Crowder Bros Ace-Bradenton — Local services in Bradenton

One of the few remaining locally owned and community-invested bastions of service and pride-of-craft in a global industry infected by the massive economies of scale, which nominally keep prices down on a lot of products, but sacrifice the "luxury" of full floor coverage by a well-paid and well-trained staff. Skeleton crews of disgruntled and disinterested workers divert the efforts of management from addressing customer needs to loss prevention and employee turnover. Somehow, most apparently by providing friendly and attentive service to draw the devoted support of their bayside community, Crowder Bros. has avoided falling victim to the blight currently and inexorably pushing big box brick-and-mortar retail into the trash heap of commercial history. I suggest you go there and take your little ones, that they may remember what made being a citizen of the developed western world so great not so long ago: those interpersonal moments we still may find, though with increasing difficulty especially of late, which spring from a happy community of people who are invested in and are seeing returns from their work, in their bank accounts and on the faces of the neighbors they serve.

The staff and management of Crowder Bros. have earned my loyalty, even though I live over 50 miles away. My spouse will grumble, as always, about trodding alongside as I stroll gleefully through the aisles of my personal temple of solace, the hardware store, but when we are headed through South Hillsborough County, my vehicle will slow and find a spot to park at ACE Hardware. That is, of course, until it is gone, though I pray that day doesn't come until long after i close my toolbox for the last time.

Jerald Josephson, Tampa, FL Owner/Sole Employee Rusty Treasures Restorations, Inc. "I build things to last, because I repair things...

My shopping experience this time was less than relaxing it was more stressful than anything!! When you walk into the store the service staff are on you like a bunch of barracudas they need to give you the opportunity to walk through the store to see what new items are available a lot of the times items I have missed because they overly assist me! this was the first time I was actually asked in the paint I'll what do you actually need in this aisle which I kind of thought was wrong my thought was give me a chance to make my own opinion and my own decision!! As I prepared to check out there were a people 8 in line with only two cashiers available which I thought that was pretty unacceptable for the amount of time you had to wait in line and then finely, cashier I had was not very knowledgeable on the difference between a sale item and what was not on sale the item I purchased which was Flex Seal was 12.99 she told me it was on sale, i cannot use my rewards coupon. I walked back to the shelf and it's the regular shelf price 12.99 in essence she refused to take my rewards coupon along with the other items I had to make my $25 purchase her reasoning was the item on the Shelf was not placed on sale but it reflected a sale price at the register I just felt at the cashier put me in a very uncomfortable position trying to explain, what happened was wrong. I should have had a manager step in but I didn't. Left disappointed & frustrated. If this is the best you can do for a reward program or a coupon...

As an Ace Rewards member and a frequent customer of this neighborhood hardware store, I have admired and respected the staff for their customer service and knowledge, and management/ownership for such a complete and well priced inventory. However, my last two visits in February left me very disappointed that, in spite of the clearly displayed requirement for mask wearing, I encountered multiple customers without masks, one of which became belligerent when I backed away in a narrow aisle. I will no doubt have an opportunity to visit the store again soon and hope and expect to see enforcement of the Crowder Bros. Ace mask policy, i.e., prohibiting entrance to the store to those without a mask. I acknowledge that confronting prospective patrons about this issue is uncomfortable, but the consequence of the remote chance of infecting others with a potentially deadly virus must take precedent.

I’m glad you responded to my initial review, but there is not a commitment to prohibiting entrance to those that refuse to wear a mask. Do you intend to prevent the potential spread of the virus in your store by refusing entrance to anyone refusing to wear a mask?

It is now two years later and the general population is in better health [Covid-wise]. The store staff and merchandise are and have been remarkably attractive and I will continue to...