Hoekel’s: Your Ames Shopping Guide

Why You Should Visit

• Extensive Inventory: You’ll find an amazing selection of nuts, bolts, and associated items – practically everything imaginable! I’ve even found hard-to-find parts and tools for various machinery projects that other places didn’t have. They also carry high-quality tools from Germany and Italy, hydraulic hoses and fittings, safety equipment, industrial gases, and even fire extinguishers. Their stock is surprisingly deep; several times I expected to have items special-ordered, only to find them already in stock.
• Expert Staff: The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. They’re happy to help you find what you need, even if you’re not sure what exactly you’re looking for. I once walked in with just a broken bolt and they quickly produced a replacement. They’re also skilled problem-solvers – they helped me adapt a similar item when they didn’t have the exact antique electrical part I needed and even designed a custom fitting. They’re experts who seem to enjoy a challenge.
• High-Quality Products: The store carries mostly high-end tools and parts, which reflects in the quality of everything they sell. I highly recommend their Knipex pliers – a worthwhile purchase!
• Competitive Pricing: While prices aren’t posted on the shelves (which can be inconvenient), I’ve found the prices to be extremely reasonable, especially considering the quality of the products. In one instance, the staff even found a way to reduce the number of parts I needed for a project, resulting in a lower price at the checkout.
• Full-Service Experience: Hoekel’s offers a unique, old-school shopping experience. It’s a hands-on approach – describe your needs to the staff (showing a broken part is helpful) and they’ll efficiently retrieve the items for you. They can also order parts if they don’t have what you need immediately or point you in the right direction.
• Added Services: Beyond retail, they also perform fire extinguisher inspections.

Why You Might Consider Alternatives

• Unposted Prices: Prices aren’t displayed on the products themselves, requiring you to ask for pricing information.
• “Old School” Shopping Experience: The hands-on, staff-retrieval method might not suit everyone’s shopping style.
• Limited Antique Selection: While they have a wide variety of items, they may not carry highly specialized antique electrical components.