E&H Ace Hardware — Local services in Akron

I visited this Ace Hardware to exchange a Craftsman ratchet. I purchased the ratchet from an Ace Hardware in the town I used to live in about 50 miles away. Knowing Ace Hardware honors the Craftsman lifetime warranty, I didn't think I'd have any problems exchanging the ratchet for another one similar to the broken ratchet in my hand in the new city I moved to. Upon arrival, I browsed the isles looking for a similar ratchet. I found one. I didn't take it off the shelf, I went straight to customer service to make the exchange through the proper channels. I was told by the customer service employee that they don't do Craftsman warranty exchange and don't carry Craftsman anymore. Really?! The store was full of Craftsman tools! Including the ratchet! I wouldn't recommend anyone going to any merchant that doesn't speak the truth. I took my broken ratchet to Lowe's and Lowe's exchange it easy peasy. I told the Lowe's tool rep what just happened at Ace. They were perplexed that Ace would say they don't honor the Craftsman lifetime warranty. Lowe's told me that when they don't have a specific Craftsman tool, they send customers to Ace Hardware. It was simply someone trusted in customer service was the wrong person to place in that position. If you can't be honest with your customers, someone else should fill your position that respects honesty and integrity. I purposely chose to shop at Ace to support the smaller company. Now I know why Ace is the smaller hardware store. They cannot compete with the customer service and product availability and affordability of Lowe's and Home Depot. I contacted Ace customer care on their website and got nowhere. I was told I had to exchange it at the Ace I purchased it from. Really? So the Craftsman lifetime warranty is limited to where you live? You have to drive 50 miles back to the Ace in your old town, rather than take it to the Ace that's 3 miles from where you just moved? Sorry Ace, you have horrible customer...

I am trying to refinish a well weathered outdoor bench. All I want to do is sand it and put a clear coat on it. There were so many options on YouTube, while helpful, I was completely confused. This is my first time doing this. I was happy sanding. My husband gave me a wire brush to use, but no details. He said I over brushed and should use the sander. The pad fell off the sander. I went to Lowe’s and got a pad - it was the wrong pad. I returned it and got the correct one. The man at Lowe’s was helpful, but I was lucky to find someone to help me.

I went home, put the pad on and began sanding. The pad popped off and my husband said it couldn’t be fixed. I was so frustrated. This shouldn’t be such a project. I felt so lost.

I went to visit my daughter in Ellet today. Ace Hardware - I knew I could get help there from a store that sells hardware. I was referred to a sales person who helped me choose a sander. The one he showed me was the least expensive. He said it would do the job. That was easy. I asked him about finishing products. He sent me over to the person who handled that. I showed her a pic of the bench and told her the effect I wanted. She told me how to prepare the bench and sold me Thompson’s water seal. Simple.

The moral of the story: go to Ace Hardware where you can get help from someone who knows how to help you. Ace has people who are patient and take the time to explain the process and the products needed to do...

Good place to shop to get what you need. Sure. However, today, the coldest day of the year they decided to close at 4pm. That’s an hour before most people even get off work. A HARDWARE store... closed at 4pm.... on the coldest day of the year. You know... a hardware store where they sell heaters, wood, plumbing supplies, and other supplies that could be used to maybe I don’t know... fix a broken furnace or a busted water pipe? Maybe I’m just using common sense and basic human decency. Maybe I’m the weird one.

I guess... at least they had the courtesy to hang a tiny piece of paper on the door that you can hardly read from your car to notify their needy customers they decided to close at 4. So, I’ll give them that.

Needless to say they lost my business when I was in need of something to heat my house, and they were closed. A STUPID move by the management to say the least. Meanwhile, the grocery store right next to them was still open, and so was Little Caesar’s and a hundred other businesses all around them. Lol. Amazing!

Luckily Home Depot was open. I suppose from now on I’ll drive the extra couple miles to Home Depot.

Thanks Ace! You really know how to be there for...