Ace Hardware

Got two keys cut here, neither key worked. Pass on this place if you’re coming for key copying.

Meh. My goto spot is Rittenhouse Hardware at 20^th & Pine. RH exemplifies how a great retail operation should be run. As you walk in you are generally asked what you are in need of. They take you to the item instead of pointing or telling you what section it is in. This is why I buy local. I don’t need the best price. I’m looking to get the product in my hands right away. Extra points if you offer to order it in or call another store to see if they have it.
Additionally the aisles are very narrow and challenging to navigate. To me they stock too many items resulting in a store that feels overwhelming and disorganized.
And the plants out front look like sloppy seconds from another shop. I’d rather find time to goto Greensgrow.

I just moved in a few blocks away and had been to or called 5 different hardware stores trying to find a quick connect to hook up my gas grill. On Labor Day I walked down to Fairmount Hardware to get 2 screws to set up a TV; they will sell you only what you need, unlike big box stores where you have to buy a whole package. While there, Jason helped me figure out what I needed to hook up my grill and found the parts for me. They don’t have a huge selection of rugs or plastic storage boxes like a big box store, but they have a huge selection of real hardware/​parts. So glad I found them!

This is a great little hardware store to have in the area! I’m really surprised to see all the negative reviews about bad key copies, the dozen or so copies I’ve gotten here have worked perfectly. Obviously the store is pretty quaint so it’s not going to have everything that Lowes or Home Depot has, but so far they’ve had everything I’ve needed.

I had high hopes for this store when they started remodeling last year. They hired a friendly helpful staff and were well stocked for a while. Now this store has degraded back to the same disorganized, poorly stocked store it was before the renovation. Both managers at the store look pissed off when asked for help. No one knows where anything is and no one seems to care. I tried in vain for 15 minutes to find someone to help me with a pad lock and finally walked out. The one, exceptional employee is Jason. He will bend over backwards to help you. Sadly when he is not there, the place is worthless.

Great little hardware shop with everything you need. Definitely a bit messy and somewhat unorganized. The staff is limited but they will help if you have patience. Cut keys, garden supplies and plants, lots of hardware, tools, home necessities.

Good luck getting any help here. Their phone doesn’t work and even if it did no one would answer. If you make the unfortunate mistake of going here in person you’ll have the pleasure of dealing with the most unhelpful people in the world who like to constantly give you attitude. They never have what I’m looking for and none of the keys I’ve had made here work. ONCE one of their employees was very sweet and helpful but I haven’t seen him in ages. I try to support small businesses but you’d have better luck at Home Depot.

They have gone through an expansion and reorganization of the store in the last year or so and its much better now. It’s extremely convenient to be able to walk to a hardware store to pick up items as needed, and they started selling season plants as well. The aisles are a little tightly packed, but the staff is friendly to help you find what you need.

I haven’t spent too much time here, but I’ve been in a few times and things are fairly easy to find. One day I was there for 15 minutes and had 3 friendly employees ask if they could help with anything. I’m not sure if I was there on a particularly good day, or if they’re getting their act together based on the other reviews that I’ve read, but my experiences have been vary positive thus far.

I moved to the neighborhood almost 3 months ago and have spent a lot of time visiting either Home Depot or this store. I was giddy to come across this Ace which is a fantastic alternative to HD or Lowes. I am there so often they always recognize me. All of the employees are helpful whenever I needed something or had questions. I have gone there to buy plants, seeds, brackets, drill bits, nails/​screws, soil, planters, bug spray, you name it. I love walking by the store to take a look at the latest plants. I find the cost of plants is comparable to Home Depot. One of the ladies that works there is always so helpful helping me choose which plants are suited for the weather, shade, etc. One day, since I was buying a bunch of plants, she sweetly gave one of the clearance small plants to my daughter and explained how to take care of it. Another day, when my daughter was with me, another woman cashing us out gave my daughter a coloring book. Very thoughtful.
There are some things that you can definitely get cheaper elsewhere (this was true when I was pricing ladders), but for the most part, the prices are comparable and oh so convenient for those of who live in the neighborhood. You can’t beat it.

Serves my handy/​gardening needs as I live in the area. They have a small selection of reasonably priced plants and all the basic gardening materials. Friendly staff, good location, and good prices.

WARNING: DON’T EVER GET KEYS MADE HERE! I don’t know why I gave them so many chances. Maybe because I watched my couture key made by someone being trained on the cutting machine for the 1^st time, and was hoping a more senior employee would have better craftsmanship in the future.
Staff is cool & they’re great if you need something random in a pinch (spray paint, key chain, staple gun, etc.) but the first key given to me for my last apt. was from here and stuck constantly. I got a new one made and will just say I was at a loss at 4am during the scene pictured below.
For my new apt. I figured I’d give them one more shot because, hey, they’re in the neighborhood. DON’T DO IT! This one didn’t even wiggle the lock. Save yourself the time getting locked out of your place and then the embarrassment of asking for a buck and change for the return and just go to Lowes.

Got keys cut here. The one I didn’t test didn’t work. Cost me $ 180 for a locksmith at 10 pm. Never coming here again. Incompetence.

Don’t you even THINK about getting a key cut here. I can probably drunkenly chisel you a better key out of play dough than they can provide for you you at this awful establishment.
The flowers and plants they have for sale here are WAY overpriced. Vegetables and flowers are often damaged and brown. The nicer succulents aren’t even for sale (lol).
Little garden tchotchkes are grossly inflated in price and covered in rust – who do you think you are, Anthropologie?
A tip: If you do get your key cut here, I heard you can return it, as it will not work. (thanks, Katie!)

So have been back! The sales people are much nicer, the merchandise is better organized and they now how have plants and stuff for sale. I would recommend t his place to a friend. Continue the improvement you are doing a great job!

All I needed was a box cutter and didn’t want to travel far. While the info says the shop isn’t wheelchair friendly, it’s friendly enough to get and move around some. I called first to make sure though.
The staff was more than friendly and helpful with getting my needs. I was hoping to get a different cutter but for the price I can’t be mad at all. :)

There is nothing wrong with this store. I’ve been going here for 6 – 7 years, and maybe once they didn’t have what I needed. They have a lot more than it looks. When I ask for something they help. Keys are the same quality as most hardware stores.
You need the big selection? Take the 1-​hour round trip down to the South Philly 100,000 sqf big box stores. But you may not find what you need there, either. I’ve walked out of Home Depot and Lowe’s numerous times.
I’ll take the local, 10-​min trip hardware store, and be done with my project before you get back.
My only gripe is the early closing hours.

I wanted to like this place. But after three different visits, I left empty handed. The staff tried to be helpful. I wanted to buy paint, but the store didn’t have the base color or mixes for anything. I was certainly disappointed.

The people who work the floor are friendly and accommodating. I wanted a refill head for a mop they sell. They ordered it for me and was there three days later. I walked in one day with black spray paint caked on my hands and asked what they sold that would remove it. The guy asked if I just needed to take it off now. I said yes and he steered me to their back room where he let me wash up with some magical soap and saved me the money of having to buy something I would probably never use again. If I don’t know where something is they show me. If I need a solution they stick their mind to it. The keys I have purchased there work fine.
The reason I don’t give them 5 stars is because my dad went to look for flat picture hangers and they didn’t have any and it seemed like a pretty usual thing to find at a hardware store.
Yes, the cashiers are unfriendly. Who cares? It is a friggen hardware store not a day spa. Yes, the aisles are small and tight. Who cares? You live in a city. If you want big isles support your evil big box hardwares stores instead. You cannot find everything you need without asking. Well, that is an old fashioned hardware store for you. You come in with your project and they show you around to what you need.

Deceptively vast. My one-​star deduction is primarily because it’s incredibly difficult to find anything here if you’re looking for something specific. If you walk in looking for Pledge or a mousetrap or a screwdriver, no problem. If you have a particular size drillbit it may take some digging.
That said, if you dig you can find goddamn anything in this place. Including but not limited to: candy, LED blinking snowflake necklaces, cookie tins, seed packets, dowels of many sizes and your standard harware nails/​hammers/​bolts/​mops fare.
The prices are decent, the staff helpful but generally disinterested. Definitely first– and possibly only-​stop shopping.