The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
QUESTION: What’s your favorite hardware store?
Talk about it….
The Water Cooler – What’s Your Favorite Hardware Store?
Eames Hardware & Supply, Pleasant Hill closed
.
YardBirds Home Center, Clayton Valley Shopping Center, bought out
Actually had employees that were knowledgeable and a manager that was top notch.
.
Orchard Supply Hardware several locations, bought out
.
In a pinch Outdoor Supply Hardware, Clayton because it’s less than a mile away.
Remaining and big box hardware stores have seems like all the same merchandise in blister packs. For custom projects, don’t have much choice but to order online.
Ace is the place!
#1 Ace (Clayton Road) has just about everything I need. Knowledgeable and friendly service people on almost every aisle. Unbelievable inventory for such a small footprint. I’ve been going here since I was a kid (after Markus Hardware closed in ParknShop). Very convenient location. The young people get a lot of training on customer service (reminds me of In n Out Burger training). When I leave or checkout, I always say, “thank you.” The response is always “My pleasure” instead of “no problem.” I hope they can continue to sustain their business and be successful.
#2 Lowes, a big box store but I can find help faster and easier than my #3 choice. It also feels cleaner and better organized. Parking is easier than Concord Home Depot. Huge inventory including appliances.
#3 Home Depot, if they have something unique or an exceptional price on a product. Huge inventory. Competitive appliance prices.
All three have pluses and minuses. All three support our community, schools, sports, nonprofits, etc.
Fred Kelleway’s Hardware – long gone.
It was where Masse’s Sports Bar now is.
Lowe’s. I hate home depot its nuts there at the concord store.
I don’t have a favorite, but have a least favorite, and that would be Home Depot. Why?
Because it’s dark, cold, and gloomy, and the one in Concord has a terrible parking lot.
Lowes, on the other hand, is bright and has a nice spacious parking lot. Ace Hardware
has a couple of retired contractors working for them who really know their business and
are very helpful.
Definitely ACE Hardware on Pacheco Blvd and Morello in Martinez. VERY helpful and knowledgeable staff!! Give them a try! …. you will not be disappointed! I’m a long time customer.
Ace Hardware because it is closer when I need a few items. Lowe’s or Home Depot when I need to make many purchases.
Home Depot is nearby and I know how to track some employees there that actually know something. But I also check prices before hand. ACE if I went to because they had things that Home Depot wouldn’t stock (they would “order it for ya” though). I also went to some of the now gone stores mentioned too depending on what I needed.
Depends what your looking for… but If you’re looking for any kind of special nut, bolt or connectors for the home or auto… Hands down Outdoor Supply Hardware in Clayton is the place!
Ace (not the one in PH on CCC recently opened) & OSH in Clayton … I avoid Home Dept & Lowe’s as much as I can but as others – each has it’s advantages and disadvantages
That PH Ace store on CCBlvd has a bunch of “no-nothings” working there. Very poor organization of help. Very little knowledge of their stock.
They have an older guy that tends to work in the plumbing area that knows his stuff. However, a few months ago the store decided to put a fence/gate across the back parking lot so that you can’t leave the store, loop around behind it, and end up northbound on CC Blvd back to Walnut Creek. Since the fence/gate was installed I refuse to go to this store.
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I no longer have a preferred hardware store. It seems they all are selling exactly the same Made in China junk.
Sorry, they’re all garbage. Home Depot donates generously to right wing causes. Lowe’s has high prices and mismanagement problems. Ace isn’t as bad, but has crappy hours and the stores are too small. OSH is owned by a private equity firm just milking it and has become a joke.
Bills ACE is the place.
There is an ACE in Berkeley that has it all. I wish others were like this. They have all the essentials as any other ace has but then also have models and model trains (ho scale) along with rockets (estes) and all the accessories. I loved it in the old decrepit building they were in but the new one in fine. https://www.berkeleyace.com/
need more like this.
Any where I can buy shotgun shells and .22’s. So none in this state. Moscow Idaho has a great store, can’t remember the name though. It’s huge. Could spend hours there.