Jay’s True Value

Terrible costumer service. Simple key copy job. The best you can do is be courteous of you patron’s dissatisfaction, but you make it worse by being indifferent to their concerns. Don’t go there.

In the past I’ve had good luck with this place-​the owner it has been very helpful. Today however, I went in and asked him to make some copies of keys. I’ve had keys done at this hardware store before. I asked him nicely to please be very careful because the previous set were slightly either too close or too far from the stem and sometimes hard to open the lock with. He drop my keys down the counter and said go to Home Depot then. I was taken aback by his behavior. I just asked him to be careful and asked if that offended him. He said go to Home Depot I said I guess you must be doing pretty well because you don’t want my money. I’m upset that I bothered to pay for parking in front of his store to be turned away with attitude.

Unfortunately Jay’s seems to be the only hardware store in the Irving Park/​Albany Park area other then the big box stores. When I need to walk to get something, they generally have it, but the store is disorganized chaos and the proprietor seems to be intentionally un-​helpful. If you have a specific part that needs replacing and you know the exact designation, he’ll help you, otherwise everything’s a «problem.» I didn’t go there for about 9 years and recently went back, hoping it was better, but it’s not.

The isles seem random, & unorganized, but he knows where everything is. He’s also willing to offer technical advice that would have saved me a trip had I listened to him in the first place. Good guy running a valuable business that’s more efficient than the box stores. The only knock is that if he’s not there, the kid that may be there in his place is not nearly as helpful.

I am taken aback by the reviews about rude service. We recently moved into the neighborhood and needed some specialized hardware for an older home. We stopped here because it was close. The older man (not sure if it was the owner) was very helpful. We will be back!

Rude and clueless owner who expected me to dismantle my entire portable dishwasher to bring in part of the hose (that actually doesn’t come off) so he could size a piece for me that goes on the faucet. The piece costs $ 3 and is standard in size as is the hose attachment. When I told him I would buy a few things and see if they work, he said, «No, I don’t help you until you bring the hose. Everything comes off if you try.» What?!
My boyfriend ended up finding the piece ELSEWHERE on his way home from work and it took the clerk one minute to locate what we needed … no dismantled dishwasher necessary.
The only good thing about this place is that it’s a hardware store in an otherwise no hardware store neighborhood.

I live a couple blocks from this place, but won’t ever come back. The owner is rude and wouldn’t take back an extension cord bought there a week ago, with receipt, and in original package. This place is completely overpriced, dirty, and smells.

If I could rate a 0 star, I would. Everything in here is disorganized, old and open packages. The owner is also very rude.

This place has much of what I need in a pinch, saving me a trip to a Home Depot and giving me the satisfaction of supporting what seems to be the only neighborhood hardware store in our community. Unfortunately, sometimes they simply don’t have what I need so if I’m unsure, I find myself heading to Home Depot to save myself the extra trip. Other reviewers were right about the organization. It often takes a bit of time to find what I need and everything is covered with a layer of dust. The owner is frequently there if you need assistance, but ask him at your own risk. On occasion, he is super helpful, but often he is cranky and condescending. For example, I was looking for brass picture hanger to hang a photo frame with a sawtooth. They didn’t carry what I was looking for, so to be helpful and suggested a large screw-​in hook. When I opted not to purchase his suggestion, explaining that unfortunately it would not work with my picture frame (it was actually a hook for hanging plants), he immediately gave me attitude. Not to sound cliché, but he runs hot and cold. Still, his attitude has greatly improved over the two years I’ve been going there and I’d rather put up with a bit of attitude than lose our local hardware store.

This place looks like how a serial killer might keep a hardware store. Stock is scattered everywhere, totally disorganized. The staff I’ve dealt with has ranged from OK to «in outer space.» One time I walked in and the teenager behind the register spent the entire time flirting with who I assume was her boyfriend. I only go here on occasion to get a random item because it’s walking distance from my home.

This place sucks, owner has an attitude problem. Will not take returns, pointless to go here.

As much I loath big hardware stores and wish that more Mom and Pop places would survive, this place needs to go. Disorganized stock, downright nasty owner. Live in the neighborhood and came in for a light bulb. Thought I’d give some business to the local store. Never again… I’ll drive the mile to Home Depot at least I can find their stock without the attitude.