Whitmore Ace Hardware — Local services in Saratoga Township

Matteson Ace Hardware is my go-to place, when I need something fast, or I need something odd. They carry a lot of very unique and obscure items, which allows me to repair older equipment and also gives me more options when I’m indulging in my hobby of inventing things. If you can’t find something, just ask. They probably have it, or have a suitable substitute. One of their greatest strengths, is the people that work there. They are knowledgeable about their products and have often made product suggestions, over what I normally buy, which have given me better results on my projects. They greet you when you come into the store, and are always friendly. You will never have to go looking for help, because there’s always someone asking “Are you are finding what you need?” or “Is there anything that I can help you with?”. If you’re looking to solve a problem, the staff can always find a solution. Also, if they don’t have what you need, they can tell you were to get it. They’ll even send you to their competition, if they don’t have what you need, because solving your problem is their first priority. I’ve been in the store, so many times, that I feel like they treat me more as a friend, than a customer. I hate repeating myself, but more than anything, the staff is what makes this store so great. I don’t know who does the hiring, but they’ve got a good eye for friendly, knowledgeable and talented people. They also must be treating their employees well, because there is very little employee turnover. It’s nice to see the same people, every time I walk in there. They get to know me, and I get to know them, which makes going there, even more enjoyable. Yes, Ace’s prices are a bit higher than the big home improvement stores, but when you only need a few items, or you’re in a hurry, it’s worth paying a little extra to get in and out quickly. (I see a lot of local tradespeople’s trucks, in front of Ace. That should tell you something.) I’ve never had a bad experience here, and I highly recommended them!

Tip: Get yourself on their mailing list. (Either in store, or online.) They send out valuable coupons, every month, which can save you some serious cash. As far as I know, they don’t sell your information. I’ve never received anything...

It seems that every employee at Ace Hardware is an expert in their field. They are completely knowledgeable about everything in their store. The service is excellent and the prices are reasonable. For these reasons, I will always go to Ace before I go to Menards. Even if I do have to pay a few dollars more than if I shopped at Menards, I'll still buy at Ace, first. Just because they're so good at what they do.

Update: Today is the first time I went to Ace since it changed ownership. When I entered, there was one other customer in the store. I also saw only two employees; one man working behind the paint counter and another, very young man, working behind the register. Since the layout of the store had been changed, I had to walk around for a while in order to find what I was looking for. I was in the store for about ten minutes, total, looking for several things. During that time, no one approached me and offered assistance. At one point, I approached the man at the paint counter. I asked him where an item was. He pointed to an aisle and told me it was at the end of the aisle. Then he went back to his project. Maybe today was unusual. Maybe, on a normal day, there are employees ready to greet and offer assistance to customers when they enter the store. I previously posted (see above) that one of the reasons I shop at Ace is because of the great customer service. If today was their normal standard, now that there is new ownership, I'll be going to Menard's. At Menard's I can get poor customer service for a lower price. I'll give them a couple more chances, just for old time's sake.

Update #2: I went to Ace hardware a couple of days ago to buy some plumbing stuff. I had a question, so I spoke to the store manager. He was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. My faith in Ace Hardware has been restored. As a point of fact, there are plenty of places to buy hardware things for comparable prices. Quality of service determines who gets my business and money. I will continue shopping at Ace, rather than the big box...

Okay ordered key 2 weeks ago Key comes in and we cut it but programmer is broke. No problem Check in a week later we can program it. -Kid that comes out couldn't find the obd port (standard location) -Then said my plug must be damaged(I plugged it right in no problem, port is not damaged. Not sure his issue there.) -then says oh we need a pass code. Manager come out and gives him a little shit for not reading instructions before walking out with the thing. -gets pass code from the help line. They ask "want us to walk you through the rest?" He says "no I got it" but has idea what he's doing and we waste another 15 min -then manager is helping but the kid can't follow directions. Device is saying leave original key in ignition and put new key in coder. He takes that as just try the new key without programming it.

It's really easy to freeze up an ecu when programming things. I ordered the key through ace, and expected their staff would know how to use it. My recommendation is if you have a vw and need a key go somewhere else or have the manager do the key. If my car dash got froze up because dingus didn't wanna read or listen to directions (literally the device was saying it to him and displaying it) I would have not been very understanding. I'd 1 star but I do come back to this location for bolts and bits and it's always spot on. But for the love of God have someone who can comprehend the process programming cars. Manager said he knew vws were a pain supposedly, so he should've just done the process for the kid off the rip. Not ripping on him cause he usually does a great job. Always very helpful. But i think too much responsibility was put on the kids shoulders on this particular day, and training the kid is not worth risking my work cars functionality. I wanted to purchase more in the store but I was so aggravated by the time this was over I said thank...