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Building A: Davis Ace Housewares

Location
815 3rd Street at 3rd Street/4th Street (see map)
Hours
Hardware, Garden, & Pet
Mon-Sat 7:30pm- 8:00pm
Sun 9:00pm - 6:00pm
Rockyard
Mon-Sat 7:30am - 6:00pm
Sun 9:00am - 6:00pm
Housewares now known as "Cookery & Company"
Mon-Sun 10:00am - 6:00pm
Phone
(530)758-8000
Website
http://www.davisace.com
Online Ordering (In-store Pickup)
https://www.acehardware.com/store-details/00750
Email
[email protected]
Owner
Jennifer Anderson and her husband William "Doby" Fleeman
Slogan
Serving the Davis Community for Three Generations

 

 

Building B & C: Ace Hardware & Garden Center Map of the buildings, rotated

Davis Ace (which some still refer to as Davis Lumber) has everything from home decor to bulk lumber, plants, cast iron skillets, and plumbing supplies to pets. Ace consists of three large buildings and several small ones, organized into four service areas. It runs along a length of G Street from 2nd Street to 4th Street. The southern section is more oriented toward household items. The northern section is similar to a mini Home Depot and also carries gardening and pet supplies. If you have unpaid merchandise and need to cross 3rd Street to one of their other buildings, ask a staff member and they'll walk you across the street so you only have to make one payment transaction.

Davis Ace has a satellite store called Aggie Ace in the Anderson Plaza.

Some people believe that a wider selection of lumber and more knowledgeable hardware salespeople can be found at Hibbert Lumber, although many people use the exact same reasoning in going to Davis Ace. Hibbert deals with more contractors, so they're usually very professional-oriented, whereas Davis Ace caters to a greater variety of customers. However, they do have a lumber yard and rockyard to buy sand, gravel, cement, and the like. Service aside, expect to pay 30-50% more at ACE for many items.

Keys can be copied in the hardware building which is south of the garden and pet department in the section between 3rd Street and 4th Street. Once in that building the lock section is in the middle of the back half (eastern half). Davis Ace also offers key copying for transponder keys.

Each Ace Hardware is individually owned, but is affiliated with the Ace Corporation, a dealer-owned co-op. You really are shopping at a locally owned neighborhood store.

Services

A bunny in the Pets and Garden ACE.

Hardware
Housewares
Key Cutting
Knife Sharpening
Battery Recycling
Free Gift Wrapping
Lumber Cut to Length
Free Delivery of Grills
Paint Color Matching
Retired American Flag Collection(Given to Vet. Group)
Window Rescreening
Household Battery Recycling
Tools
Gourment Cooking Supplies
Paint Supplies
Patio Furniture
Electrical Supplies
Seasonal
Plumbing Supplies
Cleaning Supplies
Screws and Fasteners
Household Appliances
Automotive/Marine Supplies
Grills
Lumber Mill
Grilling Supplies
Light Bulbs
Lamps
Garden
Rockyard
Pet
Live Plants
Home Delivery of Bulk Goods
Seasonal Informational Clinics
Propane Tank Refilling
Houseplants
Water Softener Salt
Potting Soil
Pool Supplies
Fertilizers
Landscaping Materials
Garden Hoses
Rocks
Sprinklers
Soil
PVC Pipe
Mulch
Pet Supplies
Cement
Fish & Aquarium Supplies
Brick
Equine Food
Koi Food
Chicken Feed & Supplies
Pet Bedding

They offer free delivery and assembly of any purchase of $150 minimum and within Davis city limits. Call for more details.

Classes and Demonstrations

Davis Ace holds regular events in both the hardware and housewares buildings. Demos are designed to provide helpful advice for home projects and showcase Davis Ace products and services. Attendees of these events often receive special discounts on products showcased. Advanced reservations for participants are sometimes encouraged.

Upcoming events can be found through this link: http://www.davisace.com/ Gardening demonstrations are often held in the garden department. Cooking demos are held at various times throughout the year in the housewares building.

Great Fish selection A selection of high quality fish food Active,Healthy Fish

Politics

Page 1 of letter; click to enlarge Page 2 of letter; click to enlarge

On October 27, 2012, Davis ACE owner Jennifer Anderson sent the letter pictured at the right to ACE employees, asking them to vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in the November 2012 Presidential Election. The two page letter outlined her reasons for asking employees to do so.

The Vanguard claims that this is not the first time that this has happened.

CBS Sacramento 13 ran a story on the letters that included interviews with customers.

Davis Patch also has an article and spoke with Jennifer Anderson on the afternoon of November 6th. Here are a couple of the quotes:

  • Why send the letter? “I feel a moral obligation to say these are the concerns I have as a business,” she said. "I see a momentous event coming. I’m telling my employees."
  • Were you trying to influence employees' votes? Anderson’s answer is yes: “I believe I was trying to influence a vote,” she said. "You educate people through information. Is it forced? Do I demand? No.”

The Davis Enterprise's article quotes Anderson as saying, "I’m deeply sorry if I've offended any customers or employees. I truly believe in America and our liberty and everyone's individual right to have an opinion."

Note that Jennifer Anderson is not alone in having urged her employees to vote for Romney; this article identifies nine CEOs who did so. One businessman claims he has already laid off some workers since Obama was elected, saying that he "tried to make sure that the people I had to lay off voted for Obama" (see this article for details; the article also touches on the legality of these actions).

Nov. 13: Huffington Post Story about the letter: Mostly just a collection of quotes from this wiki page as well as Patch, Enterprise & Vanguard stories, but to a much larger audience. Links were included to the Ace site, the Enterprise, Patch and this wiki page.

History

Apolitical Sasquatch Statue The land currently occupied by Davis Ace Hardware was first owned by Jerome C. Davis (the man Davis was named after) according to a mortgage dated November 1, 1861. The land has since changed hands multiple times.

Davis Lumber Company began its business on October 1, 1907 and incorporated on February 24, 1922. It first occupied several lots along the west side of the railroad between 2nd and 3rd streets and two lots north of 3rd Street.

In 1937, the Anderson family took existing stock from their own hardware store, located on the west side of G Street and exchanged their business for common stock in the Davis Lumber Company. In the same year, a new flagship building was constructed for the company alongside the other lots. The new building was then viewed as one of the most modern structure in Davis. It still exists and is now home to KetMoRee. On June 22, 1962, Donald, Dora and Essie Anderson purchased Davis Lumber Company. In 1966, DLC joined the Ace Hardware Co-operative. However, it wasn’t until 1999 that the store was officially changed to Davis Ace, which explains why some people still call it Davis Lumber. Jennifer Anderson, daughter of Dora and Don Anderson, is the president of present-day Davis Ace.

Later, they extended the property extending to 4th Street and across the railroad tracks. Initially, the four buildings were called Ace Housewares, Ace Hardware, Ace Garden & Pet and Ace Rock Yard. 

They no longer take payments for PG&E bills or SBC bills. The Davis Ace home store used to have a pay phone inside of it located by the entrance nearest to 3rd Street, but it was noticed missing on September 1, 2005.

In September 2007, Davis Ace began accepting compact fluorescent bulbs, which contain mercury, for recycling. However, as of 2008, they no longer do so.

In December 2008, the custom frame shop closed. They still sell a selection of pre-made frames, though.

Comments:

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Somebody told me that this Ace Hardware is one of the biggest in the country. Anybody else heard this too? -AbbyLawson

I don't know if it is the largest, but it is one of the larger ones I've seen, though all the successful ones that compete with the large box lumber/hardware stores (home depot, lowe's) are pretty large. RocksandDirt

My contractor father-in-law is pretty happy with our Ace. Generally well-stocked and the parts are in the correct bins. — RussBowlus

Ace is pretty good for supplying my general needs, but when I need more specific or specialized stuff I head to Woodland to go to the Orchard Supply Hardware there. I also prefer the Redwood Barn Nursery's plants, but you should really go to both to get the full range of planting options. -KarlMogel

I was in the ACE a few days ago, and I was really impressed how good the staff there helped me, although I only wanted a single nut for only $0.06! Another time the told me honestly, that the thing I wanted to buy, was much cheaper in another store. They are really helpful and very qualified. -BurkhardLehner

2005-09-04 22:03:46   I thought of ACE as just a hardware store, but in the Houseware section I've found tons of stuff that would do well in an apartment or dorm. Cookware (from cheaper cast iron to Le Creuset ($$$)), dishware, coffeemakers, cleaning supplies, shower curtains, bookcases, and pillows (no sheets, though). They sell the cutest creamer in the shape of a cow with the mouth for the spout. Or at least they used to. I love this place. —IrenePark

2006-10-12 08:42:43   The gentleman who helped me at the paint counter was fantastic. He took the time to stop what he was doing and focus on my question, even though it was about a tool they didn't have! —NelsonConley

2011-04-25 10:27:00   Yes! I forget his name, but he has helped us many times, and I've been meaning to come here and comment about it for months! He is very knowledgeable, helpful, and generous with advice about everything from which tools to use to which paints are most affordable or best for homes with small children or whatever. He's great! —harvardslacker

2006-12-13 22:16:33   They really have everything here! Between the two locations I think you can get nearly anything you want. —JohnHumperdinkle

2007-05-15 14:03:39   It was a little strange having the store split up into different buildings, but this place totally helped me out when I needed a key made. —Jedron

2007-05-15 14:29:38   I like how you can ask just about any of the staff where item X is, and they'll know exactly where to find it (usually down to the aisle number). I also like that there's always a coupon for 10% off of a purchase in the Green Machine. There certainly are other great alternatives to what Ace offers, but it's good to have it as a failsafe. —KevinChin

2007-05-15 14:35:18   I've been really impressed by my visits here, especially to the "Hardware" part of the store. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and seems to genuinely enjoy helping people. And when I needed one item from "Hardware" and another from "Garden and Pet," they waved me right through with my item without making me go through the checkout. I guess that's how you know you're in Davis. :-) A friend of mine told me that Ace Hardware stores are all independently owned and operated — I don't know if it is true, but if so then that might be another reason to patronize the store. —CovertProfessor

2007-05-23 19:01:35   The staff here is quite helpful and very friendly. I walked in looking for a replacement buckle for my knapsack, and not only did they have several choices, but they knew exactly where in the store to look. Home Depot / Lowes never, ever have this kind of service, in my experience. I will certainly be back. —JamesShearer

2007-09-22 18:45:53   It seems like ACE doesn't like me. The people at the register are normally nice to me, however the older staff near the plumbing tend to be rude and sarcastic. Last three out of four times they did not have what I needed. They close at 6:00pm on Saturday! The Sun has not set yet, so I guess they're afraid of vampire or something. —DavidHolcomb

2007-12-04 15:31:49   Perfect place to get a large variety of errands done, most importantly helped me copy a key for my place. —NCSaephanh

2007-12-05 11:34:51   The hardware employees have always been really helpful. But the Houseware prices seem really expensive. I went looking for lamp oil for decorative lamps I'd been given. A large bottle of oil at Ace Housewares was $16. I went to Walmart and found the exact same product at the same size for $3.50. —ElleWeber

2008-03-29 14:12:08   It'd be nice if they gave local downtown businesses discounts. We tend to shop here a lot. —SunjeetBaadkar

2008-04-13 11:27:23   I really want to like this place, but I always end up leaving unhappy. They waste an inordinate amount of space on high profit items, like patio furniture and power tools, at the expense of hardware store basics. On big ticket items like those, I am obviously going to shop around - if Ace has the best value on those, then so be it, but that doesn't happen often. Conversely, when I need a specific bolt or wire nut, I don't want to have to shop around. I am willing to pay a small premium for that convenience. I have been to much smaller Ace stores that I can count on to have those sorts of things, but this one fails to deliver. In addition to being pretty steeply priced, I have found their service to be pretty lackluster (ie: not having wire cutters at the wire cutting station and keeping me waiting for 10 minutes while they find a pair of scissors to try to hack through the wire). Speaking of bulk wire, I'm curious as to what the Weights and Measures people think about their measuring practices... I asked for 6' of wire and the clerk said "I'm about 6' tall," and then roughly measured the wire against his own height. I have found Orchard Supply Hardware in Woodland to be far superior in price, selection, and service... which makes it worth the drive for me. —RyanCoates

2008-06-24 16:05:26   Were able to fulfill most of my hardware needs here pretty easily, very helpful employees! —calvinz

2008-12-02 14:05:52   I bought some plants and pet supplies here and everything went fine, but when I went for copper wire a different time, a salesperson in the hardware department told me that wire is not made of copper and they wouldn't have any. He didn't seem interested in helping me at all. I went to the hardware store near the food co-op, forget the name of the place, and there was someone working there who was happy to teach me some about the various gauges of copper wire and help me pick out the kind I needed. So, I'll be going there from now on. —DanaSullivan

2009-02-07 09:33:44   ACE is a great place for many things. I enjoy their pet section especially their fish selection. They have great prices. The tanks are not overcrowded like PETCO and the staff is helpful when selecting fish. They will even special order. They get most of their fish from local breeders so they are young, active, and healthy. I have bought over 20 fish from the department and they are all doing very well. ACE also has a guarantee on their fish for 7 days, if a fish dies you bring in the frozen fish and a sample of the water and they will refund your purchase and run a complimentary ammonia and nitrite test as well test the Ph. They carry a high quality of fish food pellets and wafers made by Aquadine as well carry frozen bloodworms, glassworms and brine shrimp. The only fish I have not been happy with is their Betta's. Chelsea is very helpful and the best fish person I know. She even threw in a few water snails and small fry on my last purchase as a bonus. The ACE rewards program is also great for getting cash back on all of your purchases. I recently received 10 dollars in the mail in the form of a gift card. I have also used ACE's key making department. They are friendly and most of the time keys made work, but always check because I have had several occasions where the copy made was useless, but the key department at ACE also has a guarantee. If the key does not work, bring it back and they will remake it for you. The garden and plant department at ACE is one of my favorite stops, they have a good selection of plants that are alive,green, and healthy. Enjoy your shopping experience at Davis ACE! —ElizabethBarthel

2009-08-11 15:37:52   Great service and selection. I was concerned that I would have to head to home depot for all of my home improvement projects. I have yet to walk away from ace without everything I need. —JeffS

2009-11-20 17:43:01   FIVE STARS! :) When my family moved to Davis, we were really shocked to find out what it was like to live in a small town. Coming from the Bay Area, to shop in a place where employees will go WAY out of their way to help me was, well....downright confusing! Yes, it is a bit odd an inconvenient to have the place split between three buildings, but that's the trade off if you want small town service with big town inventory! The household items are wonderful....this is THE place to get something for that kitchen aficionado, or a unique wedding gift. In hardware, there are knowledgeable people in MANY aspects of home repair, and if they don't know, they'll find someone who does! They carry items unique to Davis. I have a furnace circa 1973 and they are the ONLY place to carry filters for it. My husband looked for them at Lowes and HOme Depot and you can't even order them. But Ace keeps them in stock. Why? Because there were a lot of furnaces with that size put into Davis homes. I do worry about the new Target hurting these guys. I truly hope it doesn't. I think if ACE keeps doing what ACE does well, they'll be in business for many years to come! —toriac

2010-01-21 16:41:39   Their key making service leaves a lot to be desired.

As I was standing in line the woman behind me mentioned that this was her third attempt trying to get a key that worked. I didn't think much of it until I got home and found out that the one they made for me didn't work either. How hard can it be?

The rest of the store seemed fine, all the staff were helpful etc. —Arturgreensward

2010-02-08 17:47:24   Addendum to above: I went back to Ace and tried to have three keys made of which only 2 worked. Clearly not just an issue of one employee. —Arturgreensward

  • I have had at least four keys copied here and they all worked (adding more data to hopefully provide a more accurate percentage of working keys copied here). —hankim
  • Many years back I had a few made with no problems. -jw
  • I've had ~6 keys made here and they've all been fine. —CovertProfessor
  • I had 3 keys copied for my apartment a few years ago and only one worked. I had two copies made for my current home and one did not work while the other sometimes works (you have to give it a few minutes of tugging and turning before the door unlocks). I noticed that CVS makes keys, I'll probably try their services next time. -djnejad
  • I have had TONS of keys made there, probably at least 20, and I've never had a problem. After time keys get worn down and sometimes trying to copy those yields unsatisfactory results because you are copying a slightly less than perfect key. Also sometimes new keys are just tight; I have had this happen and it just takes a little use before it starts working perfectly. - JenniferCook
  • I've gone to Ace maybe a half dozen times to have keys made, and have gone back to have them remade 3-4 times. It wasn't an issue of tightness or old keys, though. They just didn't work. —MichaelAWoods
  • I've had several mailbox keys made here. Usually I have them make 4 at a time because I constantly lose them. Well, every time I go in, there's always at least one key that doesn't work. I thought maybe it was because the mailbox keys are smaller and more difficult to make? It's quite aggravating.—EricaMacGregor
  • To clarify, we did have a problem with our machine that makes keys last year (2010). The issue has since been resolved - if it does happen again, please let a member of management know so the problem can be resolved quickly. Sorry for the problems anyone experienced! —CailinPeterson

2010-08-07 21:06:32   I've always had really good customer service here. They always help me find whatever I need whether I want hardware stuff, plants, or fish. —themichelle

2010-08-10 01:16:23   GREAT selection of pet products! I had no idea! —5thAve

2010-08-20 18:39:53   They had everything I needed in order to build a potato cannon, and were quite helpful in leading me to the right parts, especially the best camping flint to use for ignition. Overall, quite knowledgeable about their potato cannon-related hardware, I'd say. —DaveShelton

2010-08-23 13:51:18   went here for garden plants last week, first guy didn't know anything but called someone that knew exact location of the 20 different plants i was looking for and gave me and my buddy a small description of them ... (it was scary how well he knew his plants and their location) —henryeung

2010-08-26 12:02:53   I called ACE this morning about getting some #3x48 1/4" screws to fix my laptop's hinge. The woman I spoke with was extremely friendly and helpful! The screws themselves were surprisingly expensive—35 cents a pop—but it's not that big a deal. In the past I've had a little trouble finding hardware there, but it's usually pretty easy to find an employee to ask, and they're always friendly. —TomGarberson

2011-01-02 01:00:28   The people here always go out of their way to find me a pallet when there aren't any left across the street if I ask for one. They most definitely don't have to do this, especially because they get nothing out of it. This is very much appreciated. Very friendly staff. —RebelYell

2011-07-26 17:28:38   All of their departments contain knowledgeable, friendly staff EXCEPT the Pet section! I will usually take my pet/plant stuff to the outside register rather than deal with the Pet people. Once I asked for them to inscribe a couple of collars for my cats and they told me to come back the next day because the person on hand wasn't trained to do it- and they promptly forgot all about it and it wasn't ready at all later! Absurd. They also are extremely slow on the register - I have no idea why that would be but it has been a consistent experience.

However, I really have nothing except gushing raves about all their other departments. The Hardware people really know their stuff and have been helpful in my experiences varnishing wood, painting walls, installing lighting fixtures, to picking out flashlights! The Housewares are also really great and I always find a surprisingly useful and reasonably priced objects there. Especially for smaller kitchen items you can't beat Ace. The plants are a little hit and miss - sometimes I've had problems with pests that they come infested with. But the employees are still extremely helpful and well trained in Garden.

One good thing about the Pet section, though is that their pet food is cheaper than at Petco (even "on sale" Petco), including their Science Diet. —dizzyditz

  • Regarding the pet tags, you must pay once they've been inscribed. It wouldn't make sense for them to get some tags ready and all lasered in and then hope that the customer will return the next day. I can understand the frustration of having to come back, but there are people in other departments or on-call people who know how to use the tag machine; you just need to ask. —HannahFolkes

2011-08-29 19:20:27   I brought a gallon of white paint in to have it tinted. The woman at the paint desk refused to tint my can of paint even when I was offering to pay. This seemed absurd to me. She explained that because the paint hadn't been purchased at ACE that she had no way to charge me for the tinting and that I would have to take the paint to the store it was purchased at. I'd appreciate it if ACE would tint any can of paint. It would make Davis's residents lives much easier, especially since ACE is the only place I know of to have paint tinted in the city. —JasonMoore

2011-08-30 08:42:28   If somebody wants to integrate this comment into a 'controversy section,' feel free. This is part of a letter I emailed to the manager last fall, taking issue with the fact that Ace sells rabbits. I never received a response, but the other day I saw a couple babies so it clearly went unheard. These bunnies not only had an empty water bottle and a dirty water bowl (granted, an employee fixed that after I pointed it out, but who knows how long they were without clean water?), but they also use wood shavings for their animal bedding which can be deadly to rabbits. The body of the letter:

When I asked you why you sell rabbits, you said “because it's a pet store.” I can understand this rationale to a point, but in fact Petco and Petsmart, the two biggest pet stores in the country, do not sell rabbits. They partner with local shelters to raise awareness about bunnies who can be adopted. Bunnies are the third most common abandoned pet at shelters, and this is not counting the number who are dumped in the wild to fend for themselves.

While the adoption fee for a rabbit from local shelters run from $40 to $80 (a bit more than Ace's price), this includes a free spay/neuter which would cost at least $200-500 at a vet office. Spaying and neutering is important not only to slow the unwanted pet population growth, but is essential for improving rabbits' general health, life span, and behavior. Rabbits should also be eating fresh greens, unlimited hay and only a small amount of pellets every day, as well as getting at least a few hours out of their cages to exercise. I am not sure how Ace cares for their rabbits, but if you were to promote adoptable rabbits instead, you would not have to spend resources caring for your own.

If Ace were to work with local shelters rather than breeders, more shelter bunnies' lives would be saved and people would learn the importance of adopting companions rather than purchasing them. Cutting off demand for breeder rabbits is an important part of this step, just as adopting dogs from shelters lowers the demand for dogs from puppy mills. Shelters are also skilled at screening potential adopters and providing important rabbit care information.

I would really love for you to reconsider your policy of selling rabbits in your store. Rabbits are curious, intelligent creatures with big personalities who need to be spayed/neutered, litter-trained, and exercised just like other companion animals. Though Ace has a pet section, you don't sell cats or dogs, and rabbits should be no different. I strongly believe that taking this step and showing commitment to alleviating the pet overpopulation epidemic would benefit your public relations with the community, a resource that may in the end be more valuable than the profit you might make off of rabbit sales. —MeggoWaffle

2011-09-20 11:24:33   I really like this ace hardware. I've only really ever gone there for fish-related things (I am an aquarium enthusiast) and the staff has always been really helpful and friendly. One thing I like about ace above all else is that they sell live blood worms (fish food) and they sell them at a much better price than anywhere else. By comparison Pet Extreme in Woodland is the next closest place that sells live blood worms and they will sell you the same "one ounce for 2 bucks" deal but Ace must just have a much bigger idea of what an ounce is than Pet Extreme or anywhere else. —Brian.Tangney

2011-12-13 17:27:24   I feel like something more should be said about the pet department since just "Pet Supplies" is so vague - it seems like a lot of people don't really know what they have. I work there and I've had quite a few people come in and say they've lived in Davis for years and didn't even know Ace had a pet department! Anyway, the pet department carries dog & cat foods and treats that are mostly high-end (note that they don't carry the brands you can get at a grocery store); also for dogs, rawhides, bully sticks, and bulk biscuits; many big name dog toys and a decent selection of cat toys; cat furniture and scratching posts; bird seed for wild birds and pet birds, in bags and in bulk; rodent & rabbit food in both bags and bulk; chicken feed (including organic options), as well as oyster shell in bulk or large bags; some horse feed (limited selection); fish food in containers and in bulk; cat litter, including ecofriendly and non-clay varieties; pet bedding; small animal cages; kennels and carriers; pet beds and blankets; reptile food & light bulbs; engraved pet tags (takes 2 to 5 minutes); and aquariums & supplies, including filters; grooming supplies, including brushes, combs, shampoo, lotion, and wipes. As for medication — Frontline for cats and dogs, tapeworm pills, flea collars, and flea powder. And as for feeders, they have live crickets (including pinheads), live feeder mice, frozen mice & rats, live tubifex worms by the ounce, live meal worms, freezedried meal worms, frozen worms & fish food, and other freezedried insects in the reptile section. Aaand more! For a small department it has a surprising variety of product. As for pets, there's a wide selection of freshwater fish, some shrimp and snails, more available by special order; and they have pet rats, usually a pet bunny or two, and the occasional guinea pig. To address a previous comment, they will no longer be using pine shavings as a bedding and if you go in right now you will see that they're switching to Carefresh for the in-store animals. To again address that same comment, which mentions an animal being out of water and having a dirty bowl; the cages are cleaned every day of the week and are given fresh food and water every morning. The employees are supposed to keep an eye on the food and water throughout the day and if they've missed something, certainly let someone know. They'll take it seriously. Hope the information on what the pet department carries is helpful! Tell your friends. :) —gurglemeow

2012-03-01 09:09:31   Most of their stuff ranges from mildly overpriced to ridiculously overpriced, but I guess that's the cost of supporting a "local" business. I just paid $20 for two camera batteries, and when I got home I checked online and saw that I could have gotten the same batteries for less than half the price on Office Depot's website. If you care about how much money you're spending I'd recommend doing some thorough pricing online before you go in. —jsogul

2012-03-13 10:47:58   Jsogul, there is a $10 delivery fee for ordering through Office Depot's website, plus tax. If the batteries were $8 each on the website, with delivery and tax you would have ended up paying more than $27. —gurglemeow

2012-03-16 19:31:04   Ace is a well run store but overpriced. I'd recommend Hibbert Lumber on 5th and G when they are open. —ScottB

2012-07-27 15:04:57   Do they sell wooden pallets at ACE? Or anyplace in Davis? —elizabeth2014

2012-07-27 15:48:32   The Davis Enterprise used to have a stack of free pallets out behind their press building. —AJThompson

2012-10-31 14:29:55   I would like to announce that recently the Owner of Davis Ace Hardware sent out a personal letter to all of its employees asking them to vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in this upcoming election.Regardless of political affiliation I believe that was completely inappropriate of her to do and it has made me upset. I guess if that's the kind of local business you would like to support then Davis Ace Hardware is the place to shop. —JacobPeterson2

2012-11-04 20:09:42   I am a customer of Ace Hardware in Davis and I have heard that there was a letter sent to the employees on how they should vote. I believe that that is not only a non American thing to do but also illegal in this state. Each citizen should have that right to vote for the canidate that they believe holds the most policies that they agree with. It should not be dictated by their employer. Then to use Christopher Stevens in the letter is even more appalling !!! His parents have also stated that they did not want their sons death to be any part of this election. If nothing else that should be respected. Every vote should be respected as a individuals right as a American and should not be intimidated by any other person. —LyndaDraper

2012-11-05 13:43:49   I am genuinely amazed by this political letter. I never saw * ACE * as a political Institution, and I am a grateful and frequent customer. It this even lawful? This gives me a real uncomfortable feeling. (I would btw still vote for Obama, and this is what it does: raises political discussions). —ConstantiaOomen

2012-11-05 13:46:48   I laughed for minutes over: "Yes I did "get the job" through our family, however, I could have destroyed this company with poor management - but I haven't." Haha, wow! —EdWins

  • Yeah, I had a good chuckle over that one, too. —CovertProfessor

  • It's puzzling why someone would express an insecurity about their qualifications to manage(nepotism) in a letter that tells their subordinates who is best to manage the country (and for the record, I vote Libertarian and disdain Republicans and Democrats equally). On a side rant, anyone who hasn't voted yet should check out third party candidate Gary Johnson. He's fiscally conservative, pro womens' rights, pro gay rights, anti-war, anti-war on drugs, and he climbed Everest. — MikeyCrews

    Ace has gone downhill steadily, insult to injury eh? ~SD

2012-11-05 15:38:28   Maybe I'm reading into it, but calling him "Mr. Obama" instead of "President Obama" strikes me as disrespectful. This wording has been used for several years by delusional birthers who refuse to acknowledge him as the country's leader. —MeggoWaffle

Ehh, that's pretty common terminology. You hear it a lot from journalists and whatnot. Technically, the first reference to a president should be "President X" to properly establish identity, but in a given story it's very common to revert to "Mr. X" for subsequent references. See, e.g. this NPR piece. I don't read it as disrespectful. Hell, it's more respectful than simply saying "Obama" or "Romney," as most of us do on a daily basis. —TomGarberson

I have a degree in journalism so I see where you are coming from, and actually most journalists besides NPR and NYT dispense with the Mr./Ms./Dr./Rep/Sen. etc. altogether after the first reference per AP Style. Of course I don't expect a layperson to use either rule, but it is the complete lack of acknowledging him with his title, plus the context of how the birthers refer to him, that paints how I read the letter. -M

2012-11-05 15:46:23   As a private business owner, Jennifer Anderson is well within her rights to send political letters to her employees; even if, as in this case, the letters include indirect threats of downsizing, removal of benefits and/or references to the livelihood employees' children. As informed consumers we are within our rights to boycott her business due her political views and tactics. Yes, Ms. Anderson, you are entitled to your opinions and I am entitled to mine. —WillODonnell

2012-11-05 15:59:32   @ MeggoWaffle Yes, I noticed that too, for being unpleasant, a particular feeling. "Mr. Obama" doesn't seem the right way of addressing the President, Barack Obama. And this whole "You didn't build that" thing wasn't intended the way Jennifer Anderson is using it. Obama explained that very clearly. He meant to say: everyone must be grateful for the legacy and help of the people around (and before) them. —ConstantiaOomen

2012-11-05 17:19:18   That letter is so messed up, especially in regards to trying to represent extreme military spending as a matter of "personal health", which is apparently not optional in her mind, unlike actual personal health care coverage, which she says is optional. Seriously, how does supporting "our allies in the Middle East" have anything remotely to do with ACE Hardware?? After that sentence, I wouldn't have been surprised if she decided to bring up abortion issues as well. It really just goes to show how unintelligent and insensitive this person is; the only thing this letter could have ever done is backfire in her face. If she understood how the electoral college system workd, she would have known that Romney has a snowball's chance in hell of winning California anyway. Sadly, this is another Davis store I'll have to be boycotting. —ScottMeehleib

2012-11-05 20:25:18   This is all so ridiculous. I won't be shopping at Ace again, but really, why did she bother? California isn't even a swing state! And I guarantee you, if she causes problems for the employee that posted this I will personally be helping support him in any way I can... —Davidlm

2012-11-06 09:26:13   Awww, one of my favorite stores in town gets political. Makes me not want to come back and I am not even a citizen.. The owner didn't want to lose business due to election and yet that's what she is doing by urging her employees to vote for Mittens. —LinaPlanuty

2012-11-06 09:59:18   BOO- HISS!!! Will be boycotting Ace Hardware. Yes...Ms. Anderson has a right to send political letters to her employees but it's not a smart thing to do...or a respectful act. Shows how much she values her employees by making veiled threats of removing their benefits or affecting their jobs. —maggieq

2012-11-06 12:10:29   First off, thank you to CovertProfessor for posting the letter. I don't know who you are nor which employee gave you the letter, but I appreciate the both of you for making this public.

I am an employee at Davis Ace and I have not been employed with the company for a full presidential election cycle, because of this I cannot confirm or deny if this is the first political letter mailed by Jennifer Anderson to an employee’s home. I can say that this is not the first time she has flooded us with her political views. For the past few months we have been receiving packets of photo copied OPED pieces from the internet, newspapers, and magazines that have been carefully selected to present conservative political views she agrees with. These packets were left in our employee break rooms, which should be our place of peace. These packets are often disposed of after their delivery either by an outraged employee or a cautious manager. I was informed by a superior that Jennifer has been advised not to leave these packets, yet she continues to do so. Similar articles have also been paper-clipped to our paychecks.

While I understand the outrage from DavisWiki users regarding mailing us with her views, I am more offended by her using the power she has for personal reasons and an attempt at political gain. Our home addresses are not posted in a public space at Davis Ace. They are in our employee files that she had to get into in to address the envelopes. I am more concerned with her accessing these files that I had always assumed were private and kept for human resources purposes.

Even if she is legally able to do this, is it really A) polite, B) worth the backlash on both the DavisWiki community and Davis Patch, or C) worth the paper wasted?

I can say with absolute certainty that if our political beliefs happened to align, I would still feel uncomfortable with the approach she has taken in spreading her views.

I have yet to speak with a single employee who is not bothered on some level by the letters being sent to our homes. There are some that side with Jennifer's views, but not with her actions.

I understand the power of voting with your dollar, but this dollar does come back to us employed at Ace. Many of us depend on these jobs to pay for rent, house payments, education expenses, food for our families, etc. To those who have decided to never return as a customer, I ask you to reconsider. I would personally want you speak with Jennifer herself.

—Tryingtokeepmyjob

  • If she would reply to emails, I'd understand your point. She has not replied to at least 2 emails I sent her inquiring further. That sends a clear message. —PeteB
  • I agree that the employees shouldn't be punished for this. At the same time, I feel that it's important not to cave into the owner's ridiculous behavior. Sometimes business owners simply MUST be hit in the pocket books before they will come to their senses, and since money is clearly of primary importance in her life, I wouldn't be surprised if she has a fairly quick turnaround. As a compromise, I will return to ACE if Jennifer agrees to stop pushing her political opinions on you folks. —ScottMeehleib
  • I have always been a happy customer at ACE and do not want to stop shopping there now. I am a liberal-progressive, and yet I shop at many stores owned by Republicans. I am OK with that. What I am not OK with is an owner making what might be perceived as veiled threats to her employees if they don't vote the right way (even if making threats was not her intention) and creating a pressured environment for her employees. Even if such actions are legal, they are not ethical. What I would hope is that public pressure causes Ms. Anderson to rethink her policies, to apologize, and to promise never to do this again. Then we can all go back to shopping happily at ACE and employees can keep their jobs, free of coercion. —CovertProfessor

2012-11-06 13:04:08   This may be the first time Jennifer Anderson has sent a political letter to her employees' homes, however she has tried to influence her employees' votes for years. Usually it is in the form of fliers or articles posted at time clocks, in employee break rooms or in managers' in-boxes. She also talks up her political point-of-view at mandatory employee meetings. This summer she encouraged her employees to see '2016: Obama's America' by offering to reimburse them for their tickets, if they went to see it. She is obviously out of touch with reality. Nevermind the fact she was able to open a second store during Obama's presidency. I hope her employees make a stand see the support for them on here. —DavisJay

I have talked with more than a couple ex Ace employees who share sketchy tales ~SD

Well, I'm really disappointed in this and I don't think I'm going to be getting stuff at Davis Ace anymore. —AlexPearson

2012-11-06 18:10:12   @Jennifer Anderson and Ace Hardware - SHAME ON YOU. Keep your political views to yourself. you are right "the choice is yours (your employees)". If you really cared about your employees you would be happy to make sure they are all receiving proper medical care, not threatening them that if they don't vote for Romney- Obama care will affect them - yes they might actually get health care from you. SHAME ON YOU. I will NOT be shopping Ace Hardware any more. YOU MUST defend your self here for me to reconsider -as I am forgiving.

@ DavisJay- you are correct - I know 1000% they had a staff meeting 2 years ago (I believe when Prop 8 was on the Ballot) and went over the ballot with employees how they recommended they vote (republican). I will find the letter from 2 years ago and post it ASAP.

@ Tryingtokeepmyjob - YOU NAILED IT "While I understand the outrage from DavisWiki users regarding mailing us with her views, I am more offended by her using the power she has for personal reasons and an attempt at political gain"

—BridgetCBoyd

2012-11-07 15:11:13   This is so sad. Days ago, Davis Ace was simply a hardware store, a local business well-known for its friendly employees and service to the community. Now Jennifer Anderson has reaped the wiki whirlwind and damaged her business. And for what? To assert her political views to a captive audience? To resort to such tactics in pursuit of no conceivably effective end in terms of realistically affecting the outcome of a national election is surreal. And surreal is the opposite of a responsible hard-headed, results-oriented business outlook. The only way for Ms. Anderson to turn the tide of this public relations disaster is to publicly apologize to her employees for invading the privacy of the voting booth. —RaoulDuke

2012-11-07 17:03:10   Wow,

Davis Enterprise is reporting that 78.1% of Davis voters chose President Barack Obama in this 2012 election. 78.1% voted for a Democrat, and not for former Governor Mitt Romney that Ms. Anderson was pushing. I suspect that more than 80% of the people who shop at ACE voted for President Obama (college students, those supporting Buy-Local movement, and support downtown businesses). What is the ACE owner telling those customers?

This reminds me of the Susan G. Komen foundation (pink ribbons/breast cancer research/running) CEO Brinker wanting to not support Planned parenthood, the premier women's health support organization in this country. She ended up resigning, the foundation lost many donors and moral credibility. I hope ACE Davis doesn't fall into the same situation. Too bad. I have shopped there for a decade now, going out of my way to shop there, voting against Target project, etc. I still love their knowledgeable staff, but will be inclined to go there less often.

—kihyoplee

  • Ayup. Obama support is possibly even closer to 85% in Davis when you consider that there are people (like me) who voted for the Green Party or Libertarian Party mainly because Cali isn't a swing state... —ScottMeehleib

2012-11-07 20:07:36   In thinking more about Jennifer Anderson's letter and her interview with Patch, two things stand out for me. One is that she just doesn't get it. This is not about her right to her opinion, or even her right to share her opinion with her employees. She doesn't understand that the letter comes off as threatening — that if her employees don't vote the way that she thinks they should, they will lose their jobs (or their health insurance). I am sure that she didn't intend the letter to be threatening. However, when you ask employees to vote a certain way, and then describe what will happen if the wrong person gets elected... well, employees will connect the dots, even if those dots were placed inadvertently. Ms. Anderson, if you are reading this, please try to put yourself in the shoes of your employees and realize how your letter comes off. Second, I see that ACE is pushing for no changes to the zoning around Target, and that it has expressed views on what the city should do about 5th Street, parking downtown, etc. So, the comment about how she and her team have built her company really rankles. Ms. Anderson expects the city to act in the interests of Davis ACE, but when it comes time to give credit to that, she thinks only of the efforts of her company. Ms. Anderson, you cannot have it both ways. —CovertProfessor

2012-11-08 15:08:51   Man, the Enterprise is so friggin' lazy! Not only were they slower than their competitors, it doesn't even seem like they attempted a formal interview. It looks they just printed excerpts from a statement issued by Jennifer. At this point, people mainly want to know if she's going to continue sending these controversial letters, and the article doesn't even address that issue. Also, the Enterprise was the only news source to omit that the letter first appeared on Davis Wiki; therefore Enterprise readers don't even have the proper context for how the story came about. —ScottMeehleib

  • It is rare for the Enterprise to acknowledge the existence of the Wiki at all, even when discussing sources of information about Davis. About the only time I have seen it is in a letter to the editor or a guest editorial. And agreed that their "reporting" of this incident was rather thin. —CovertProfessor

"2012-11-08 16:44:22"   Okay well. I got a telephone call from Jennifer on the day after the election. It was a little creepy, but also a little heartwarming as well. She had obviously seen my name in these comments, searched to see if I was an Ace card holder, and phoned the number associated with my account. Fair enough, and I was actually impressed.

She had taken the time to find out a dissatisfied customer's phone number and called him to apologize for any offense or ill-will this whole fiasco may have caused. I forbore from pointing out that voter intimidation really isn't the way to go about it, but I did let her know that I sympathize with the fears of smallish businesses that have believed the Republican Scare Tactics. I told her that I sincerely hoped that none of the Bad Things she was afraid of would come to pass now that Obama has a second term, and I wish I had told her that even if it DID (under Romney or Obama) that we, the hippy Donkey-Worshiping Faggot-Enabling Athiest-Being citizens of Davis would probably end up helping out a local, family owned, co-op hardware store just out of PRINCIPLE, yo. Even if we think her actions are unexcellent and shady.

Jennifer, thank you for calling me. Thanks for explaining your side and apologizing for any offense I may have taken. I will always respect a broad that stands behind her opinions, even if those opinions are retarded. Big ups, respect, don't keep doing it though. <3 — AlexPearson

  • Did she explain how "terms in Obamacare would affect..." how many people Davis Ace can employ? I didn't get that one, since I thought The Affordable Care Act was still on the table, going to be negotiated between the House & Senate and the President? —RaoulDuke
    • no, and I didn't ask her to. She seemed mostly concerned about having possible lost a longtime customer and if more of us used our real names then maybe she would have phoned you too and you could have asked her yourself. Really. — AlexPearson

2012-11-08 22:44:10   I certainly would not like somebody calling me because of some comment I made here on Wiki; It would feel like a huge violation of privacy. But maybe that is something personal? (referring to J.A. calling A.P.) But what would bother me most, is that she would look up my address and phone number through my ACE membership. I ask again: is that even legal?—ConstantiaOomen

  • There's a fair amount of phone calls and occasional lunches that are prompted by stuff on the wiki, but it's all opt-in (and usually friendly in nature): there's a big difference between reaching out to somebody who has put their contact information out there or via a mutual friend versus using a commercial database of numbers. It's probably legal, but again... legal doesn't mean it is right to do. I'd be miffed if somebody got my number via that method, even though I make mine public, because when I gave it to you at the register, it was not in the context of "call me about things". -jw

@ J.W. That is exactly what I mean. If J.A. would look up my phone number through my ACE membership and call me about a Wiki comment, they would never see me in ACE again. This is not the reason that you give your address and phone number when you become a member of ACE ConstantiaOomen

2012-11-10 08:32:05   @ConstantiaOomen "This is not the reason that you give your address and phone number when you become a member of ACE." The same goes for our personal information and her letters. —Tryingtokeepmyjob

  • Cashiers ask for my phone number when I buy anything there and then check it in a database accessible via the cash register. I gave them my land line phone a long time ago, and always recite that number, even though it is disconnected ;) Perhaps I won't be reciting it for them any more, tho. RaoulDuke
  • @TTKMJ Please let us know if any apparent repercussions come about from this incident (layoffs, schedule changes,etc). This would be useful information for ACE patrons. Thanks for going out on a limb on this stuff too. Good luck. -JT
  • Dear Trying To Keep My Job: Don't feel like you have to tell the Wiki anything! Use your own judgment! Am sure things are pretty complicated for Davis ACE employees right now. The main thing is for you guys to keep your jobs! RaoulDuke
    • Agreed, keep you job first. -JT

2012-11-14 11:42:35   From Jon Stewart...... "Let's stop pretending that, suddenly, with this election, bosses have been transformed into reluctant assholes," Stewart said sarcastically. Stewart noted that many business owners have always tried to find ways to curb employee benefits like pensions and health insurance: "Obamacare is just the latest excuse to rig a lot of the social contract," he said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/14/jon-stewart-papa-johns_n_2130397.html?1352915955&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009 —atwong

2012-11-14 14:46:31   Good to see the HuffPo cover this, although I have two quibbles: 1) They did not acknowledge the original source of the letter, which was the Davis Wiki, and 2) the headline suggests that JA apologized, when in fact, she offered one of those non-apology "I apologize if I offended you" apologies. (The text of the article is clearer about this). —CovertProfessor

2012-11-14 20:51:22   Finding myself in between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On the one hand, upon discovering the details of this debacle, I found myself disappointed and offended that a local Davis business owner would revert to tactics akin to the Morgan's and Rockefeller's of yesteryear. I immediately wished to organize a protest, if not a ban on the establishment entirely.

On the other hand, we need to think of the employees.

It's bad enough to live in an economy that makes it difficult to function with a single job Where you only earn the bare minimum, if you're lucky, but then to be passively threatened by an overly greedy, manipulative, pseudo-tyrant of an employer.. It's enough to make one's stomach churn.

While this woman was literally handed a business of her own, she has either forgotten or just does not care about the plight of her employees. Many have worked hard to make your business what it is. They have been loyal and faithful to you and your business, some for multiple years. You repay them with a slap in the face, threatening what few benefits and hours they have... Ms. Anderson, you are now one of the most disgusting human beings I know of.

Congratulations. —Wes-P

2012-11-15 14:41:14   Damn, who put Overreaction Much in the water? One of the most disgusting people you know, Wes? That's pretty harsh, and I bet that hurt her feelings. That's not cool, Jules. As far as the rest of it goes, yeah, voter intimidation is vile, but I don't think she's been being malicious about it. She's just not maybe progressed as far as the rest of us along the way, and that's OKAY. What should happen next is that Jennifer and a few of the employees should get together so that the employees can explain their concerns and priorities (like keeping a job and making sure that their employer can continue to employ them) and Jennifer can talk about how badly the Republican Bullshit Machine fooled her. There's no reason to get all "U R TEH MOST DISGUSTINGEST MADAM!!!!" on the poor lass. She's not stupid, she just believed the lies they told her. —AlexPearson

2012-11-19 06:40:51   At a recent storewide employee meeting, Jennifer hinted at the backlash in part of her introduction portion of the meeting. She said that the backlash has been hurtful and it has been very emotional her. She then went on to say that the election was over, it was time to look forward and move on. There was no apology to us. Instead, there was essentially a plea to get over it. Many of us share this sentiment. She only seemed to regret getting caught.

Sales have been very slow over the past several weeks, and there is no question that this is why. I do believe that if she addresses all of this publicly and apologizes for offending us (rather than apologizing IF she offended us), there is hope for her business. She must swear to never leave political packets in our non-work space, never to paper clip articles to our paychecks, and never to mail us letters that attempt to sway our politics again. Only then, do I see people coming back to our store.

To those who have remained loyal for the good of the employees, I thank you. —Tryingtokeepmyjob

  • Thanks for your honesty. I was one of the boycott supporters, but I see now that I was wrong. I don't believe that the employees should have to suffer for her actions. —ScottMeehleib

"2013-1-31 16:28:44"   For the record, I have not stopped buying the awesome birdseed, cat toys, plant starters, or other housewares / gardening supplies / etc that they carry. Davis ACE is important to the ecology of the city, and we do no-one (not even ourselves) any favours by pretending that they aren't. Screw Whole Foods, Texas-based nonsense company coming in here to abuse the trust of our naive citizenry (esp the students)... I buy my hardware basics at Hibbert, I must confess, but where else other than Davis ACE can you buy a huge ceramic frog? Where else are you gonna get your root flush? For crying out loud, this store has an entire aisle devoted to potato gun manufacturing. The ladybugs are great, I bought a swamp cooler here two years ago (remember two years ago?) that I still use today (not today it's winter obv) — wait wait wait I catch my breath...

Look. For you neckbeard SAT mufuhs out there... GWBUSH :: AMERICA : JANDERSON :: DAVISACE It don't matter.

That said, Jenny, you gotta not do that anymore. It's probably actionable (at least with the DLSE) and it's definitely shabby behaviour. Your employees aren't stupidheads, they know what what, and they NEED you to stay in biz for their own darned sake. So chilez-vous, and just trust. This is Davis, my lady. Ten square miles surrounded by reality. We wouldn't let anything happen to a local biz. Unless they was acting like a jerk... I guess? — AlexPearson

2013-02-01 20:26:09 There's a Jennifer Anderson page now. Notoriety is a B. Thanks, CP, for posting the letter initially. —LilyS

2013-02-17 17:55:38   I would love to boycott Davis Ace for Jen's employee intimidation tactics but have other reasons to do so. As an aside, I will say that our company STRICTLY keeps political opinions in the category of other possibly harassing behaviors supervisors can exert, such as sexual harassment. Supervisors are expected to keep political conversations at work extremely civil and short, since they have the 1st Amendment right to express their opinion but their employees have the right not to be intimidated. Actually, my silly reason to avoid them is that their pet section, after the remodel, now has very heavy items near the floor and staff who are reluctant to help customers lift them. Before the remodel, big stuff was in the back so they always brought it out, now you get to lean way over, lift 50 pounds from the floor, and take it to the register, stand in line, and take it to your car yourself. They WILL call for help but that takes forever and they claim they themselves aren't strong enough to stock above the floor or help customers. Fair enough, but perhaps the Republican captains of industry at the helm could invest in some lifts that hoist dog food and chicken food and such to waist level for the safety of customers and staff. I feel sorry for the staff but Western Feed and Pet will ask you, well or just start hauling anything to your car for you. —JaneBF

2013-03-23 16:55:51   Expect to pay 30-50% more at ACE than at Hibbert. I don't know how the owners sleep at night. Well actually they probably sleep on bags of cash. —ScottB

2013-06-16 15:34:22   They seem to have a new section where the locksmith building used to be across 4th from the Rockyard, called Cal Naturals - appears to carry Native Plants and Arboreteum All stars. —AlexMandel

2014-07-26 02:58:33   i recently moved back to Davis. I am a ucd alumni. i am trying to get my life back together and had a few people helping me find housing when i'm on disability income. went to ace hardware to buy some spray sealant for the handmade thank you gifts that i was going to give people and places such as the food closet, turning point, and the management who was willing to let me have a place to live. i knew nothing about sealants. the person i talked to just handed me a can of spray paint. i asked on how to use it and had many questions. i was told that i can return it if i had any problems with it. when the spray kept spraying bubbles out, i went back to return it. they told me that i cant return it. i wasted $5 on something when i dont even have money for food. they lied to me. I was specifically told that i was able to return it but when i tried, they denied my return. i am extremely upset about this. i will continue to call and look online to make a formal complaint. i believed i was tricked and they stole my money. my precious money. i left ace hardware in tears. —KiraKashino

2015-01-09 16:22:49   I've always had hit/miss experiences shopping at Housewares. Yeah, the stuff is generally pricey (they carry finer items) but I'd go for stuff I couldn't find at other locally owned shops in town. I don't like how big chain stores insist on their employees doing scripted customer service and I'm satisfied if someone just tries to help me with my task. Basically, I don't ask for much but over the years I've witnessed and experienced some staff to be lacking in compassion. Today, I went in to buy some nice things for myself. Some practical but for me luxury items. I had coupons and was happy to be getting these things. I had to pay in change for about half of my purchase. As I was counting it out I thought I noticed some impatience from the cashier but no biggie. Then she said 'You know we are not a bank' with irritation. It stung. I told her it was still money. —francesca

Just wanted to emphasize, my comment is about Housewares only. I've always found shopping at the other Ace locations to be a positive experience with staff that tends to go out of their way to be helpful.

2018-10-01 21:09:23   The staff at Davis ACE hardware are awesome. Anytime I come in and explain what I am doing, I always learn a useful tip about home improvement I would have never learned otherwise. Multiple people there go above and beyond to give customer service. It is worth noting their prices are competitive with online retailers and they do free delivery to Davis with bigger orders. —ToddGlenn

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