Key Cutting Around Runyon Canyon: Fast Options in Los Angeles

You finish a loop up to Inspiration Point, get back to the car by the Fuller Avenue gate, and realize the spare house key you swore lived in your wallet does not exist. The question is not theory. It is where to walk or drive right now in Hollywood or West Hollywood to get a working copy, how much time it will take, and whether the place is even open.

Below are the nearby spots around Runyon Canyon that actually cut keys, with concrete hours, addresses, and what each option is best used for. Hours listed here reflect posted schedules as of September 2026. Bring the original key, a photo ID if you are asking about a restricted or stamped system, and a card if you plan to use a kiosk.

Closest counters and kiosks that cut keys today

If you want a human at a counter to check your blank, the two Anawalt Lumber stores in Hollywood and West Hollywood plus Koontz Hardware are your neighborhood standbys. If you just need a simple house key at odd hours, the KeyMe kiosk inside Ralphs on Sunset or the Minute Key machine at The Home Depot on Sunset cover early mornings and late nights.

All five are within a short drive of the Fuller Avenue and Vista Street entrances to Runyon Canyon. If you prefer to walk after your hike, the Sunset Boulevard options are the most practical from the south gate at Fuller and Hollywood Boulevard.

What each choice really means for time and reliability

Counter service is usually a five-to-ten minute errand if there is no line. At Koontz Hardware, the key machine is staffed during posted store hours, which means a weekday morning or Saturday is the sweet spot once the doors open at 8:00 am. Koontz is closed Sundays, so if your spare can’t wait for Monday, you will need another plan.

Anawalt Lumber West Hollywood opens at 6:30 am on weekdays and stays open until 6:00 pm, including Sunday 9:00 am–6:00 pm. The Highland Avenue Anawalt store in Hollywood runs the same hours. That Sunday availability is the difference between getting a working duplicate the same day or stretching the problem into the workweek if you like to use a staffed counter.

The self-serve kiosks shine on off-hours. The KeyMe unit tucked inside Ralphs at 7257 W Sunset Blvd runs as long as the store is open, which is posted at 5:00 am–1:00 am daily. If you finish your Runyon loop before sunrise or need a copy after a late shift, that window matters. KeyMe kiosks verify purchases with a credit or debit card and do not accept cash, so bring a card or a phone wallet with funds.

The Home Depot on Sunset covers the late evening gap with 5:00 am–10:00 pm weekday hours and 6:00 am–9:00 pm on Sunday. Inside you have two paths: a Minute Key kiosk for basic house keys when you want to be in and out, or the staffed hardware counter marked “Key Cutting” if your original is worn and needs a pair of eyes before cutting.

Early birds, night owls, and Sunday plans near Runyon

If you hike early, the first open counters are the Anawalt stores at 6:30 am on weekdays. The KeyMe kiosk at the Sunset Ralphs starts earlier with a 5:00 am opening, but only for key types the machine supports. If you need help matching a blank, a counter at 6:30 am is usually the smarter bet than trying to nurse a worn key through a kiosk scan.

For Sunday, Koontz is closed. That funnels you to Anawalt’s 9:00 am–6:00 pm Sunday hours or The Home Depot, which is open 6:00 am–9:00 pm. If your timing falls before 9:00 am and you want a person to look at the key, the Home Depot hardware desk is your staffed option. If you just need a quick copy to hand to a dog walker, the Sunset Ralphs kiosk runs through the small hours up to 1:00 am.

Parking and access matter after a long climb. Both Anawalt locations are set up like hardware yards with their own lots. Koontz sits on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, with typical neighborhood retail parking patterns. The Ralphs on Sunset is a full-service grocery with a large lot and long store hours, which is exactly why its kiosk is a common emergency solve for the area.

When a kiosk will not work and what to bring to a counter

Not every key can or should be run through a kiosk. Many apartment and condo buildings around Hollywood and West Hollywood issue keys or fobs that are part of a controlled system. If your key is physically stamped “Do Not Duplicate” or your building issued you an authorization card for duplicates, a kiosk will either decline or route you to order by mail for supported RFID credentials. Bring that authorization card and your photo ID to a staffed counter if the system requires proof to cut a copy.

RFID credentials are handled differently than cut metal keys. The KeyMe kiosks in the area can scan certain RFID cards or fobs and then mail a programmed copy to you. If you need a same-day fob for a cleaner or sitter, that delay matters, so consider a locksmith or a counter that supports your building’s system if timing is tight.

For car keys, the kiosks and most hardware counters can only handle certain makes and years. The Home Depot hardware desk and some counters can program select transponder keys and fobs, but the cost and time jump with programming. If you are not sure whether your vehicle key is a simple mechanical blank or a transponder that will need to be programmed, call ahead to the counter you plan to visit or be ready for a technician handoff if the counter cannot do it during retail hours.

For worn originals, choose a counter. A human can spot a bowed shaft or a rounded shoulder that will cut a bad duplicate if the machine traces what it sees. Anawalt and Koontz both handle day-to-day household and mailbox keys across the common profiles in Los Angeles, and the Sunset Home Depot hardware desk lists key cutting among its store services.

Real-world scenarios from the Runyon trailhead

You need a spare before work after a sunrise hike

Hit Anawalt West Hollywood at 641 N Robertson Blvd when the doors open at 6:30 am on a weekday. If you arrive even earlier, the 5:00 am–1:00 am hours at the KeyMe kiosk inside Ralphs at 7257 W Sunset Blvd cover the gap for basic house keys.

You locked in your only fob for the garage

Scan at the Ralphs KeyMe kiosk to see if your RFID is supported, understanding the copy is shipped to you rather than dispensed on the spot. If you need it today, go to a staffed counter first and bring any building-issued authorization you have. Anawalt and Koontz can advise on what their stations can legally duplicate based on your system.

It is Sunday and you want a person to check a chewed-up mailbox key

Koontz is closed Sundays. The counters at Anawalt West Hollywood and Anawalt Hollywood both run 9:00 am–6:00 pm on Sundays. If it is before 9:00 am, the Sunset Home Depot is open 6:00 am–9:00 pm and can cut many common mailbox blanks at the hardware desk.

Key things to know before you head out

• Koontz Hardware hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 am–6:00 pm, Sat 8:00 am–5:30 pm, Sun closed, at 8914 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood 90069.
• Anawalt West Hollywood hours: Mon–Fri 6:30 am–6:00 pm, Sat 8:00 am–6:00 pm, Sun 9:00 am–6:00 pm, at 641 N Robertson Blvd, 90069.
• Anawalt Hollywood hours: Mon–Fri 6:30 am–6:00 pm, Sat 8:00 am–6:00 pm, Sun 9:00 am–6:00 pm, at 1001 N Highland Ave, 90038.
• Ralphs Sunset hours: 5:00 am–1:00 am daily at 7257 W Sunset Blvd, 90046. The in-store KeyMe kiosk is card only, no cash.
• Home Depot Sunset hours: Mon–Fri 5:00 am–10:00 pm, Sat 6:00 am–10:00 pm, Sun 6:00 am–9:00 pm, at 5600 Sunset Blvd, 90028. Store lists “Key Cutting” at the hardware desk.
• RFID and restricted keys: Expect to show authorization for restricted systems. Kiosks can scan some RFID and mail copies, but not every format is supported on the spot.

Reader Q&A

Is there anywhere near Runyon Canyon to get a key cut before 7:00 am?

Yes. The KeyMe kiosk inside the Ralphs at 7257 W Sunset Blvd runs during store hours, posted at 5:00 am–1:00 am daily, and handles most basic house keys. For a staffed counter early on a weekday, Anawalt West Hollywood opens at 6:30 am.

Where can I go on a Sunday if Koontz is closed?

Both Anawalt locations listed here are open on Sundays from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and The Home Depot on Sunset is open 6:00 am–9:00 pm. All three offer staffed help for common household and mailbox keys.

Do the kiosks take cash?

No. KeyMe kiosks verify purchases with a credit or debit card and do not accept cash. If you want to pay cash, use a staffed hardware counter such as Anawalt or Koontz during posted hours.

Can I get an RFID fob copied the same day?

Sometimes. The KeyMe kiosk can scan supported RFID types and then mails the copy, which takes time. If you need a fob immediately, bring your authorization documents to a staffed counter to see if your system can be duplicated in store that day.

If you want a person to look at a worn key, head for a staffed counter when it is open. If you just need a clean spare at an odd hour, the Sunset Ralphs kiosk covers the early and late windows. Pick based on the key type you have and the clock you are racing.

Published: September 9, 2026