Central Ace Hardware

Spare keys in seconds, for just a few dollars. Winning!
You know what’s not winning? Locking yourself out of your own apartment. Twice. And when you don’t own the building, getting a locksmith to let you in is nearly impossible.
Having spare keys scattered amongst friends in the city is clutch. Enter Central Ace Hardware. I walked in and within 2 minutes had several versions of my apartment key in my hands. It only cost $ 3 and some change.
Totally worth not having to wait for your significant other to get home and let you in. Or beg friends to come pick you up and let you stay at their house for the night.

BEWARE! If you call them and they say they have something in stock-​it will not be there when you arrive.

I am by Ace, it seems, quite frequently.
despite being small they usually have what I am looking for in tools, electric, and basic hardware.
Staff tries to be helpful.
Parking is fairly easy at meters out front. Fairly limited hours.
(For plumbing, their sister store is around the corner. It’s huge and comprehensive for rough plumbing, but limited for finish.)

In the two years we have lived in Japantown, we have come to rely on this hardware store for all of our household hardware needs, from ethernet cable to grout to some very unusual lamp bulbs. And, of course, they carry every kind of nut or screw I have ever needed. When we don’t see what we need, we just ask at the front and they immediately tell us where it is, or sometimes just magically produce it from behind the counter.

This place has excellent customer service and feels like a real neighborhood hardware store. You know when you have something annoying to fix around the house and just need a couple screws of a very specific size. I’ve been here twice for issues just like that, and they happily searched through their parts to sell me exactly what I needed — and only what I needed, not a whole box. Not only that but the last time I was there I only have $ 20’s for a $ 0.25 purchase and the sales woman just told me to get her back next time. Great place!

I LOVE THIS PLACE ! We are here at least 3 – 4 times a week! And the couple who owns this place is so helpful and nice! What you want in a neighborhood hardware store!

I haven’t Unilocaled in a minute so this will be poorly written but I’ve never really written that well.
I’m giving ACE 4 stars because they have everything you need to make most at home repairs without needing to call a plumber or electrician. They have a lot of stuff packed into a small space but hey at least they know where everything is and all you have to do is ask.
Today I went in for a plunger and they had a few but no heavy duty plungers so I was slightly disappointed and even more so when I got to my toilet that needed fixing. The plunger I bought wasn’t big enough so my only request would be to carry bigger plungers. Other than that is was a cool experience.

I just finished writing a review for Central Builders Supply who also own this store as well, and whereas I can get busy and visit Central one or two days a week, I would frequent twice as often to see Terrence and Lee at Ace Hardware, whose kindness and patience almost knows no limits (well almost — I agreed last year to stop coming in at 5:15 PM with questions and purchases : – ). Similar to my review today of Central, I came to learn basic electrical, repair, painting, etc., through a series of questions and purchases as a resident manager. I will say that these two have a little more time to spend on us for this store is not quite as busy with professional contractors that are waiting in line to be helped. With Terrence and Lee we have developed a friendship that is simply fun. They both have an excellent sense of humor that they share with the english language and I am occassionaly surprised and delighted by their insights. If they know you, they are very funny and quick.
Thank you again for the last four years of help and advice.
(as Terrence and Lee already know, we are learning Mandarin right now via The Rosetta Stone series, but we’re going to surprise them next week with a little dialogue of our own! : – ).

Central Ace Hardware was once known as Post True Value. This little store is where all the construction engineers pick up all their paints, screws and other stuff. The inventory is fairly limited. And the staff really do not know what they are selling.
Most of the people who come in are the homeless. They pick up a can of spray or brake cleaner to get high. But what am I saying, so are the painters.

We were on a mission to gather supplies to paint the new apartment.
As soon as I politely asked for help, I felt as though I was inconveniencing the woman at the register. A fellow customer, who was very friendly, helped us more than the store employee. Shoot. He should have worked there– he was nice and knowledgeable.
Whatevs. We got the supplies we needed. I will come back, I just hope they are a little more helpful next time.

Great hardware store. I live nearby and go there frequently and have yet to not find what i need. They seem to always have everything that Ace carries, and then some. You know those little wood shelf braces that fit into holes in adjustable wood bookcases? They had three different types of those. In my view, this Ace is bested only Fredricksen’s on Fillmore.

This place is super fun. I got some keys made (cheap). The counter is staffed with sweet tattooed boys and has a TON of fun things to play with while you wait. Basically toys for your inner-​kid. No idea about whether they actually have any hardware but just think of it as Zinc’s eight year old little brother.