Okay, so I'm not really the "hardware" handy-woman, DIY sorta gal here. But, I do shop there for certain things and have never had a bad experience there. I've had keys made, bought A/C filters, and Round-Up.
I particularly love Paul's because they carry the pink Holy Cow cleaner!! This magic, all-purpose concoction is hard to find around these parts, you see. I thought it was just hog wash at first, until I used it on stains that wouldn't lift, or on scuff marks on my garage door. Plus it doesn't smell offensive. And, the pink color adds to my cleaning experience as well. Ha ha
Staff are helpful and always so cheery when I go to pay. But I start w/my wisecracks and make them smile so that helps too.
And, it smells SOOO good in there - like a typical hardware store. Think a combination of bird feed, new hardware, tiny amount of paint, and fresh lumber maybe? It sounds gross, but it's such an intoxicating smell for me, so I love visiting there.