Federal Hill Ace Hardware

The people that work here are genuinely friendly and really want to help you. It is always a pleasure coming here!

I love having Ace in the neighborhood. The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. And the store is bigger than you’d think – they have just about everything! It’s a pleasure to shop here, and a real pleasure to NOT have to drive to the suburbs when I need a new towel rod, trash can etc.

This is a… HARDWARE STORE? WOW. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted. The store is filled with something for everyone. Lots of sales, lots of unique things… and standard things you find in a hardware store. We got a rake, and some paper bags for putting the leaves in from the backyard. As I was walking around I saw a cat condo with wet food and water. I asked if there was a cat. (I think an odd question to ask in a hardware store). I was told there was, and his name was Decker. Why a handsome boy. I mean a cat that greets customers and gets to do whatever he wants in the store. ROCK ON DECKER! Check this place out!

I recently moved, but the trip to this Ace Hardware is totally worth it! Plus, there’s free parking in the small lot next to the store.
Every time I have gone in I am immediately greeted and asked if I need any assistance. The staff are all very friendly and helpful. And the store kitty is a sweetie! I love looking for him every time I stop by. The store also has a great selection of everything you need (and stuff you didn’t come for, but end up leaving with anyway). Only complaint is about the plant selection. Some of the plants look like they’ve seen better days, so you really gotta search through until you find the perfect one.
And I know there’s complaints about the key cutting services, but i’ve come twice to get a key cut and they’ve worked both times. Also if you check in on Unilocal you get a free key!

I must say that I’ve only ever had trouble with one employee here– everyone else has been super helpful and friendly. Great people! The reason for the 3-​star review is the same as the reason I’m reviewing at all: their key counter. Do NOT get your keys cut here. I don’t know if it’s a training issue or a machine issue (a professional locksmith suggested to me that the problem might be failure to regularly calibrate the machines), but I have been to this place three times in the past year to get new keys cut, and they were never, ever right on the first try.
Most of the employees were nice about apologizing and making new copies, except for the one idiot who tried to convince me that the problem was the lock which worked perfectly with every key but the ones they cut. I kept going back because this place was the closest and most convenient. But it becomes pretty inconvenient when every key cutting involves a second trip back to the store for a recut! Yesterday I had a set cut, tested them, drove back for replacements, tested again– and the second set was bad too. Went to a real locksmith and got perfect copies on the first try. I’m done. I’ll stop in to Ace if I need to buy a tool or a part, but I’m never taking keys there again.

While a hardware store could not have prevented my getting caught in a deluge of rain today, it DID provide me with a sturdy refuse can and a smaller recycling bin (so happy to have one of those again — they didn’t recycle much in Tucson).
This store has everything! Air filters for the AC/​furnace and some small tools were picked up on my first visit here. While a bit cramped, the store is laid out nicely and there is always someone to lead you in the right direction should you need a human GPS. I so favor the smaller hardware stores over the mega-​ones; with this one so close by our house, they’ll be seeing a lot of us over time.
Prices are good and the people working there are very nice. For a low maintenance girl like me? That’s all I need. Thanks for coming through when I needed you, Federal Hill Ace — you ROCK! :)

THE CAT IS THE BEST PART OF THIS STORE.
Sure, the store is convenient, well-​stocked, and clean. And sure, the employees are awesome and incredibly helpful. But screw all that.
This. Store. Has. A. Cat.
He’s like Tim the Toolman Taylor in cat form. A cat who watches you shop and silently judges you as you pick out the entirely wrong roller brush for the job.
THERE’S EVEN A CAT TREE. I AM LITERALLY SHAKING WITH EXCITEMENT

This is a great place — clean and well-​organized, with a diverse product selection. They even have parking which is unusual in Federal Hill. Have been here about 20 times and they Always have what I need.
Their employees are knowledgeable and helpful. They event have an Ace Hardware cat!

Independently owned and operated, this is the best place to get your hardware without crossing over to the County.
The staff here will help you find anything and the store cat will make you feel at home. Also there is a great selection of live plants for your office or garden.
+1 star for the best «vintage» soda selection I’ve ever seen. Cheerwine? Faygo? Vernors? They’ve got it all.

This place has excellent customer service. They are so nice and helpful. Also, for $ 3 – 4 per knife, they sharpen them while you wait. It probably took 10 minutes. I’ll pay more for customer service and not having to trek out to the burbs any day!

Super friendly. Help me re-​string my screen for a kitchen window $ 34. They were very helpful and I’ll be back for basic hardware stuff based on the service alone! Also, they have parking — which is not easy in fed hill

Excellent service !

The BEST customer service in BMore! Whenever I go there are at LEAST two of the employees inquire whether I need any help (95% of the times I do)! When something breaks in the house or I need that specific tool, this place has what I need. It is slightly more expensive then the big box stores, but if you get the Ace Rewards card, the points/​rewards add up quick so it is not that expensive. I PREFER this Ace over the big box stores given the stellar service and convenience. There is also ample FREE parking which is a plus in the Federal Hill area. Lastly, the store is DOG friendly — they usually give my rambunctious dpg a treat.

Well Service is Good, but the prices are CRAZY!!! It’s great if you’re in desperate need of something and doubt feel like running to The Big Stores!

I agree with the previous reviewer: I never thought I’d review a hardware store, but this has to be the best hardware store ever. I moved to Baltimore a month ago and have made several trips to pick up all the little things you find yourself needing in a move. Each time they have been incredibly helpful, but today takes the cake. I went to buy license plate bolts and a power drill, after several frustrating hours of failed communication with my car dealership about how to install the front license plate on my new foreign-​made vehicle. Not only did the attendant help me figure out which bolts I needed, he INSTALLED the plate himself. Unbelievable. I will definitely be returning for all my future hardware needs.

I adore this Ace. I always get great service here, and they’re dog friendly to boot — a nice bonus since most customers walk to the store.

I never imagined I’d review a hardware store. I’m not particularly handy. But regardless of what they sell, they just don’t make places like this Ace anymore. It definitely has the mom-​and-​pop, five-​star, local service aspect that you just don’t find at big box stores.
I actually bought a gas grill here after shopping around at Lowes and Home Depot. Ace was selling the same grill here for about $ 75 more than any of those stores, but I went with them anyway because the level of service they provided was outstanding. They answered all my questions and were so friendly. This isn’t unusual; it happens every time I come in, whether I’m just looking for a light bulb or need a key made or whatever. Plus, they always have dog treats for my dog, so he’s always eager to shop there, too.

I really wanted to see this store succeed. Baltimore needs more retailers within walking distance, so I’ve tried hard to shop at Ace Hardware instead of getting in the car and driving to Home Depot. Sure, the selection is smaller and the prices are higher, but I tried to convince myself that supporting a local business was what was important.
Then on Sunday, I needed a squeegee to wash the windows on our house. I stopped in and bought one at Ace, took it home, and on the second window the handle broke in half. Cursing the cheap tool, I fixed it with duct tape and finished the job. And sure enough, by the next morning, the metal part of the squeegee was covered in rust, even though I had set it to dry on a windowsill.
I took it back to Ace today, with the receipt, but instead of an apology or any form of concern for the customer, I was greeted with hostility by two clerks who refused to believe that the tool could possibly have broken or rusted in the time frame I described. Worse, they didn’t have anything with which to replace it.
I’m through with this store forever. As much as I hate to drive out to Home Depot, at least there I find a staff that is trained and, for the most part, cares about the customer. They also sell quality products, unlike Ace, which seems to have outsourced all of its product manufacturing to the lowest bidder in China.
We need retail in the City, but we need GOOD retail. I’ll be happy when Ace Hardware is replaced by a business that is smart enough not to alienate a customer over a $ 6.99 squeegee.