Homestead Ace Hardware — Local services in Los Altos

This is a typical strip mall hardware store. The store opened only a couple months ago. All of the displays are fresh and clean. All of the products appear to be brand new without any shelf wear. I think that Ace hardware must give them some help regarding which products to stock. I found the stock to be relatively complete but of course it cannot duplicate what you would find at Lowe's or Home Depot. If you view this place as a neighborhood hardware store then I think you will be quite pleased with the breadth of their inventory. Unfortunately, the clerks were friendly but were unaware of basic plumbing items. One guy told me to look with the regular valves which was wrong. Then I was told by another guy that they did not have a pressure and temperature valve for a hot water heater and this is when I had found them myself on one of the plumbing aisles. The guy was a little embarrassed when he told me that they did not have any when I was looking straight at them. My guess is that the typical retail worker barely knows how to use a...

The staff here is way more friendly and patient than those of Homedepot due to the higher ratio of staff v.s client here.

I need to install a Japanese electric toilet cover and I was not able to find a specific hose adapter. I went to Homedepot first and no one was willing to help me, they just said everything is there, check it out by yourself, so I wasted 1.5 hours and was not able to figuring it out.

Then I came here, one guy patiently helped me try different kind of adapters and help me thought of solutions until...

Finally this location of Ace pops up on Google! It recently opened next to my apt complex. I'd like to give a special thanks to Dave. He's not only knowledgable about all the tools in the store, patient and courteous, has a knack for explaining things, but also quick to think outside the box to provide solutions to my handy projects. He even drilled drainage holes on my planters for free. I think the store is lucky to have him - competent and ready to...