A G License Locksmith Hardware

This is my dad’s hardware store. He has been working so hard for 35+ years to provide high quality paint, plumbing, hardware, key copies, locks, etc. to the community.
I remember once a community member ran into the store panicked because he accidentally locked his key in his car while he was double parked in the street. My dad ran out of the store, unlocked the car for him and ran back without charging him anything.
A lot of the products are behind doors to prevent theft, which is sadly a large concern in this neighborhood.
My dad prides himself on carrying the highest quality paint you can find, and a huge selection of beautiful colors.
The store has been expanded and renovated recently, and is still in the process of being further organized. Since the’ve been around for so many decades, they do have some old items taking up space that they need to get rid of, and that is something they’re working on very hard right now.

It’s really convenient and so far has had everything I needed.
Yes, everything is behind glass. It’s Bushwick. Also, yes it’s crowded and small. So is everywhere in New York. I’ve also NEVER experienced any of the employees being inappropriate to me (re: some reviews below), and I’ve been here at least 10 — 15 times. I find their prices to be very reasonable. I’ve gotten a bunch of paint here and it’s been awesome quality and mixed very quickly.
The one bad thing I will say is the counter is UNBELIEVABLY slow. But I just go there knowing that and it’s fine. It’s called patience. :)
This place has saved me quite a few times and I’m grateful it’s there and close! If you want somewhere big with a million employees go to Home Depot.

This hardware store is really important for me because its close to my studio and they carry pretty much everything I need. All these other reviews really nail it, its crowded and disorganized, the tiny hallways are often crowded with boxes of crap.
Worst of all is the creepy guy that has to unlock all the cabinets because everything is behind glass. The first time I went in there with my roommate we where debating which color to get or to mix a color, I said «lets take one of each color and go home and play with mixing colors» the creepy guy said «oh you ladies like to play?» we both just looked at each other with no response. he went on to say «I should spank you guys» we just walked out of the hardware store in disgust. He hasn’t been that bad since I had my boyfriend follow him around and stare him down but still he keeps trying to talk to me and says «your boss must work you hard, he sure is working you hard» I just glare at him and tell him I’m my own boss. I think this guy is a little mentally retarded so I feel bad for him but still, hide him in a stock room and don;t let him interact with people!

UPDATE: I was the 1^st to review this store 5 years ago. Unfortunately had to go back in yesterday. Nothing has changed. Same people that were here 30 years ago. Just to clarify after reading the other reviews. The 2 older guys are brothers. The younger one (described as creepy) is the son of one the brothers. These people are what you can describe as misers. They have more money then God! Own several buildings in the neighborhood. Could retire and never have to work another day in their lives. However they choose to spend their lives in this hardware store overcharging and short changing people for pennies daily. I just dont get it. To each their own but please stop ripping your customers off!

If you pay in cash, you WILL be shortchanged.
One of the floor runners is super creepy to young women.
Very disorganized. Many items are behind locked cabinets.
Their return policy is crazy (partial value for some items only).
I wanted to give these guys a chance since they’re local and very close to me, but after three bad experiences, I just can’t bring myself to be willingly cheated and harassed.

Katie E’s review still holds pretty true.
This place is the convenient go-​to for custom paint in the neighborhood and they carry Benjamin Moore which is better quality than the Behr you would get for a trek to Home Depot in Bed-​Stuy (paint chips are deceiving with Behr in my experience).
Butttt…I might carry home paint from Shermin Williams in Williamsburg next time since this place is so weird. At first I found it charming, but it’s crazy disorganized if you are trying to get in and out quickly. The aisles and check-​out AKA entrance lane are too narrow to have someone pass you without feeling violated and the aisles dead-​end abruptly instead of wrapping around. The proprietor doesn’t leave the cash register and the other employees are not wearing anything that distinguishes them.
THE PAINT EXPERIENCE: I suggest loitering near the mixing booth and then maybe making an educated guess on who may be a staff member and tapping them on the shoulder. I told the guy the color that I wanted and in eggshell, I wasn’t asked which quality of paint I wanted, just told that it was $ 25/​can, so I’m guessing it’s fairly basic level and I was willing to pay more for better. There are no prices on the white paints on the shelf FYI. Anyway, it was done in like 30 seconds. Don’t they shake that stuff up? that’s what they do at every other single place I’ve ever been (probably 10 paint store experiences). We didn’t get a stirrer upon paying.
That said, the paint was appropriately mixed upon inspection and covered well. I was happy with the result, but we waited in line for about ten years and most staff members seem to be in a daze. There are half-​full beverages strewn throughout the shelves and one million signs discouraging you from even considering returning something ever. If I had a problem with what I bought, I wouldn’t expect to get any sympathy or money back.
I don’t think anything will ever change here since they seem well patronized despite their faults. It’s there if you are willing to scour shelves, wait in line and not care how much stuff costs.

I went to this hardware store the next morning after hurricane Sandy. I was volunteering to help 3 friends in the east village pump 3 – 3.5 feet of water out of their apartments, and then clear out all damaged property. After waiting outside of the store in the cold for an hour and a half (employee that was inside, signaled they would be open in 5 minutes 3 times, so I waited). After being let in the shop I asked where the water pumps were, I was give a vague point «over there» and wasn’t even acknowledged for how long the wait was. I was not sure what I needed as I had not dealt with water pumps before. After waiting around for the one employee to help the 12 customers, I finally managed to get some help. I explained what i needed and before I could finish the employee thrust a box into my hands and said «this is the one». I didn’t trust that this was the right one, and when I began to question I was quickly shut down with either not listening or being told it was the «right one» again. Also he told me it cost «like 200 250?» when i got to the desk it was 100. But Low and behold it wasn’t the right pump, or even anything close to what I needed. The only similarity with what I had asked for was that it was indeed a pump. But a permanent one, not one for the situation I had described. In the mix of everything that went on after, (being in chest high sewer water amongst other things) I lost the receipt. Did I mention this was a sealed ace product. Obviously the tape had NOT been tampered with. My friend who knows more about these things told me it was utterly the wrong thing, and on second glance I could easily see how wrong it was. So I put it back in the van un-​touched! I went to return and I was given abuse, I left. I have lived in the area for 6 years. I went in to their store a few times when I first lived here. They were so inept and rude I started going to oriental lumber on flushing. A much wiser choice if you can. But in desperation after Sandy I had to go back. I wish I never had.

I’m not a certified expert on hardware stores by any means, but I’ve been here three times, and two of them were less-​than-​enjoyable experiences.
The first time I came here, I needed to make two copies of a set of five keys. The guy at the front makes keys, and he is very quick and efficient. No problems there.
A few days later, I came back to buy some paint for my bedroom. This was the first time that I had actually gone into the store and looked around, and it’s sort of a disaster? I mean… there is very little organization, boxes stacked everywhere, most of the shelves are empty and 80% of the products are either behind glass cases or behind the front counter. The back seemed like a storage area, and unfortunately, that’s where all the paint swatches were. It was kind of a maze to get to the actual swatches, but there are some tiny walkways between the box piles if you look for them. Anyway, I had picked out my swatch and in the middle of helping someone else, the paint guy/​store assistant/​I don’t know came to help me out instead. Which is great for me, but kinda bad for her? Either way, I placed my paint order and the guy just asked me, «How do you want it?» Uhh. in a can? In the color I asked for? What do you mean? I guess he meant flat or shiny, but because I’m just an average, everyday girl who only needs to paint once every five years or so, I had no idea what he was talking about. And god, the look he gave me when I asked him to clarify. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir!
Cut to a few days later when I ran out of paint with only half a wall left to go (ugh!) and made my way back to this hardware store to buy some more. Uh, apparently it costs nearly the same to buy a quart of paint as it does to buy a gallon. That was pretty unreasonable, but I’m assuming the store doesn’t price paint? Either way, whatever, I needed my paint, so it was fine. I went in and it was the same guy as before, only he looked a little more strung out than last time. And also like he was wearing pajamas. Whatever floats your boat, dude. Anyway, I ordered my paint and stood around by the paint counter waiting for it. And then waited some more. And waited more. Finally I went looking for the employee who I found dragging his feet (sandpapering the linoleum? I don’t know) pretty hard, and he told me my paint was waiting for me at the front desk. Oh. Okay. Thanks for the update!
I mean, I guess these aren’t really major problems. But I just don’t like the vibes in there, man. The employees aren’t exactly forthcoming, and other than the cashier/​key-​maker, they seem to have no real customer service skill? Or professionalism? Or people skills, in general? Fortunately, I don’t really have a need to go in there again. The dollar store across the street from here has a HUGE selection of hardware supplies at a fraction of the cost. Go there instead!
By the way, this is an ACE Hardware store, so if you’re going, don’t look for an «A G License Locksmith» sign because you won’t find it.

Terrible service, prices that the staff makes up on the spot for half the items in here, and a creepy, quivering old guy (not an employee) planted in front of the register (probably a relative of one of the owners, or hed’ have been chased away long ago) make this the last place I ever would want to go for anything.

I went in here just to browse today — its actually an ACE hardware store. Its a pretty decent hardware store with a large selection of typical items and a big housepaint section. What surprised me, however, was the nicely curated and stocked art supplies section! It occupies one whole aisle and includes a pretty great variety of quality stuff, from canvases, boards, all kinds of paint and paintbrushes, sculpey and other sculpture media, enormous collection of nice spray paint, and so on. its pretty amazing. The only thing thats annoying is that most of everything is behind glass cases so you do have to ask for assistance, but the guy who helped me was really nice.