Always in search of a nice speakeasy experience, we came across Anoka Hardware Store while in…read moreMinneapolis before heading off to visit friends. It was a bit of a trek through rush-hour traffic from our hotel but so completely worth the trip. Discretely located through a door marked only by a red light above it we were warmly greeted by gentleman behind the hardware counter. We were prepared to answer with the password to let us in but for some reason it wasn't asked. No big deal. You are then sent through a door into the beautifully dimly-lit space of the speakeasy. There is plenty of seating, with small tables and some booths. We were shown to our table and greeted by one of the great, friendly hostesses. Drinks are ordered directly at the bar with one of the attendants. You immediately pay for your order which will then be brought to your table. Different but really a nice idea. The music was also nicely unique, with a mix of oldies from the 50's and 60's. An old black and white James Cagney movie played silently on one wall. In terms of the cocktails I have to say these are some of the most delicious and finely crafted drinks I've enjoyed. I began with the Start Your Engine, a delicious gin-based drink. My wife had an absolutely fantastic smoked Old Fashioned, smoked in a large box for a minute or two. Wow! Probably the best we've ever tasted. My second drink was another gin cocktail, the Last Word, which I'd been wanting to try for some time. A fine gin supported by green Chartreuse and lime, this was simply sublime. Highly recommended. The bar and menu is quite varied and extensive, so you're sure to find something to your liking. The space has a great vibe and mellow ambiance. Sufficiently dark, cozy and very nicely and eclectically decorated. Service was outstanding and informative. Reservations are recommended. Like many such places you are "limited" to 90-minute timeframes, which sometimes seems like not enough but ultimately works quite well. The quality of the cocktails, space and service all make for a really enjoyable time. Well worth many visits.

Minneapolis's best kept secret ;) a hardware store with a lot to offer. I especially enjoyed the…read morebeautiful charcuterie board and the breakfast at Tiffany's drink - wasn't too alcoholic, it was sweet and yummy. Ambience is spot on, a beautiful spot. Your reservation is timed, but you can hang out front afterwards if you'd like! Also, love the shovel supplies.

I don't live in this area so this was more like, 'I need something and there's an Ace'. The store…read moreis filled from floor to out of reach with merchandise. Within seconds of making eye contact I was helped, led to my product, paid and out the door. If I lived in the area I'm sure I would be a regular. There were some interesting impulse items in clear eye view on the way out but my resistance held up and I avoided buying what I really didn't need.

The BEST and only store for ALL my hardware needs. Personable and helpful. Why should I go anywhere…read moreelse? The store manager, here, Bryan is the best! Thank you for all your help over the years.

Convenient and good hours. This is my go to place when I need something quick. I'm part of their…read moremailing club and use the coupons I get to stock on up on hardwood charcoal for my grilling needs. They offer maintenance on some equipment and it overall is a great store that for parts and pieces when you are trying to get something done. Plus there is that free popcorn.

Super helpful with all of my projects. Great neighborhood store and every person who works there…read morehas always been helpful and fun to work with. Even fellow shoppers start conversing and sharing ideas! In a world increasingly alienated by technology, it means a lot to find a place that offers the personal, friendly approach of being in community with one another.

Home Depot, like Menards, pretty much offers what you need, but prices may be a titch higher…read more I personally like going here for lightening and ceiling fans as I prefer them over Menards. The people are pretty helpful but I'm not a fan of their lack of cashiers and their reliance on self pay kiosks. Otherwise, you are pretty much gonna shop at the location that is closest to you.

A trend at Home Depot is the lack of help. It isn't just this store, but a few now that I have been…read moreat. I'm not a "Pro", so help is needed. It's just the running around finding that help which leads to this evaluation. Know the the margins don't allow for an overstaffing, but it effects with an understaffing.

We stopped in for my mom to grab a few supplies for a minor bathroom repair. She needed a few…read morethings that we weren't really sure where they were located and needed to ask for help. I will say the few staff we asked for help did generally help by pointing in the direction the item would be in but I felt like none of them were so busy that they couldn't walk us to the area (as they couldn't tell use an exact aisle). We did eventually find everything we were looking for. I generally just like browsing around. I found some bublr flavors I haven't seen other places. It sounded like someone was playing the piano upstairs but maybe it was just a radio, the escalator to go up was out of service so the elevator was a bit busy and not worth exploring upstairs. Overall not too many complaints!

Every time I go to this Menards, I have a great experience. They have the cutest walk through…read moredisplay that changes with every holiday. The staff is knowledgeable and always helps me find the items I need. The store is huge, so any help with locating things is greatly appreciated. We went specifically for the live Edgewood, and although the selection wasn't the best, there was 1 in the very back that worked for what we needed. It's nice that they have Edgewood at an affordable price. The customer service at the return desk is always quick and easy; Nas was great!

I stopped by this store near downtown to get some supplies to repair a machine. They were very…read morehelpful, primarily because they are in a shady neighborhood and the aisles that had expensive stuff was locked to each peg and a chain across the isle saying that you must be escorted by an employee. They did have what I needed and they were nice. Rough part of town anytime of the day. Be careful out there.

Frattallone's is breaking off from Ace. All the reward points that I have earned are no longer…read moregood. I wish they would have given me some prior warning. We will have to see how well they do going forward.

This place is great. Those that know, know…read more They're not open like big box stores, but because of that, you have people working there that will cut things down for you and point you in the right direction. If you are going to be doing anything that will require a sizeable amount of lumber, come here. You'll save a significant amount of money. Even a red cedar 4x4x10' will be $20 less than what you'll get at Menards or Home Depot. And that is just on one piece of wood. Plus, it feels like they take care of their employees as I see some of the same people and this is from shopping here multiple years. There are other things offered here that are from different manufactures too like doors, interior hinges, etc.

They have a great staff and an amazing inventory of hard and soft wood and a large selection of of…read moreclear redwood only reason not 5 star was cost I found the cost quite substantial higher than my last supplier but if you need a 12' x 12 8/4 purple heart they got it !!!

This is my favorite Ace location in the area. It is bigger than the other stores and is much better…read moreorganized. As Raquel mentioned, the garden center is larger than most, and I love that they often have racks and racks of flowers and plants out in front of the store to advertise their large offering in the garden department. The staff here is friendly without being pushy (which is definitely different than some other Ace stores). Knowledgeable and friendly, pretty much everything you'd want from a neighborhood hardware store. Be sure to sign up for the Ace Rewards program if you're not a member.

You know when you enter to the hardware store you always want to find whatever you are looking for…read moreI soon as possible. However many stores are very confusing and it's really hard to find something. Ace hardware is not like that. They have many variety of choices of different kinds of materials that you will need for remodeling or just your garden. They have some of the lumber like 2 x 4 x 8 they also have a lot of rough material for plumbing. They also have a lot of rough electrical material and also finish the parking lot is pretty big. I would highly suggest to come there and visit this place and you will meet your needs