Gregerson Ace Hardware — Local services in Village of Baldwin

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – If Home Depot Is the Big City, This Ace Is the Friendly Neighborhood Tavern of Hardware Stores (UPDATE)

Let’s get one thing straight: every Ace Hardware is different. It’s like walking into a chain of parallel dimensions where every store has a vaguely familiar layout but a completely different soul. Gregersen’s? Oh, this one's got soul, character, and maybe even a retired moped trying to find its forever home.

Before stepping foot in the store, I made a call to double-check they had the tool I needed. I saw it online, one left in stock. You know how that goes. I was fully prepared to fight a raccoon or a retiree in the aisle for it.

The first lady I spoke to on the phone was sweet, though she did transfer me to the wrong department. No shade ,it happens. Luckily, the gentleman who picked up had the energy of someone who has actually worked on a project before 7 AM and knew exactly what I was talking about. He confirmed the product, asked when I’d be there, and said he’d hold it. Pro move.

So I clock out at 1 PM, make my way over, and walk in. I ask the nice lady up front where the product is. She points me toward the back and I’m just about to disappear into the aisles like I’m on a side quest in Skyrim when she goes, “Wait! It’s right here!” Boom. Handed to me on a silver (okay, cardboard) platter. We laughed, I paid, and the day could’ve ended right there…

But no. This is where the real adventure begins.

Mid-walkout, I remember I need one more item for my project, the ol’ spontaneous mission upgrade. So I boogie over to the electrical section, find something I think I need, and an older employee strolls over like a wise elder from a small village.

He asks if I need help. I say, “I’m looking for an amp clamp.”

And I swear to you, he looked me dead in the eye and said, “Oh, I can’t help you. I don’t know anything about that.” No bluffing. No “Let me Google it.” Just a straight-up “That ain't my wheelhouse, chief.”

Respect.

So I buy the item anyway (rookie mistake), get home, realize I don’t need it, and drag myself back like a dog that chased the wrong squirrel. The return? Easy. Pain-free. Honestly, smoother than 90% of relationships. Got my money back, no questions asked.

Now… we need to talk about the moped.

There’s a used moped up for sale. Tagged at a cool one thousand dollars. My dude. I looked under the fairing and saw the wires crimped together like someone tried to hotwire it with a paperclip and hope. I mean, it might run. It might even fly. But for a thousand bucks, it better bring me groceries and tuck me in at night. No hate, just... bold pricing for something that looks like it escaped from a Craigslist ad in 2009.

Final verdict: ✅ Patient and helpful staff ✅ Honest interactions ✅ Return policy is a dream ✅ Inventory is solid ❌ Moped needs divine intervention

Still, five stars all day. This place is exactly what a hardware store should be... approachable, honest, a little quirky, and ready for whatever weird project you’ve convinced yourself you can finish on a Saturday afternoon. I’ll absolutely be back. Probably for more stuff I forgot I needed.

🛠️ UPDATE: THE MOPED HEARD ME

So… I went back. Just to grab some supplies. Nothing wild. And guess who’s still sitting proudly by the door?

The Moped.

But this time… it had a new price tag.

Was: $999.99 Now: $699.99

I don’t know who made the call. Maybe management, maybe fate, maybe the moped itself filed an anonymous complaint, but that price drop had me wheezing. We’re talking handwritten sign, slapped right under the original like it was doing the walk of shame from a previous life decision.

To be clear: I never said the moped was junk. It’s clearly had work done. I mean, someone lovingly crimped wires together under that fairing like they were patching up old war wounds. Respect.

But something about this whole situation screams “minor character realizes they’re the fan favorite and suddenly has a redemption arc.”

Did they see the review? Maybe. Did the moped whisper “thank you” as I walked...

my dad bought guns there. took a couple back to get fixed. They never fixed them. kept coming up with every excuse in the book as to what was taking so long. He finally just gave up. My dad died 2 years ago, and these people, never gave him the pleasure of using the guns he bought from them. Nice. Prices are off the charts not cool, and Mike is a HUGE poop, not a very friendly man at all. to big for his own pants. The employees are the best they can be working under him. Back desk guys that should have retired a long time ago, should do just that instead of sneaking out the back so they can have a smoke break and avoid a customer. For the owner, it's all about making a buck, nothing about customer service. We need another Hardware store to make them compete with. Maybe something will change. Don't get me started on the grocery store monopoly next door or the...

Called the store asking for pheasant loads. Mike answered and had very short and rude answers and we were told “one per person”. Drove a half hour to the store to get them. Standing in line, Mike interrupted to say “By the way, this lady and gentleman are together” we were told over the phone we could buy one per person, nothing about no more than one per group. If we didn’t need them by this week we would have walked out and not gave them a dime. He could have very easily came up to us and let us know we wouldn’t be able to buy them if we were together rather than RUDELY saying it to the cashier in front of other customers. You’d think as an owner you would want to have returning customers,...