Atlanta’s hardware retail market encompasses one of the most complete spectrums of any major American city, from the neighborhood-focused independent Ace Hardware stores that have served specific Atlanta communities for generations to the city’s direct connection to Home Depot, which was founded in Atlanta in 1978 and maintains its global headquarters here. The metro area supports dozens of hardware retail locations across all major corridors, serving professional contractors, serious DIY homeowners, and casual fix-it customers with products ranging from basic fasteners and hand tools to specialty electrical, plumbing, and building hardware. Atlanta’s construction boom and active homeowner market have kept hardware retail demand consistently strong across all price points.
When selecting a hardware store in Atlanta, consider whether you need the breadth of a large-format store or the personalized service and neighborhood convenience of an independent. Independent Ace Hardware stores in Atlanta are consistently praised for staff who actually know the products and can solve specific problems, an experience that home improvement warehouse employees rarely replicate. For professional contractors sourcing in volume, large-format stores and trade-focused suppliers often provide better pricing on commodity items. For unusual specialty items, old house hardware, and specific fastener or fitting needs, independent hardware stores and specialty dealers are frequently the only reliable source.
Top Hardware Store Companies in Atlanta
1. Bates Ace Hardware
Founded: 1921
Address: 1709 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 351-4240
Website: https://www.acehardware.com
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Sunday 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Services:
- Full-service hardware retail
- Benjamin Moore paint and color matching
- Key cutting and duplication
- Screen repair
- Tool rental
- Electrical, plumbing, and building supplies
About: Bates Ace Hardware has served Northwest Atlanta’s hardware needs since 1921, making it one of the oldest continuously operating hardware stores in the Atlanta market and a genuine institution in the Howell Mill Road corridor. Over a century of operation has given the store the community relationships and product depth that can only be earned through sustained service to a specific Atlanta neighborhood. Bates carries the full Ace Hardware product range alongside Benjamin Moore paint, key cutting, screen repair, and tool rental, delivering the comprehensive service that has defined the Ace model of neighborhood hardware retail. Staff at Bates have the product knowledge that customers cite as the primary reason to choose an independent hardware store over a warehouse competitor.
2. Intown Ace Hardware
Address: 854 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Phone: (404) 874-5619
Website: https://www.acehardware.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Services:
- Hardware, fasteners, and hand tools
- Paint and painting supplies
- Plumbing and electrical supplies
- Garden and outdoor supplies
- Key cutting
- Neighborhood delivery for qualifying orders
About: Intown Ace Hardware on North Highland Avenue serves the Virginia-Highland and Poncey-Highland communities as the prototypical Atlanta neighborhood hardware store, providing the knowledgeable, personalized service that distinguishes independent hardware retail from warehouse shopping. The store’s location on North Highland makes it walkable or easily drivable for residents of one of Atlanta’s densest and most engaged residential neighborhoods, reducing the need to drive to a Home Depot or Lowes for routine hardware needs. Intown Ace staff are consistently praised for their ability to identify the right fastener, fitting, or solution for specific repair problems that customers bring in, including the kind of unusual old house hardware questions that warehouse employees cannot reliably answer. The store serves both casual homeowners and the serious DIY community that Virginia-Highland’s active housing renovation culture generates.
3. West End Ace Hardware
Address: 964 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW, Atlanta, GA 30310
Phone: (404) 755-5599
Website: https://www.acehardware.com
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 6:45 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM to 6:45 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:45 PM
Services:
- Full hardware retail
- Paint and color matching
- Plumbing, electrical, and building supplies
- Key cutting and locksmith services
- Garden and seasonal merchandise
- Community-focused neighborhood service
About: West End Ace Hardware on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard serves the West End, Oakland City, and surrounding Southwest Atlanta communities with full-service hardware retail that provides the neighborhood’s homeowners and small contractors with access to quality hardware products and the personalized service model that defines independent Ace retail. The West End neighborhood, experiencing active residential renovation and commercial revitalization, generates consistent demand for both basic maintenance hardware and renovation-grade materials. West End Ace fills a retail access gap in a part of Atlanta where large-format hardware stores are less concentrated than in the northern suburbs, providing the surrounding community with genuine hardware expertise close to home. The store’s extended daily hours accommodate both professional contractors picking up materials before job sites open and homeowners working on evening and weekend projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When should I use a neighborhood hardware store versus a large-format store in Atlanta?
A: Choose an independent Atlanta hardware store like Bates or Intown Ace for problems requiring expertise, unusual or specialty items, and situations where a staff member who can identify the exact right product saves you multiple trips. Large-format stores like Home Depot or Lowes are better for high-volume commodity purchases, major appliance shopping, and projects where you need a broad selection of multiple material categories under one roof. Independent hardware stores consistently outperform warehouse competitors on staff knowledge, personal service, and the ability to source unusual items, while warehouse stores win on price for standard commodity items and breadth of product categories.
Q: What basic hardware should Atlanta homeowners keep on hand?
A: Atlanta homeowners benefit from stocking assorted machine and wood screws in common sizes, drywall anchors rated for plaster and gypsum, weatherstripping appropriate for Atlanta’s temperature swings, a quality caulk for both interior and exterior applications, basic plumbing fittings and supply lines, circuit breaker spares matching your panel, and standard paint touch-up supplies. Staff at Atlanta independent hardware stores can help you build a practical home maintenance kit tailored to your specific home type and construction era.
Q: Do Atlanta hardware stores cut keys and repair screens?
A: Yes, most Ace Hardware locations in Atlanta including Bates, Intown, and West End offer key cutting and duplication as a standard service. Screen repair, window screen replacement, and screen material sales are also common services at Atlanta independent hardware stores. Some locations offer additional services like glass cutting and chain cutting. Call ahead to confirm specific service availability, as individual store capabilities vary.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s hardware retail market delivers genuine value through its network of independent Ace Hardware stores, each serving a specific community with product depth and staff knowledge that large-format competitors cannot match. Bates Ace Hardware’s century-plus history on Howell Mill, Intown Ace’s service to Virginia-Highland, and West End Ace’s commitment to Southwest Atlanta all represent the neighborhood hardware model at its best. Contact any of these stores directly for current hours, specific product availability, and service capabilities.