I totally love Pastime Ace Hardware! They are always so helpful. Yesterday I came in with a crazy project and in no time Joseph helped me find all the things and answered all my questions and was just so nice. They really have all kinds of useful stuff. Great selection of housewares and key blanks.

I came in a few days ago needing a sledgehammer. I was directed to a certain area of the store where the sledgehammers supposedly were. I bought the one that was there. I took it to my job. I used it in an attempt to break up some concrete- eventually I found the tool to be fairly ineffective. I took the tool back a few days later because I have other things to do besides return a tool that didnt work. When I get there the manager asks, did you use this, Dude? . Without skipping a beat or waiting for me to answer he then replied quickly- if you used it you cant return it.I didnt appreciate being called dude. Being called nothing at all would have worked fine just a simple -did you use this? would have worked fine.Also, it was a $60 tool. That does affect my budget. To think that Pastime Hardware is going to suffer greatly because they honor their return policy is hard for me to believe.This is the exact stuff that drives people into the arms of Home Depot. Sure, some people take advantage of a return option. That happens. If the manager had shown any interest in engaging me I would have explained that I felt that the employee had mislead me to buy the tool and that I just wanted to return it and get a different sledgehammer to him and ideally he could have gotten a sense that I wasnt just somebody taking advantage of a return policy.It all gives me good reason to avoid shopping at Pasttime. They may have saved there profit on the tool that they sold me but it may be the last dollar they get from me.

Just a quick drop by to ask a question. Question answered quickly.

Found what I needed. Fast checkout. Theyve got a lot of stuff there.

Dont go here for paint, and dont listen to any advice they give you here. One guy told me that I could paint directly on outdoor wood without a primer. On my trip today I could see the guy wanted to point me in the direction and did not want to help me identify the product that would best suit outdoor wood. He insisted that any primer would work, grabbed one at random and handed it to me. I studied all the labels and pointed the porch and floor formula. He backtracked immediately and said it was the best choice. Go to Kelly More or someplace where they have a clue, and care about whether you get the right advice.

Pastime is the most complete hardware store in my area. From storage shelves to belt-sanders to boxes of T-25 stainless steel screws. Helpful and really knowledgeable staff.

Expensive hardware store. Ok selection.

If you need a weird fastener, they probably have it.

The long lost vintage hardware store lives!

One of my favorite places to find what Im looking for, outstanding customer service, and cashiers are fun to talk with.

Great old fashioned hardware store full of friendly, knowledgeable people.If they dont have it, you dont need it.

Always have what I need! The weird, the special, the small, and the different.

This place is great. Enormous for a local hardware store. Lots of home and garden stuff in addition to the traditional hardware mix. If you need help, they have a take-a-number system, like at a deli. I appreciate this because it is orderly.UPDATE 2021: Unfortunately, Pastime has reduced their hours to only 9am-5pm M-Sat, closed Sunday, presumably due to the pandemic. They used to be open evenings and Sundays, as well. I prefer to patronize the local store if I can get there during business hours, but its now harder to do that if you have a day job. Hopefully theyll be able to offer Sunday or weeknight hours again someday.

Good selection of items. Service is generally good.

Theyre great.Boldly told some entitled 70something year old woman that she could not return the face masks she had purchased. Held their ground when she threw a 3 minute fit at the cash register 5 minutes before closing.Keep fighting the good fight, Pastime.

The Best greeting customers, help & directions to product, very well stock ! This is your go to place for all hardware products. 95 % they have what you need.

I love this place. Helpful staff. Helpful stuff. Big place.

I can always find what I need here at Pastime Hardware and they have knowledgeable people working for them to answer your questions.

A very good experience.

Walked in got what I wanted and got out

Great hardware store. Large selection, well stocked, very good adherence to Covid protocols, helpful and friendly staff.

Best hardware store in the area. Well stocked and smart, helpful staff. My go to

👍 good ran in there for a few items in and out

I have visited this ace many times over the years. My family owns two homes close to this ace so we usually come here to get our supplies. Recently my husband went down there to buy a few things and his mask slipped below his nose and one of the yelled at him. THIS IS NOT GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE! I understand people are scared and we are required to wear masks but this is not the way to talk to customers.We will not be shopping here any longer. Ace in Pinole is superior and worth the drive.

Well stocked.Friendly staff.

When you need that one hard to find part....they probably have it. 1 star off for the exterior. Time to put the plywood away.

A bit pricey more crowded than larger hardware stores.. good alternative to home Depot. Used to be better when they were not connected with Ace hardware.

Was helped by an employee to purchase a hand truck. At the time the employee told me the hand truck was refundable if I have any issues. Also no indication of no returns on Ace website or in the store. Great. Come back a few days later with the receipt to return as it was hard to control when carrying heavy loads, and I was told it was not refundable, and that no employee at their store would ever say it was refundable. Manager gets involved, gets in my face and tells me this is the way theyve been doing things for 30 years. Would not even offer store credit. Actual trash service, led by a bully supervisor.

This is one of the better Ace Hardware stores in the bay area in my opinion. I remember it being there when I was a kid, although it may not have been Ace back then. I still go there when Im in the area.

Its a great store filled with everything you could possibly need. Curtious & knowledgeable staff and all at a great price. I will go out of my way to shop there because I know they will have what I need. Never disappointed.

Neighborhood Classic. You dont get service and love like this anymore. Cheers

This store is always clean and well stocked for all your hardware needs. The staff is friendly and courteous. They will help you with your needs and they always have time to give you advice on any of your DIY projects.

Helpful staff. Easy social distancing. Definitely my go-to hardware place.

The staff is always very helpful.

Friendly, knowledgeable staff, good selection, and fast service.

Best hardware store. They got everything and well help you find it. Plus if you need a fan.....

Outstanding staff gives great advice. Very friendly. Has almost anything I need. Very large space with off street parking.

Its a handy place to purchase hardware items. Expect to pay more than normal but the store has a good supply.

I will continue supporting this local business, but the customer service has continually disappointed me over the years. I have also noticed I’m treated much better when I come in with a man, though I’m the one in the household who does the repairs and uses the power tools. Please note, most of the most positive reviews are by men. I’ve worked in customer service before and know how hard it can be, but the rudeness is uncalled for.

Great variety of items. Helpful staff. Decent prices. Parking lot and street parking available. Also offer knife sharpening.

Very friendly and helpful. A nice experience.

Pastime Hardware was fine, I do like it

Excellent service as always. If you need it , they have it.

Simple the best. Personnel very nice and helpful.

Very rude staff.Their website stated, even during COVID, that their closing time is 6pm. We arrived at the store yesterday at 5:40pm to find the store closed (although the door is opened, there are signs outside which states they’ve temporarily changed the closing time to 5pm)In an effort to prevent another poor soul from having the same experience, I told the staff at the door, whilst wearing a mask, that the opening times on the website is wrong. He, without wearing a mask, sarcastically replied “Well, don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s also a pandemic going on”.Pandemic or not, it doesn’t excuse the business from posting wrong opening times on their website, especially when those times are specifically stated for COVID. and it certainly doesn’t excuse the rude behavior.Perhaps the store owners should train their staff to be more polite, because it seems like the parents of this particular staff member have failed to teach him good manners.

I went in for a #2-56 threading die. Hard to find in your average hardware store. Emblematic of this particular ACE...

Good variety. More expensive than home Depot or Lowes. Nice to have a local hardware store. Fine service

Ordered a vacuum for pickup same day. They called when it was ready and warned me about the line, which went fast. They carried my purchase to the car for me. Very friendly, also.

Lots of knowledgeable staff to provide help. Incredible range of products. Reasonable, pricing. Keep your receipt in case you need to return something.

Great hardware store - knowledgeable and excellent customer service

Pastime Hardware is HUGE but there is always someone wearing red to help you find what you are looking for.

Aside from really big stuff, this store has everything I need, including super, knowledgeable staff.

I love the selection, so much fun to wander around! Customer service is hit or miss. The awesome ones are super awesome, friendly and helpful. The ones with a chip on their shoulder make the experience there lousy. That has made me skip this store more than once, but when I do go and get friendly staff, I love the place.

3 keys made. All work the first time. Friendley staff.

Walking into Ace Pastime in El Cerrito is like turning on the kitchen lights when you have roaches, all the employees scatter. One employee shouted “I’m already helping someone!” As he literally ran from me. When I finally got a person to help me he referred me to ABC plumber as the only place I could get what I was looking for…it was on aisle 56. I now understand why the word pastime is in their name.All joking aside, this is a really big store with a lot selection... just don’t expect too much help

Rude know it all at the covid door. Breathing and his carbon dioxide is making me light-headed and stupid.. good reason for me to go to the internet and buy from eBay and Amazon.

They always seem to have what I need and everyone working there is helpful when I cant locate something or need a bit of advice. Great place for projects and the such.

A hardware store that is really well stocked with nearly everything you could want for your home repairs or improvements. What makes Pastime Hardware special is the staff - they are super helpful and all you need to do is walk through the door and grab a number when you need help. In no time flat youll have a trained staff member helping you find and select your solution to get the job done. This is a great example of how a local business can thrive with great service.

One of The Best hardware stores in the bay area. They are Ace Affiliated, but it is SO much more.Recently needed some specialty metric nuts and machine screws. Tried the Big Hardware Chains, and they had an alternate that would work for the nuts, however, it was going to take a week to special order the screws,Was in the neighborhood, so on a whim stopped by Passtime and they had both!Expect the employees to ask if you need assistance, because thats how they run.If you like the old style of hardware stores, that have a LOT of stuff for the home, it is a fun place to browse, and if you need metric hardware, they have the best selection Ive seen

Helpful staff

I had good help from an associate. I appreciate Pastime Hardware for having items that cannot be found locally otherwise. Buy Local!

If youd rather wander aimlessly in a big box store looking for, generally, less interested staff in order to save a few pennies, then go ahead. If you have zero questions, and know exactly where what you want is in said box store, and support supporting big box stores, then go there. If youre looking for something that gets close to feeling like a good old fashioned hardware store, move to North Dakota. This is as close as Ive found in the Bay Area. Quality help from quality people in a relatively quality store.

It is a great location but they seem to be very prejudiced

Very helpful customer service. The only problem I had was the key makers take to long to make one key. And there was too many people standing there waiting to have keys made.

I love Ace Hardware. Its a nice balance of stocking levels, customer service and small local store feel. This is a bigger Ace and has a great inventory.

My go to place when I have a vague idea of what I am doing. The staff is very knowledgeable and they have nearly everything you might need to do nearly any job. The kitchen supply area is particularly well stocked with uncommon odds and ends.

There is no better hardware store in the bay area. It doesnt matter what your looking for! If you need it, they have it. Doesnt matter what it is. A door, tools, plumbing? No problem! Looking for a wife or husband? Isle 6 all the way to the end on the right.

Pastime Hardware is your good old-fashioned neighborhood hardwood store -- on steroids!Ive been shopping here as long as I can remember and I cant recall any case where they didnt have what I needed. They have lots of knowledgeable staff roaming the floors as well as a take a number help point. Even at its most crowded periods, Ive never had to wait more that 5 minutes before getting the personal attention of one of their staff.

Had exactly what I wanted (1/2 black iron 90 deg threaded elbow), and it was easy to find. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. With a help station, they can lead you to what you want quickly (no flagging down someone who doesnt know what youre asking about).

It was very good

My daughter needed a fan today and there were no fans at Target or Home Depot. Luckily Ace/Pastime had plenty of fans. Its so easy to set up. Good price. Staff very helpful.

Super customer service. Best selection

This is the helpful handy hardware place just like the commercial claims. I love the helpful service and knowledge of the staff whether it consist of painting, lighting, storage needs or any DIY project they have never let me down and if they dont happen to have a item I need they always know where I can find it. They are life savers for me when I take on any home improvement task.

I like the numbering system that Pastime uses to serve its customers. There are sufficient customer service associates so that the wait isn’t very long, and they are knowledgeable about the products as well as their location. They also have a good tag team so that if they don’t know about a particular product they refer you to someone who can help you. Parking in the back is great.

They have whats you need in looking for.!!?

Wonderful old time hardware store. They have everything thing needed for home repairs. And, friendly people to help. The world needs more hardware stores like Pastime. Please buy from your local hardware store.

This is a pleasant alternative to a big box store and I can generally find what I am looking for here. They have a good selection of products, without making the customers cull through dozens of varieties of similar products. Its especially great for those last minute odd items I need for weekend projects, because its easy to park and shop and then get back to my project. Friendly helpful staff too.

This place has everything and people to help and know stuff!!!

Best service, best selection. Their staff are very professional and courteous

Shop owner/manager was extremely rude and pushing people out the door before the 6pm closing time. Won’t ever be shopping here again. Would rather buy from family run store but big box stores win again.

A refreshing alternative to the closing of Orchard Supply Hardware in Pinole. Customer service is alive and well at Pastime. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about Home Depot. Service reps seem to hide off there.

Best than HOME Depot,Not just well staffed well but theyll fight (seriously) to help you but remember to her a number from the ticket machine.Lovely Store, lovely people!

Great selection, great unique finds

Pastime Ace Hardware is probably the best-stocked hardware store Ive ever frequented. If they dont have that weird antique screw you need, it wont be for lack of trying to find jyst the right one for you -- and they WILL suggest where else you might try. Good folks.

A larger and well-stocked version of the small-town ACE hardware store, the staff is always very helpful and knowledgeable. My go to place.

I went to Past Time to buy rope for an antique rope bed. The salesman (John) was very helpful. The rope selection on the shelf was not long enough so he found a bulk roll in the back which fit our needs. He also found some foam to protect the rope from wearing on the wood.Why He was a 5-star aide -- thanks again.

This shop has become my go to for all hardware, tool, and fixture repair shopping since OSH closed. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. It is a community store and Im always running into neighbors there. It is also a fun place to torture my kids while I browse.

This place has been around for years, and so have a few of the employees. They managed to pack in an incredible amount of stuff in a relatively small space so they probably have whatever it is youre looking for.

Wonderful place to shop for a variety of hardware products. Staff are friendly and helpful. Because its a local store I prefer shopping at Pastime than home depot.

Very well stocked and helpful staff

Great service and selection! The grumpy old ones are very knowledgeable and nice if u are polite and respectful! Always got great help.

Friendly staff compatible prices

A real hit-or- miss lately when it comes to customer service, and after three misses in a row, Im going to have to take a break from this place. Tip to new shoppers: shop early in the day, because you wont get any help after 530pm.

Great local hardware store. Helpful, friendly service and surprisingly good selection. Prices are actually pretty close to the big box stores.

Very good services, good profesionals help customers to get their needs

Employees on the floor not very friendly or helpful when looking for something. Prices are higher than other hardware stores. Convenient location and parking.

Good old-school hardware store with a vast selection of actual hardware.

Always very helpful and knowledgeable staff. Very well stocked. Pricier than Home Depot, but convenient!!

One of those stores that has all the things I was looking for but couldnt find that one time a week, month, year ago. I am frequently late because of this stores vast selection. Also, I REALLY LOVE the staff here.

Once youve shopped here, it will be your only hardware store. I drive 15-20 min (depending on San Pablo traffic) past many other stores to shop here. The staff is knowledgeable (crazy as it may be, have you noticed that even shopping for lightbulbs is challenging these days? The staff will assist and also suggest trying different types in your rooms to get the feel you want), and very helpful.