O’Connor True Value Hardware & Rental

Pros: Local store, better deals
Cons: Lack of professionalism (especially from the younger staff), higher prices, and they don’t honor TrueValue rewards points as they should
I’d like to keep coming back here but I just don’t get a good vibe when I walk in…

Love this place. Employees are professional and knowledgeable provide so much more help than a Lowes or Home Depot. Although the prices may be slightly higher is well worth it for the customer service aspect. They also carry a wider array of options of some specialized products like hinges and other hardware then Home Depot does. Stores like Home Depot provide 0 customer service the only carry products that are popular making it hard to find the specialized product that one may be looking for.

We have been exceptionally disappointed by the service and lack of professionalism at O’Connor Hardware during the past year. From the tone of the voices of the people hired to answer the telephone, to the individuals picking up the phones to hopefully give advice, they all rate a FLAT ZERO. It is unfortunate b/​c we always patronized O’C even though their prices were higher than Home Depot and Lowes, due to the professional staff. Those days are gone and we have to believe it is due to their need for competition. When Home Depot was anticipating locating down the street from O’Connors it was a different story with O’C…they were very professional and put on a good face. Now the fear is gone, so they think, and they are now unprofessional. Up until a few years ago it was mostly retired gentlemen working at the store. Now it is careless younger men who possess the same careless attitude. The «Manager» of the store‘Kevin O’Connor speaks like a «kid» and also does not possess the respectfulness toward customers the older gentlemen did as a matter of course.
We, and quite a few others, are back to a «changed» Home Depot and Lowes. Good bye O’Connor!!!

This is generally a great store, and I was close to awarding 5 stars. But a handful of things make me knock off one star:
1. The conditions of their coupons and specials can make check-​out a frustrating experience. Oh, this item doesn’t count because it’s made by this manufacturer. And this item can’t be applied to the total because that’s a sale price. And you can’t use this coupon for this because you already used that coupon for that, etc. etc.
2. The quality of the help ranges wildly from spectacular (knowledgeable employees who are very accessible) to awful (either non-​existent, or all the high school employees are herding together in one of the aisles, joking around and ignoring customers).
3. Snow blower service and repair is generally quite good, though this year it took 6 — 7 weeks from initial phone call in October to delivery in December to get my machine completed. (But in fairness, all snow blower service departments are, um, snowed under, due to the horrid winter last year.)
4. The quality of some brands carried by the store is marginal. But I think this is true of all TrueValue hardware stores, which face tough price competition from the big box stores.
In spite of the above, O’Connor still provides a convenient, personable, and well-​stocked alternative to the bigger chains for those in the ‘burbs northwest of Boston.

This is a gem! While setting up a temporary costume shop down the road we found everything we could need from padlocks for the trailer to shrink wrap for the palettes we shipped back to LA. Helpful and friendly staff. For everyone in Billerica — support your local hardware store! We were happy to. Plus we bought an awesome duck tape measure…

Always pleased with customer service here. I find good prices too. Over 25 years of going off and on when living near by or visiting town when living out of state. Always find what I need here to fix something or make something or paint and more. Really like this store. Stop in if you have not before. I don’t go to big box stores if I do not have to. Usually I don’t have to if I am any where near OConnor’s.

I purchased an echo 770T back pack blower from O’Connor Hardware in the Fall of 2013. This was a big jump from me from using a small one previously. I had awesome I mean awesome experience with the blower. I always use Husqvarna 50.1 premixed fuel. It costs so much more then regular fuel and the premix but it’s all around better. In the Fall of 2014 I started noticing some problems with the blower. I would use it everyday after work and blow leaves off my lawn. Every day. The blower was starting to stall while giving it gas. I brought it to O’connor and they fixed it within no time. Some how dirt got into my carburetor. I had the same problem maybe 2 weeks later and brought it right back they fixed it free of charge. I used the blower a couple more times before winter and the blower was acting up again. Next thing you know it was winter and I didn’t bring it in for service until last week. The mechanic ended up changing the carburetor and didn’t charge me anything for the repair. Awesome customer service at this store I recommend it over Home Depot all day long.
Thanks O’Connor Hardware
Dave Graz

I often visit this hardware store. It is only a few miles from my house. The help and personal attention you get is amazing. You would Never get anything like that in the big box stores. (Home Depot). It seems like they higher high school kids which is great. Letting them get real life work experience, and make a few dollars while doing it.
On the other hand they are a little expensive. It’s the story of pay a little more to support a local, well run, supports the community store. Or go to a big box store and get a cheaper price and feed the greed? If they came down on the prices just a little bit I would gladly give them 5 stars. Everything else is excellent!

I wish I could give them zero stars. I have spent thousands of dollars here to buy better grade machines but I have had problems with them each year. They then come to pick them up and charge me a fortune to fix them. This weekend I called them 3 times to service the snowblower I spent a small fortune in only to be told they’re too busy and they’ll call me back. 3 hours later and I have yet to hear from them. I purposely bought from oconnor because they service the machines and I am so disappointed. I post this so people will save money and go to a place with good products and good customer service.

I purchased a snow blower from O’Connor about 2 years ago. The store came highly recommended as a family owner store with competitive prices and good service.
The sales man seemed knowledgeable, but the first red flag occurred while he was entering the sale in his computer. He kept going on and on, «educating» me about the winters and snow up here in Massachusetts. When he was done he finally asked me where I was from. My response: «Portland, Maine»
The snow blower was supposed to arrive in about a week or two. Two weeks passed by, no blower. 3 weeks, no blower. 4 weeks, no blower. I called and whoever answered said it would arrive in a week. After 6 weeks I went into the store and asked for a refund.
And that’s when the fun really began. The gentleman, presumably the store manager, began arguing with me. Why would I want the snow blower now? It hasn’t snowed yet. I actually had to explain to him that when you sell something, take the persons money, and say you’re going to deliver in x number of days, then you have to deliver.
He responded by saying that if they did that then the gas would sit in the blower and ruin it because of the ethanol. I told him that is why you add fuel stabilizer — so the gas doesn’t go bad and ruin anything. He stood there, looking off into distance and not at me, and seemed to be «processing» what I had just said. At that point he looked at the cashier and said «give her her money back.»
I’m glad was finally able to get that refund, but the entire experience soured me on the whole «family owned» argument. You can ripped off by any store or sales person — who the owner is really doesn’t matter.
And yes I purchased a blower elsewhere but was unable to do so until after it snowed and I couldn’t get out of the driveway, which is a little late.

I like Oconnors, a bit pricey but the employees are helpful and knowledgeable unlike
Lowes or Home Depot. You never have to look far for help. Not a fan of the repair part. Had my snowblower in for repair 4 times this winter, very expensive and each time it broke after 1 use. Also had them put screen on my sliding door and it wa way overprice and my door came back pretty scratched up. I won’t use them for repair again but i still like the store.

Home depot ain’t got nothing on O’Connors! The staff here aged 16−60+ are ALL knowledgeable and friendly. It amazes me every time I go in with a small piece of something weird from my house and ask an employee how to replace it, they always have a solution and 90%+ it works! The only time I go to HomeDepot is when O’Connors doesn’t carry it, and that’s rare.

Good stuff. Sometimes pricey but usually worth it. Convenience is a huge plus. They have a great selection and lots of things most places don’t have.

There is nothing, NOTHING, like a small, personal hardware store. It doesn’t matter if I am spending $ 200 on paint or $ 2.00 on some oddball size bolt. EVERYONE is happy to help me. Nobody just points and says, «Check over there.» I can always find a worker to help.
True, they do not have lumber. I’d go to a lumber yard for lumber. But I go here for everything else… keys, paint, bolts, dog toys, work gloves, screen repairs, knife sharpening, duck tape, grill brushes, snow stakes — everything. Every cashier is super friendly, and pays attention to what you are saying. There is no need to endure the hell of self-​checkout.
If I buy lime or sand by the bag, I just pull the car up and they load it into my trunk for me. If I am filling my propane tank, the guy carries the full tank back to the car for me. And I am not a little old lady, I can certainly carry stuff myself, I just don’t always want to.
Highly encourage people to give O’Connor Hardware your business. (they will even match comptetitors’ prices if you bring in the ad!)

First, the only downside– they don’t carry lumber apart from 2×4’s. As a home improvement contractor I find I frequently have a laundry list of items for jobs that include lumber and don’t hit O’Connors because I don’t want to make two stops.
Otherwise it’s O’Connors. It’s deceivingly large, has great selection and not only is their staff very helpful they seem HAPPY to help you! If you’ve been looking for a local alternative to a big box store give O’Connors a whirl.

The staff is very knowledgeable and has given great advice for all the home projects we’ve done so far — replacing valves, sinks, toilets, small electrical questions, etc. I also needed some outdoor seating recently when everyone had already put away their chairs in storage and they were more than happy to take them out for me to purchase, when at other stores I had been turned away because the chairs were «put away». All in all they are very helpful, and will try to help you find the best thing for your project, not just the most expensive option.

You have to appreciate O’Connor from a perspective of not having any comparable hardware store around. I had shopped there for 35 years. In the area I live in now I go to Home Depot, somethimes to Lowe’s, and to a smaller hardware store called Westgate which is in Olathe KS. The closest Home Depot is 26 miles.
I can always remember the young kids at O’Connor who tried to be helpful, but they had no experience and at best maybe knew where an item was. Try asking the young person about matching a #12×¾ sheet metal screw. This is now true everywhere you shop. Old. old timers may remember a hardware store in Concord center packed to the ceiling with items, and you could ask the older, experienced gentleman running the store almost any question and get an answer and a solution. I am sure that the brighter young kids at O’Connor went on to college, and business school, and now manage hedge funds someplace and have a zillion dollars, but they knew next to nothing about hardware.
I can remember bringing part of a green colored downspout to the paint department and the person working there would not do a computer match because it was not a «flat piece» and I had to find another person to do the job right. Even with all of this the average experience over all the years was positive.
I could go to the repair department and get many questions answered. I have a large Ariens snow blower from O’Connor. When I needed warranty covered repairs and other recalls, I could get them to pick it up, they would do the warranty work without question or cost, and deliver it back to me. Do you see: I could go to a neighborhood place and get important work done, and this was true over the years.
So I think the Billerica people should appreciate what they have nearby. The track record of this store over the years is very good from the point of view of the average homeowner who is not a super-​DIY.

Actually, I’m a huge fan. They’ll cut you a key in no time, and have a great selection of practical household items, especially for kitchen, bath and yard. This, in addition to being an excellent all-​around hardware store.
If you want to browse at leisure, it’s a pleasant store (seriously, people do this) but if you want to be in and out in seconds flat, the excellent staff can make that happen.
Consider yourself lucky, Billericans.

We’ve lived in the area for 30+ years but only recently have we gone to O’Connor Hardware. They were the only place around that could fix our leaf blower, had the salt compound we needed for our ice dams, and that had the igniter kit that we needed for our 12-​yr-​old (bionic) Weber gas grill. I had to call re: the latter, and once they said they had what I needed, Brian asked when I’d be coming in and then put the product at the customer service desk for my convenience. That way, I didn’t have to go through the story again and cite the part numbers.
The place is arranged neatly and orderly and is a welcome change from the Lowes/​Home Depots. Everyone is friendly and knowledgeable. Am not thrilled to be called ma’am, and I don’t think I look old, but if that’s going to get a sweet and pleasant college kid to help out and be respectful, then that’s ok.
The hardware store also sells Eastern Sheds, about four of which are displayed on the parking lot outside the store. Not sure we’ll buy it through the store, but it’s nice to know we can check them out «live.»
The setup of the parking lot doesn’t make sense, but I’ve been here enough to know that you have to go around the perimeter and then enter near the store.
I’d give 3.5 stars, as it’s only a hardware store, but am rounding to 4 cuz I’m feeling generous today.

* Great Selections & Value *
O’Connor True Value is my go-​to neighborhood hardware store. They have a large selection of products at reasonable prices. People from nearby towns even come here.
They carry the same inventory as Home Depot and Lowes (HD&L), but in a smaller scale. They offer a large inventory of hardware, tools, Benjamin Moore paint, electrical supplies, plumbing supplies, gardening supplies, housewares, and construction equipment rentals. They also offer knife and blade sharpening, key-​making, and glass cutting services. Party equipment rentals are also available: large charcoal grills, dunking booths, and others.
They have an onsite propane fill station for quick tank refills; you have to pay for the refill inside before heading out to the fill station. And, their Webber grill selection is bigger than any other store I have visited.
Their prices are a bit higher than at HD&L, but they are a local store that gives back to the community. Plus, the floor staff is helpful and knowledgeable; they’ve been this way for years.
They also have some product models and brands you won’t see at HD&L. For example, a few months ago I bought a DeWalt power drill from O’Connor. HD&L both carried the same DeWalt power drill model DWD110K, but O’Connor carried the next model up (i.e., DWD112) at a few bucks more. The difference: the DWD110K has a chuck made of metal and plastic; the DWD112 has an all-​metal chuck. These little differences matter when dealing with certain projects. (Check for these type of small differences when you go shopping at the big stores.)
* Bottom Line *
Check out O’Connor True Value for your hardware needs.