Aborn True Value Hardware

Category:	Home Improvement Store
Address:	438 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02446, USA
Phone:	+1 617-739-9000
Site:	truevalue.com
Rating:	2.4
Working:	8AM–7:30PM 8AM–7:30PM 8AM–7:30PM 8AM–7:30PM 8AM–7:30PM 9AM–6PM 9AM–6PM

Location

Photos 12

Reviews 6

Nicholas Balatsos

If I could give zero stars, or even negative stars, I would -- but it still wouldnt do justice to the horrible service my partner and I received at this store. Im not a person who typically complains about service but our experience was truly awful and I hope that nobody else has to go through it. Yesterday one of the employees, allegedly named Francisco, sold my partner a lock for moving. In the store, he approached her and asked what she needed. After hearing her out, he gladly pointed to one -- the most expensive one. "This is what you need," he told her. So she got it, and took it home, and of course, it didnt fit. But still, no big deal. Just return it, right? Wrong. Brought it there today. And instead of returning the $30+ lock, Francisco (or Jose) caused a huge scene, as he condescended my partner in front of a group checking out, telling her it couldnt be returned because the package (which -- remember -- he expressly promised would work for our purposes) had been open. When my partner returned and told me what happened, I went back in the store. I spoke with him, asking if the manager was available, but he raised his voice again, and refusing to help me, walked away. Im all for supporting local businesses but when there are a million better options -- hello, Amazon -- theres no reason to help an awful business thrive. Which is really unfortunate because from my understanding it was a great business until it switched hands a couple years back. In the end, its only $30 or so, but to broke grad students, spending nearly all their income on rent, thats a significant sum. And then theres the principle of the thing. Appalled. Edit: after reading the reviews, it looks like the employee, who said his name was Francisco, was actually Jose, the owner.

Paul Bader

Terrible customer service. Ive been going here since moving to the neighborhood 1.5 years ago to support our local stores but its not worth it with this place anymore. Both rude and behind the times in not giving refunds/replacements for defective products. Recently, I bought a seal/flapper for my toilet - after getting home I realized that the packaging had already been opened and was stapled shut. Figured that the product was probably still fine to use, I opened it then saw that the seal had a tear. Went back the next day to exchange it and was told that they dont take returns of anything bathroom related. After explaining and showing that it had clearly been returned before which explains how it could be damaged, he said that it was impossible that I bought it already opened implying that I had lied and put staples in the packaging to deceive them. After 2 minutes the owner began ignoring me to help another customer, then his son did the same by walking away from me after talking to him for 3 minutes. Finally, after 10 minutes of me not taking the hint to leave, the owner agreed to give me a replacement but again told me that I didnt buy it that way. Another lost customer over an $8 part.

Christina Phaup

I purchased an air conditioner for $129 that only functioned as a fan. I called this True Value and the owner implied that I was installing it backwards and that he had never had a problem with this brand in 15 years. I exchanged the air conditioner for another unit and took it out of the box. Much to my disappointment, this air conditioners cord was completely chewed and looked burnt. I called the owner again and he got very upset and told me that he "no longer wanted me as a customer" (no problem, Sir!). My boyfriend and I brought the second air conditioner back to the store and the owner insisted that we come to the basement. When we got to the basement, he already had the first unit on a table. He made us open the boxes and show him what was wrong with the units. We told him that the quality was unacceptable and he countered with, "I agree that its unacceptable but the question is, how did it become unacceptable?" (implying that we had caused the damage to the units). Things spiraled down from here and he told me that when he first met me, he didnt think he would have "any problems with me". Eventually after a lot of arguing, he agreed to return my money.

Charles Morgan

Almost everyone of the negative reviews below has a flaw-- as an example, the guy complaining that the stepladder was from Costco obviously doesnt know that there is a company of that name that makes hardware, not related to the superstore. The folks who keep running off to HomeDepot are folks who clearly dont care about neighborhoods and the importance of supporting local businesses. And other folks dont seem for recognize how entitled they act or that customer satisfaction is a two-way interaction. And finally, big box stores can have more liberal exchange policies because they have much wider profit margin spread out over hundreds of stores. Oh, well. Bottom line: this is an excellent neighborhood store, with a wide assortment of hardware and household goods. It can get busy, staff can get harried-- you might even have to be patient for a few minutes, but the owner and staff are all good people, and chances are the store will have what you need. And if we dont support our neighborhood stores, our main streets will be all banks, box stores, and smartphone outlets. (Ive been going to this store for years.)

David Ovadia

Too bad you can’t assign 0 rating!!! I’ve been shopping at Aborn for over 15 years, the owner/manager (Greek or Latin) I’m sure he knows me by now yet he still follows me around through the isles to make sure I’m not steeling, he is pretty arrogant though he knows very little about hardware and time over time he proves utter technical ignorance. Today I walked into Aborn and for the first time I asked him to redo a key copy that was cut wrong by one of his employees. Naturally I brought the original key and the defected copy and showed him the defect, first he denied any mistake then once he acknowledged it was a bad copy, he refused to replace without a receipt. I didn’t have a receipt, I told him in front of 5 customers that I’ve been shopping there for many years, why would he treat me with such mistrust, I asked him if it is worth $2 (two dollars) to lose a loyal customer and all the bad publicity and reputation that will follow, I guess that is exactly what he thought. 10 minutes down the street in Alston you will get real nice service.

Tiger Leader

I agree with all of the 1-star reviews. The owner/manager/boss is pathological mentally sick! I am now most certainly convinced of that when reading the other experiences with him. He literally verbally abused me, screamed at me, yelled, wrenched the items from my hands, screamed that I should leave and go elsewhere. It was not possible to exchange one single word as he was constantly, abusively creaming. He went so far that he discriminated me as a woman, that I was stupid, that I couldnt count and so much more. IT WAS SO BAD THAT I CALLED THE POLICE! Please show your support as our community and NEVER DO YOUR BUSINESS THERE and if you experience ANYTHING NEGATIVE, you MUST, at the minimum, write them in the reviews as the Police has now a particular eye on him! PLEASE HELP THAT THIS MAN/JERK DOESNT GO AWAY WITH IT!!!!