Ace Hardware

I’ve had great experiences at this ace. I’ve been coming here since it opened and the owner is always there, pleasant and helpful. I also appreciate the extra services they have, like Yeti engraving as I’ve had many done there and they’re perfect!

Wow ! I just got kicked out of Ace Hardware /​Waterside Estates on 99 .
They have an online price posted and wouldn’t match that price, told me I have to buy it online and pick it up from the store even though they have one in stock!
I told them that’s retarded & I will just buy the one they have in stock at full price.
The owner told the cashier not to sell it to me, told me to leave because I said «it was retarded»
They have lost me and my family as a customer do to bad customer service .
I have lived nearby in my house for over 15yrs and have visited this location many times. Never again !

Do not go to this store! This is the absolute worst retailer I have ever visited! The store manager was rude, challenged my integrity and refused to complete my transaction — all because of a $ 2 refund! I had my receipt and 24 hours had not even passed since my original purchase and he still didn’t want to return $ 2 of merchandise! The store manager got so mad at me that he wanted to fight because I challenged his decision because the receipt clearly states that I can refund the merchandise within 30 days with a receipt. The store owner followed up with me and chose to do absolutely nothing about the matter. Find another hardware store but definitely don’t go here! Their prices are also very high and they never have the quantities of merchandise that I need.

The owner is can either be nice or extremely rude. I sent my husband there to get A/​C filters. The guy sold him the pleated expensive ones so when my husband returned home I went back to the store. When I get there to return them, they are «closed» or so says the girl that works there and she turns me away but then I male customer pulls up and she tells him to come in and the owner walks up behind her and waves him in as well. I proceeded to walk back up to her and say I just had to return the filters in exchange for the cheaper kind. The owner steps in and ridicules me for wanting the cheaper ones and tells me the only reason my A/​C guy wants me to use them is so he can get more service calls from us. What he doesn’t realize is that it wasn’t the A/​C guy telling me that but a house inspector. He also tried to use the excuse that their registers were shut down for the night and he could refund the credit card yet the guy that came in before me used he credit to make his purchase. On top of this horrible service he was also smoking the whole time and that’s not the first time he has brought his cigarette into the store. You will usually sit butts on the stores floor right where you walk in.

Very helpful staff! I was looking for a bracket for a shelf and they told me exactly where to look. Then another employee came by and really helped me to look. They didn’t have the bracket I needed but did offer suggestions on what I could do instead. Great prices as well, I would stop here before heading to a big store like Home Depot.

The mail service (USPS) review. (Inside Ace Hardware)
I went today to drop a box with prepaid postage. First of I waited 15 minutes for the guy to come help me. He was doing something else by front of the store. When he comes over he tells me I could just leave my box in the counter. I said well this is a high dollar item and I don’t feel comfortable. I gave him the box thinking he was going to put it behind the counter in a crate. No he put it on top the counter and started to walk away. I said no someone could just walk away with my box there’s no one behind the store monitoring anything. He told me in the many years he’s been working there no one has stolen a box. Well I’m not going to take that risk so I left. This man was too lazy to walk around the counter and place my box in the crate. This is poor customer service.

I’m a contractor. I shop almost daily at Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, wherever I can to find what I need quickly. Recently I purchased a «universal» toilet flapper. This «universal» part didn’t fit. I went back to Ace to return it. The owner gave me a little grief about it and during our conversation actually said to me, «you know there’s no such thing as universal.» He then pointed out that their receipts clearly state that returns are not allowed on open products. So to encapsulate the Ace Hardware business model — they sell products that they don’t back and think you can find out their products don’t work by leaving them in the original package. I’ll never buy from Ace again.

This is a great, family-​owned place! They are very helpful, and of course I love having a post office within!
I really love Afaf — she’s a nice lady who always helps me out– I believe she’s one of the owners.
Let’s support local businesses — these guys do a great job!

I want to like this store. I really do. But there are several factors that remind me to take my business else where. I’ve made many trips to Ace, then continued on my way to Home Depot. Let’s get into why…
1. The store has a small inventory. That’s not a big deal until you find that amongst the small options, the right or best option is not available. And I look and look, but finally decide its not worth attempting to use one of the given solutions when I know a better solution exists. This may not happen a lot, but it happens to me all the time.
2. I truly feel they make the rules up as they go. And this is my biggest gripe. I get a coupon or an Ace Rewards card (dollar off for spending money there). More than half the time I’m told I can’t use them… ok, why? And the reason is always wishy-​washy. They seem uneasy as they explain it to you. And one time I had someone point to the back of my Rewards card and say «the rules are on the back.» I got home, read the entire card front and back, and there was NOTHING related to their excuse. I have even given them coupons that they didn’t scan (for extra reward points towards your next $ off coupon… easy to miss since it doesn’t effect the price). Luckily I was able to call Ace «corporate» and they fixed the mistake. But when airing my complaint about making up rules, I was told that is their #1 complaint they receive. Since each location is individually owned and operated, there is no set rules they have to follow. I don’t like that… if you don’t want to take coupons, make a policy, post it and stick with it.
3. The prices are higher than I like. This is understandable, its a small «mom and pop» shop. But what do I get for spending extra? I expect 2 things in return for my extra pay. First, that I am supporting a local shop that I hope turns around and supports my community (this store probably does that, though I don’t know). Second, I want advice and insight from seasoned handy people. And that is missing. I don’t get the impression that anyone in that store has ever done any construction of any kind. This is what I loved about True Value hardware just down the road on 359. I asked a question and they sent me to go ask the old guys in the back. I get to the back of the store and sure enough, 2 old guys that seemed to know how to do just about everything I could throw at them! That adds value to my purchase.
4. The post office is convenient, but can be a real hassle. I would hope that since it doesn’t have disgruntled postal people, they could figure out a way to make the postal experience better. But no. FedEx does it, UPS does it. Any time I need to use the post office, I have to wait a while for someone to tend the booth. Now if I was a ninja and no one knew I was waiting, I’d understand. Even making eye contact with store employees as they roam the store and I stand completely unattended to, you think that would get me some help! Typically not. The worst is when you have someone shipping packages, nothing is prepared and I’m in line with a packed up, labeled box and I have to wait and wait and wait while they call to figure out the address and tape the sides. Take command, tell these people to step off to the side to figure this stuff out.
The people are more or less friendly, I don’t feel the need to list my other issues I’ve had at this location. But about the owner, I like him. He’s always jovial. He is easy to deal with and when he seems to have a firm grasp over his policies (they are his after all). I know other reviewers have mentioned he isn’t their cup of tea. My dad does not care for him. My mom and I both think he is nice. Most importantly, he’s present! I applaud that, he is hands on. He’s there every day! Really tells me that he cares about what he is doing.
I know my review took several odd turns, but like I said «I WANT to like this store.» And I’ll continue to go there and try any try again. But when I have time, I take myself to Home Depot. Or if I have questions, I’ll go to True Value.

This «hardware store» is terrible. The people who work there are rude and the guys who cut keys have NO IDEA what they are doing. I stood at the counter for 10 minutes, rang the «ring bell for service» bell twice and finally a guy walked up to me and said, «Do you need help?» I said I needed a key cut, and he couldn’t do it. He left to go get the guy who could cut it. He came over, started helping me and then the lady from the front counter came and just took him away! When I finally got the key cut (after 20 minutes) it was not even remotely the same as the key I asked to copy. I left without a key and without any desire to ever go there again.

this store is family owned and they go out of their way to treat you like you are their one and only customer. On two occasions they were out of something I wanted and within days they restocked it and since then always keep a supply. Having a post office in situ is also super convenient. We are signed up for their customer loyalty program and have save good money. If I get a mailer I’m not interested in, I just toss, no biggie.

That’s a shame.
You’ll be saving that as you walk out of this so called hardware store.
PROS
1. They sell and service commercial grade Stihl and Honda equipment
2. They cut keys
3. They can special order items from ACE
4. They honor returns within their stated store policy
5. They have a plant nursery
6. Owners that make jokes
CONS
1.They sell and service commercial grade Stihl and Honda equipment
When their service techs are actually available they are in the practice of replacing any part they «think» might solve a problem only to keep coming up with new ideas. After giving up with ACE and taking the equipment to a trusted repair center to find out the only thing that was needed was a simple 5 dollar part and an idle adjustment. This after dropping almost $ 100.00 at ACE.
2. They cut keys
What does it take to get 4 copies of a key at this ACE? Three different people to attempt to make a simple copy who all say the previous person to do the copy «didn’t know how to do it right» and a total of 12 tries. After all the running back and forth; giving them the benefit of the doubt, I gave up and had one, ONE key of the 12 work.
3. They can special order items from ACE
Having such a small selection of items in a store is understandable for it’s size, but when you cant find the items I special ordered because the cash wraps are so messy, disorganized and are never to be found, it’s a bit ridiculous.
4. They honor returns within their stated store policy
Returns are a mess even with receipts. The weekend management seems to have problems processing and understanding the most basic returns. When the problem was pointed out how ACE was a fault for the return, ACE neither acknowledged or offered an apology about the problem. (This was a return of the last numerous nonworking keys mentioned above)
5. They have a plant nursery
I know this is south Texas and it gets hot here nine months of the year, but leaving a patio full of dead plants on display at the end of the summer not only makes ACE look bad, but the surrounding community too. Also, I feel bad for the subdivision right behind this store because ACE has a huge car dealership type of balloon on a rope which is tied to a huge propane tank in the front of it’s store. Surely the people who live behind this store can see this huge balloon from their homes.
6. Owners that make jokes
This is obviously an independently owned franchise of ACE and the owner has good intentions, but saying «I’ll charge you double» over and over and over again ad nauseam as a joke just gets old and wasn’t even funny the first time I heard it.
While I appreciate that this is a local mom and pop type store that’s not intended to replace a true full service hardware store, I can’t justify spending over a thousand dollars here since they’ve been open and continually deal with these type of headaches. I know I’m paying about 10−20% more here than at a big box store, but it’s suppose to be about convenience and customer service and unless you’re a bored housewife shopping in the cheaply made imported gift section you’re not going to leave satisfied. I’m taking my business down the road to the mega store. While they’re far from perfect too, I’ll at least have a better overall experience there.

The post office is great and very handy but the best part about this family owned business is the incredibly nice owners! They have everything you could ever need or want and they always go out of their way to help and make you feel welcome. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.