This review is being done because the staff is so nice. We went to the street fair and entered a free contest. My son won and we went to pick up his prize to find out the people that work here are top notch and so nice. If I lived in the area, I would patronize this location. Don't know how prices are but I would pay for great service anytime. Thank you for the fantastic service Ace Hardware. read more

Laurel Ace Hardware - Son and the bucket he won. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Oakland, California

Went in last night at about 5:52pm, I knew they were closing soon but desperately needed a furniture screw. I rushed to the back and a male employee literally yelled at me "MA'AM, YOU REALIZE THAT WE ARE CLOSING IN 3 MINS?"...I acknowledged, let him know that I only needed one screw and if he could quickly help me, I'd be out. He flat out said "NO", when I asked if he was serious, he said "YES"...it was shocking, almost harassing to be spoken to so harshly. He told me if I wanted to run upstairs and figure it out myself in 2 mins, I could, so I did. Fortunately, a nice employee upstairs helped me just in time. The same employee that yelled at me, came running upstairs as the other employee was writing down the price of my screw in the bag. He yelled again and said "WE ARE CLOSING NOW", the upstairs employee even told him that I was on my way out as the irate employee had security following him! I was checked out the store by 6:03pm as there was a short line at the check out (receipt pic attached with timestamp included, they closed at 6)...all other employees were extremely polite and nice there...even offered me a free mug, just not sure why one kept going out of his way to treat me like dirt. Hoping that he gets some training in customer service and basic manners. In addition, if there is a hard stop at 6pm sharp, they should lock the doors and not let customers in earlier to prevent other poor customer experiences. read more

Laurel Ace Hardware - Receipt to show time stamp...I was out by 6:03pm but literally chased out and yelled at by a rude employee as they closed at 6. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Oakland, California

How does this place ALWAYS manage to disappoint? Example: A cardboard box advertised on the website for an already 1.5x markup... you get there and they are like "yup, a 16x16 cardoard box is $3.99" What that is 3x more expensive than standard- serious neighborhood gouging. No wonder people prefer to make the trek to Home Depot even though that comes with all the hassle. Not to mention that the guy working there swore that the ones in lower shelves and upper shelves were the same size... I said, " Can you put one down so that I can see it?" He says "Why would you want to see the same box?" So I pulled them down myself and of course, they were completely different sizes, brands quality. The 18x18 boxes were $5.99 a piece. Decide for yourself. read more

There is a reason this Ace gets three stars, and the one on Grand gets five. It was on my way home, so I stopped by to exchange my propane tank. The woman behind the counter wasn't sure if they even had tanks, (Seriously?) Ten minutes later, she took my money and said someone would be waiting outside for me, My car was at one end of the lot, the guy was at the other, just standing there. I asked him if I had to bring my empty tank to him, and he said I did. When he saw my surprise, he brought the tank, set it down by my car, and walked away. with a less than pleased look on his face. I asked if he could please pick it up and put in in my trunk, and he acted as if I had asked him for the world. Really? Back to the Grand Ave. store, where they are always happy to help customers. read more

Staff is always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Today, Anne was a wonderful help in paints even though she says that's not even her expertise read more

Great little store. Helpful staff. Have an upstairs too with more stuff. They don't have it all but it's still great location to pick up a few things read more

Super friendly staff here. Sufficient supply of irrigation supplies, which is what we went for. We also ended up with a bunch of hot wheels which is always good. read more

They are now locking up a lot of stuff upstairs and insist on their staff carrying it downstairs to the cashier - i.e., treating me like a potential common thief. I don't care for that. And when I explained to the cashier that my ACE Rewards Number did not work because she instructed me to enter the number without the correct input screen being present, her response was "you know, I really don't care" So maybe I care for this store even less. And you wonder why folks are not shopping at local stores if there is an alternative. read more

I love this neighborhood hardware shop of ours! I buy my small need items here like saws, other tools, soil and such when I need them. This is my go-to spot for getting keys made. I will continue to shop here. read more

My credit card info was stolen at this location. Used a card I rarely use - so this was definitely the place the card info was taken. Some shady stuff going on here. read more

I went in for a very unorthodox reason -- namely, to get a small screw to repair a belt (the one I wear around my waist, not in my car)! I was assisted by Henry, who seemed to turn the store upside down and inside out in search of such a screw. He didn't find one, but wouldn't let it go. He asked for my belt and, in a burst of creativity, temporarily secured it with a zip tie! THAT'S what I call service. But that's what you get at Laurel Ace Hardware -- namely, people who genuinely care about helping you! It's worth going out of your way to get there cuz they'll have what you want -- or, if not, will figure something out! (Smile.) read more

I went in to get some things done and was greeted with a person (Christina) happy to help Me get my stuff needed like some house keys remade and pointed me into the direction of other stuff need like tools. Also would recommend this ace for her positive energy. Also while I was being helped she was not distracted but giving advice on other items in the store to customers. That is what I call a manager. Knows her stuff. read more

Wesley was super helpful in many areas - great customer service. I was able to get everything I needed. Easy parking.

Thank you Eunice, and everyone who helped work this one out! Great service, great color for the kids' room! Helped me pick out just the right shade, and sort out an issue that had arisen. They'll do right by you at Laurel Ace. I've been a regular customer since I moved into the neighborhood 5 years ago. Super helpful personnel, and a wide array of supplies. read more

Laurel Ace Hardware - Going from grim to cherry, with low VOC paint, to boot! They even have no-VOC, for those with a budget for it. - Hardware Stores Near Me - Oakland, California

I like everything about this place. It's always well-stocked, and if I need something else, they can either get it or make it. Most of all, I love their customer service read more

First time I ever felt the urge to right a review. So much so that I just downloaded the yelp app. Well basically I find the laurel ace hardware store a horrible business establishment. Basically based on their return policy and customer service surrounding this issue. To be honest every one I saw, who had a favorable review of this place. Are very light complexioned,as are the majority of the staff..... I'm just saying! Because me being a very "dark" complexioned male. I was treated anything but courteous. When I lost my receipt to a $125 roll of hardware cloth. So a client had bought their own cloth -- from home depot, for much less I must say. I wanted to return the unused roll I purchased hours earlier, with debit!!! But in my rush to job site lost receipt. They were quite literally like: "No receipt no return, sorry, unh-uh, cain't do nuthin fa you man!". So I went out into the parking lot to search for receipt. Where I began to get surveilled by staff, Stop and Frisk-style. After many minutes of combing the lot............... found receipt! It was heavily scrutinized, NOW they wanted to see my debit card =) To end, In my opinion they have bad business practices and racist inclinations. Since one of my daily priorities must be to TRY to avoid racist interactions wherever possible. I will likely not patronize this establishment again. Peace read more

Laurel Ace Hardware - Getting my hands dirty - Hardware Stores Near Me - Oakland, California

Laurel Ace has parking which is nice. section signs aren't that informative. aisles too narrow, associates not up to specs about battery. life span. otherwise, shopping went ok. got what i needed. not sure i got a good deal. -duracell twice the price of no name heavy duty battery i bought. read more

I needed to replace a part for my leaking shower and decided to go to Laurel Ace because it is closer and quite honestly I don't like going to Home Depot or Lowes because I have to "Hunt for help" and every time I do find someone they say "I don't work in this department" or "I'm on break". The smaller hardware providers usually can assist me when, as in this case, I don't know exactly what part I need. And they helped me immensely this time. Starting with the cashier as I entered the store - she asked if I needed any help finding anything. I said "Yes please" and I showed her what I was looking for and she called for anyone with plumbing experience to meet and assist me. That's when Ralph came and found everything I needed, asked me few questions and we parted and I gave him a big "Thank you!" And, everything worked out great just the way he suggested. The shower has no more leak. So thank you again Ralph, and the rest of the staff that assisted me. You all are awesome. I would have still been looking for the part at Home Depot had I not gone to Laurel Ace Hardware. read more

This is my neighborhood hardware store.... They are well stocked and often save me the trip to the dreaded HOME DEPOT. If you need to do some work on your house and dont know how to do it you can always go talk to the BIG GUY... He is like the god father of do it your self. He sits by the window and gives consultations... Included are the pictures of the holy sage of fix it yourself and the stores cat read more

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This will be my default hardware store from now on. It's close by, locally owned and filled with helpful, knowledgeable men and women. I went in last weekend for a carbon monoxide detector which I am required to install by my friends who care that I continue to live and breath in the Building Inspector's office. They had sold out but gave me a rain check, called me to tell me the item was in and held it until I came by to pick it up. How's that for great customer service? read more

Laurel Ace Hardware - Laurel neighborhood hardware - Hardware Stores Near Me - Oakland, California

I needed a new key fob for my vehicle, and this is one of the few places that offers this service without charging an arm and a leg. Beyond that, they have a variety of items needed for the home. The customer service is excellent--special shout out to Chase, who programmed my key fob. He was so polite, professional, and efficient. If you have a need to have your keys copied, need paint, window screens, or garden supplies, this is the place to go. They even have excellent prices on lawn chairs, fans, and space heaters. I could go on and on. Check them out and see if you don't agree. Thanks again, Chase and Laurel Ace Hardware! read more

The new management has turned this place around! Layout is so much better and feels less crowded and musty. They always seem to have what I need, including obscure parts (like mounts for a sliding closet, which they helped me find!) The customer service is great and always willing to help me find things or brainstorm new ideas. The best part are the shelves and shelves of components (screws, bolts, brackets, etc). They've got it. They also do custom jobs, like rescreening doors frames (or you can buy the custom screen and do it yourself). My only suggestion for improvement would be a better garden center. They have the space but don't have a lot of variety of starters and plants. Other than that, great and convenient hardware store! read more

This location is super close to our house so when I've forgotten something at Home Depot, we come here. Usually it means that the hubby is still working on a project and I'm sent here for the special nails, screws or other hardware. The staff here is very very nice and they all seem to know their stuff! We've also ordered online and had items delivered direct to store which worked out great! The store isn't big, but they seem to have a little bit of everything ... I've gotten shower curtain rods, to seedlings, to soil, to those specially sized nails we need for the nail gun. Very convenient to have this place so close to home! read more

Still consistently great service. In the past year, I've been able to get a myriad of things here: replacement parts for our dripline system, canning jars and lids, 2 keys made, organic planting mix, anti-graffiti paint, a saftey-glass hammer (to keep in my car for emergencies), an electric hot water kettle, just to name a few. read more

Conveniently located - Laurel Ace is a pretty well stocked neighborhood Ace - it's a bit small, narrow aisles and some of the prices are a bit higher than other places. They make up for it in customer service and friendliness. There is a lot of entitlement as noted by the negative reviewers who think they should be able to make returns without a receipt and the parking lot where customers pull in and take up two or more parking spots (yay! way to go neighbors!). read more

Referred from the other store & they indeed had all the other supplies we needed, what was similar was the customer service! Gentleman assisted my boss was courteous & efficient. He went the extra mild & let us know he would cut to length if needed! We recommend this location as well. read more

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I come here a lot. Sometimes they are really helpful and friendly but mostly, I come here because it's close by. I've had two experiences that are inspiring me to go further away because convenience isn't quite enough anymore. First, I called to see if they had patio umbrellas and stands in stock. They didn't but would order for me and I got to choose my color and stand style. Yay! I asked if I should pay now or when I came in. He told me I could just pay when I came to pick it up. Less than a week later, my order was ready for pick-up. When I arrived, they said they had the umbrella but not the stand. I explained that I ordered them and they called to have me pick them up. Then I was told that another customer had also ordered them and since they already paid, they were given the items. The dude was like, "you can have the umbrella but we will have to order another stand for you." So, we went somewhere else and got both together so that we could set up our backyard hang out spot all at once. Annoying but I still came back for little items here and there. My kid, who is being potty trained, earned enough stickers to get a prize. He wanted fresh sand for his sandbox. So I called to see if they had some in stock because any parent knows you don't offer something you can't provide. They said yes! So we buckled up and drove over. Turns out, there was only one bag left and it had multiple holes in it and it was spilling sand out everywhere. I had already waited in line inside for 10 minutes and paid for it otherwise I would have come back. So my options were either deal with getting a leaking bag of sand to my car and home, wait in line AGAIN for a return and deal with a potential toddler tantrum after promising him a prize and not giving it to him. This was the whole point of calling to make sure they had it in stock first. Too much of a hassle to shop here. read more

I want to like this place a LOT. I'm a local gardener and home improvement junkie. But their garden section is so sad. It's a dangerous maze, mostly just a scatter of storage for the overstock. Seriously easy to trip on something. The plants are dying, the pots are a jumble, the soil is hidden inside plastic wrapped pallets. Inside I always have trouble finding stock as many shelves are empty or don't have clear prices. The employees never are interested in my project or maybe they're just not knowledgeable enough about materials to recommend ideas. With the Ace on Grand Ave and especially the absolutely amazing Cole Hardware in Rockridge, competition is there. Do hope this shop gets back in the game soon read more

I'm new in the neighborhood and usually prefer to support local businesses but i was disappointed by the Poor customer service here. Third trip trying to do a seemingly basic return/exchange that got more complicated than i expected and Non-managers were "unable to do that", and suggested I come back tomorrow when the manager would be there. But hey guess what - I'm here NOW and dont want to come back yet again for some BS that coulda just been taken care of... so How about i just dont ever come back at all? read more

I especially love this location! I am in the process of remodeling and moving into a place on a tight time schedule where every second counts. Everyone at Laurel Ace is incredibly knowledgeable and ready to help. I've never had to roam up and down aisles looking for help here. read more

This is a little neighborhood hardware store. You come here for the convenience of not having to walk around a huge box store like Home Depot. Their staff is always available to help you find items and answer questions about home repair or tools (something that Home Depot doesn't do). Unfortunately, you have to pay for this convenience and service...as their prices are much higher than Lowe's and Hone Depot. Be prepared to pay through the nose on simple items like painters tape or plastic. Go here if you need something quick and if you need some answers. read more

This is the worst Ace EVER!! Do not waste your time coming here. I wanted to exchange my soda stream Co2 tank. The clerk Myra charged me full price $30 I told her it was an exchange. She was VERY RUDE but eventually charged me for the exchange. This location charges $19.99 for an exchange when the Ace hardware on Grand Avenue in Piedmont charges $15.99 for an exchange as well as Bed Bath & Beyond $15.99 This store's employees are rude, and obviously this store is choosing to over charge customers. Do not go to this location, go to the Grand Avenue location they are very competent very nice and they are Not overcharging people!! So unfortunate because this store is very close to where I live but I will never come here again. My husband has had several problems shopping here as well this isn't the first or second time read more

Jimmy was awesome when helping us with finding items for a sump pump setup! Super knowledgeable

I avoid this store generally, since they seldom have what I need and they're overpriced, so I was less than thrilled to be given a high-value gift card that's redeemable only there or a couple of other very inconvenient places in other countries. But since they had an item I'd been wanting, I thought I'd buy it there instead of somewhere else. Right. Nope, their "system [was] down and not accepting gift cards." Now, I'd think that if that were the case, it would be bank cards that would not go through. In any case, I strongly suspect this is just a scam, and I'll be telling the person who gave me the card--who is both a local landlord and a police officer. read more

They had metric stainless bolts in a variety of sizes, and I really, really needed a metric stainless bolt (a big one for a sliding dropout) to repair a bicycle before I was leaving on a bike tour. New management seems friendly and excited to be there. Note to Ace: I would have bought a metric helicoil if you had one. More of a car parts for thing maybe, but just sayin'. read more

Lots more inventory on another whole floor. Very helpful and friendly staff. Love this place!

HELPFUL HARDWARE MAN: May I help you? TSADA: Yeah, I'm looking for one of those door things. HHM: Door things? T: Yes. You know, they're metal and...ugh, I have no idea what they're called. HHM: Knockers? T: *gasps, folds arms across chest* HHM: DOOR knockers. T: Oh, sorry. *unfolds arms* No. They're flat... HHM: *raises eyebrow* They ARE? T: *refolds arms* The metal door THINGS. HHM: Oh, sorry. T: That's okay. HHM: Do you need a a mailbox? Is that what you're talking about? T: No, no, no. This is for inside my house. It's the flat thing that goes against the wall. HHM: Wall? I thought you said it was for the door? T: *sighs* It is. It's the piece that goes on the whadyacallit--the molding thing, the frame, or whatever you call the thing that the door goes into? HHM: The hinge? T: No. It goes on the other side--where it closes into the wall. Okay, check it out. You know when you turn the knob and the little thing pops out? HHM: *raises eyebrow* T: Bear with me. The thing pops out and then it sticks into the little hole in the frame, or the molding, or whatever the hell it's called. Like this. *makes two-handed gesture of finger sticking into hole* HHM: *raises both eyebrows* T: *raises the hand that is representing the hole and shakes the hole at the HHM* This part is what I am talking about. The hole. The hole is what I need. I am looking for a flat piece of metal that you nail to the door frame or molding or whatever, and it has a small hole for the thing to stick into when you turn the knob, so that the door stays shut. I have the knob, I have the frame, I have the door, I have the thing that sticks in the hole, but it won't stay put without the hole itself. Do you have it? The hole? After about twenty minutes of this, we finally determined that neither one of us knew what the fuck the other was talking about, and so the Helpful Hardware Man took me over to the door hardware section and I found exactly what I needed. Of course I still have no idea what the fuck it's called. Five stars for being a friendly neighborhood hardware store with a cute little cat that sits in the window. read more

Picture this: it's raining cats and dogs, and probably chickens, pigs and cows too. You wake up to find the water seeping into your house and you have no way of controling it. The feeling is similar to the one you get after eating a gas station burrito and there's not a terlet in sight for miles. So you realize you just need to find something to stop the flow. Good thing for Laurel Ace! Sand bags they've got sand bags, and when you need sand bags, you really need those sand bags. Went to the fire station for the free ones, but they were closed - maybe due to glorious state of the California budget - thanks Governator! The guys at Laurel Ace hooked us up - even though we had to fill the bags ourselves, it didn't take too long. The super helpful staff even hooked us up with an extra bag of sand for free. Thank you for the immediate relief! Just in time and better than Imodium AD. read more

It's a nice little hardware store with all the essentials your home fixing needs require. This is my go to place if I need to pick up something quick for the house. Prices are a little more but its closer then Home Depot and the staff is a lot more responsive to helping you than the other place. read more

After 10 years and thousands of dollars spent at this Ace location, I won't EVER patronize this store again. They have an ambivalent returns policy - the "owner", Jenny; accused me of "using" an adjustable wrench because the paper tag was slightly bent (it sat in the bottom of a shopping bag for 2 days before I determined I had 2 others like it and didn't need it...) The staff are clearly unhappy - a few of them have reportedly left to go to Grand Ave Ace Hardware because Jenny and other Management are so horrible. It shows - staff are mopey, not helpful and unmotivated. The store reeks of negativity. The store also practices racial profiling. I've seen it. Apparently, there are numerous cases of African Americans denied legitimate returns or not helped (or banned from the store), simply because they live in the neighborhood and were trying to take advantage of the store's close proximity to the upper Laurel (it's only redeeming quality), and didn't like the way they were treated. DON'T SHOP HERE! read more