Oak Hill True Value

Just moved to this neighbourhood, and the movers lost the screws that hold my sofa legs on. Morning after move, trekked two blocks to this little shop (which has WAY more inventory than you would think from looking at the outside) and met a nice young man who patiently listened to my woe, looked at the leg I had brought, and sold me some bolts. They were a 16^th of an inch larger than I needed, so I went back a bit later to exchange them for the ones that fit. No hassle, amazing customer service. This is not the box store where you wander, looking for someone in the right color shirt who can help. This is true, old school customer service. And the prices are only pennies higher than the self service places. This is the hardware store everyone should have in their neighbourhood. I’ll definitely shop there on a regular basis.

This place is the classic corner store that you cherish and love with incredibly knowledgeable staff that care more about helping you than taking your money. I’ve been going here occasionally for a few years, but a recent experience led me to get on Unilocal to write a review. I went in to buy paint and stain for a new porch that was built on our house with pressure treated wood. Instead of just showing us where these products were as might happen at Home Depot or Lowe’s, they implored us to hold off doing any painting or treating until the wood had six full months to dry. He said that if we painted now, the paint would crack in the drying process. He even called a local lumber yard to confirm this. These folks have a very good knowledge of home improvement and are just great people. I promise you will love your experience here. Please get out and support this priceless local business and forget about the big box stores!

So I just came from a jaunt there (surprise surprise, this city girl doesn’t own a snow shovel — or rather didn’t) and they were SO helpful. Clearly, I immediately had to review them.
First I went in knowing I wanted Potassium Chloride… People always assume to salt sidewalks, but salt is actually bad for roads and doesn’t lower the freezing point as much as other KCl does. NaCl also messes with the PH more than KCl… Chemistry!
They helped me locate a bag I could feasibly carry while managing a shovel… But turned out to be unnecessary as those guys helped me carry the KCl anyway. Other random Chemistry side note? The difference in degrees is 5… meaning it can be –15 degrees outside and KCl will still work… so when NaCl was barely working the other day… KCl would’ve worked wonders… it does cost a wee bit more though.
What else?
While I knew I wanted a snow shovel, I wasn’t as sure as to the type. I’ve had two shoulder surgeries, so while they did sell me the most expensive one they had (steel, bent handle) it was truly probably what I needed to get.
Also they’re in the neighborhood and I love supporting local businesses… what can I say?

years ago, before the age of strip malls, neighborhoods were places where you lived and worked and even shopped, corner stores were mingled with rows of houses on tree lined streets, Oak Hill Hardware is just one of those old stores you remember.
Nestled in the Tower Grove Neighborhood, amongst the tree lined streets sits Oak Hill hardware. a little corner hardware store that has pretty much what the big stores have on a smaller scale. The store has just a few aisles of merchandise, but those aisles are packed solid with tons of stuff, more than you can imagine. The staff is also extremely helpful and assist in making your shopping experience a pleasurable one.
it truly is an experience shopping here, its quiet and kind of laid back, so don’t go in expecting to find the hustle and bustle of the busy big guys, it isn’t there, but personalized service you WILL find, a friendly face you WILL find, and helpful hand you will know.

The knowledgable, easy-​going staff are ready to share tips and troubleshoot (but aren’t’ cocky about it). And I’ve never wondered, «Does anyone care that I’m here?» The staff make the place a REAL hardware store.

After my experience at Oak Hill Hardware & Paint Company, I made a vow to shop local whenever shopping for hardware, paint, getting keys made.etc. I love the people who work here, they are helpful and knowledgeable and get you what you need without having you wonder around feeling lost.
I wish this was on a 10 star rating system so I could give them more stars.

What a refreshing change of pace from Lowes or Home Depot! When you walk in you are greeted with genuinely friendly and knowledgeable staff, that can direct you to what you need or help you if your’e not sure what exactly you need. The place is small, but seems to have everything, even non hardware specific items such as car care products. You are in and out in a fraction of the time, and will very likely have in hand what you were looking for.

So excited to have this place right down the street from me! Trying to get settled into my own place sans roommate, I’m finding I have a lot of hardware/​home improvement needs.
I stopped by on the way home from work one morning looking for a very specific lightbulb (hard to find in terms of size and wattage) that I couldn’t find at Walmart, and a step ladder. Someone came over right away and helped me find the exact lightbulb I was looking for. He wasn’t sure about my step ladder question (must be new) so solicited the help of an older gentleman that took the time to show me everything they carry in terms of step ladders.
I was very impressed! I love the «mom & pop neighborhood shop» feel. They have everything! And the most important aspect… prices comparable to the big chains.
Can’t expect much less from an establishment that’s been in business since 1931. This will always be my first stop for hardware stuff from now on.

If you prefer hardware stores over home improvement big boxes, then this is a place for you. Old school hardware on the corner in a residential neighborhood with someone to help if you don’t know exactly what you need. I always try this place first before wandering into HD and getting lost. Most of the time they have what I need and if they don’t they can help with exactly what you need and where to get it.

It’s so easy to let nostalgia get in the way of honestly evaluating something. Oak Hill True Value is, undoubtedly, old school. It’s a small, corner hardware store right in the middle of a residential neighborhood on the southside. Its tiny interior is taken up with tubes of caulk, brooms, fluorescent light bulbs, cans of paint, and more all piled up to the ceiling. It’s cramped, it’s messy, and it’s closed on Sundays. It’s the kind of place that conjures memories of Saturday afternoon fix-​it helper trips with your dad. It’s the type of shop that’s dying, if not already dead, in most places in America. So it’s tempting to say a place like this is awesome, simply because of what it represents, even if it’s objectively been supplanted by a more modern operation.
With that said, it’s beyond heartening to be able to say that Oak Hill rules *because* it rules, not because it’s some sort of Rockwellian fetish. Sure, the hours are a little tough on the modern working stiff (8:30am to 5:30 pm Mon-​Sat.), but the sheer smarts and dedication of the staff makes this a superior business to the Home Depots of the world. Here you will get prompt, dedicated service, fair prices, and zero attitude. If they can’t make what you need happen right away, they’ll figure out a way to get it done, and they’ll be straight with you the entire way. They listen, they suggest, they help you get things done. You’re in, you’re out, bam, you’re on with your life.
For such a small operation, I’ve never not been able to find what I came in for. I’ve never stood around for 20 minutes hoping in vain to maybe spot a worker in order to ask a question. Oak Hill is not a baffling experience. It’s comforting; but not just that, it’s comforting because it functions the way you’d hope a business would — efficiently, personally, knowledgeably, fairly. So sure, there’s a layer of nostalgia operating here, but it’s merely icing on the cake, secondary to the fact that it feels good to support independent business and get what you were after, no fuss no muss.

If you’re in South City, and need something in terms of repair or maintenance for your home, then go here. It’s small, but wonderfully staffed with knowledgeable employees. I walked in here one day after an ordeal at the nearby Home Depot and was pleasantly surprised at the way the staff here did not judge me for my home maintenance ineptitude. That made a few suggestions, and even helped correct a problem I had with my dryer.
Right on.
I live just down the street, and I’ll keep coming back as long as they remain professional.