Paradise Valley Ace Hardware — Local services in Phoenix

I found the Ace Hardware phone system prompts to be cumbersome and inconsistent. When I did get to an actual person rather than further prompts, they were very nice, but didn't seem to have very accurate information at their fingertips in their system. They had to call the actual store to which our "ship-to-store" order would be sent.

Prior to my call, I had driven to the store to check on my order. I found the staff there to be rude and discourteous. Very unhelpful and seemed too busy to give me anything more than yes/no answers and then basically walk away before I could follow up with how best to find out if my order had arrived at their store or if it was in transit. No one, even the CS agent on the phone could tell me where my order was or when it would be shipped.

All anyone knew was that their shipments come in on Tuesdays and Fridays. If it hadn't arrived that Tuesday, it could arrive on Friday or one of the days the following week. Really? No one tracks inventory and when it is scheduled to be fulfilled? I find that very hard to understand.

Interestingly enough, since we didn't hear from Ace Hardware for Friday, I was sure it would be coming on Tuesday, 11/24. I just checked about the order online and discovered that the order has been "cancelled". Are you kidding me? I called the CS number and at 9:09 MST on a Sunday they have someone answering the phones, that was a nice surprise.

She was very helpful in telling me that the order was canceled since there must have been damaged stock at the warehouse it was coming from, since usually the system won't let you order if there is no stock. WHAT? Weird that Ace Hardward wouldn't then find the next closest warehouse and send it from there. But they instead simply cancel the order (still haven't seen an email telling me it is cancelled.)

I went ahead and ordered another, it is being sent directly to our home with no shipping expense. Very nice since I really don't ever want to walk into that Ace Hardware Store again (13811 N Tatum Blvd, Phoenix AZ. Tell Artie to get some nicer folks...

When you first look at the location and size of the space of this hardware store, you start thinking maybe I should have gone to Home Depot. Why might I be thinking that? It doesn't even look a third of the size so I even start thinking that they may not have what I want. Wrong. Everything is so well-organized, and they always seem to have everything that I am looking for and expect to find at Home Depot right there. Now hold your breath for this one. They have a clerk pleasantly and nonchalantly greet you almost immediately and ask if they can help you find anything...even though I have my man card, heck, my knees aren't getting any better and it's a long way to walk around the store three times. So I'm happy to reply, yes I do need some help. They almost always find exactly what I'm looking for and I'm at the counter checking out before I could have walked the whole length of the mega box store. This is in NO way meant to be a knock or or a negative about Home Depot (HD, you'll always be my first love). From day one when Ace first opened in the neighborhood many years ago I was hooked. Don't get me wrong, I still love to go to Home Depot. But sometimes I just don't feel like driving a ways to the closest one, and walking that much in search of one or two items which are usually at the opposite ends of the store. Artie's Ace, as us locals have long known, first started out in the shopping center catty corner to it's present location. And it has maintained its high standards of solid customer service and help. I have never waited in line longer than about 2 or 3 minutes. if there's ever more than three customers they immediately open up another cash register. Half the time I am the first one in line. It is in an especially convenient location and it gives those of us a great alternative at Tatum and...

Drove across town because this was the only place I could find the sump I needed. My irrigation drain clogged and there was no fixing it. Plumber said to get a sump. Spent half a day chasing sump pumps. Found 1 in stock here that met my specs. Ordered online to hedge my bet at getting it and drove directly to the store. I walk in say nothing to anyone. Was approached and asked if I could be helped. I asked what aisle the sumps were on. Wasnt there. Started looking in nearby aisle and found it. Was approached again and told them my situation. Have a flooded patio, water rising to my doors and need pump fast. I asked if I could pick it myself and if they could assist with finding the correct hose size for the pump I purchased. Then around the corner comes a sort of heavyset guy, kind of balding, appears to be the manager, Terry maybe. The floor person I’m working with tells him to not worry about the pick that he will handle it because I was already there. This did not sit will Mr Manager Guy. He proceeds to complain that I have arrived early, complains about the number of people who have volunteered to help. And then proceeds to tell the floor staff to “teach me how it works” and goes through the “1, 2, 3 steps” of online ordering in an exceptionally condescending and agitated way. Like anyone older than 12 doesn’t know how online ordering works. I could tell the floor staff just wanted him to go away by their body language and reaction. If he is the manager he has no business in customer service and no business managing people. He was textbook case of how to create a toxic work environment. 2 stars for a nice store and the helpful, accommodating employees. -5 for the...