This not my neighborhood, so it's not my neighborhood hardware store. I have been stopping by the West Portal branch of SFPL more and more and happened to be walking by this place when I saw the 'Store Closing' signs. What a shame! They are apparently a legacy business in the city and we are losing them due to people going online and buying everything at Jeff's Warehouse. It is sad that even people in SF can't help but be lured in by the siren sound of cheap garbage on the Internet and we have to see our local businesses shuttered. I stocked up on essentials to help them clear the shelves and wished the employees well. One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop shopping at Big Box retailers and to patronize my neighborhood's equivalent of Papenhausen. It's better for our local economies and for the environment overall. read more

This is a great store. Clean , well stocked and very organized. The service is very good. They have interesting and functional products. They are very customer friendly. I really love coming here. read more

So VERY sad to see you folks close. You were the Hardware of choice for me. I trusted you folks 100%. And your Manager ( I assume that's you, Karl A. : )) was always 100% Kind, Helpful and Fair. Very sad to see you go. read more

Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Has answered any questions I've had for years. Always has the part you need.

Papenhausen has what is nearly impossible to find at a Lowes or other big box store - really great practical advice! I've been going there for 20+ years and they've help me solve innumerable any home repair problems. They also offer some supply type of kitchen items including canning supplies. read more

Gratuitously rude service. Passive aggressive, eye rolls to simple requests accompanied with non-responsive answers. read more

Good to see PH back in there original location post fire. Excellent and personable customer service with online preordering curbside pick up during pandemic. Love that there is a nearby family owned local business with quality products for home and garden needs. They didn't have the sales push vibe and took a no nonsense approach to figure out what I needed for the best price. Impressed with my experience and will opt to come here first over a Home Depot any day. read more

I used to work at the bakery right next door for almost two years, and recently left for another job. Karl and Annabeth were nothing short of sweet every time they came in or if I came in. They truly showed me what community was. Saddened to see on my way to West Portal for the first time since I left that it had shut down. I don't know where to put my dismay for San Francisco failing businesses who have been year for decades, or how much I'll miss Papenhousen and their folks. Thank you Karl for everything. read more

Best weekend place for all your hardware needs! It's local, down street and they have everything. Highly recommend and will be back...tomorrow! read more

Papenhausen Hardware - Supplies! - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Carl is empathic and helpful during the Corona shutdown. Go pay him a visit in West Portal for your essentials during your shut-in mandate. Super helpful and a kind person. You can tell his is in the right place. His actions speak volumes. Thanks, Carl. read more

Papenhausen Hardware - Covid-19 blues? Carl is your man in San Francisco on West Portal Avenue. He has stayed open to help out folks like me. - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Absolutely not! The service is less than agreeable and not really professional for a small business. The clerks and management seemed annoyed to be bothered to help you. Their prices are absurdly overpriced. You can absolutely find everything they sell in a nearby shop, somewhere else, or online for a much lower price. In fact, if you waste your time making a trip to this store you should be insulted by the cost of even the smallest item. Don't bother asking for a discount or a lower price, they are not interested and will not even entertain the thought. Update: I very much appreciate Karl's response (the store manager's). If only he would have been there at the time I visited. However, sometimes you only get the one "first impression." I hope that others have a better experience than I did. read more

Car keys only 6$? Came in because I needed a nut for my alternator that I lost working on my car. I ended up leaving with the nut I needed and a spare car key for 6$. A+ read more

I would like to join those who have expressed appreciation for Papenhausen Hardware in West Portal. The staff is very knowledgeable regarding items they sell, and I have never left with the wrong accessories to our air filter which is something that can happen when ordering online. Plus, the service is excellent! For example, on several occasions they have inserted batteries for an item I purchased before I left the store. Also, twice I brought the building garage door opener to them for similar assistance. I love the selection of lanterns and flashlights they keep in stock and the fact that I can examine them closely and ask questions before purchasing. Last year I gave gift certificates from Papenhausen for birthday and holidays and they were enthusiastically received. I am doing so again this year. read more

They are hiring right now. Came here to get some lighter fluid and that was rather simple. The have some good tools as well. For heaven sake's it is a hardware store! There is nothing extravagant about this place. You can ask the person at the counter where to look for stuff if you are confused or have a question about anything. They tend to be rather helpful. You can also find a bunch of gardening items here as well. I think they have fertilizer in bulk, in a big bag. Yeah, just local hardware shop in West Portal that meets most peoples hardware needs. read more

Papenhausen Hardware - I can use these for holding a lot of stuff if you know what I mean! - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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so sad!! Papenhausen on West Portal was the greatest neighborhood hardware store!! Terrific product selection and knowledgeable, friendly staff. it will be greatly missed!! read more

Called the day before to check on plumbing parts and copper pipe and senior shopping times. Arrived at the Papenhausen Hardware Store on West Portal Avenue at 9AM being a senior, the staff let me in an hour before 10AM opening time. Found all of the parts to do plumbing work. Staff is knowledgeable and helpful. In the past, hard to find items like incandescent specialty bulbs and plumbing parts, would take me awhile to find. If they don't have it, they've ordered it for me. I was back home completing the job in time to relax the rest of the afternoon! Shopping close to home makes good sense! read more

This hardware store has the best professional staff. They are well versed on all the products in the store and are always ready to help find an item, no matter how big or small. read more

Papenhausen Hardware is great! Nothing beats a local hardware store, especially one that has a great selection and an incredibly knowledgeable and friendly team. They have helped my family with many home projects, including plumbing, electrical, and even a complex Halloween costume! read more

If there was ten stars, we would pick ten! The service is amazing! The workers are always there, and when you walk in they say to be free to ask for help! We love to look around for any cool things-they have a lot! :D They always have what you need. The prices are affordable and you can get easy discounts with the point system! We definitely would recommend this small business to any person! PS: They have amazing hand made bags for grocery shopping or other stuff! Thanks Papenhausen! read more

These folks are so helpful! Sometimes they're a bit gruff, but they're straightforward, and they'll talk you through a project and help you figure out what you need to get it done way way better than any of those terrible big box hardware stores. I feel like it's so important to have a store like this in the community, so I always try to support them and buy local. They have more than paid me back with lots of free, great help & advice over the years! read more

Super happy customer here. Needed to get a duplicate key made, was told elsewhere I needed to work with a locksmith. Found Papenhausen, my local West Portal hardware store. Not only was I warmly greeted, but immediately helped and keys were made. I was also told to come back if they did not work --which I had to and to my pleasant surprise new keys were made without any issue. So happy not only to have working keys but to know there is an awesome hardware store in my neighborhood! read more

The absolute best service I've ever received at a hardware store or maybe any store ever. We have been here 5 times and each time the warmth of the people working here just leaves me happy. Today I came in with my 3 year old and Vicente helped us. I needed a few small anchors and screws -- maybe a 75 cent purchase total -- but the kindness and helpfulness was no different than when I came in recently for a 75 dollar purchase. The store itself is well laid out and so clean! Absolutely A+ in every way. I almost don't even care what their prices are - I'll be coming here for everything. Thanks Vicente today and to the rest of the staff every time we have come in! read more

Yes, hardwood floors are pretty. Yes, they're easy to clean. But if you've ever had to live with doors cut so there can be carpet, yet there is none, you know the value of area rugs. After finally having had enough of the noise I dropped in here to see if I could find some easy cheap floor rugs with plastic undersides... the kind that stick. Well... they had rugs. Quite nice rugs in fact, yet nothing with a sticky bottom. So finding out they had some sticky rolls you can place under said rugs was what sold me on a rug that was probably at least 20% higher priced than it should have been. Good service, nice help... yet the prices are just a little too high for me to regularly shop here. For emergencies though, they'll do in a pinch. read more

I took a long walk at Lunch last week through the West Portal neighborhood. It's another Midwest world on this side of the Muni tunnel, although the yupscale restaurants and other gentrification signs are slowly creeping in. Papenhausen Hardware immediately caught my eye and like a tractor beam, I was soon drawn inside. Of course, it didn't really matter whether I bought anything as I was enthralled with their selection and with a clear deference to what local homeowners needed to keep their properties in good shape. I bought a few things for around the house and of course I could have purchased all this more locally to my home. But what fun would that be with such a "real deal" hardware store like Papenhausen right in front of me? read more

My husband and I recently purchased three new IKEA counter height chairs and needed to put them together ourselves. We did beautifully until the very last step (#8) where it was required we use a tool that was not provided in the kit of supplies from IKEA. We only were given the hex bit for this step, not the rest of the tool so my husband suggested we head to Papenhausen - only five minutes from our home. With the help of Melia and her coworker, Dylan, the last step was completed on all three chairs. It is wonderful having a local hardware store where the staff is so friendly and helpful! Great place with terrific customer service! read more

Absolutely great store. Helpful when seeking help. All manner of equipment and materials to solve issues. No hard sell. Staff can guide around the store. A busint that helps the community - have been great during covid. And when they had a fire and we're looking for temporary accommodation, they actively steered away from existing hardware stores - selfless and truly considerate of others. read more

I for the 1st time went into truly amazing store. Customer service very nice. Bradon& John. Extremely very helpful. Real nice service. Great place read more

I always prefer to shop local hardware stores and Papenhausen Hardware is great. The team is super friendly and knowledgeable and they have a little bit of everything for your home. I love my new door mat!! read more

Papenhausen Hardware - Chilewich mat - Hardware Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Best little hardware store around. Friendly and helpful staff, always willing to offer advice on small projects.

Knife sharpening service is great - only once a week but easy drop off and pick up and advice

Nice customer service and they didn't charge me for an Allen key or a tiny little screw that I needed for my glass counter top. I liked how they didn't direct me to a big box Home Depot but referred me to another glass store. read more

This store is so well organized, the staff knowlegable and the prices are commensurate with their quality and service. This hardware store helps to make the West Portal neighborhood the special place that it is. I go there frequently and have always had good experiences. read more

The service is excellent and the staff was insistent on making sure what I bought fit my needs. Generally a great, local hardware store with a lot of interesting products on sale. read more

Awesome store. Carl was so nice and helpful. I live a little far away but it is so worth it. Found everything I needed in a New York minute. Service service service. Already recommended 4 people to come here. read more

Walked in with my partner, looking for a specific item. And the workers at the desk were really rude and crass to my boyfriend after we asked them if they carried dog bowls and dog harnesses, they laughed in our face and said something sarcastically behind our backs. We left right away... they don't deserve our money... sorry, guys. We love the neighborhood, but if people like those guys are working at that store... I'd rather avoid going there and instead go to Ace or Cole Hardware. read more

Best customer service, they always go above and beyond to take care of what you need, no matter how big or small. Thank you for your help Matt and fellow employees read more

I do not live in SF but needed to go to Papenhausen Hardware to help out my sis who lives in West Portal. I had a toilet repair part from another hardware store in SF that did not work; it may have been defective. The gentleman at Papenhausen (believe he may have been the proprietor) helped me get the correct part and told me important details about installation. Then he GAVE me the part and refused to accept payment!! Even though it had been purchased at a competitor!! Installation was a breeze due to his explanation! Incredible service and integrity! A big shout out to this local business!!! read more

I'd like to say I was one of those guys who make a conscious effort to shop at small, local stores. I'd like to have the time, energy, and social drive to seek out neighborhood places and give them the largest possible share of my spending. Maybe in some other, better world, I'm a better person. In this world, I don't have a lot of time, and I have even less patience. Thankfully, the good folks at Papenhausen never let me down. I seldom get more than five steps in before someone says hi and asks if they can help. And if I need help (even the manliest of men sometimes needs some help at the hardware store, just as we occasionally cry while watching Gladiator), their people can and do provide actual useful, informed, intelligent, helpful help! I once had to return a nice watering can that broke (from the weigh of the water, :/). I walked in, told the guy at the counter I wanted to trade him his nice can for my busted one, he walked back, grabbed one off the counter, and we just traded. No "where's the receipt," no "how do I know this didn't break when you filled it with mercury," just a flat out "we'll take the broken one, here's a new one, sorry for the inconvenience." It's easy to shop locally when the local shop also happens to be the best. read more

Allways get excellent help. thank you Hope will open again soon Hope everyone doing good read more

Going to a hardware store is a great way to get a feeling for a neighborhood. Papenhausen is my kind of hardware store. Old fashioned polite customer service by young, cool guys with no attitude. Vast array of products ranging from kitchen towels to power tools. Very satisfying to walk up and down the aisles and browse the assortment. I rented a Host carpet cleaning system here, and it was great. The product is safe for children and animals (so you don't have to quaranitine your house) and it is simple to use. It was relatively inexpensive, too! I love walking in and seeing what music they are playing - anything from Joy Division to acid jazz. They always have a biscuit for my dog, too - nice! read more