Cole Hardware Rockridge

Oakland, United States

4.1

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 510-230-0145
Website:
www.colehardware.com
Address:
5533 College Ave, Oakland, CA, 94618
b/t Lawton Ave & Ocean View Dr
Rockridge, North Oakland
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
500 ftCollege Av & Rock Ridge BART Station
740 ftMiles Av & College Av
840 ftCollege Av & Miles Av (Claremont Middle School)
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes

Today

Today 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Oakland) 4:55 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Our staff is totally dedicated to providing you with the most helpful and best advice possible on just about anything that you need. In addition to service, our store has a great selection of hardware, housewares, garden supplies including a beautiful selection of plants, and a fabulous paint department featuring Benjamin Moore Paints, including Aura and Natura, both which are environmentally friendly and low to no VOC.

Seasonally the store has a great selection of Weber barbecues, heaters, fans and air conditioners, holiday décor, including live and cut Christmas trees.

We’re here to help you.

History

Established in 1961.

Cole Hardware began in 1920 and purchased by our founder, Dave Karp in 1961. Since then we have grown to 4 stores in the City. We specialize in offering great customer service and meeting the needs of our community. Dave’s motto: «There are no strangers here, just friends we haven’t met!» greets everyone as they walk into our stores. In 1989 we started our Home Repair Referral Service, which connects our customers with excellent tradespeople of all types. It has been a valued service and can be reached at our Cole Street location. Plumbers, 24 hour locksmith, electricians, contractors, painters and more. Our downtown store, Cole Fox Hardware on 4th St. directly across from the Mariott Hotel, joined the Cole Hardware family in 1995. This unique store serves those working downtown, commercial customers and tourists too. Our 29th & Mission location opened in 1984 and our location at Polk & Green opened in 2003. In 2007 we became the first Green Certified hardware stores in America.

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Vicinity

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20 reviews of Cole Hardware Rockridge

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
We had a broken sink fixture. Rather than try to repair it I figured it would be best to replace it. So my husband and I went to Cole Hardware in Oakland. They didn’t have the part but a clerk said that we should wait to talk with Patricia – that she may have a good answer.
After waiting for a few minutes, a lovely woman who must have been about 6’2″ asked us how could she help. I showed her the part. This neighborhood hardware store is so small, they didn’t have it. So she examined the part and ran her long shiny turquoise blue fingernail along the plastic threading.
She said, «This is going to be a hard piece to replace. Look what I’m doing with my fingernail. See how I’m pushing the plastic threading back into place? You should do the rest with a butter knife – push the damaged threading back into place – like this. If you need to, use plumber tape.» She went on to explain how not to ever overuse plumber tape.
She was so nice. I thanked her and went home to give it a try.
After dinner I futzed with the part and pressed the threading back into place with a butter knife. I couldn’t find my plumbing tape so I gave it a try without it. And I fixed it! Good as new!
Fedora tip to Patricia. What a treasure. I look forward to coming back to Cole’s for future projects. Especially since she saved me about $ 80. All the more to spend at Cole’s!
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
I am thankful for finally having a hardware store within walking distance of my home. My experience with the staff has been consistently pleasant and responsive to my needs.
Place rating: 5
Palo Alto, CA
Really great service here — worked with Damian in paint — helped us try to sort out our colors and do some matching.
Place rating: 5
Piedmont, CA
The mood here is half trendy and half mom & pop. I initially went in to check out a small planter for my herb garden and was promptly greeted by several employees without feeling pressured or odd. I had a few questions and the team worked together to help me come up with a low cost solution. Before I left I signed up for their membership card and received a small discount.
I liked the planter so well that I returned to secure a few more via special order. Not only was the transaction hassle free, but again everyone was friendly and eager to be of service. The place is relatively small, boutique like but well stocked with what appears to be quality merchandise. Other than the challenge of parking on College Ave this is a real gem. Last, the company delivers via Google Express.
Place rating: 1
Berkeley, CA
warning: if you don’t look like you live in rockridge, or at least dress like you do, expect to be followed and watched throughout your time inside this store. you’ll not only be very obviously followed, you’ll get dozens of fake-​friendly «can i help you?» questions while they further determine how much stuff you’re trying to steal. i even had someone, after telling them i didn’t need help, sarcastically ask me a couple minutes later «still don’t need any help huh?» the experience is completely humiliating and infuriating.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I had been procrastinating about a few projects and shopping for sundries. But one visit to Cole and with the kind help of Patricia with my closet lighting and… my problems are solved! Bravo! The upstairs staff kept all my various purchases organized and one staff, who wasn’t even on duty! helped me get everything neatly packed into my bike bag. Not an easy thing. I’m still thinking such good thoughts days later about all the nice staff at Cole! I just had to write a review and I hope I will need something else so I can come back soon.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Cole Hardware is the best store, great products and great customer service. A special thank you to Patricia for solving a perplexing hardware problem with creativity and patience!
Place rating: 2
San Francisco, CA
Not the friendliest people around. Too bad they’re the only hardware store around here
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
So glad to have Cole Hardware in our neighborhood!
The shelves are stacked high and the products they offer a plenty. The customer service is very good and there is someone there to say hello. I also like the opportunity to browse without being bothered. Specific «shout out» to Patricia who is always helpful, patient (I ask numerous questions) and creative.
Some products might be less expensive elsewhere, but then I would have to drive, park and not get service when I need it. It is easy to support this local quality business.
Easy to become a member and sign up for their emails for the Flash Deals. We purchased a wonderful bbq grill from the Flash Deal and are so pleased with it and the sale price was awesome :-).
Thanks for the ice cream treat it was tasty.
Wishing you continued success.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
I love cole hardware, this store is a great addition to the neighborhood. If I have any questions the staff is super helpful, especially Patricia! I have had a few big projects and Patricia gave me great advice.
Place rating: 3
Oakland, CA
It’s sad i’m giving this rating because the other staff members (Jan was amazing!) were very helpful. I am new to the area and a device I had wasn’t working. Not knowing where to go and couldn’t find the right place on Google, I went here, downstairs. The guy Frank working there didn’t say anything, until a few minutes in waiting. I could see he wasn’t amused and when I asked if he would know a place or perhaps even might know what was going on, he was incredibly rude and only spoke two sentences. «No.» Would you know a place nearby that potentially could help? — «Google.»
Flabbergasted I went upstairs, when my husband and I walked out, Jan stopped us to ask how we were doing. Even though it wasn’t the right store for our problem, she was able to communicate in a great way. Some people should just not work in any kind of customer service.
Place rating: 2
Oakland, CA
The gentleman who works downstairs in hardware was quite rude. Otherwise the store was nice, but that was my first impression of customer service there, and it unfortunately ruined this visit for me.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Cole Hardware, a slice of SF’s Cole Valley in the heart of Rockridge, is making it easy for those of us who don’t want to fritter away our time looking for hard-​to-​find items like fancy-​pants LED Edison light-​bulbs. FYI: The Ace Hardware on Clement and 2nd in the city has them perpetually on back order, but these guys actually had them in stock.
For those of us who hate to shop at the big box stores for our hardware needs (because it can be an overwhelming experience) Cole Hardware Rockridge hits the spot. Again, I’ll take a mom-​n-​pop-​type-​shop in an attractive neighborhood surrounded by other businesses – book shops, coffee shops, bath and body care shops – I also patronize over dizzying Home Depot and the like any day of the week.
The range of super social and professional to distant and barely syllabic can be found among the staff at Cole. Like my mom used to say (and I hated), ‘It is what it is’.
**Located approx. one block from Rockridge Bart
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Just wanted to send out kudos to Sean at Cole Hardware on College Ave in Oakland for helping my getting automatic senior discount on my Cole’s card. He accomplished professionally and cheerfully in seconds what Cole’s admin/​acctg department could not accomplish in 3 weeks: to update my Cole Discount Card.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Cole Hardware is the most helpful hardware store that I have ever been to! It is very well organized and clean. Staffs are all very friendly without being chummy and very knowledgeable without being snobby.
Big shout out to Patricia who works there! Who was beyond helpful and patient with me in explaining how I should use which pliers for very particular usage (loosening blades from my really old fragile wood carving tool that I have great sentimental value attached to…) and demonstrating it herself and even let me try on myself couple times before I purchased the tool to make sure it was the right tool and that I know how to properly loosen blades without breaking them.
I would highly recommend Cole Hardware to anyone! No need to go to Home Depot anymore: D
Place rating: 2
Medford, NY
I finally got around to visiting… Walking in the place seems nicely laid out. It is an Ace Hardware, which I happen to love the brand as each store I’ve been too usually has good selection and helpful staff. The selection here didn’t disappoint — but the staff, save for one guy, was rude and seemed annoyed in a most unengaged manner.
I wouldn’t make this my regular stop — good for emergencies since it’s a few blocks away.
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
Attended the grand opening of the store on Saturday, and I“m even more excited about the store. Got to know some of the staff and I had my very own dedicated staff member who helped me with balcony gardening needs.
Great addition to the neighborhood!
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
A very welcome addition to Rockridge! Cole Hardware is a well-​organized and clean hardware store with friendly and helpful staff that reminds me a lot of Super Longs. In addition to all the things you’d want at a hardware store, you can also find live plants, reading glasses, toys for children, household items, plastic storage bins and cleaning supplies. All at perfectly reasonable prices.
They also offer great services like a Rent-​A-​Tote Program where you can rent sturdy, easy to carry, plastic storage bins to move instead of scrounging for or buying cardboard boxes.
Plus, it always feels good to support the local economy. According to the sign on their door, for every $ 100 you spend at Cole, $ 68 will stay in the community. If you spend the same amount at a national chain, only $ 43 stays in the community.
Welcome to the community Cole Hardware! We’re happy to have you.
TIP: You can sign up for a free rewards card but I’d recommend waiting until your first big purchase because you get 5% off your first purchase only.
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
This has gotta be the cleanest hardware store I’ve ever been in. The layout is a bit odd, having been converted from something else — previously on this spot was a furniture store — with an upstairs of regular hardware, and a slightly hidden staircase downstairs to fittings, bolts and the like.
The staff do seem very nice, and this is just the kind of hardware store that I think will do well in Rockridge — the next closest are the Ace on Piedmont (hopelessly crammed) and the one on MLK (counter service only). I don’t have any immediate need for anything from a hardware store, but if I can avoid a trip to Emeryville and Home Depot, then that’s great too.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
It is hardware and home goods porn for the makers’ soul. Two glorious floors filled with kitchen ware, jars, paint, and all the usual things people needing hardware need. Right in the middle of Rockridge half a block from Bart. Pretty sure this is going to become a major community center. Happy!!!