Orinda Hardware

Finally! Doing so much better… whew! Thought they were going out of business.
No more crappy staff! (I had refused to go in any more because that «one guy» creeped me out.) Now I can get some help and not have to break up their conversations.
Store is clean again — not perfect but oh so much better.
Product is back on the shelf.
What wasn’t in they ordered for me. They (Samantha) even gave me an additional 10% off because they said they should have it. Sweet!
Thanks guys for fixing things! Please keep it up.

rudest people, staff doesn’t care, never get any help when I’m there. I waited paitnetly for some help while the teenagers that work their chatted with themselves and finally a manager told someone I needed help and the kid actually said to me «all you had to do was speak up».seriously. Hate this place. Don’t shop there. Got to Home Depot even if its far away.

This local, small-​town hardware store looks and smells like the real thing, but don’t be fooled! The manager is a swindler who gives small business owners a bad name. His staff are mostly young women, and they are helpful, solicitous, friendly, but unfortunately lack the power to prevent their horrible boss from rudely ripping off his customers.
I shopped there when visiting friends, because I like to support local, non-​chain stores. On crutches, I needed help to locate items and was assisted by staff to my car. Before and after my purchase of an electric kettle, I was assured that it would be returnable, with the receipt. I asked several times because it was a gift. Yes, no problem, I was told repeatedly.
When I returned with the kettle, in its original box and with the sales receipt, a few days later, the manager glared at me and refused to refund or exchange my purchase. His reason? The kettle was «not defective» in his opinion (even though it failed to shut off and whistled incessantly), and therefore was not returnable. I tried to politely discuss my options, but he rudely cut me off and looked at me with open disdain. A few more unpleasant comments from him, and I was out of there.
His well-​meaning employees huddled sadly together, looking ashamed and contrite. I limped away with my dignity intact, but left with the promise to write a negative Unilocal review, clutching my unreturnable” kettle close.
Do not shop here!

Overall, a decent small town & local hardware store. Unfortunately for them, they compete in an area with many alternatives.
Pros:
— Convenient
— Helpful employees, some more knowledgeable than others
— Friendly
Cons:
— Very expensive
— Terrible register system, or something that always makes checking out take forever
I will continue to come here when I need an item or two urgently and don’t want to drive too far from home.

Great hardware store. Always helpful with reasonable prices.

I’ve had to return to items here, and have had a problem each time. The first time I was specifically told that I could return a tool I was purchasing if I didn’t use it. When I tried to return it the manager gave me a hard time but in the end gave me credit. This last time I was sold an item that was incompatible with my intended use, based on an employees recommendation. We had had the packaging apart and when I returned apparently a part was missing. Since I had not opened the packaging between leaving the store and returning to the store it had to have been missing from the start, or fallen out while I was in the store. This time the manager refused to issue a refund. I will never shop here again.

I agree that the employer should work at least some of the time, and on a regular basis, because hardware stores should have an expert handy. It would be awesome if the hardware store offered classes or a way of renting an expert.
That being said, they do have a really cool website, which features a 3D interactive house. This interactive house, allows you to click on bubbles that show you how to improve that area of your house. With this website you are able to learn about how to do something for free. The only problem is that the employees even after I mentioned my idea of hosting classes, did not tell me about the website. It is possible that website was created yesterday, for all I know, which explains why the employees did not tell me about it.
Given that the Orinda Hardware store has a website, and a top-​notch one, I like the hardware store. Despite the website, it would be very good if one day they had more experts on staff, and they either offered classes in the store, or in the community center.