Neradt Ace Hardware

I’m shocked to see all the bad reviews about customer service. I was in today and they were extremely helpful. There were tons of staff greeting us asking if we needed any help. They offered to find us the exact screws we were looking for while we shopped. I’ll be going back here more often!

I have to say this ace hardware location is about the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ve been there three times on separate occasions and have not spent $ 1 there. No one who works there seems to have a clue what’s going on… that’s only if they even ask if you need help. At other ace locations, I’ve had great experiences which is why I’m shocked at the bad service here. I can say I won’t come back here and driving a few extra miles to the next location is well worth it.

In contrast to other Ace Hardware stores I’ve been to (and contrary to the «Ace is the helpful place» slogan), the store employees were inattentive to customers. The layout of some parts of the store is cramped. The store has a worn down look to it, including the chipped/​peeling panels that border the register area in front of the store.

Yikes! This place has really gone downhill and, after years of relying on it, I think I’m in the market for a new hardware store. Today, there was only one kid on the floor to help and he had three people waiting in line for him. I asked the guy at the counter to if there was another salesman. He called over the speaker for assistance, which never came. Finally, I went back to the kid who called another kid (perhaps still in high school) from the back. The guy didn’t really know how to help with my simple request for advice on plugging up problems with my hoses and spout shooting out lots of water. Yes, I knew I needed, at least some washers, but is that all? And I didn’t know where the washers were. So I was left basically to fend on my own and the guy at the counter who rung me up left without even bagging my purchases. This place used to have some veteran sales guys who really knew about problem solving and were helpful. What a pity that I felt this place is awful and I wish I went somewhere else for help.

Great local store. Awesome customer service and always friendly staff. Reminds you of what the big stores sorely lack and will never have. This place doesn’t have everything like Lowe’s or Home Depot — but if Ace has what you need — I would opt to go here every time.

Amazing place. I dropped off two screens that had to be completely replaced, and they were finished within 24 hours. This Ace also has the non-​swirly CFL bulbs I use in my bathrooms. Service is very friendly, and the key I had copied was also made accurately. I am glad this Ace is on my commute home because I will now be a regular.

An example of things gotten better over time. Or I found new ways to appreciate the little hardware shop around the corner.
Keys $ 1.99 each or more depending on the style. I get them done by the same guys usually. The older gentlemen tend to have more patience than their younger counterparts. Mark has been my usual key maker. I’ll usually take a walk around the store looking for him before allowing anyone else to cut keys for me. Making keys is easy these days with the newer systems but it takes a person with confidence and patience to get it done correctly the first time! In the past I’d let whomever make me keys and find myself returning multiple times because of bad cuts. Regarding bad cuts, that’s just something which can happen if a person doesn’t check their work. (Look at the ridges!) It’s more convenient to come here rather than Home Depot (Mt Prospect) which is about a fifteen minute drive away.
Over time I’ve gotten to like this little shop for its convenience. My previous review mentions a fact most don’t know about little hardware shops; which is that much of their product line is composed of items commonly needed for the housing in the area. Everything from fuses, piping, repair of common household problems, paint, lawn gear and more. A couple pluses to the small hardware shop experience other than the personalized services of their staff, are lowered prices on some nameless brand tools and hardware. Clearance shelves and blowout sales on past season accessories. Multi-​packs of bottled water are usually cheap and one can usually find some cool one-​off items like this awesome double sided sticker you can use to save your windshield from the crappy residue left behind by all the useless city stickers we have to purchase. Liquid latex gloves which are great for adding a coating to your hands before getting into a (last minute) dirty job or a kind of hand salve or hand glue to seal up small cuts on hands. The next time you walk into the little hardware store, take a look around, you may find some items of use.

Oh Neradt Ace Hardware, you can call yourself what you want, but you’ll always be «Bowen Ace Hardware» to me. You gave me my first job back in 1995 and you somehow kept me employed through over two years of high school (a good 13% of my life back then). I learned much about the ways of Sakrete, dowel rods, fasteners, and propane exchanges.
Seriously, though, this is a great place whether you know what you want or need some serious help figuring out what you want, There is a dependability and a comfort to the store that always makes it my go-​to spot for anything hardware-​related (the stuff that will fit into my car, at least). Along with the fact that they cram as much product as physically possible into the store (in a good way), the folks that I’ve dealt with on the floor are genuinely helpful and seem to really care about what they do.
Before messing around with one of the «big box» stores, head here first… if nothing else, you won’t leave feeling like way too many precious moments of your life were stolen simply because you needed to buy a new 25′ garden hose and a roll of duct tape.

My uncle just called me, he’s been a loyal customer for 30 years. He went in today to buy a bird feeder, was 7 cents short, and basically told to go screw himself, over 7 cents! I was at a home depot in the city to get a spare set of keys, was 50 cents short, and they let it slide. Dude could have gotten fired for that, but he still did it. If a joint can let 30 years of loyalty go for 7 cents, it may be time to go to the box store. It’s cheaper anyways.

ACES! Neradt’s gives you that personalized service that the Lowes and Home Depot don’t. I went there looking for a replacement washer for the bathroom faucet; you shoulda seen the selection and what a display. Gota project? They can help you get all the pieces! Best hardware store in the northwest suburbs!

Great Service, close to home, all around a wonderful store, I would totally go here before going to Lowes or Home Depot