ACE Hardware

Building A: Ace Housewares

Buliding 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 a long length of G Street from 2nd Street to 4th Street. The southern section is more oriented toward household items. They no longer take payments for PG&E bills or SBC bills. 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.

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 Ace. Hibbert deals with more contractors, so they're usually very professional-oriented, whereas 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.

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.

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 2005-09-01.

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.

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.

Classes and Demonstrations

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

Cooking demos are held at various times throughout the year in the housewares building. Gardening demonstrations are often held in the garden department.

A schedule of events can be found through this link: Davis Ace Events

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

History

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.

Now occupying the aforementioned area along with property extending to 4th Street and across the railroad tracks, the four buildings’ names have changed to Ace Housewares, Ace Hardware, Ace Garden & Pet and Ace Rock Yard. Jennifer Anderson, daughter of Dora and Don Anderson, is the president of present-day Davis Ace.

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
  

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
  

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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

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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

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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

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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