I bought a home and learned that there was one key for just one door lock. Keys to all other doors were missing. That meant I needed a reliable locksmith to drill my locks and replace the locks instead of simply re-keying. Most locksmiths were vague about pricing, with wide ranges for estimates until they got to the job. Wilensky told me up front their cost for the trip, the service/labor, the keys themselves. I appreciated that. I learned a little from our locksmith, too. He showed me what he did for each lock and helped me understand my new smart lock. I felt they were trustworthy. Would use them again. read more

Quality place! Thanks to the people that work there. They helped me out and even taught me about the lock I purchased there. Will definitely recommend to anyone in that area to them. read more

Old school, not-to-be-missed best place for hardware items and keys in the city. Great service and everything we miss about Mom and Pop stores. read more

We bought a new house and wanted to rekey. Our agent recommended Wilensky - we were able to schedule them just one day ahead without a problem. Called twice beforehand to make sure the timing still worked (we booked him to come shortly after our closing), was in and out quickly with keys that all worked on the first try! Pricing was fair and exactly as quoted. read more

When you don't know what to do, come see the experts! I've spent too much on locksmiths and then my locks started falling apart, I stopped in this store and they got me straightened out. I've twice gone to purchase locks for my house now. They were able to identify the brand of lock from my key so that I could get matching locks and not need to change everything. They even had a few options for lock handles in stock, helped me pick out the right ones and then rekeyed those locks to match my other ones. Sooooo much more cost effective and satisfying than a locksmith visiting my house! They even identified the other keys I had on the ring that I didn't know what they were used for anymore. read more

Herb is a very kind and helpful person - he couldn't provide a copy of my key (not his fault! I need a key card) but he explained the best way to go about getting it, which I really appreciate! read more

This is my go to neighborhood hardware store for small jobs around the house, but today I used their locksmith service for the first time, when my August smart lock conspired against me. Barry saved the day, checked my ID (grateful for the safety check for anyone trying to get into my house) and was friendly and helpful as he got me inside and did some maintenance on the lock to make sure it was locking and unlocking smoothly. Is it more money than I wanted to spend? Yes! Was it in line with what is reasonable and expected for an urgent call? Also yes. Besides, they've saved me time and money in the past with their advice about tools and materials, so I got a bargain in the long run. read more

These guys are the best in town, highly highly recommend. I have 35 tenants in the city and they are the only lock shop in town I trust

As old school as it gets. The register is from the 1930s or maybe older and it actually gets used. It's amazing, worth the price or admission alone. Key copies are a couple of bucks, and they'll be accurate as hell. Don't waste your time at Home Depot or Lowe's folks. These keys will last you. Aside from the keys, they have a bunch of hardware for your quick fix/job home improvement needs. I found myself purchasing things for jobs I wasn't even planning on doing because it was just so cool to be in there. I'll definitely be back and you should be checking this place out. Just to watch that register work at the very least. It's old school baby, but not in the hipster way. Ring it in baby... read more

Very nice, thoroughly professional, and cost effective. We had problems with keys getting stuck on one lock and another that kept jamming and locking us out. Turns out they were improperly installed and were missing parts. Wilensky was able to fix both in about an hour and kept the costs down by using the existing hardware. Would definitely recommend calling them if you need a locksmith. read more

I carried in an item which had been locked for years and Barry took care of it without breaking a sweat. Of course, parking is tough near Wilensky, but it's not there fault. They've been at that location since 1917, before parking was an issue. read more

Great community store. Surprisingly expansive selection, and the staff is committed to personalized advice on whatever issue brings you into the store. read more

I went there looking forward a bunch of painting supplies, wasn't exactly sure of what I needed so was looking around. Suddenly, this guy starts following me saying I picked up a wrench and put it in my pockets (?!) because he saw something shiny. And despite showing him my pockets, and asking him whether he was insinuating I stole something, or whether he wanted to frisk me, he continued to stand behind me watching what I was doing. In shock, I immediately left the store and took my business to a store a few blocks north. read more

Suddenly, our front door locks stopped working. Especially concerning anytime, but during the time of Covid-19, the thought of lock issues & a stranger coming into our home created extra anxiety. Barry asked questions over the phone, diagnosed the problem & arrived with all the supplies needed to fix the issue. He followed CDC guidelines, wore full PPE & was careful to maintain proper social distance. He's not only #thelockwizard but also a #realmensch. read more

They asked all the right questions over the phone and came prepared with all the right equipment to get the job done. Prompt, extremely professional, and they know their stuff. We have a Baldwin lock and they actually gave us Baldwin keys, which suit the weight of the lock. I've had other places rekey our lock and nobody else did this for us. These keys work so much better than any others have. Wish all contracting/home services in Philly were as experienced and together as these folks! read more

I had a very positive experience with Wilensky's. Our front door lock had been getting tougher and tougher to open over the course of a few weeks - to the point where we realized we couldn't leave the house without getting it fixed because we feared we wouldn't be able to get back in! I found Wilensky's on Yelp, gave them a ring in the morning and spoke with a friendly guy who said he would have their locksmith give me a call as soon as he was in. I received a call maybe an hour later and the locksmith said he could be over around noon, and he was. Turned out, something in our lock had broken and needed to be replaced. This was remedied in about fifteen or twenty minutes and now our lock works perfectly. The total charge was $140 - eighty or ninety of that was the visit alone and the rest was for the fix. Yowza. Hopefully my locks will be good to go for a long time! read more

I had a relatively odd locksmithing request: a lightly used car ski rack that I had bought on eBay for super-cheap because it was locked with no keys. Obviously only worth buying if I could find a way to get new keys made for not a lot of money. Not only were Wilensky's happy to help me out (in fact, I had checked with them before buying the rack in the first place to make sure it was worth the effort) but despite having to special-order the keys for me, Wilensky's did the job for only $25! Thanks to them I got a $300 ski rack for a total of $60. BUT.... A ski rack (at least the kind I have) has a total of four locks on it, all sharing the same key. After leaving the shop I tested all four locks and the new key worked on only two of them! I had to go back and point out the obvious failure in thought on their part that apparently prevented them from testing the key on all of the locks before pronouncing the job as done. At first 5 stars in my head, then 3 for the big "miss" on their part, but back to 5 after they dropped everything and immediately worked to correct the problem (which they did). read more

The owner was great! I needed a special key made for work and they were the only one in the area that could copy. He was very friendly and helpful read more

I love the man who owns/is always at this store. He has the largest, whitest beard ever. He can chat you up about the weather, take your key, make a copy, give you your key x 2 back and finish the transaction in less than two minutes. He is helping me eradicate the horrible, and obviously traumatic, memories of the past when I would go to a lesser hardware store to get a key copied; those trips began with some snot-nosed kid and ended with me leaving in a huff after 10 long minutes. read more

I recently purchased a used car and only received 1 set of car keys. I thought it would be a good idea to make a copy in case I happen to misplace it or lock my keys in my car one day. I did a little research and found out that my 4runner car key has a chip in it (transponder key) and that Toyota would charge me $100+ to make a copy of it. After a little research I found that I could buy a blank key on eBay and have it cut and programmed at Toyota or a locksmith. I initially took my key to have it cut at home depot and was surprised how clueless their associates were and found out that they didn't know how to make copies of car keys. The next day I took my transponder key to Wilensky's and the dude at the counter was able to cut the key in less than 5 minutes. I also found out that they can program the newer type of transponder keys but unfortunately my key was the "older" type and that he wasn't able to do mine. So now I'm off to Toyota to have my key programmed for about $30. Transponder Key from EBay: $12 Getting the Key Cut at Wilensky's: $3.50 Programming Key at Toyota: $30 read more

I was in a real bind Monday morning and gave a call to see if I could get two key tumblers replaced. The phone was answered and I explained my situation. I was greeted with professional, courteous service. Price was right and he promised to be here by 3pm. The locks were changed and payment was made before 3pm. Please give this small business your business. They are a gem in a sea of vultures. read more

I'm SO happy with my experience with Wilensky. I live in a condo and have been keyless for my HVAC closet for 3yrs. I always felt so bad when I had to have someone come unlock it. They arrived to my place as they said they would and they were so nice! New keys were made and synced with the condo master key as well. read more

In a field where there are some questionable people who have limited skills, the Wilensky's are artists. I have a very cool, 50-year-old lock that wasn't turning properly. I called another locksmith first, who showed up an hour late, and whose remedy was to break out the existing lock, wrap a metal bracket around the door, and install one of his locks. I forget the price, but it was a lot, and was going to look like what it was: a big piece of metal and a cheap lock. I held off on that, and did the research I should have done in the beginning, which is how I found this operation. The owner came out promptly, and proceeded to remove the lock, take it apart (into probably 50 different pieces) change the one small part that was broken, and put it back together, with a new key mechanism, and re-installed it. He said the lock was a classic, and would last forever. I can't remember the exact price, but it was about 1/4 of the estimate I got from the other guy to break my door and throw away this lock. I would highly recommend using this local business -- they take pride in their work, and the prices are more than fair. read more

South Philly's local Click and Clack except hardware not cars. Great advice. Kind customer service, and they'll take good care of your pup if you have one with you. My dog often wants to stop in just to say hi - that's how sweet the owner is with him. read more

Very nice people, but the garage key they copied for me didn't work/fit into the cylinder. While they did say they would alter the key for me if I brought it back, I had the key made elsewhere at a closer location. I guess it's just somewhat bothersome that the two gentleman were guaranteeing me the key would work, their quality was the best, they've been in the business for years, etc ... For a $2 key, it would have cost me more in gas to return and have the key altered. I just wish it would have worked the first time like they said it would. Oh well, not the end of the world. read more

I am always happy when I lose my keys because it gives me a reason to stop in here. This place has the best selection of decorative keys to choose from, seriously, if you have a hard time remembering what key goes to what lock than I suggest coming here and buying keys with very specific designs! The owner might be one of the most interesting people I have discovered in South Philly, his presence in the shop makes it feel like a small town business. I hope I lose my keys again soon. read more

Had a key break in my door so I brought the door knob here and they fixed it right up and the price was right. I looked up locksmiths on Yelp and found them, the bar was set high and they delivered! read more

New to the area and need more keys made to new apartment. Hardware chains could not do it, for some reason or another. Wilensky's was about a mile away, so walked down to see them. First time customer. Only reason I gave them 5 stars, is I could not give them 10! Very personable, and hardware store is like stepping in the past. No computers, just plain old personable knowledge and customer service. Thank you Wilensky's!!! read more

Rough area to walk in and the man that works there was just plain Rude. I have not been there in a while since I found Houdini on Broad Street for my keys which is very convenient and safe to walk not mention much friendlier. I stopped going to Wilensky's because the Street looks unsafe and I saw something running across the floor in this old joint once. Anyway I was nearby so I figured I'd just grab a quick key copy. The Old guy that works there was acting like he was doing me a favor and the keys were more expensive. The other customers even mentioned it wasn't like it used to be there. read more

Fast and efficient! Wilenksy made a ton of money off me last week when my keys were stolen - both house and work. I had no idea that my landlady was using the same people that I was contacting for work (I just Yelp'd the highest rated locksmith in close proximity) and was relieved when my boss knew the company from working at Fleisher. Both my home and work had new locks and keys before 2pm - that's some fast work! I was also thankful that for both places they made some locks use the same key to cut costs on key-making. My work is in a historic building on Rittenhosue and they managed to make everything look pristine and I was certainly thankful to have new locks at home (as they were getting old and terrible anyway...almost a blessing in disguise that I lost my keys!) I put them down as the primary locksmith for work and have their info saved in case anything happens at my apartment. For their fast and professional efforts with reasonable prices - these are the dudes to call! read more

Easy breezy...even lubed our locks. Showed up on time; friendly professional service. :)

Wilensky's locksmiths saved my life. Ok it wasn't that dramatic but when I was definitely having a problem with a lock that didn't want to turn, one call to Wilensky's made me feel so much better. They knew what they would run into upon arrival after asking only a few questions. They were able to replace the lock on the same day that I called, as well as cut copies of the keys I would need on-site as well. I was able to pay with my credit card and the cost was well worth the convenience. Also they were able to give me a pretty accurate estimate via the phone so I knew what to expect. I need a few more keys cut so I will be taking a walk down to Wilensky's this week, they're my go-to hardware store here on E Passyunk Ave. read more

I just needed to re-key some door locks. A colleague recommended Wilensky's. It was easy job. But Barry Wilensky was incredibly professional: prompt, friendly and quick. read more

Old-school at it's finest. Barry rekeyed the locks on a 1910 era drawer unit that left two other locksmiths shaking their heads. Also a very well stocked hardware store. read more

OK - I'll be honest: When I saw this Polish name, I, as a Pole, KNEW that it would be my favorite hardware store. But when I MET Mr. Wilensky, I just fell in love. He is so patient, learned, diligent, and accomodating....and fair. Not only fair in practice, but in price. I have read the other reviews touting his rescue endeavors with all manner of lock and key screwups, and I know who I'M going to call when I'm in a bind at 2 a.m. His store is stocked full with all the necessities and then some. Leave it to a fellow countryman to honor fine craftmanship, good business practice, and a neighborhood faithful following. Sto Lat! read more

I've been going to Wilensky's for the 27 years I've lived in Bella Vista. I've never gotten a key copied by them that didn't work, they've always got what I need (I don't know how this is possible in such a small space), and we always have great conversations! It's a pleasure to go to an independent hardware store where they know how to do the projects you're working on and they don't charge a fortune! A gem. read more

The best place in the city for keys (they are always perfectly made). The people are friendly and knowledgeable and the selection is good. I kind of miss good hardware stores. This one is one of the last around here. read more

I just had a deadbolt installed from scratch. Everyone was professional and extremely friendly - and best of all - showed up on time! I will definitely use them again should the need arise. read more

We recently purchased a new home and were only given one key for the front door. The seller informed us that the key was a specialty key and "could not be copied." Having only one key got old pretty quick, so we knew we needed to get a duplicate somehow. Wilensky's was the first place that popped up on my Yelp search. They said they could definitely copy the key and told me to come right in. Five minutes later, I had a second key. I was really impressed with how quickly they could do it and the employees were so friendly. It was truly refreshing to find this place. Eat your heart out, Home Depot; Wilensky's will now be my go-to. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE. These guys are the absolute best, my experiences were both beyond excellent. Showed up promptly, fixed my hack job with minimal chiding(hehe), warm, funny, knowledgeable... An all around pleasure. Unlike another local locksmith who, like that magician Houdini made a large amount of my money.... Disappear..... read more