Article came in today: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-not-to-buy-at-lowes-and-home-depot-2016-03-15?link=sfmw_fb

 

Now, I got the Menard's flyer yesterday.   They have smoked brisket on sale this week, wonder where that fits?  For those that don't know them, they have a grocery department.

 

Some people hate the big box stores.  Frankly, I was glad when they came into town because previously we had a string of terrible hardware stores, most of which went out of business before the big boys came in.  The product availability and service was even worse at some of them.  I still buy from the corner hardware store, but when I need selection, I stop at the BORGs.

I am in the same boat here. We had a really good hardware store, but several years ago they "remodeled" and now they act like Lowes. They had another store on the far end of town and I would go there - better selection and help than the main store, but they closed that store down. I still try to give them business when I can, but a lot of times, I have to go to the big box stores.

It's always interesting to me to read how some folks value their local small stores and the excellent advice they get from them. That's just not the case around me, often the advice from the small store was even more misguided than than what the box stores offer (that includes the "real" paint stores). So I shop by price, and try to never get advice from any of them, unless it's "where are the xxx?" type of stuff. So, yeah, I like the box stores...even better once we got Menards. Around me they are a touch above the others, both in selection and price.

To my deep regret, there's no Menards anywhere near Arizona. There's a BORG and a BBRG within 50 miles. I've used them for hardware when the closer ACE doesn't have what's needed. 

For construction supplies, there's a close by yard. For decent hardwood and BB, the closest is Phoenix, 150 miles away. I bought some oak and maple at the BORG once. Never again.

Gene - keep that thought in mind.  When Judy and I come out to Colorado next summer just give me your hardwood order and I'll tote it right on out to ya.  (Quantity in reason of course)

Edited October 18, 20169 yr by Fred Wilson

The box stores have good inventory when it comes to replacing items but are lacking in the repair parts.  If they don't sell an item regularly they don't keep it where the old hardware stores kept at least one of an item that might be needed on occasion. 

1 hour ago, Fred Wilson said:

Gene - keep that thought in mind.  When Judy and I come out to Colorado next summer just give me your hardwood order and I'll tote it right on out to ya.  (Quantity in reason of course)

Many thanks, Fred. But, thanks to a trip to the midwest a couple years ago, I'm stocked up on most of the species I use. However, you guys are welcome to the ranch, anytime.

5 hours ago, HandyDan said:

The box stores have good inventory when it comes to replacing items but are lacking in the repair parts.  If they don't sell an item regularly they don't keep it where the old hardware stores kept at least one of an item that might be needed on occasion. 

I have found Home Depot's "Ship to Store" very helpful for those odd-to-find items, as long as you can wait 4-6 days for it.  They really promote it around here -- give you a cold bottle of water and have a special parking spot for it.

 

Let me see --

Western Home Center - wife refused to go there for me because they assumed all women were idiots

Swallen's - city-wide discount store chain with a small building like a old time hardware store.  Old man Swallen died, kids took over.  Remodeled, went upscale, then closed.

Central Hardware - closed

Furrow Lumber -- closed

HQ (maybe a division of KMart, we know how that ended)

Contractor's Warehouse -- cash flow problems, low inventory, closed.  Their motto was "If you don't see it on the shelf, look for it on a box on the floor.  May be near by." (apparently)

Builder's Square - closed

In came Lowe's, then Home Depot, then Menards.   Now slugging it out.   At one time, I swear you could walk through Home Depot with an Uzi on a rampage and not hit an employee, Lowe's was helpful.  Now reversed.

Still have an occasional Do-It-Best, Ace, or Trustworthy.

 

 

Around here it's HD, Lowes, Rona or Home Center. The last two are Canadian versions of the first two. Rona put on a push about ten years ago to buy up all the smaller (independent) stores, but the business wasn't there, and most have since closed. Three HD within a half-hour drive, but seldom even SEE an "associate", let alone one that isn't on his break. The two Lowes nearby are no better. Rona and HC stock very little, but their staff are better. Growing up, there were six or seven hardware stores in the area, the owners were behind the counters and knew every piece of stock without having to look it up. More than once have I heard... "Come on down to the basement, I think I have what you need"! Now it's just "Sorry, we don't carry those."

John

home desperate here sucks....

CS can't be bothered and the invisible aisle monkeys are absolutely clueless..... if you should ever get lucky and find one it's not their department...

 

5 Lowes... 3 are great.. 1 is okay and one is you'll have better luck at hd..

 

there is Ace for a price...

Lowes in town, along with Hess Lumber Co. and TSC.

 

Hube Heights has Rural King.....TSC on steroids

 

Towns to the west has Lowes and Menards, ace and HWI.  

 

Home Despots are almost an hour away. 

Have Hochstetter Hardwoods about 20 minutes to the north of here..Amish run.  

 

Home Despot in Marysville, OH  is overran by "helpers"    I keep tripping over them, almost one in every aisle....

I have an ace hardware that competes with the BORG Plus they have a cute redhead.

5 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Home Despot in Marysville, OH  is overran by "helpers"    I keep tripping over them, almost one in every aisle....

Explains why our local HD is short of help then. I've become pretty proficient at self-check out since they usually only have one staffed check-out line; of course 3 people are always standing to help you at self check out...maybe they should open another check-out line or two.

 

County seat has a family operated lumber yard/ HWI Hardware; carry some quality items if you can afford to pay the price; also a large ACE Hardware that is also a Sears Home-store..only one in the nation I understand; kinda pricey on many items, but carry a wide selection and many one-off items. There is a Big R (similar to TSC & Rural King), but they're always out of what you need and prices aren't that good.

 

Lafayette/West Lafayette has (2) Menards, a Lowes, and Home Depot...all about 45 minutes away; Two independent long-time lumber yards; both pricey, but one has top quality, high end material; hardwoods, BB, and also offers custom milling serivces. Also TSC, & Rural King...I frequent RK anytime I'm there...keep a running list of items to p/u.; Furrow's, Carter Lumber & 84 Lumber all long gone after first Menard's opened. I always got contractor prices (had accounts) at Carter's & 84 Lumber...both carried the best framing lumber to be found anywhere at the time.

TSC is new here. Well, "here" is down by the BORG and the BBRG. 

The store is small. But, they do have some serous tools and heavy duty hardware. Nothing much related to woodworking. They really cater to the farmers and ranchers. A friend works there and he says the treat their employees very well.

Wow...talk about memories....   Swallens - got my best hiking boots there, my cherry furniture (back when i lived in an apt), and should have bought the NS1000 speakers (regret that)     Central hardware... used to go there and then moved...was back in town when they went out of business and got some nice "hardware" there... 742 and 1894...   Used to have Forest City around...   worst wood EVER.   Then DIY....gone...  Builder's Square...gone...   RK and Menards at least 1/2 hour or more away, but home despot and lowe's around, but not always terribly helpful (boycotted lowes for four years because of some defective stuff they sold me...)   TSC around, but most of the local lumberyards are gone and have to make a trip elsewhere to find anything good.  Couple of big chain hardwares around and old old-time place in town, but i was never that thrilled with their selection.   No really big tool places locally.   

I am lucky to have two great lumberyards, one with a drive thru totally out of the weather, a good hardwood supplier and two fantastic hardware stores. I support them and avoid the big boxes like the plague.

5 hours ago, p_toad said:

Wow...talk about memories....   Swallens - got my best hiking boots there, my cherry furniture (back when i lived in an apt), and should have bought the NS1000 speakers (regret that)     Central hardware... used to go there and then moved...was back in town when they went out of business and got some nice "hardware" there...

 

Yeah, I remember both, Swallen's in it's hey-day was my first stop for almost everything. Bought a fair amount of stuff at Central Hardware as well before we left town (1980).

Tractor Supply is a great place to buy nuts and bolts.   Grade 2, 5 and 8 all by the pound. 

 

One of my daughters lives in a very remote, but college, town (Hancock-Houghton,MI combined population about 12,000).   A lot of people there are DIYers, I suppose of necessity.   My SIL says, "When people say they are building a house or garage, they usually mean starting with a poured foundation and pile of 2-bys."    The nearest big box is over two hours away, but they have a Do-It-Best, Ace, and Trustworthy hardware store.   The fourth store, which mostly stocked just plumbing stuff couldn't make it and closed a few years ago.    It reminded me of a joke in Wisconsin --

Q: How do you tell if it's a small town in Wisconsin?

A: They only have two bars because any town can get three liquor licenses, but if they can only support two, they are really small.

 

Most every bar has a good kitchen and is the place to go to eat, whether you are a drinker or not.  Usually packed on Friday.

The other thing about the box stores that I do not like it trying to get nuts and bolts - WAY TO EXPENSIVE. That is why I am get after the "hardware store" for trying to compete with Lowes. They also went from an ACE store to a Do It Best store