The didn't have what I wanted (size/color) but did tell me where I could find it - very good service. One star off for support of our current idiot-in-chief. read more

Walked in to buy a hat, was immediately asked to surrender my personal bag, upon asking if he would be responsible for my expensive belongings, was asked to leave. I asked to purchase a hat, was shooed away like a 2nd rate citizen. Assuming I wasn't the right winged profile of a human The store owner should be boycotted for his rude, discriminating nature. read more

Dudes not a racist but a realist. Funny story I am a dentist here in downtown Berkeley and like to buy "work clothes" to wear on my time off. No polo shirts and dockers for me. I found a couple carheart pants and shirts for reasonable prices. As I was looking for my size he asked what I was lookin for and what size I was. Within minutes I had what I needed. As I was checking out we were chopping it up regarding dentistry and business in general. I felt a connection with the guy. Oh... all of a sudden a large framed black guy enters the store. Throws his back pack down and darts to the back of the store. No conversation or eye contact. Owner asked if he can be of help and gets full on racial accusations. "What.. why you all up on me!!! All black people steal right?" Grabs his backpack and looks at me... yo don't shop here with this racist guy. Mind you he is stuffing socks other merchandise into his baggy pants. He runs out of the store with his middle finger extended. WOW. Tough way to make a living with these fuckers. We all deserve the right to get up in the morning and go to work and make an honest stress free living. read more

Great store. Great selection of work clothes. Ben Davis, Carrhart, many others and some of the - ever elusive - Pendleton shirts. I wanted to write a review because a lot of people have put negative reviews of this store siting totally irrelevant reasons. Yes, Roy locks his doors. I have worked retail in the city of Berkeley for 3 years as a security guard and I envy him for locking his doors. People WILL come Into your store and grab a stack of merchandise then run with it. It happens all the time and I don't think someone of Roy's age wants to spend their days chasing thieves around the streets of Berkeley. The next is people who disagree with Roy's politics. Really? I thought the review saying Roy's politics don't fit with Berkeley's diversity was laughably inappropriate and downright ignorant. Roy is Right Wing and Berkeley is Left. The whole point of diversity is being inclusive and having a variety of viewpoints! Duh! If you want to shut out any viewpoint that contradicts yours, you are not inclusive, you are a fascist. I am very Left Wing and have had many political conversations with Roy where we both disagree and laugh about it and I have raised points that make him think and likewise, he has raised points that make me think. That's the whole point of diversity folks, not to live in an echo chamber, but to have your viewpoints challenged. Please put aside your ignorant prejudices and - if you have any taste for quality work wear - check out this shop on payday. The only reason you might be disappointed is if you spend too much money or when you find out the "Ben Davis for President" buttons are not for sale. read more

Don't shop here. This guy is one of the rudest humans I have come across. I went here to buy something for my boyfriend for Christmas, who does construction and loves Carhartt. I simply asked at the counter if they carried a specific coat. The man began to yell at me about why would they carry that coat and where would I have gotten the idea that they carried such items. Sheesh. You're listed on the Carhartt website as an authorized Carhartt dealer. It was just a question, you could have simply said no, you don't carry that coat. Well now I felt incredibly stupid considering that this man just yelled at me (and continued to keep talking loudly about why would he carry this coat, blah, blah) for asking a simple question in a store full of people and felt like I should look around to see if there was anything else I might buy as I had already made the trek to the store. I asked if he had any women's Carhartt gear and he proceeded to snort so loud I thought he might choke. As I left, he continued to loudly make snide remarks about the coat that he didn't carry. So I won't be going back and I will be sure that none of my entire family of construction workers ever shop here. read more

Good selection, but overpriced. Also the owner is an absolute jerk. He's nice enough to me, but I've seen him be quite rude to women, people of color, and gay folks. A shame, cause he really does carry a fine selection of work apparel. I'm going to check out Pacific in San Leandro as well, hopefully I can be freed from my Halmar habit. (Also, in case anyone cares I'm a carpenter. As in a get dirty, deal with macho guys sort of carpenter. So my tolerance for jerks has gotten pretty high over the years. The owner of Halmar, though, he still manages to surpass any and all standards of jerkdom. Made me feel dirty every time I gave him money.) Updated February 2014: He doesn't even carry standard double knee Carhartts anymore. Only the crappy presoftened kind. Absolutely no reason to go there now. read more

They have Pendletons (plural). He does lock the door behind you when you come in, but most places that sell that kind of merchandise have similar practices. Greenspans in LA only allows two people in the store at a time and if they don't know you are really edgy. I see the old guy treat people fairly and shoots the shit with the paisas that come in to get work gear. I saw the Big Ben sign when I first moved to Berkeley and it's the only place in the Bay Area I shop for clothes. Good business. read more

So, I was very intrigued but all the extreme reviews, people either really like this place or really hate it. I went here with a little trepidation, but I really needed to get some heavy duty work pants (it seems the only good work pants are men's. The ones I ordered online didn't fit right. I'm returning them, but didn't know what men's size I should get, and didn't want to waste anymore time). The older gentleman there, I'm going to assume the same one discussed in all of the other posts, was professional and helpful. I got what I needed and am very pleased. He even knew right off the bat the correct men's size for me- now I know if I ever have to get another pair of men's work pants in the future! Also, lots of parking- unheard of in Berkeley. read more

Well stocked for work wear, love the carhartt gear. I had driven by many times thinking I should check it out, and I'm glad I finally did, I was able to find what I wanted in my size, no hassle. The owner and Jess were both friendly and helpful read more

Just happened to drive by this store and did a quick turn around and went Inside and ended up leaving with 400$ worth of work clothes and boots for my husband! I used to drive all the way to Redwood City to a store for Carhartt, dickies, Ben Davis and timberland pro gear but I have found my new favorite spot! Little pricey but worth the extra bucks for quality work gear and they have so many choices and items to choose from. Roy, who I believe is the owner... was so helpful and educated on what pants, Boots and shirts you need for what project your doing! Not only do they have an amazing selection to chose from but the customer service that Roy gives is awesome. Defiantly our new go to spot for work clothes and gear for the family! read more

I love this place! Roy is very helpful and informative. If you need Carhart work clothes this is the place to go!

Wow! That's all i can really say. The owner is very entertaining and funny. He makes my day! This guy knows his politics! The buisness is the best. If there isn't something in my size, shape, or color he orders it like that! This guy is my all time favorite. Not to mention the giant parking lot. This guy really knows his retail. I enjoy hearing stories about his daughter, ( Jessica ) and all the great art work that she made. I love spending my time and money here. You will be seeing me again at Halmar Work Clothes Center. read more

Okay....I read all of the other reviews and was a bit concerned. I was not sure I wanted to make the trek down there from Tri-Valley area just to deal with ignorance. I'd already had a rough day of poor customer service from 3 major retail chains and had seen enough "mess" for the day. So I called Halmar as I am driving to Berkeley to find out store hours, as it was after 4:15 pm. The owner answered the phone. I told him I was on my way and wanted to know what time they closed. He said "5:30 today (Wed) and 6 tomorrow". He then caught me off guard and asked me "where are you now? If you can't make it today I can pull what you need and hold it for you til tomorrow." Then he proceeded to ask me what I needed. While I was on the phone, he checked sizes for me, brands and exact color for what I'd given him. He had 3 options available for me to consider - to include prices so I could know what to expect. I was so shocked. I told him that he should call the 3 major retailers I'd talked to and help them with their customer service. He then gave me perfect directions to get to him. Parking in the lot directly beside the store was a real plus. When I walked in, I was immediately acknowledged. As promised (in between running to help someone else already there) he took me directly to the items he'd given me the quotes for. In less than 15 min I'd tried on 3 pairs of pants and was at the register ready to go. I was concerned about the return policy, when asked he said he only gives store credit. This is available if the tags remain on the items. That was reasonable to me. Overall I was blown away......All I can say is....his customer service is awesome (a rare and fast fleeting quality that used to be a norm for customer interactions). If you need work clothing, boots, socks, some hats, or undershirt items he's the go to guy....though his shop is small...it packs a real punch. read more

The place is small, but you'll find everything you're looking for. The owner stocks a wide variety of top brands (Ben Davis, Carhartt, Dickies) and offers them in all the latest sizes, styles, and colors (special orders are available). I've been going here for years and is my one-stop shop for all my work clothing needs. The two things that are a bit of an inconvenience is that the shop closes on Sundays and the owner hates processing returns/refunds. read more

not much in women's. great selection for men. $20 min for credit cards. One shirt on sale for $10 I wanted, wouldn't accept card for less than $20. I passed. read more

I have shopped at this store for over 10 years and I have never heard or felt the owner being disrespectful to a single customer. I am a woman and he has ALWAYS treated me kindly. He knows his work clothes, is always well stocked and the prices are fair. I guess if we were all to dissect the politics of every company we give business to everyone would find something to disagree with. He knows his work clothes, prices are good, parking is ample, what more could you ask for? read more

I was nervous to go to Halmar based on the Yelp reviews. I am a woman and I work part time as a stage hand. I needed some work pants and gloves. When I got there I was the only customer. An older gentlemen helped me and gave me several suggestions. There is a large selection, the prices are average for the brands and quality of the clothes. I had trouble finding the right size pants (in the men's section) and he was very patient while I tried on several pairs. I was relived that he didn't raise an eyebrow about buying men's pants (they are more comfortable!) or take on a "what's a little lady like you need this stuff for" attitude. I get enough crap about being a woman on the job - I was glad I didn't have to deal with it here! read more

Great selection, nice enough guy. Better to spend your money here where you can try your clothes on before buying them than at OSH or Amazon. read more

Great selection of workwear. The owner (whose name I didn't get, but who has a daughter named Julia) really knows his stock, and is happy to help you find what you're looking for. They carry the small brand workpants that I love, but might be discontinuing them in the future. They're more than happy to special order the pants I want, though, and promised me a 2 week turnaround time. read more

They have a huge selection of very cool work clothes. It's pretty cool and well made clothing even in an off-beat fashion sense. Not just for work. The staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

Good selection and a friendly, helpful owner. Even better, the clothes are well-organized by type and size. This was especially helpful in going through all the many styles of Carhartt trousers to find the particular one I knew I wanted. You don't have to dig around in piles to find what you're looking for. read more

#1 place to buy work clothes in town. Best selection of Ben Davis & Carhartts. Dudes hella cool. Buy local!

Been buying my work clothes here for a lot of years...good quality ..great service..If they don't have it,they will get it. If something's not what you wanted, you can bring it back..they will honor it..strongly recommend it. Dave Souza read more

I have been going to Halmar since just after I joined the Carpenter's Union. I tried other stores before Halmar, but once I discovered this place i haven't bothered going anywhere else. They have a HUGE sellection, and if they somehow don't have what you want, they will get it. The owner keeps all waste sizes, not just the evens like other stores. It has now been 11 years and I am sure I will be going for at least another 11. Thanks Halmar for keeping me in the right clothes for the job! read more

One of the best work wear stores I have ever been to. Owner makes you feel welcomed and customer service is phenomenal.

I have attempted to go to this store twice now and was refused service by the owner. Despite the "open signs" and other patrons he accommodated. The first time he told me to come back in 30 minutes as he was on his lunch break. I came back and he refused to let me enter because he was doing inventory. And then told me they don't sell "women's clothes". Sexist store owner who refused to sell to a female customer. Would rather drive to San Leandro or San Fransico than give this misogynist my money. read more

DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS! The homophobe people are referring to locked me in his store and told me he didn't give a shit because it was after closing and I would just have to "fucking wait" while his other customers finished their shopping and he attempted 3 or 4 times times to run the guys credit card. I had the creepiest feeling stuck inside his store which is 100% barred up windows. I literally felt falsely imprisoned and trapped like a horror movie or something. read more

All these reviews complaining about the owner being a racist homophone are baseless. Even if he was ranting about how gays should not get married or allowed to adopt children, they are his views and they should be respected. But 99.9 percent of the population in Berkeley is suffering from insanity and they think only their views are right. On to the review of the store itself. Halmar carries a big selection of Carhartt and Ben Davis, my two favorite brands. I was there today since I saw a giant Ben Davis sign outside to I decided to check it out. The owner was very nice and did not treat me rudely or racist since I am not white. He was kind and normal. I have been hunting for an orange Ben Davis shirt for months to wear to Giants games. He did not have my size but he said he has ordered some and they are on their way next week. He offered to call me when they are in and even hold one for me. His customer service is great. The store is very organized and stocked well. I had a good experience here and will definitely stop by whenever I am in the area to see what they have. read more

Has all the stuff you need to wear for welding, etc, but, yeah, the guy's a Rush Limbaugh aficionado and it's a little hard to take his rants as I'm giving him 60 bux for a pair of pants. read more

Roy is the man. I specifically went in because of all the negative press and could not be more proud to support his business. I received excellent service and we had a great conversation about people and their sensitivity and lack of acceptance. He reminded me of Archie Bunker and I would adopt him as my illegitimate uncle in a heartbeat. America needs more people like Roy. read more

Great shop. I've been going to them since they were on Shattuck. Roy is a good guy and very helpful despite the PC terrorists condemning him. read more

i attempted to return t-shirts that did not fit (from a package of 3 i could not try on in store) when i picked up my special order pants & he was completely unsympathetic to my plea. he said the t-shirts were considered UNDERWEAR & there was no return on UNDERWEAR..... ! read more

Great selection, decent prices. I'd give this place five stars based on the owners political views alone.

I was searching to buy a brand of work clothes from Sweden by the name of Blaklader. I went to Halmar and found they had a very good selection.The owner was extremely helpful and told me he could order anything in the Blaklader line if I couldn't find my size or style.In addition, the owner is quite funny and doesn't mind giving his opinion on the state of modern day affairs. I think it was quite refreshing to see someone speak his mind. So, you can go there for a good selection of Blaklader and other working clothes and get entertained for free. read more

This place has great quality clothes, durable, all sizes, affordable prices, and excellent service.

All I can say is this is an awesome work clothes shop. Real top quality stuff with an enormous selection. They will have anything and everthing you need with helpful and friendly service. As far as all the comments about the owners political beliefs - lighten up! It's nothing more than "barber shop talk" which is not uncommon for a mens clothing shop. While I was there I did hear some critical comments about Jerry Brown. I said Monnbeam has serious game, he dated Linda Ronstadt in the 70's when she was hot. We all got a big laugh so Halmar is not the political hotbed some claim it to be. As far as the security measures go, I'm sure he's been ripped off on more than one occasion so he's just trying to protect his stock. If you look and act like a serious customer, you'll be treated like one. I love this place. read more

Halmar has all the Ben Davis styles and sizes. Ben Davis is some of the highest quality and most reasonably priced product you will find. The guy in there looked at me for just a second and told me what size to try, and he was right. I go there every time I'm in town and pick up a few pairs of pants. I've been buying Ben Davis pants there for more than 30 years. They're made off shore nowadays, but the quality is still there. Who knew they were going to become popular in Bay Area hip hop culture! read more

I have gone to this store three times. Each time it just so happened they were doing inventory. That doesn't bother me at all. But they would only let two customers in at a time. The entire time i was there I was being rushed. I was trying to find a good pair of work pants and had a few questions. However I didn't feel comfortable asking the gentleman who I felt was either pushing me to get out, or buy something and get out. After about five minuets i was asked the question "do you need help with anything or what?" That was it for me so i said no and walked out. I support local stores as much as i can. I just don't understand how a local business can have such terrible customer service. I have never wrote anything for yelp before and after my experience today I felt compelled to. I guess with all of these five star ratings they don't need my business. read more

Halmar has an excellent selection of clothes for working men and women. I appreciate having a great store like this in the area. The owner is AWESOME, running a family business for decades with a frank and friendly manner. For those who do not agree with him politically, too bad! This is still the United States, and the first amendment still stands, even in Berkeley. I love shopping there and engaging in honest conversation. read more

I have never written a yelp review before but after today I had to. I want to negate the star and would give this business at least a negative 10 stars and I was only in there 15 minutes!!! First off I came in and the really crazy white guy at the front counter that was sweaty made a comment "ok I have to lock the door"... I didnt know maybe it was his break or something. But then I was just checking stuff out looking for a jacket then this other old white guy pretending to be courteous kept following me around reminding me to re button re zip everything I tried on. Meanwhile a Latino couple got "let in" apparently the lady had to use the bathroom and the weird white old dude told her she had to go to the library next door. She was mad but went to the library then the couple came back and got let in... I walked up to the counter prepared to buy about $200.00 bucks worth of stuff but the initial weird white dude was super stressed about the Latino couple that had returned I was at the checkout counter just wanting to pay for my stuff but the weird white dude kept leaving to make sure that Latino couple was watched he said something about them being Mexican to the other weird white man. I then noticed a couple of trump stickers posted clearly by the front. After interrupting my check out to follow the 2 Latino people in the store I just told the crazy white guy that I just wanted to leave. He was ok so I'm guessing that's a regular occurrence. FUCK THESE RACIST BUSINESS OWNERS!!!DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY!!!! Btw I'm a white guy in my 50's and I am disgusted by what I witnessed!! read more