GrandErie Home Hardware Building Centre

I've always been a believer in the saying, "if you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all". However I have to break that rule in this circumstance. A couple of weeks ago I went there to complain about some Beauty Tone semitransparent stain I bought from there. It was very thick and gloopy and very hard to mix. It went on thicker than I was expecting. Most importantly it seemed to be refusing to dry properly. I was told by both the person on the paint counter and the manager that I was applying it wrong, (I was using a roller), and that I was using it at the wrong time of the year. I had 100 8' rough sawn pine boards to cover (6 sides). Basically I felt like they were looking at me like I was an idiot and didn't know what I was doing. Although not a professional, I have more than 30 years renovating experience under my belt. Not satisfied with their response I went to Cayuga Home Hardware and bought a gallon of exactly the same product. I took it home and applied it on and stored the boards under exactly the same circumstances as the stuff from Dunnville. The product was different right out of the can. It was very easy to mix and poured easily. it went on better and I got much better coverage. It dried bone dry within 48 hours. I bought more of exactly the same product from 2 other Home Hardwares with the very same result. A week after using the stuff from Dunnville it was still tacky to the touch. All the other boards were bone dry. Its clear to me that there was something wrong with the stain I bought from Dunnville Home Hardware. However they insisted it was all my fault and that there was nothing wrong with their product. So I will not be returning to Dunnville HH. I estimate that since moving into the Cayuga area 18 months ago, between myself and a local contractor I use, I have spent about $10,000 there. I'm only just halfway through my project and still have a heck of a lot of lumber and other materials to buy to finish my workshop. Dunnville home Hardware will not see a single penny of it. This truly disappoints me because until this time I thoroughly enjoyed shopping there. The guys on the floor and the guys on the lumber desk are all really good guys. Dan, Chris and Jordan to name but 3 were great to deal with, particularly Jordan who I felt was very knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with. Even the guys in the yard who help you to locate and load stuff are all solid guys. I will miss them. since moving from Burlington to the Cayuga area my wife and I both made a pact to try to buy local as much as possible. We go to farmers markets, we buy things like eggs and corn directly from the farms. We try as much as possible to avoid the 'big box stores'. however on the very rare occasion I had a problem with an item I bought at a big box store, I was never met with a response like the one I got from Dunnville Home Hardware.

We can't say enough positive things about the service we receive from all the staff at this location. They have been a constant source of help on the total gut and rebuild of our cottage that we are doing ourselves. Their help and suggestions have guided us through a very complicated update on our whole plumbing system as well as any other portions of this huge rebuild from lumber to plumbing to electrical and anything in between. They always are pleasant and happy to discuss options. Even though we live in the city and close to big box stores, Grand Erie is our go to for everything. 5 stars is no where near enough for this group. Thanks for all you do to help us.

We typically have great service at this store. The one lady in the paint department is our home decor "go to." Unfortunately, we did have an unpleasant experience recently with other staff. It sounds petty, even writing about it, but I want to write it anyway. We purchased some stain that ran us about 150.00 and change for 2 cans. When i got home, they had not stamped my paint card (again sounds petty). So, when I returned to get more paint stain about a week later I asked about getting my card stamped as things are really expensive these days and any free item is a bonus for any family. Well, I understand policies, procedures etc. but it was denied. But, I also get commitment to your customers and that most are hardworking, honest people. I chatted with the owner, he babbled on about how he "understands" but "you know, store policies are needed, not to mention how many people aren't honest, and wow how surprised you would be to know about how many people would be dishonest just to get a free can of paint." Then he proceeded to say how sorry he was, and it was at that point I said "are you? Because you are talking about people stealing from you like that has anything to do with my concerns that your staff didn't stamp my card that was handed to them at the time I got the stain and handed back to me." then he kind a shook his hands and head as to say "oh well." Petty, maybe. Just one person's experience ... not the end of the world but the end of my purchases in that store. Will it make a difference to the store? Nah! But, it's in alignment with my values, not to give my money to people who hint I might be a thief.

Home Hardware is a good store overall, and I’ve always appreciated how friendly and helpful the staff are. They clearly care about their customers and are willing to assist with whatever you need. The store is well-organized, and they carry a wide range of products for home improvement, which is great. That said, I was pretty disappointed with my recent purchase. I bought a tube of glue for $12 and a caulking tube for $14 — both of them were completely dried out inside and unusable right out of the package. It’s really frustrating to spend that kind of money and end up with products that should have been pulled off the shelves a long time ago. It makes me wonder if stock rotation and inventory checks are being done regularly. Unfortunately, I live quite far from the store, so going back just to return these items isn’t really worth the trip. If I lived closer, I might have considered it. But instead, I’m left feeling like I wasted $26. I’m not someone who usually complains, but this experience was enough to make me think twice about buying certain products there in the future. I still believe the staff are doing a great job, and I don’t blame them personally — this seems more like a management or stock issue. I hope they take a closer look at their inventory and check for expired or old products more carefully. It’s a good store, but this kind of oversight can really hurt customer trust. ⸻ Let me know if you’d like to tailor it for a specific platform like Google Reviews or Facebook, or if you’d prefer a shorter version for a quick post.

This is a fairly new and large store with a huge selection for a “small town” store. The garden centre is also large and has a great selection in the spring and summer months. The store is tidy and the staff friendly and knowledgeable. The bathrooms are clean and are wheelchair accessible. There’s lots of parking at the building and adequate lighting in the evening hours.