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Acme Lock & Hardware

About us

Downtown Cincinnati Lock and Hardware Store specializing in Locks, Doors, Safes and downtown Cincinnati's only Paint and Hardware store. Trusted since 1933, we provide fast service anywhere.

Business highlights

Emergency services offered
92 years of experience

Services we offer

Car Keys, Door Closers, Doors, Hardware, Hardware & Paint Store, Keys, Lockouts, Locksmith, Safes, Transponders, Vaults, Windows

Amenities

Emergency Services

Yes

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
4.513 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
77%
4
8%
3
8%
2
8%
1
0%
Showing 1-13 of 13 reviews
Kathleen S.
Aug 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$75
He arrived when he promised, assessed the problem and went to the hardware for everything he needed.
I was very pleased.

Johanna F.
Apr 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Douglas S.
Jul 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$90
unknown

Pamela J.
Jun 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$110
unknown

Thomas B.
Apr 2014
4.0
$410
I recently purchased two condos to rent out and a condo to move into all within a few weeks of each other.  I also rented out the condo I was living in.  I needed all of the locks changed - seven in all.  Cost $410.

On one hand the company was good about fixing or replacing the lock.   My biggest issue was the poor attitude and service of the original locksmith.

Unit 1 - One lock rekeyed.  Based on latest finding 4/15 will need to call tenant to see if the lock is really locking since with two of the other locks this was not the case!
 
Unit 2 - Three locks rekeyed - garage & front door deadbolts, front door handle.  Took a very long time.  You could not lock the door handle with a key and it was difficult to unlock..  A locksmith had to replace the doorknob lock two days later.
 
Unit 3 - Two locks rekeyed - two deadbolts one on the garage & front door.   Took a long time.  Update 4/15 - Just found out the deadbolt to the garage has not been locking.  This is the same issue I had with a lock on unit 4 (primary residence).  When the deadbolt is turned in the locked position you cannot remove the key.  When you turn the key back far enough to remove the key the deadbolt is no longer fully engaged enough to lock the door.
 
Unit 4 - One lock rekeyed - front door deadbolt.  Existing lock was not real smooth to turn so I asked the locksmith if it might be better to just replace the whole lock based on how long it had taken to change out the other locks.   It was only $29.95 and that was the installed price.  However the locksmith subsequently discovered he did not have a lock on his truck.  I was a little surprised that there was not a lock on a locksmith truck but that was the case.
 
At this point,  I needed the lock changed.  So the locksmith says he will give me a break and rekey the lock for the same price as a new lock.  I comment that does not really seem like a great deal to pay to have an old lock rekeyed for what is normally a higher price than putting on a new lock.  I said if that was the case, why in the world did he not recommend replacing the locks to begin with? My goal was to have multiple locks at the same unit keyed to match one another so only one key was necessary.  You can buy packs of locks at the large box hardware store that have multiple locks keyed the same
 
When he is done rekeying the lock he tells me that if I have a problem getting the key out of the lock then I should turn the key back to the right then back to the left a little bit so the key will come out.  This is a very important point to keep in mind.  I told the locksmith I was not real happy that I might need to struggle with the key to open the door as I am often carrying items into the house and it is an inconvenience to have to do so and most importantly you should not need to do so for a lock that was just rekeyed!
 
At this point all of the locks have been changed so he prepares the bill which was $410.  Seems like a lot of money and is $35 above the estimate but at this point I am running late and need to get ready to go to a concert.  So I go into the house through my garage door which was open.  When I am ready to go I leave through the front door .  When I am outside I insert the key and lock the door.  However, I am not able to remove the key while the door is locked.  When I turn the key to the right and then back a little bit the key does come out.  However, at that point the deadbolt is no longer extended, so the door is not locked!  When I attempt to lock the deadbolt from the inside by turning the knob it will not move an inch.  It is as if it is frozen.

I called the company and left a message.    I get a call back from the locksmith.   I ask him if he could come fix or replace the lock.  He says he would need to charge me for it.  I said that did not seem right to have to pay to have a lock fixed that was not working correctly.  He tells me he told me I might have problems with it.  I ask him if there is someone else I can talk to.  He tells me everyone will tell me the same thing.  So I call back and leave another message.
 
Eventually I ended up talking to the person who originally scheduled the appointment (Tim).  When I explained what had happened he said someone would be out to fix it the next day at no charge.    However, I still had the issue where I could not lock my door without leaving the key in on the outside which did not seem like a good idea from a security standpoint. In the meantime I had driven to Lowes to buy a new lock so I could lock my front door.  At this point I totally missed the concert I had been looking forward to for weeks and while I was out ready to buy a lock and dinner, my front door was unlocked the whole time.  When I was in the parking lot at Lowes I received a call from Tim saying someone would be out to fix the lock the next day (Sunday).

On Sunday, Kevin the original locksmith returns.  First thing I ask him to do is to lock the door.  He tried to turn the deadbolt from inside the house and could not.  He could not get the deadbolt to budge.  He ended up replacing the lock.

For reasons that are much to lengthy to get into I was not at all happy with how the work was originally done and the coversations with the original locksmith and other company representatives.  However, after having a visit by Adam today to fix a lock and then getting his assurance that if I had problems I could call him for a resolution I am now satisfied with the results and will likely use this company again.  In fact this is one of the things I found so upsetting.  I wanted to be able to use the company but simply wanted the issues to be resolved and for someone to take responsibility for the problems to begin with.

Raing?  Not sure what to do.  It was originally an F in all categories.  However, based on the professionalism, courtesy and workmanship of Adam I am changing it.  Still though 3 out of 7 locks did not work correctly, 2 not all so how do you fairly rate that?   They were subsequently repaired or replaced but this took additional time, trips and calls on my part. 

I will say that overall Tim was good to deal with other than making a comment about a wrong key being used at my residence which was told to him by the original locksmith (K).  I took out the lengthy explanation as to why this was not the case but his comment  was totally inappropriate and really made the situation much worse.  The lock at my residence could not be locked from inside by turning the bolt.  It could be turned with the key but the key could not be removed.  Again,  I removed the lengthy explanation about this but it was one of the things that made me give an initial lower rating for responsiveness and professionalism.  Other than this comment Tim was good to work with and Adam was as courteous and professional as one could hope for in a service call.

Jay S.
Mar 2014
2.0
$200
Unfortunately, the company that sold and installed the lock set is no longer in business.  We contacted Acme and they promptly came to determine if they had the part(s) needed and had to order them.  They did replace the parts once received. The issue that gives me pause for an outright recommendation is that the screw holding the knob is too long and we find we are catching our hands on it and causing small cuts.  It also seems the "action" of the knob is heavy, or somewhat difficult to turn.  It was okay, but just

Brian N.
Dec 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$75
Went well.  Technician was professional and helpful.  Work was performed quickly.

Dianne R.
Dec 2013
3.0
$125
Installed a deadbolt lock. It was OK but he was not the most professional installer.
Response from Acme Lock & Hardware
"Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately the work was completed back on March 21st and according to our technicians notes, the lock worked great and the customer signed off that the work was satisfactory. I'm sorry that she may be having issues 8 months after the work was complete but we'd be more than happy to diagnose the issue if [removed member name] were to call us and let us know the situation. Unfortunately we haven't heard of any issues."

Joanne R.
Nov 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
They did exactly what I asked, the door works fine now, I spare keys, but I still have the old door knob that goes with the look of my house. The people came on time, stuck to their estimate and were professional.  i would use them again.
Response from Acme Lock & Hardware
"Thank you so much for the positive feedback. Being around 80 years definitely helps us to know the proper way to take care of old doors and locks. Thanks again for calling Acme!"

Dana L.
Feb 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$50
I honestly don't recall the price, but I was required to put one in. What I do recall is that the price was competitive, that the technician was very prompt, and really nice. Very happy with their work.
Response from Acme Lock & Hardware
"Hi Member, Thank you so much for your positive response. We do our very best to be competitive in pricing. Our technicians have on average more than 15 years of experience and with that experience it helps keep the hourly costs down for billing our customers. We do truly appreciate your business and if there is ever a need for a locksmith again, we sure hope you choose to use Acme Lock again."

Kira W.
Feb 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$90
I called early Saturday morning after getting frustrated with the cost and coldness of my Honda dealer to make a key.  I checked the internet for locksmiths and called around.  Most of the places I called were either foreigners or local shops that weren't open.  Acme Lock picked up and explained to me the upfront costs and time expectation.  I had a great talk with the technician and stopped into their hardware/lock shop Saturday afternoon.  I was very impressed from start to finish.

Charity D.
Mar 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
The man they sent out was very nice. They were very responsive.

Denise P.
Dec 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$55
We were thrilled. They were very pleasant and they know their stuff. They were so up front with us. It was a great experience.

Licensing

State Contractor License Requirements

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FAQ

Acme Lock & Hardware is currently rated 4.5 overall out of 5.

Acme Lock & Hardware accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard

No, Acme Lock & Hardware does not offer free project estimates.

No, Acme Lock & Hardware does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.

No, Acme Lock & Hardware does not offer a senior discount.

Yes, Acme Lock & Hardware offers emergency services.

No, Acme Lock & Hardware does not offer warranties.