On Deck for East Bay DIYers: Cole Hardware Opens in Oakland

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Cole Hardware has been a San Francisco fixture for decades. In 1959, Dave Karp bought the original Cole Hardware, which was founded in 1920. His son, Rick, and Rick's children, Adriana and David, now run the family business. Over the last 55 years, Cole Hardware has expanded from a single store in Cole Valley to four locations around the city. Now, the Karp family is bringing its friendly retail sensibility to Oakland.

On January 2nd, the Karps opened a fifth Cole Hardware in Rockridge, near the BART station. It's the first Cole Hardware located outside of San Francisco. The new location, in the former Fenton MacLaren furniture store, is 6,000 square feet, according to the Mercury News, which will allow plenty of space for a larger selection than the petite city stores offer. If you're working on a DIY project this year, staffers are ready to help with recs. Or, if you just want to stop by to welcome the Karps to Rockridge, there will be a grand opening celebration on February 21.
· Cole Hardware [Official Site]
· Cole Hardware opening first store outside of S.F. in Rockridge [Mercury News]