm busily humming along, sure that I am proceeding safely and efficiently--and that if I run into more problems, I know who to ask for help--Mark! read more

Way bigger than the hardware store on Haight Street. This is my new shopping mecca. I love hardware stores because not only do they have lots of manly stuff to fix things but they also have kitchen ware. I got some great stem less wine glasses & a 3 qt crock pot for 26.00 here, in addition to some very marked down Drano & household cleaning items. It's like.. the best of both worlds, the super male & the super female. I love it! read more

I love getting money back buying high quality products at reasonable (dare I say competitive) prices, backed up by truly helpful staff. They feel like members of the neighborhood, and they'll make it very easy to never patronize the incoming Home Depot. read more

Genius-level household hardware supply and service. Solve your problems here.

Sigh. Never has a hardware store inspired such love and loyalty in little ol' moi. They have everything, they know everything, and they're so friendly you think you're living on Sesame Street. Sometimes when I'm running errands totally unrelated to hardware, I'll pop in here just to walk around and absorb the vibe...and how weird is that? Completely weird. But weirdly nice. read more

I went there 5 mins. before closing time just to get a simple screwdriver that I knew where it was, but the store was packed and worst, the staff was complaining endlessly about how "people don't respect the working times" and how "you wouldn't go to someone's office after closing".... The solution: close doors 10 mins. before closing! That might stop them from whining and bitching... read more

The serviceperson, Larry, was as helpful as could be--offering to call repair companies on my behalf, without my asking him to do it, and then actually following up. As I was dealing with a difficult problem and a landlord in disarray, this was a real comfort. Service standards are well up to those in the hardware store on Cole (at Parnassus & Carl), which is unique in my experience for taking care of customers' needs. These people have helped a newcomer feel welcome in the neighborhood. read more

We recently had Cole Hardware's in-house locksmith, Marc, come by to fix a broken lock. He was awesome! Prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable (this guy really knows his stuff!), he had our lock fixed in no time. We would definitely go back to Cole Hardware if we had another problem. read more

Great and friendly service - they're my key pros. Copies always work...so key!

I no longer live across the street from Cole Hardware, but they still treat me like I do...they are all so great and helpful! Just don't get keys made there...they will never open the door you want it to! read more